Julie Pennington-Russell

A Shepherd Among Us: Remembering Pope Francis

Francis. Even his chosen papal name signaled a different kind of shepherd. Electing to honor the humble saint of Assisi, known for his devotion to the poor and creation, Pope Francis signaled a papacy marked by compassion. This past Easter Monday, at 88, we mourned his passing, a loss felt far beyond the Catholic Church.

For twelve years, Francis offered spiritual leadership rooted in humility, peacemaking, and a profound love for all God’s creation, especially the marginalized. He chose simplicity, residing in the Vatican's guesthouse rather than opulent papal apartments, a living testament to his values. He knelt and kissed the feet of South Sudan's rival leaders, imploring them to make peace. He washed the feet of prisoners and laughed with children. He possessed a rare ability to connect, to see and be seen.

Francis’ 2015 visit to Washington D.C. captivated the nation. I recall watching from our house in Atlanta as he addressed Congress, a historic moment. His gentle spirit, calling them “dear friends,” and his heartfelt advocacy for immigrants and refugees, social justice, and environmental stewardship moved me to tears.

Pope Francis's engagement with global issues flowed from a deep, personal faith in Christ. He sought to make Christ's love tangible, particularly for those on the peripheries of society. His was a ministry of presence, of walking alongside those who often felt unseen.

Interestingly, while his emphasis on mercy and pastoral accompaniment resonated deeply with many outside the Church, it sparked debate within. Some questioned whether his approach risked doctrinal ambiguity. This tension, between mercy and law, between pastoral application and doctrinal clarity, is a familiar one, mirroring the very theological polarizations Baptists have grappled with for decades.

Pope Francis, in his own way, wrestled with these questions, seeking to embody the mercy of Christ in a world often marked by division and despair. He reminded us that we are all part of a larger flock, a global family bound by our shared humanity.

Let us remember Pope Francis with warmth and gratitude. May his legacy of love and service inspire us to reflect Christ's light in a world longing for mercy.

Thank you, Francis. Rest in Christ’s loving embrace.




A Holy Week Letter from Pastor Julie

My Beloved FBC Family,

As we walk through this sacred Holy Week, my heart is deeply intertwined with yours. I carry a profound ache within me, mirroring the anxieties and griefs I know many of you carry. The state of our nation and its reverberations across the globe weigh heavily on our collective spirit.

I am acutely aware of the concerns that ripple through our congregation, concerns that echo my own. The uncertainty surrounding jobs, livelihoods and retirement plans casts a long shadow. The fear for our neighbors, for our Black and Brown siblings, for the lives of immigrants, for our LGBTQ+ family, and for our poor and marginalized communities is palpable.

We witness with dismay the disregard for due process, the pain of unlawful deportations, the chilling effect on free speech, and the erosion of the very principles of law we have cherished. The silence and capitulation of those who know better amplify our feelings of helplessness.

And perhaps most heartbreaking of all is the daily grief of witnessing millions who profess the name of Christ actively celebrating these developments, a stark contradiction to the very essence of the gospel we embrace. This dissonance can leave us feeling isolated, helpless and afraid.

In the face of such heavy realities, it is easy to feel overwhelmed, lost in a sea of anxiety and despair. And yet…it is precisely in this darkness, in this profound sense of human frailty and societal brokenness, that the unwavering light of Holy Week shines most brightly.

Because this week reminds us that even Jesus, the Christ, walked through the valley of the shadow of death, experiencing betrayal, abandonment, injustice, and the crushing weight of the world’s sin. Jesus knew fear, sorrow, and the agonizing silence of those who should have stood by him.

But thank God, the story doesn’t end there. The darkness of Good Friday gives way to the radiance of Easter Sunday. The tomb, meant to be the final word, becomes the beautiful testament to the unfailing, unshakable love of God. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a living, breathing promise that death does not have the final say. Injustice does not have the final say. Fear does not have the final say.

This Holy Week, let us all draw closer to the heart of Jesus. Let us lament the brokenness we see, both within ourselves and in the world around us. Let us acknowledge our fears and our feelings of helplessness.

And…let us also cling fiercely to the unwavering truth of God’s love, a love that conquered death itself. And let us open ourselves to the tender, transforming presence of Holy Spirit, who empowers us to be instruments of God’s peace, agents of God’s justice, and channels of God’s love in a world desperately in need of these.

Friends, may this Holy Week be a time of both honest reflection and profound renewal for each of you. Know that you are deeply loved, and that we walk this journey together, held in the embrace of a God whose love never fails.

