February 11, 2024 | Hush, Dear People, and Just Listen | Guest Preacher Paul Nixon

Today in worship, we welcome guest proclaimer Paul Nixon who will preach the message Hush, Dear People, and Just Listen based on Mark 9:2-9. Other lectionary texts are Psalm 50:1-6.

Paul is author of multiple books on Christian leadership in a fast-changing age. He is president of The Epicenter Group, a coaching and leadership development organization based in Washington DC. Epicenter coaches about 100 church leaders each year in North America and the UK.

Paul grew up in southern California and came to faith there. His work has taken him to 49 of 50 states, and several nations working with a wide array of Christian leaders. Today he serves part time on the staff of UMC of Palm Springs, even as he continues to keep an office presence in Washington DC.

A long-time friend of Pastor Julie, Paul preached at her installation in 2016. Paul’s husband, Justin Kan, will worship with FBC as well.

November 5, 2023 | Exceeding Expectations for God’s Church | Rev. Dr. Aqueelah Ligonde Preaching

This Sunday in worship, we celebrate All Saints Day and begin a new series: Wholly Generous. One of our consultants from Ministry Architects, Rev. Dr. Aqueelah Ligonde, will be preaching the message, Exceeding Expectations for God’s Church, based on Matthew 23:1-12, Hebrews 12:1-3, and 2 Corinthians 8:1-15.

April 16, 2023 | Welcoming Belief and Unbelief | Lanny Peters

This Sunday in worship, longtime friend and former staff member of FBCDC, Lanny Peters, will preach the message, “Welcoming Belief and Unbelief,” based on John 20:19-31. Additional lectionary texts are Isaiah 25:6-9 and 1 Peter 1:3-9.

Based on John 20:19-31

Lanny served as "Parish Minister" at FBCDC from 1982 to 1989 and is returning to Washington this weekend to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his ordination by First Baptist Church in 1983. Lanny retired from pastoral ministry in 2017 after serving as pastor of Oakhurst Baptist Church in Decatur, GA, for 28 years. He is married to Karen and they have two adult sons, Thomas and Ashe.

Photo of Group gathering of dear friends of Lanny that followed the service.

January 22, 2023 | Would You Like to Go Fishing? | Rev. Miller Manarin

We welcome Rev. Dr. Trisha Miller Manarin, the Executive Director/Minister of the DC Baptist Convention, as our guest proclaimer.  Her sermon title is Would You Like to Go Fishing? based on Matthew 4:12-23.

Sermon Text: Matthew 4:12-23
Scripture Readings: Isaiah 9:1-4 and 1 Corinthians 1:10-18

November 13, 2022 Worship | The Prescription for a Crumbling Foundation | Joel Campbell

This week in worship, Pastor Joel preaches “The Prescription for a Crumbling Foundation,” and we gather around Jesus’ teaching that foreshadowed the destruction of the Temple.

The Gospel reading is Luke 25:1-19. Other Lectionary readings are Isaiah 65:17-25 and 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13.

The Chancel Choir will sing “Blessed Quietness” arranged by Dr. Schreiber for the 50th anniversary of the First Baptist sanctuary. We will also welcome 13-year-old organist Storeé N. Denson, a student of Dr. Schreiber, who will play the postlude.

October 23, 2022 Worship | My People Shall Never Be Ashamed: Abundance, Loneliness, the Finished Race and the Good Fight.

In worship this week, we welcome Fall Forum guest Dr. Sarah Willie-LeBreton to the pulpit. She will preach the sermon titled “My People Shall Never Be Ashamed: Abundance, Loneliness, the Finished Race and the Good Fight.”

We will gather around the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke 18:9-14 and other Lectionary texts from Joel 2:23-32 and 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18.

