Arts & Entertainment

Holidays and holy days

Several D.C.-area churches welcome gays for Christmas services

Published

14 years ago

December 20, 2012

Erin Durkin

Foundry United Methodist Church (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Not all houses of worship spew the same old tiresome fire-and-brimstone theology. Several churches in the Washington region are openly LGBT welcoming and affirming and have services planned over Christmas Eve and Christmas. Here are a few:

Christmas Eve

Foundry United Methodist Church (16th and P streets, N.W.) holds a children and family Christmas Eve service this evening at from 6:30-7:30 p.m. At 8 the church will also host a Christmas Eve lessons, carols and candlelight service filled with music and scripture readings. Rev. Dean Snyder will share a homily. For more information visit foundryumc.org.

All Souls Memorial Episcopal Church (2300 Cathedral Ave., N.W.) has a children’s Mass and blessing of the Creche today at 4 p.m. This includes carols, scripture and the story from the rector. Later at 7, staff will hold Christmas lessons and carols, which will include songs sung by the choir. The High Mass will be held at 11pm with a prelude of music at 10:30 pm. For more information, visit allsoulsdc.org.

Metropolitan Community Church of Washington (474 Ridge St., N.W.) holds a Christmas Eve worship service tonight at 8 with Rev. Dwayne Johnson. Visit mccdc.com for details. Johnson is openly gay and MCC is the city’s largest mostly LGBT church.

Washington National Cathedral (3101 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.) has carols by candlelight with Revs. Mariann Budd and Gary Hall this evening at 6. At 10 p.m., there’s Festival Holy Eucharist. For more information, visit nationalcathedral.org.

Covenant Baptist Church United Church of Christ (3845 S. Capitol St.) holds its Christmas Eve service tonight at 7. For details, visit covenantbaptistucc.org.

Dumbarton United Methodist Church (3133 Dumbarton St., N.W.) offers two Christmas Eve services today at 5 and10 p.m. The first service is geared toward children while the later service is more formal and will connect with the Advent worship themes. Visit dumbartonumc.org for details.

National City Christian Church (5 Thomas Circle, N.W.) has a service tonight at 7:30 with a musical prelude starting at 7 that includes a vocal soloist, organ, harp and other instrumentalists. National City has one of the region’s largest and best-sounding pipe organs. For more information visit nationalcitycc.org.

The Christ Church on Capitol Hill (620 G St., S.E.) holds a Christmas Eve service this evening at 5:30 p.m. and a Choir Festive service at 10:30 p.m. with a choral prelude starting at 10. For details visit washingtonparish.org.

Saint John’s Episcopal Church (3240 O St., N.W.) presents its Christmas Pageant today at 4 p.m. Later in the evening there’s a Festival Holy Eucharist service with choral prelude beginning at 8:30 p.m. Visit stjohnsgeorgetown.org for more information.

Seekers Church (276 Carroll St., N.W.) holds a Christmas Eve dinner and service from 6-9 p.m. For more information, visit seekerschurch.org.

First Trinity Lutheran Church (309 E St., N.W.) has a Christmas Eve service tonight at 7:30 p.m. For details, visit firsttrinitydc.org.

Church of the Pilgrims (2201 P St., N.W.) offers a Christmas Eve candlelight service with Christmas music, celebration of the Lord’s supper and candlelighting. Visit churchofthepilgrims.org for details.

Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle (1725 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.) has a Christmas Eve Mass with a musical prelude today at 4, a Misa De Vigilia de Navidad at 6:30 p.m. and a Solemn Mass of Christmas with a musical prelude beginning at 9:15 p.m. The Roman Catholic Church’s official stance is anti-gay, but some parishes are quietly LGBT welcoming. For more information, visit stmatthewscathedral.org or dignitywashintgon.org.

Christmas

All Souls Memorial Episcopal Church (2300 Cathedral Ave., N.W.) holds low Mass this morning at 10 a.m. Visit allsoulsdc.org for more information.

Washington National Cathedral (3101 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.) holds Festival Holy Eucharist this morning at 11 a.m. There is a Christmas Day Service of Lessons and Carols today at 4 p.m. followed by an organ recital featuring Jeremy Filsell this evening at 5:15 p.m.

The Christ Church on Capitol Hill (620 G St., S.E.) has its Christmas Day service this morning at 10 a.m. For more information visit washingtonparish.org.

Saint John’s Episcopal Church (3240 O St., N.W.) has a Christmas Day Holy Eucharist service beginning at 10 a.m. For details, visit stjohnsgeorgetown.org.

Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle (1725 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.) offers four different Christmas services: one at 8:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and a service in Spanish at 1 p.m. Visit stmatthewscathedral.org for more information.

Dignity Washington (1820 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) has its Christmas Mass this evening at 6 p.m. at St. Margaret’s Church. Dignity is a special group for LGBT Roman Catholics. For more information, visit dignitywashington.org.

