Attraction at All Souls D.C. Is Worship, Programming
Periodically InterConnections takes an in-depth look at a
congregation that excels in terms of leadership, programming, and other
areas. This profile is of All Souls
Church, Unitarian in Washington, D.C.
It is worship that brings many people to All Souls Church, Unitarian
in Washington, D.C., and it is worship-and community-that keeps them
coming back. The church, a fixture in the capital since 1821, is doing
something right. Sunday morning attendance has grown from 180 in 2001
to 500 today. There are 150 enrolled in religious education for children
and youth. Scores of classes and other small groups help people connect
with each other and go deeper in their faith.
It wasn't always that way. All Souls faltered a few years ago. The difficult
departure of a minister left the congregation divided. Some members
left. RE enrollment shrank. And some of the spirit and enthusiasm went
out of the congregation.
Obviously it's gotten it back. How? By confronting its problems head
on. Three years of interim ministry helped. All Souls also brought in
UUA facilitators to help members resolve conflict and dismantle racism.
Says 35-year-member Meredith Higgins: "We learned how to take care
of each other better. And we prepared ourselves to be good partners
in shared ministry. That has made all the difference."
And when it was ready, the congregation called two strong, complementary
ministers, the Rev. Robert Hardies, senior minister, and the Rev. Shana
Goodwin, associate minister.
As senior minister, Hardies preaches three times monthly and is responsible
for staff, church administration, and the church's overall mission.
Goodwin's province is helping members connect. She has facilitated the
creation of many small groups, including about a dozen covenant groups,
where members can get to know each other well. "In order to do
big church well we have to do as many small groups as we can,"
says Goodwin. "Connecting people is the key."
Connections start as soon as someone walks in the door. Goodwin has
helped All Souls set up a Roots and Wings curriculum, modeled after
one at All Souls Unitarian Church
in Tulsa, Okla. In six sessions people bond with each other, do a group
service project, and often the groups continue meeting after the classes
end. They run nine classes a year, which are facilitated by a rotating
team of members. There is also a strong adult spiritual development
program, with 28 courses in 2004-05 on a variety of topics.
The other part of Goodwin's portfolio is caring ministries. That includes
pastoral care and a focus on multicultural ministry--growing the racial
and ethnic diversity of the congregation. "Because Washington,
D.C., itself is diverse, and because All Souls has a legacy we were
handed by previous ministers, we have a unique opportunity to be as
diverse as possible. That's at the very front of our agenda," says
Goodwin. Fifteen to 20 percent of All Souls friends and members are
people of color, making it among the most culturally diverse congregations
in the UUA.
All Souls owes much to ministers A. Powell Davies, David Eaton, and
Duncan Howlett, who, in the mid-1900s, were forceful advocates for civil
rights. Early in the civil rights struggle All Souls was one of the
very few places in Washington available for interracial meetings. The
Rev. Davies took the lead in the movement to desegregate public facilities
in Washington. The early desegregation efforts provided the foundation
for the church's entry into the civil rights movement in the 1950s and
1960s.
People are also drawn to All Souls because of its strong tradition of
justice activism. "Our social justice work has given us an identity
in the neighborhood and the city," she says. She believes more
people are attracted to All Souls by its social justice work than by
the advertising it used to do in The Washington Post. All Souls
has a full-time director of social justice ministries, the Rev. Louise
Green, whose salary is partly paid by one of All Souls' endowment funds.
The congregation is planning to add a membership and volunteer coordinator
staff position.
A strong music program helps create a dynamic worship environment. Music
director and organist John Strang is well-connected in the community
and draws in many talented people. There is also a music budget of $90,000.
Strang works to include music of many cultures.
"Music is a great entree for people," Strang says. "People
walk in and we're singing in Spanish or doing a Hindu piece, and they
know they're in a special place. We can also attract good musicians
because of our music diversity. I know I've succeeded on a Sunday morning
if there are goosebumps." A new CD, Music from All Souls,
available on the church website, www.all-souls.org,
illustrates the range of music.
"If you come on Sunday you'll always hear music from many cultures,"
says Hardies. "You will see people from more than one race leading
the worship, and you will hear it stated that this is an intentionally
diverse congregation." All Souls has developed a plan for multicultural
outreach. The plan, still unfolding, includes new exterior and interior
signs and artwork that reflect the church's focus on diversity, advertising
in media aimed at people of color, efforts to have at least six special
worship services annually on topics of African-American celebrations,
traditions, and history (Kwaanza, jazz, black history month, D.C. emancipation).
The changes that All Souls has made resulted in it being named a Breakthrough
Congregation by the UUA's Growth Team.
The All Souls annual stewardship campaign is generally modeled on a
modified Celebration Sunday, where pledges are brought to church on
a designated Sunday, but with the addition of "house meetings,"
where members and friends can talk with Hardies, Goodwin, and lay leaders
before making financial commitments.
Religious education for children and youth has also played a role in
All Souls' reinvigoration. In 2000 there were 60 children and youth
compared to 150 this past fall. Almost half are of color and that has
inspired Religious Educator Gabrielle Farrell to adapt programs using
a multicultural and multiracial lens. "When you have a large number
of African-American families, the biblical exodus story has a very personal
meaning that is deeply shared. And when studying world religions, some
of our practicing Muslim families tell the stories in ways I haven't
experienced before."
All Souls creates its own children's RE curricula, including rewriting
some UUA curricula. Although children are not in the adult worship service
every Sunday, their presence is increasingly felt there through a children's
choir, coming of age ceremonies, child dedications, holiday pageants,
and teacher recognition ceremonies held in front of the whole congregation.
In addition, leaders of the congregation's social justice and fellowship-building
activities regularly include children.
Hardies says the following things are asked of All Souls members--regular
Sunday attendance, active participation in the life of the church, willingness
to be "shaped by the mission and the end statements of the church,"
making a financial pledge (3 to 5 percent of income is encouraged),
and that they let the church know how it can serve them.
"One of the things we say to new members," Hardies adds, "is
we want this church to change your life for the better. We tell them
the church will have more impact on you, the more you are involved."
The UUA unveiled a new chalice logo at GA. Intended to more clearly
identify materials coming from the UUA and create a more consistent
branded image, the logo can also be used by congregations. It will be
posted on www.uua.org in January
for congregations to download and use.
January
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