Charlotte

Parade Seats for the 95th Annual Alsatia Mummers Parade –  October 29

Don’t forget to reserve your spot in front of John Wesley United Methodist Church for some of the best seats in town!  Seats go on sale October 3rd.  Call the church office at 301-733-0391 to reserve chairs for you and your family.  Seats are only $6 each.  Concessions and restroom will be available. 

John Wesley United Methodist Church,  129 North Potomac Street, Hagerstown, MD  

All clergy including retired members and lay ministers are invited to consider volunteering your time to help our community at Meritus Medical Center. The goal for the Spiritual Care Department at Meritus Health is to transition to community-based volunteer chaplains.
They believe all people deserve love and attention of those who know them best. Their hope is to work closely with community clergy and lay ministers to better serve the spiritual care of our patients at Meritus Medical Center.
A 10-week training course will be provided free of charge starting October 4, 2022 at Robinwood Medical Center. It will include knowledge and skills that a volunteer needs in order to be effective as a valuable member of the chaplaincy team including the role of a volunteer, spirituality and religion, cultural awareness, listening and communication skills and working with those who are dying and/or grieving.

For more information or to sign-up please contact:
Angela Palle, BSC, MA, MBA, M.Div. – Spiritual Care Supervisor
Email: Angela.Palle@meritushealth.com
Phone: 240-291-0383
Katie Kelly – Spiritual Care Department Assistant
Email: Kathleen.Kelly@meritushealth.com
Phone: 301-790-8716

Download a flyer here.

Updated 10/4/22

A 4-story building at Potomac & Antietam Streets in Hagerstown with 20 occupied apartment units was condemned due to numerous code violations.  Tenants in all buildings were displaced, and while a handful were able to stay with friends and family, the majority had nowhere else to go.

The owner paid for about a week and a half of hotel stays and Horizon Goodwill and Community Action Council have helped with another week, scrounging for funds to do that, and anticipating that tenants’ rental insurance would kick in.  However, all rental insurance claims were denied as this is not a “natural” disaster.  Additionally, it was that that enough of the work on the building would be finished within 3-4 weeks for tenants to return, but we’ve since learned that it will take months to correct the building violations, so these individuals and families need to find another place to live very soon.

Here’s the current remaining need: Nine (9) individuals or couples need to find housing in some type of efficiency or apartment.  At the Georgian, they were paying approximately $700-750 per month, and all of these displaced individuals and families are working and have income.

If you can help, please contact Brooke Grossman, Horizon Goodwill, at bgrossman@goodwill-hgi.org or 301-988-0185.  Ways to help:

• Donate directly to the need (to donate by check contact Brooke).
• Identify potential landlords or rental opportunities that could fit the income levels of these families.
• PRAY for the families and organizations working to help them, and for speedy improvements to the building as affordable housing is in limited supply.

The Doleman Black Heritage Museum(DBHM) announced donations of 13 dedication windows from Second Christian Church and the 3-minute Car Wash sign from Zion Baptist Church in September. The 13 dedication windows from Second Christian Church tell the stories of dedicated members of their church from its beginnings over a century ago. The window restoration is entrusted to Glass Works of Hagerstown, MD. The 3-minute Car Wash sign is from a business that employed many residents of Jonathan Street and serviced the City of Hagerstown and Washington County.

These artifacts donated and entrusted to DBHM will enhance the museum’s exhibits of the people, businesses, culture, and heritage of the Jonathan Street neighborhood.

DBHM is grateful for these donations and thanks Second Christian Church and Zion Baptist Church entrusting the museum with these precious artifacts. We cannot wait to see how they will be exhibited in our new home.

Download Press release

The Interfaith Roundtable is a radio show and podcast that explores various religious traditions and helps us all to understand both the differences and similarities between faiths. What is organized religion compared to spirituality? What do different religious traditions think about God? These questions and more are explored on The Interfaith Roundtable with various guests. Check out the first three episodes HERE, including interviews with Rev. Margaret Brack (Episcopal priest), Rev. Gene Gall (chaplain), Rabbi Niles Goldstein, Rev. Kyle Powderly, and Kathy Powderly. Listen to the radio show live  every Saturday morning on 98.9 FM/ AM 1490 WARK at 9 am.