With deep love and gratitude for you,




Everything in Between | Lenten Sermon Series 2025

Our Lenten theme, “Everything In Between,” will invite us to navigate the polarities in our lives with more faith, intention, and openness to be transformed. We will explore supposed binaries, like “faith & works” or “rest & growth,” or “grief & hope.” These ideas often seem to oppose one another.
 

However, as we explore these concepts within the scriptures, we find nuance and complexity. We find that these dichotomies are false. We might begin to see a full spectrum instead of black and white. We might find that God is present in between.

We are All on the Same Boat

“Any immigrant who lives with you must be treated as if they were one of your citizens. You must love them as yourself, because you were immigrants in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 19:34)

“I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” (Jesus, Matthew 25:35)

Friends, words are coming hard these days. The volume and velocity of the chaos and cruelty being visited upon the American people (and the world) in this moment defydescription. 

Some of you, I know, are feeling the pain in personal ways. Your jobs are in jeopardy.Your personhood is under threat. Your very existence is maligned. I am praying for you daily. 

This afternoon, my heart and mind are with the thousands of immigrants and asylum seekers in our country. People who pay their taxes, contribute to our communities, strengthen our churches, enrich our schools and are some of the best neighbors imaginable are terrified right now. 

A few weeks ago, while walking our dog Charlie around campus at Catholic University of America, we passed through CUA’s Welcome Plaza where Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz’s striking sculpture, “Angels Unawares,” was blanketed with snow. 

The 3.5-ton bronze piece is the second casting; the original artwork was commissioned by the Vatican and unveiled by Pope Francis in September 2019 in St. Peter’s Square for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees.

The 20-foot sculpture depicts 140 diverse migrants and refugees from different countries and historical eras huddled together on a boat as if seeking a safe harbor. 

The figures in the front of the boat include a Muslim woman fleeing Syria, a Jewish man holding suitcases while escaping Nazi Germany, a pregnant woman from Poland, and an Irish boy leaving home because of that country’s potato famine. 

In the back of the boat is the figure of a Cherokee man clutching his face in grief as he is forced from his tribe’s lands during the “Trail of Tears.”

And in the boat with all the rest of the immigrants and refugees is the Holy Family, shown on their flight into Egypt with Joseph holding carpentry tools and Mary cradling the baby Jesus in her arms.

Rising from the middle of the figures standing shoulder-to-shoulder on the boat is a set of large angel wings. The sculpture includes the quote from Hebrews 13:2, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” 

As I stood there with Charlie, the freezing, gray day and stark snow seemed to amplify the desperation of those in the boat. Every immigration story carries with it anticipation and anguish, longing and fear.  

“Don’t mistreat or oppress an immigrant, because you were once immigrants in the land of Egypt,” says God to the people. (Exodus 22:21) In other words—we are all in that boat. 

Friends, if we want to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, who himself was a refugee, and to see Christ in all people, especially those who are vulnerable, then we need to understand that ours is a story of connectedness, not separateness.

When “Angels Unawares” was unveiled in St. Peter’s Square six years ago, Pope Francis said, “We have realized that we are on the same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented, but at the same time important and needed, all of us called to row together, each of us in need of comforting the other.”

May it be so in our time.


Encountering the Holy - February Sermon Series

In the year 740 BC, a young man in his twenties walked into the temple in Jerusalem. Something happened to him while inside that turned out to be the single, defining moment of his life. What happened to Isaiah that day is a picture of what happens to any of us whenever we have an authentic encounter with the Divine. Isaiah’s answer shows us three essential responses to the living God.

February 9                  Encountering the Holy: Wonder
February 16                Encountering the Holy: Repentance  
February 23                Encountering the Holy: Action

Hopelessness is Always Premature

Dear FBC Family:

Oh, friends. What a week this has been (after only three days!). I’m writing to you this morning from my mother’s dining room in Clermont, Florida, where Tim, Taylor and I are enjoying some vacation time with my mother.

We flew down Tuesday night on a plane brimming with celebratory folk returning home from the inauguration. When the pilot announced that our route would bring us close to the “Gulf of America,” the plane erupted with whoops and cheers. I didn’t fault the giddy people around me (though I did take umbrage with the pilot). Who doesn’t like to feel like a winner? I spent the two-hour flight wondering how many of the dear people around me on that plane belonged to a Christian church and, if so, what kind of spiritual guidance they were receiving from their pastors.

Plenty of prayers and declarations came this week from a variety of faith leaders, mostly Evangelical Christians. While too many sounded like partisan endorsements, the humble entreaty for mercy upon our nation’s most vulnerable ones from Mariann Budde, Episcopal Bishop of Washington, was a message one would expect to hear from a prophet of God.

Some pastoral words from the heart.

