Trinity AME Zion Church

Trinity A.M.E. Zion Church: Serving This Present Age

Founded in 1883, Trinity A.M.E. Zion Church (3505 16th Street NW) was originally located at 10th and V Streets NW. In 1909, Trinity A.M.E. and North Washington Church of Mount Pleasant merged, creating one congregation. In 1983, the church moved to its present location on 16th Street and, the church's website indicates, they paid off their mortgage in 1991.

The church is engaged in a number of ministries, including adoption support, Christian education, men's and women's ministries, and pastor's aid. My personal favorite is the Ministry of Culinary Affairs. I'm assuming that means church suppers and the like. If I attended this church, that's the ministry I'd want to be on! In truth, though, that's probably the church's soup kitchen for the homeless and downtrodden. That said, I'd still want to be on that committee.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 2/08

Enough Already?

Tulips in the herb garden at the National Arboretum

Have I posted too many pictures of spring flowers? Are you tired of all this color? I ask because, Saturday morning I went to the National Arboretum and enjoyed seeing the azalea collection. I've tried to break up this entry a bit. If you'd like to see photos from the azalea collection, go here. (Click on images to enlarge.)

Koi in the lily pond at the visitor's center at the National Arboretum

The arboretum also features a great pond of koi, an herb garden, a collection of bonsai and penjing, and original columns and capitals for the U.S. Capitol.

Original columns and capitals from the U.S. Capitol

The arboretum is a wonderful, vast treasure in the city that includes some fabulous trails for running and biking. Unfortunately, Congress is cutting funding to the arboretum, which means it's falling into disrepair. (Meanwhile, the Department of Defense has plenty of funding to buy more bombers and continue the war in Iraq.)

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 4/08

Azaleas Galore

White azaleas are the only ones that photograph well in black and white.
As for the other two pictures, I was going for an old, washed-out, antique look with these.

Azaleas in red. The variety on the left is named "Sambo" and is a deep maroon.
This photo doesn't do it justice. (None of these do really.)

Azaleas in oranges. These were some of the most stunning specimens in the collection.
The variety on the right is named "Great Balls of Fire"!

Azaleas in purples. In the photo on the right,
the azaleas are also complimented by wooden hyacinth.

Azaleas in groupings along sunny and shaded paths.

The azalea collection at the National Arboretum is currently at peak for many of the trees and bushes. If you get a chance, make the time to visit. And for those of you with allergies, just consider this blog a public service provided for your enjoyment without all the misery!

I think this is the last of the spring color I'll be posting. Honestly, you must be sick of it already!

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 4/08

Embassies of Washington

The Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

Embassy Location: 3506 International Drive NW
Girma Wolde-Giorgis, President
Meles Zinawi, Prime Minister
Dr. Samuel Assefa, Ambassador
Geographical Location: Africa
Capital: Addis Ababa
Population: 75.06 million
Primary Industries: Finance, agriculture (coffee, beans, grains, sugar cane), livestock



The Embassy of the People's Republic of Bangladesh

Embassy Location: 3510 International Drive NW
Iajuddin Ahmed, President
Humayin Kabir, Ambassador
Geographical Location: Southeast Asia
Capital: Dhaka
Population: 150.44 million
Primary Industries: Jute, polypropylene, rice, tea, mustard, finished goods (garments)



The Embassy of the Republic of Ghana

Embassy Location: 3512 International Drive NW
John Agyekum Kufuor, President
Kwame Bawuah-Edusei, Ambassador
Geographical Location: Africa
Capital: Accra
Population: 23.0 million
Primary Industries: Gold, timber, cocoa, diamonds, bauxite, manganese, oil, and subsistence agriculture



The Embassy of the State of Israel

Embassy Location: 3514 International Drive NW
Shimon Peres, President
Ehud Olmert, Prime Minister
Sallai Meridor, Ambassador
Geographical Location: Middle East
Capital: Jerusalem
Population: 7.18 million
Primary Industries: Agriculture, pharmaceuticals, software, chemicals, military technology, and diamonds

*****

Note to Lara and Giselle: Come back next Monday. The grouping of embassies I have a week from now will be of special interest to you!

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 4/08

Two Things Challenge: Self / Portrait

Me, myself, and I a la Andy Warhol
and a lovely piece of software called Photo Booth

This week's challenge was Self / Portrait. This being Washington, home of ubiquitous and obsequious acronyms, I jokingly googled "self" to see what would come up. Believe it or not, there is actually a trade association in this town called SELF--Solar Electric Light Fund. Being a smartass, I was going to go downtown, take a picture of SELF's building and post it as my interpretation, but I figured I'd get voted off the island if I did. Then I thought about taking a picture of an energy saving light bulb, but same thing. Smartass = voted off island. Plus, a low energy light bulb isn't the same as a solar electric light, so I nixed that.

