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History
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From its founding in 1961, St. Augustine's has been a church willing, and even eager, to be innovative and "out of the box." Services were held first at a seafood restaurant. After the church was built, we began a sharing of the building with a Jewish congregation - Temple Micah. From 2005 to 2008 we worshiped with St. Matthew's Lutheran congregation, as part of their transitioning to a new building in South West.
The present building, dating from 1965, was designed by Alexander Cochran of Baltimore. It's overall form is suggestive of an Ark. The baptismal font in the entrance symbolizes the importance of Baptism in Christian Life. It's placement between the sanctuary and the outside world relates the inner life of fellowship with the Christian's wider life in the World. Estimated to date from the eleventh century, it is carved with symbols of the Four Evangelists.
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St. Augustine's believes in shared ministries of priest and laity and in the involvement of our remarkably (diverse) membership in all our activities. In our ministries to the community and the world, we attempt, in Jesus' name, to reflect the love of God for all his creation.
Lay groups work with the clergy and play key roles in the services.These groups include the altar guild, bread bakers, lectors, and lay Eucharistic ministers (chalicists).There are numerous opportunities at St. Augustine's for individual volunteer ministries.
St. Augustine's is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. We are part of Region 1, one of the six regions in which the diocese is divided. This region includes congregations from the downtown and Capitol Hill neighborhoods of the District of Columbia.
We recently received a great deal of publicity when St. A's sponsored a resolution at the 2006 Diocesan Convention to add Justice Thurgood Marshall a long time member of St. A's to the Book of Lesser Feasts and Fasts.The resolution passed with flying colors and is being considered by the National Church.
St. Augustine's community service takes many forms. Several members help to feed the needy, purchasing food and supplies and preparing breakfast on Sunday mornings for as many as 50 people.
Our breakfast program has been ongoing for more than ten years. Some of our newest members have immediately joined the kitchen crew, finding this a ministry in which they particularly want to participate.
We have frequently made space available for meetings of groups, such as the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly, condo associations, AA, and redevelopment agencies. In some cases, the space is free of charge; in others, a donation is made.
In the summer of 2004, the South Washington/West of the River Family Strengthening Collaborative asked St. Augustine's if they could hold a children's reading camp at the church. This was a welcome outreach opportunity and has resulted in an ongoing relationship with the organization.
We also provide space for the SW Chamber Players who offer a free monthly chamber music concert. The concert impresario is a member of the Southwest community. (The Capitol Hill Woodwinds formerly performed at St. Augustine's, but they moved to Temple Micah's building.) Neighborhood people, as well as music lovers from throughout DC and the suburbs, attend the quite varied programs of the Southwest Chamber Players.
We are happy that our location in this diverse neighborhood enables us to be of service in so many ways. Our history is interwoven with that of our South West neighborhood and we continue our efforts of outreach to the community. |
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