Siblings in Christ, I am holding you in the Light today.

To you in the LGBTQ+ community who are feeling anxious and derided, know that you are cherished, seen and surrounded by this faith community. Your validity is not dictated by an executive order.

To undocumented children of God in our congregation, know that you are cherished and surrounded by this faith community. You belong to the Eternal God whose love knows no borders.

To you who feel abandoned by the assault on diversity, equity and inclusion programs, know that you are beloved by your faith community. You are not alone. Your church will walk with you.

To dedicated government employees in our congregation who are feeling unappreciated or uncertain about the future, know that you are cherished and valued by this faith community. Your worth as a worker is not determined by any executive action.

How do we stay grounded in the months and years ahead?

My goodness, I’m still figuring this out for myself! But I’ll offer three modest encouragements here for keeping your spirit balanced and your soul focused:

  1. Practice the Presence of God. No fancy instruction here. Just be yourself and be aware of divine presence in this moment. Rather than reprocessing the past or worrying about the future, let yourself be aware of Christ’s presence right here, right now.

  2. Don’t get pulled into the vortex of outrage. As Richard Rohr reminds us, “We need the wisdom of a ‘full prophet,’ one who can love and yet criticize, one who can speak their words of correction out of an experience of gratitude, not anger. God must allow us to come to a place of freedom, a place of peace, and a place of fullness before we can speak as a prophet. A prophet must hold on to the truth of their anger, especially as it is directed toward injustice—but the danger of the anger is that when we let it control us, we’re not a help anymore. That’s why we have so many false prophets in America and in the world today.”

  3. Keep asking “What is mine to do?” My mind has returned more than once this week to the Mines of Moria in Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring, and the scene in which Frodo Baggins laments to Gandalf, “I wish it need not have happened in my time.” Gandalf replies, "So do I, and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” Dear beloved of God, you cannot fix the world—nor is God calling you to fix it. You can only endeavor to do what is yours to do. What if we discern together what is ours to do?

I’ll be back in worship on February 2. This Sunday, Pastor Eric will preach from Luke chapter four, which seems tailor-made for a week like this one:

[Jesus said,] “The Spirit of Yahweh is upon me. God has anointed me and sent me to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to liberate the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of God’s favor.”

The Spirit of Yahweh is on you, too, and on all of us together. And that is worth celebrating.

With hope,


Blue Christmas: A Service of Consolation

Sunday, December 22  |  4:00 p.m.

The holidays are marked by celebrations, yet they are often stressful or sad for those experiencing grief of any kind, especially the death of loved ones in the last year. Join us on Sunday, December 22, at 4:00 p.m. for Blue Christmas: A Service of Consolation.

Let the music of the Chancel Choir, the comforting words of Scripture and poetry, and words of hope from Pastor Julie bring peace to your tired soul. The service concludes with the lighting of candles in memory of people who have died, and/or in acknowledgment of other kinds of grief we carry. Please consider inviting and accompanying someone you know who needs some comfort and hope this year.

On Election Day

FBC Family, I am holding you in prayer today. These are tumultuous days! I took great comfort in the candlelight vigil and prayer service last night. I brought the little worship guide home with me. The responsive prayer on page 3 is now affixed our refrigerator and I’ve found myself returning to it repeatedly today, whispering the words in my kitchen.

I shared the story in worship on Sunday of how, in 1952, at the threshold of the Cold War, Harry Emerson Fosdick, a Baptist minister and founding pastor of the Riverside Church in New York City, spoke to students and faculty at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California. After acknowledging the uncertainty and chaos in the world at that time, he spoke these now-famous words: “The highest use of a shaken time is to discover the unshakable.”

This is the Church’s task in tumultuous times: we return to the unshakable. We come back to the Source that does not move. We listen to our spiritual ancestors who, amidst cataclysm and uncertainty, raised their voices to sing:

God is our refuge and strength...
And though the whole earth should change,
we will not fear. 
Though the mountains themselves should tremble
   and fall into the seas…
   we will not be afraid.
For God, our God, is with us,
   a refuge and strength." (Psalm 46)

As the political, social and religious structures roll and quake beneath our feet, may we return again and again to that which cannot be shaken.

What remains constant following the election? The love of God. The calling of Christ. The empowerment of the Spirit.

Come Wednesday…and Thursday…and Friday—what will the community of Christ do, regardless of the outcome?

We will love and worship God.
We will love and serve our neighbors.
We will pray.
We will act.
We’ll speak up for the voiceless.
We’ll stand with the powerless.
We’ll come alongside the hopeless.
We’ll plant seeds and paint pictures.
We’ll sing songs and hug our children.
We’ll do justice and love kindness and walk humbly with our Maker.
We’ll break bread with friends and strangers.
We’ll invite people to take a chance on God.
And maybe we’ll even take some fresh chances ourselves.