To commemorate 9-11 and celebrate the International Day of Peace, the Hagerstown Area Religious Council (HARC) held an Interfaith Progressive Dinner on Sunday, September 11. With the theme “From Lament to Hope,” the dinner was held at four different houses of worship, with each providing a brief program.

One part of the meal — appetizers, soup/salad, entrée, desserts — was served at each location as participants traveled from place to place. Participants learned about different faith traditions, sampled spiritually and culturally relevant foods, and built a sense of community.  A vigil was held at the first stop in remembrance of 9-11-2001, and at the last stop hosts celebrated the hope in our interfaith relationships.

Houses of worship stops included: Zion Reformed United Church of Christ, where appetizers and punch were served; Congregation B’nai Abraham, for Matzah ball soup, challah bread, and salad; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which presented a large buffet of tasty Hispanic-themed entrées; and Islamic Society of Western Maryland, where participants topped off the evening with delicious desserts and fresh fruit.

Ninety-four tickets were sold, with a donation to cover costs, and approximately 80 people attended the event. Some participants said this was their first time visiting a synagogue or a mosque.

Anwar Quadri, President of the Islamic Society of Western Maryland, said, “Thanks to all for visiting our mosque. It was a great program. Everyone was so nice, humble, and appreciative.”

When asked on a post-event survey which part of the event was their favorite, several participants said: “How welcoming our hosts were at each house of worship. And of course, the terrific food!”

The Interfaith Team of HARC was formed shortly after the tragic events of September 11, 2001, as a way to bring representatives of different faiths together and provide a forum for interfaith dialogue in our community.

Download the press release here.

                                                      

Faith Step Ministries is a fast-growing Saturday morning breakfast ministry that helps us connect with over 150 community members on a weekly basis on the West End of Hagerstown. We are seeking volunteers from 7:30 – 10:30 AM at 451 Salem Avenue, Hagerstown to help prepare breakfast, serve the public, and clean up.  A minimum of 6 volunteers are needed each week, and we always welcome extra hands to help! Please use this Google sheet to sign up. There is always a lead volunteer from our church who is present to lead and help. Reach out to Marci Corea at hvcsda@gmail.com with any questions!

“Trauma comes in many forms and can have severe, long-lasting effects on individuals, families, and communities. Most people do not have affordable access to mental health resources that could help them understand the effects of trauma and cope in healthy ways. Triumph Over Trauma begins with a 7-week psychoeducational program that aids people on their journey to recovery. Volunteer facilitators are trained and equipped to lead a group in a creative, faith-affirming way.” FREE curriculum/kit and training provided. This is the program mentioned by David Washington at our May HARC meeting. Read more. Feel free to contact Kathy P with questions at 301-842-4272 / director@harc.datachievereview.xyz. Kathy can also offer you an intro workshop on trauma & resilience, if desired, prior to offering this program.

Afghan refugees resettling in Hagerstown and Frederick and elsewhere in the U.S. need your help to encourage Congress to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act.  Without the passage of this act, there is no pathway to permanent residency in the U.S.  Your congressional representatives need to know of your support for the act.  Please read the attached history and explanation of the act put together by Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS). Then contact your representatives and senators to call for their support of the Afghan Adjustment Act. To find out how to contact your representatives, go to www.congress.gov/contact-us

Pastor Shane Wilt and West End Baptist Chapel are spearheading relief efforts for flood victims in Kentucky.  They are partnering with the Happy Church in Jackson, Kentucky to distribute items to flood victims.

Here’s how you can help:
Drop off items at West End Baptist Chapel, 59 Winter Street, Hagerstown on September 3 or 10 from 9:00-12:00 noon.  They will be loading the collected items on a tractor trailer for delivery to Kentucky.

Here are the items needed:
School supplies
Microwaves
Crock Pots
Fans
Dehumidifiers
Tents
Laundry Detergent
Dish Soap
Bleach
Mops
Brooms
Shovels
Rakes
Paper Towels
Moldex
Shampoo
Body Wash
Storage Totes

Feel free to pass this need along to your churches/ministries.  Any collected supplies can be delivered to West End on the dates and times listed above.