July 24, 2022 Worship | Joel Campbell

June 12, 2022 Worship | Youth Led

November 21, 2021 Worship

August 8, 2021 Full Worship | A New Day (Pastor Joel)

July 25, 2021 Worship | When Hope is Hiding Out (Charlie Fuller)

Scripture and Meditation

Full Worship

July 18, 2021 | Ask Anything: Confronting the Hard Questions - Does God Care? (Pastor Julie)

July 12, 2020 FBCDC Worship

Gathering Time (hosted by Kelly Magee-Prichard and Taylor Pennington-Russell)
Welcome and Call to Worship (Pastor Julie)
Choral Introit: Jubilate! (arr. Lon Schreiber)
Passing the Peace (Pastor Joel)
Hymn: Source and Sovereign, Rock and Cloud (recorded this week by Chancel Choir)
Anthem: How Majestic is thy Name by Emma Lou Diemer
Pastoral Prayer (Philip Hawkins)
Scripture Reading: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 (Pastor Alyssa)
Meditation: You Are Here (Pastor Alyssa)
Invitation to Silence
Communion (Pastor Julie)
Benediction (Pastor Alyssa)
Closing Song: God Be with You Till We Meet Again
Sending Words (Lon Schreiber)
Organ Postlude: Immortal, invisible, God Only Wise (Lon Schreiber)

An Extra Measure (Pastor Joel) - May 9-10, 2020 Pre-Recorded

Worship with the help of this simple, pre-recorded liturgy with music, scripture, a children's moment, a contemplative practice and a brief devotional message by Pastor Joel. Click the video above.

Order of Worship:

Welcome, Announcement and Mother's Day Blessing (Pastor Julie)
Children's Moment (Pastor Kelly)
Choral Anthem: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (Lon Schreiber & the Chancel Choir)
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4:1-7 (Pastor Alyssa)
Meditation: An Extra Measure (Pastor Joel)
Contemplative Practice: Beginner's Mind (Pastor Julie)
Benediction (Pastor Joel)
Sending Words (Christina Whitehouse Suggs & Daughter)

Weekend Worship - April 25-26, 2020

Click on the Image below to view the April 26 worship recording.

Meditation: Pastor Alyssa
Text: Luke 24:13-35 (read by Didier Ahimera)
Music: Kelly Curtin, Kevin Biggins, Lon Schreiber & Philip Hawkins
Children's Moment: Pastor Kelly
Contemplative Prayer Practice: Pastor Julie

Acts - Adventures in Being Church: Get In the Game - June 23, 2019

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“Coming together for worship, individuals may release their fragile hold on ‘my truth’ for an hour or two in order to explore the timetraveling, ego-rattling, neighbor-loving dimensions of ‘our truth’ instead. As anyone who has ever been part of a congregation knows, this has less to do with being of one mind than it does with being of one body. The deepest truth any congregation has to tell is that those who do not agree on much of anything can still care for one another through almost everything, thanks to the ministering Spirit in their midst.”

~ Barbara Brown Taylor

Good News or Fake News? - May 12, 2019

Charlie Fuller

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The final secret, I think, is this: that the words “You shall love the Lord your God” become in the end less a command than a promise. And the promise is that, yes, on the weary feet of faith and the fragile wings of hope, we will come to love him at last as from the first he has loved us—loved us even in the wilderness, especially in the wilderness, because he has been in the wilderness with us. He has been in the wilderness for us. He has been acquainted with our grief. And, loving him, we will come at last to love each other too…
~Frederick Buechner

Love’s Last Words: “Thirsty” - March 31, 2019

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Another morning and I wake with thirst
for the goodness I do not have. I walk
out to the pond and all the way God has
given us such beautiful lessons. Oh Lord,
I was never a quick scholar but sulked
and hunched over my books past the hour
and the bell; grant me, in your mercy,
a little more time. Love for the earth
and love for you are having such a long
conversation in my heart. Who knows what
will finally happen or where I will be sent,
yet already I have given a great many things
away, expecting to be told to pack nothing,
except the prayers which, with this thirst,
I am slowly learning.

~ “Thirst” by Mary Oliver

Finding God in All the "Wrong" People: Jesus’ Greatest Miracle? - August 26, 2018

Life is not meant to be a burden. Life is not a problem to be solved. It is a blessing to be celebrated. Every dimension of life, its gains and its losses, are reason for celebration because each of them brings us closer to wisdom and fullness of understanding.

~ Joan Chittister

Finding God in All the "Wrong" People: The Shackles That Bind Us

By reading the scriptures I am so renewed that all nature seems renewed around me and with me. The sky seems to be a pure, a cooler blue, the trees a deeper green. The whole world is charged with the glory of God and I feel fire and music under my feet.

~ Thomas Merton