In other words, some things remain the same after Election Day. All the best things.

Peace and every good…




Pastor Julie

Easter 2024

Easter & Holy Week

Maundy Thursday Meal & Worship

Thursday, March 28 at 6:00/7:00 p.m.

‌We gather in Fellowship Hall at 6:00 p.m. for a meal prepared by Chef Laval. At 7:00 in Fellowship Hall we will share a guided time of worship, including meaningful table conversations, handwashing, and communion. Cost for the meal is $10/person with a $40 family maximum. You may pay online via Tithely or by check at the door on March 28.

Good Friday Service of Silence and Shadows

Friday, March 29, at 7:00 p.m.

Remember and reflect on Christ’s suffering and crucifixion in this “Service of Silence and Shadows” led by our choir, other musicians and readers from the congregation. The sanctuary moves from light to darkness as we mark Christ’s suffering and death.

Easter Sunday

March 31, at 11:00 a.m.

We celebrate Christ’s resurrection with the flowered cross; the music of choir, organ, and brass; baptisms and communion; and a message of hope from Pastor Julie. All are invited to linger after worship at a simple reception on the 16th Street patio.

March Mission Fest & Tex-Mex! March 3

The FBC Mission Team will host the March Mission Fest after worship on March 3. Instead of a First Sunday Potluck the Mission Team is providing a catered Tex-Mex lunch.

The Mission Fest is connected to FBC’s work with Ministry Architects who, last fall, asked FBC to plan Nine Outward-Facing Events in 2024. There already are at least 7 events on the church calendar. The goal of the Mission Fest on March 3 is to solicit suggestions from the congregation for two more outward-facing events that will:

  • meet a need in FBC’s local community,

  • have some appeal to the demographics of the DuPont Circle community,

  • and bring people into FBC’s building or send the congregation out into the community.

Please reach out to Mission Team leader Linda Salmon with any questions. lfsalmon@verizon.net

FBC Invited to Ukraine Documentary Screening at the Kennedy Center

Wednesday, February 21, 5-7pm
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Terrace Theater

On the eve of the third year of war between Ukraine and Russia, First Baptist Church is invited to a private screening of Fight for Ukraine: For the Children at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Wednesday, February 21, 5-7pm.

The 80-minute documentary from director Karen Floyd is the sequel to her award-winning 2023 documentary, Fight for Ukraine: Twelve Women's War. (Watch trailer here.)

This opportunity came about just days ago, through a colleague of Pastor Julie. Tickets are $100, but those who sign up with First Baptist will attend the screening for free, in the VIP section of the Terrace Theater, as guests of the director. Please RSVP to FBC’s Office below by tomorrow evening, Thursday, February 15, so we can send names of attenders to Elysian MultiMedia.

RSVP HERE

Ash Wednesday | February 14

Three 20-Minute Services on
Ash Wednesday

February 14

7:30am, 12:30pm & 5:30pm

This new Ash Wednesday schedule is an experiment based on FBC's work with Ministry Architects. In a report to FBC by FaithX last September, we learned that the daytime population in our surrounding neighborhood is described as "very high" (92% of the daytime population commutes in to work). By offering brief, easily accessible services, we hope to connect with more and more of our weekday neighbors.

Wandering Heart: A Lenten Walk with Peter

Lenten Worship Series - Sunday, February 18 - Easter Sunday, March 31

During the upcoming season of Lent, we will trace the life and faith of one of Jesus’ most well-known disciples. In Simon Peter, we see a person who is both steadfast and unsteady, a dear friend and a betrayer, a follower and a wanderer. In Peter we may see ourselves.

Like many of us, Peter has a wandering heart. His journey isn't polished, or linear, or perfect—yet he remains tethered to the love of God. In Peter’s story we find Jesus at each step of the way: offering him abundance, catching Peter when he begins to sink, challenging him when he stands in the way, washing his feet, predicting his betrayal, and offering him agape love.

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We’re located at 16th and O Streets NW—in the heart of Washington, a mile north of the White House. We are part of the Dupont Circle and Logan Circle neighborhoods. Need more info? Call us or click below.

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We look forward to greeting you in person. In the meantime, you can request prayer or ask a question by calling or sending an email.

 

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The First Baptist Church of the City of Washington, D.C.
1328 16th Street NW Washington, D.C. 20036
(202) 387-2206

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Sunday  10 AM–2 PM
Monday-Thursday 10 AM–4 PM
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