On Earth Day Sunday, April 23, we will be celebrating in several ways.

We will have a fabulous guest preacher, the Rev Dr. Katy Hinman from the American Association for the Advancement of Science. You can read more about Dr Hinman here.

We will also have two service opportunities that day! We will be collecting old cell phones to be donated to the DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The coalition cleans the phones and programs them for 911 calls.

After the 11:15 service, join members of Foundry’s Green Ministry Team in planting some native plants on our beautiful grounds!

If you are interested in joining Foundry’s Green Ministry Team email Jackie @ jackie@foundryumc.org.

Save the Date!

Foundry will once again be partnering with Rise Against Hunger for our Spring Great Day of Service. Participate in this joyful community event while packing meals for those in need. You may sign up for one of the following volunteer slots:

· 8 – 9 a.m.: Set up

· 10–11 a.m.: Meal Packing

· 12:45–1:45 p.m.: Meal Packing

For more information and to register please go to https://foundryumc.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/1704587.

The Interlocking Justice Antiracism Cohort is a continuation of Foundry’s commitment to addressing racism, most recently in our Journey to Racial Justice process, our reconciliation work with our sister congregations, Asbury United Methodist Church and John Wesley African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, and our baptismal commitment "to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves."

This cohort will be led by AnaYelsi Velasco-Sanchez, an educator, consultant, and coach that the Foundry Board has contracted to lead us in our next steps with racial justice work. She is a gifted leader, and you can find out more about her here. The cohort will meet once a month for one year. Each meeting will be approximately 3 hours. The cohort will provide an introduction to an interlocking approach to antiracism in the United States. Utilizing AnaYelsi Velasco Sanchez’s signature methodology, Interlocking Justice, participants will develop a holistic and sustainable approach to identifying and eliminating racism and white supremacy in our community. Church members interested in being a part of helping Foundry live out its commitment to antiracism are asked to apply. A foundational understanding of antiracism is encouraged.

This will be a truly rewarding experience but does need serious commitment. We understand that our circumstances and commitments change but for this cohort, we are asking you to commit to attending every session. We hope that by being part of the 2023 Antiracist cohort, you will be prepared to be a leader in the racial justice work at Foundry going forward. If you would like to join, or if you have any additional questions, please let us know by emailing jrj@foundryumc.org

The next meeting of the Interlocking Justice Antiracism Cohort is scheduled for Sunday, April 16 from 1-4 p.m.

Thank you for your prayerful consideration of this important work

For more than 20 years Foundry’s ID Ministry has worked with vulnerable neighbors to acquire vital documents critical for housing, jobs, schooling, and assistance services. We seek to honor the image of God in every ministry guest knowing that societal systems frequently diminish it. And we strive to conduct our work in the most effective way possible, so that our guests have the best chance of success.

In discussions with community partners and Foundry’s amazing IDMinistry volunteers, we have learned it will be more beneficial to guests and their case workers if Foundry switches to offering IDMinistry on Wednesday mornings instead of Friday mornings. Many agencies do their intake early in the week which we hope will help guests get to their ID appointments more consistently. Getting help earlier in the week also gives clients more time to get to Vital Records, the DMV, and other agencies before offices close on the weekend. We will continue our Saturday ID session on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month for those that cannot come during the week. We believe that this change in the schedule will help more guests get the documents they need more easily.

If you’ve ever wondered what volunteering with the ID Ministry would be like but the Friday schedule did not work for you, we are always looking for more volunteers! It is truly a life-changing ministry. Please email idministry@foundryumc.org for more information.

The Sacred Resistance team educates, organizes, and empowers the Foundry community for advocacy and public witness addressing various social justice issues we are facing at both the local and national levels. If you would like to join this team, email sacredresistance@foundryumc.org

Upcoming dates to engage:

April 11 - Affordable Housing and Black Homeownership Action with At Large Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. 7:00-8:30 p.m. location TBA Register here.

May 2 – Public Safety Action with Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto, 6-7:30 p.m., location TBA Register here.

More details below under “Community Events”.

Foundry’s amazing ESL team will begin a new session of classes on May 9. Students can join at any time during the session. For more information email esl@foundryumc.org

Please join fellow Foundry members the first Saturday of every month at Christ House. Located at 1717 Columbia Road NW in Adam’s Morgan, Christ House is a 24-hour residential medical facility for un-housed men and women. Patients are admitted to Christ House from area hospitals, shelters, and clinics. Foundry cooks lunch at Christ House each first Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to Noon. If you are interested, contact christhouse@foundryumc.org.

Please join us for these important WIN actions! Your presence makes a big difference in advancing the causes of justice in our City!

April 11 - Affordable Housing and Black Homeownership Action with At Large Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. 7:00-8:30 p.m. location TBA Register here.

May 2 – Public Safety Action with Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto, 6-7:30 p.m., location TBA Register here.

We have a goal of getting 30 Foundry members to attend this event, please consider coming- we need you!

For more info please go to: https://www.windc.org/win-issue-agenda-2023/ For questions, email sacredresistance@foundryumc.org.

Foundry is a member of the Congregation Action Network (CAN), a collective of more than 70 Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Humanist, Hindu, Buddhist, and other congregations in the DC Metro region, bringing faithful resistance to end detention, deportation, profiling, and criminalization of immigrants and demanding and upholding justice, dignity, safety, and family unity.

During February and March 2023, CAN and Foundry members advocated directly with DC Council Members to make DC immigration policies more inclusive and to improve conditions at the migrants’ temporary dwellings. As a result of these meetings, on March 23rd, Council members, including Chairperson Robert White of the Committee on Housing, visited one of the hotel sites to assess the conditions experienced by migrants. Chairperson White committed to coordinating a listening session with the migrant leaders, CAN, and the Office of Migrant Services to find real solutions to the problems newcomers/asylum seekers are experiencing in DC.In April 2023, CAN’s parent organization, Faith In Action, will fund activist leadership training for CAN faith community representatives. The goal is to address future changes in national and local immigration policies effectively.

CAN expects more community event opportunities throughout the year; Foundry welcomes all interested in this social justice ministry. If you are interested in being a part of this work, email sacredresistance@foundryumc.org or Audrey Miller Hallett @ adhallett@mac.com