Instead, I give you a picture of myself taken with my MacBook's Photo Booth software and then rendered in the style of Andy Warhol. Ergo, Self. Can I stay on the island?

Portrait of my Great-grandpa Daniel Harvey, painted by artist LeConte Stewart

For Portrait, I chose this glicee of my great-grandfather, Daniel Harvey. He emigrated to the United States from Great Britain in the mid-1800s as a little boy. Along with his parents, he crossed the American plains in a covered wagon en route to Utah. Once they arrived in the territory, his family settled in Kaysville, just north of Salt Lake City. This painting of my great-grandfather was painted by LeConte Stewart and hangs in City Hall in Kaysville. Great-grandpa Harvey was the postal carrier in Kaysville and this painting depicts my great-grandfather in the horse-drawn wagon he drove to deliver the mail in his community.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 4/08

St. Stephen and the Incarnation Episcopal Church

St. Stephen and the Incarnation: "a committed, intentional [congregation]...
work[ing] in partnership to share gifts, to nurture the faith, and to grow together in the love of Christ"

St. Stephen and the Incarnation Episcopal Church (1525 Newton Street NW) is the merging of two parishes: St. Stephen's and The Incarnation. The former was founded in 1892 and was located at 14th and Irving Streets NW. The latter was founded in 1867 and met at 12th and N Streets NW. In 1925, the two parishes merged into one and began growing in numbers and diversity over the last eighty odd years. For many years, the church's congregation was largely white, middle class, but over time the make up of the church began to reflect the integration of the surrounding neighborhood and migration of black families into the northern sections of the city. In the 1950s, St. Stephens and the Incarnation became the first integrated Episcopal church in the city.

In addition to its involvement in local issues, the church has also been actively engaged in civil rights, women's rights, and anti-war movements. Located just blocks from the riots that broke out in Washington after the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King was killed in Memphis, St. Stephens held the first requiem eucharist. According to the church's website, "The church was so full that people coming in could hardly find a place to stand, yet when the prayers began a reverent silence enveloped the congregation, and we could plainly hear the wail of sirens, the sound of gunshots, and the fearsome sound of men running as fast as they could, soles beating on the pavement."

Unlike most Episcopal parishes which are led by a priest, St. Stephen's is led by a group of lay people and volunteer clergy under the guidance of a senior priest. The church believes such shared leadership and ownership will lead to a stronger community.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 2/08

Rainy Reflections

Rainy reflection on my Honda CR-V

It rained quite a bit last weekend. These are just a couple of pictures I took after the deluge.

The houses across the street in the window of my SUV

The nice thing when it rains is, the kids across the street stay in and out of trouble! Ah, the beauty of urban living...

Rainy reflection in a puddle

This photo was taken at the entrance to Rock Creek Park near the Carter Barron Amphitheater.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 4/08

More Spring Color

Azaleas in an explosion of colors

I've been out and about enjoying the spring colors. Each week brings something new and colorful. This week, it's the lilacs, azaleas, dogwoods, and the last of the tulips. Here are just a few examples of each for your enjoyment! (Click on images to enlarge.)

Azaleas are part of the rhododendron family and can be found in 10,000 registered or named varieties! Some of these flowering bushes have muted colors, but most are bright and lively, blanketing their plant in explosive colors. These are but a few of the many to be enjoyed. In the early morning, before sunrise, they give off an exquisite, clean fragrance.

Syringa vulgaris, or common lilac

Syringa, or lilac, is part of the olive family. The most common is Syringa vulgaris, or the common lilac. These beauties are on the grounds of Pierce Mill, one of the last mills on Rock Creek.

Tulips at Pierce Mill

There are nearly 100 varieties of tulips, which are part of the lily family (Liliaceae.) Tulips have become synonymous with Holland, but these flowers are also native to Africa, Central Asia, and China. In 2004, a tulip was named after First Lady Laura Bush. It's called the Tulipa Laura Bush.

Cornus florida, or flowering dogwoods

There are approximately 50 varieties of dogwoods. The most common in this area is Cornus florida, or flowering dogwood, a tree that blossoms in white, pink, or red.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 4/08

Canaan Baptist Church

Canaan Baptist Church: Joy in Worshiping Together

Canaan Baptist Church (1607 Monroe Street NW) is one of the younger churches among the faiths found along 16th Street. The congregation and its members have been worshiping together and serving the community of Washington since January 1947 when a group of like-minded people of faith met in the home of Rev. M. Cecil Mills. According to the church's website, meetings were held in Rev. Mills' home and a good deal of time was spent praying and singing and hearing Rev. Mills preach.

In February of that same year, Rev. Mills and the men and women who had been meeting in his home decided to create a permanent organization. The gathering was inspired by the hymn "I am Bound for the Canaan Land" to call itself Canaan Mission and later changed the name to Canaan Baptist Church.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 2/08