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Photos

Center for Black Equity honors leaders, activists at BE. Gala

Miyake-Mugler, Oakes co-host annual awards ceremony

Published

16 hours ago

October 11, 2026

Michael Key

Center for Black Equity President and CEO Kenya Hutton speaks at the 2026 BE. Gala on Saturday. (Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Center for Black Equity held its annual BE. Gala at Conrad Washington, D.C. on Saturday, Oct. 5. Lolita Leopard Miyake-Mugler and Anthony Oakes co-hosted the awards ceremony.

Honorees included journalist and producer Justin Stewart; nonprofit leader Nikki Alexander; HIV advocate Marlene McNeese; the nonprofit organization FreeLux Project; actress Monroe Alise; public health advocate Tori Cooper; Manassas Park Vice Mayor Darryl G. Moore; Rev. Dr. Carmarion D. Anderson; Bishop Steven Sawyer; government relations professional Courtney Snowden; Senior Deputy Director of HAHSTA at D.C. Health, Clover Barnes; and Texas state Rep. Venton C. Jones.

The event was sponsored by Gilead.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

Books

In ‘The Lost Brontë,’ a complicated lie can lead to danger

New book features sweetly romantic girl-meets-girl twist

Published

21 hours ago

October 11, 2026

Terri Schlichenmeyer

(Book cover image courtesy of Bywater Books)

‘The Lost Brontë’
By Catherine Friend
c.2026, Bywater Books
$22.95/335 pages

Mom always said to tell the truth.

One lie leads to another and another and you have to remember them all until pretty soon, you’re caught. Fibs are hard, mistruths are messy, even little white social lies can destroy trust. Worst of all, as in the new novel, “The Lost Brontë” by Catherine Friend, a complicated lie can lead to danger.

Though Lilianne Loxley was very young when she lost her parents, she understood that her uncle didn’t really want her. As time passed, though, Lily made herself useful to Uncle, writing and signing letters for him and she became a good companion, helping him with his collection of Brontë memorabilia. Uncle was a keen enthusiast.

She had no idea that his obsession was out of control and he was deeply in arrears. The day Lily learned of his debt was the day she learned that he’d agreed to send her to his debtor’s home to work off the money owed.

It was so sudden. One minute, Lily was at Loxley House, happy and loved by Uncle’s staff … and five hours later, she was at Crag Thorn Manor, home of Lord Bexton, who informed her that she’d be working on his ledgers – work that seemed routine, but Lily tackled it.

Uncle always did say she was headstrong.

But would headstrong be enough to survive, when she was restricted from most of the Manor, when she was forced to dine with Brexton and his slimy friend, or – the worst! – when Brexton told Lily that her next task was to forge a letter from Emily Brontë? And then an entire manuscript?

Lily struggled to do what was right. She had to get Uncle out of debt but this last order horrified her. Did she dare refuse Brexton’s orders and commit a crime? It was unthinkable!

The only brightness in the whole situation was Wren, the ladies’ maid assigned to Lily’s room. Wren was adorable with freckles and the sweetest smile. But with everything else happening at Crag Thorn Manner, could Lily act upon her feelings?

This time of year, you may come to crave dark, spooky stories, and “The Last Brontë” fits those needs perfectly with its Gothic deliciousness. Think: Daphne du Maurier-type, stormy-night squirms with a dangerously chaste, sweetly romantic girl-meets-girl twist for fun.

If it’s been awhile since you’ve read a Gothic novel, you’re in for a nice reminder of why you love them here. You can almost tick off the must-haves: a novel like this is nothing without a foreboding stone manor with damp walls; stone steps to a dank basement; a mysterious portrait; and a nearby bog, and author Catherine Friend gives readers every one of them. You’d be disappointed if there was no ghost, wouldn’t you? Ha. You can practically feel the cold blow through the attic, right? Yeah, it’s that kind of book.

If you’re a fan of the Brontës, you’ll like this novel. If you love Gothic mysteries or Victorian romances, ditto. “The Lost Brontë” is good, no lie.

The Blade may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via this post.

Out & About

CAMP Rehoboth Block Party returns Oct. 18

Expect performances, vendors and more at annual celebration

Published

21 hours ago

October 11, 2026

Tinashe Chingarande

CAMP Rehoboth’s annual Block Party returns next weekend. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

CAMP Rehoboth will host its annual Block Party celebration on Sunday, Oct.18 at 11 a.m. on the second block of Baltimore Avenue in downtown Rehoboth Beach.

CAMP Rehoboth invites all community members to join in the festivities and to expect magnificent performances and dozens of vendors, including artists, craftspeople, non-profits, businesses, and more.

The event started in 2015 in celebration of CAMP Rehoboth’s 25th anniversary. This year, attendees can expect to shop sea glass art, pottery, jewelry, Pride merch, body care, clothing, and learn more about local non-profit causes and businesses.

Attendance is free. For more details, visit CAMP Rehoboth’s website.