New York Avenue Presbyterian Church

 

As the final stop in my series of DC based churches, New York Avenue Presbyterian Church was by far my favorite. The church is the perfect example of a mainline protestant church that strikes all the right notes. The church itself is a popular attraction as it sits right down the block from the white house and is also known as the church Abraham Lincoln attended with his family. Inside the red-bricked sanctuary are a number of beautiful stained glass windows which blend a mix of biblical images with events from America's history. The congregation is a mix of old and young Washingtonians, most of whom are associated with the "in the belt-way" government crowd. But what makes this church particulary engaging is the pastor, Roger Gench. Not only does Pastor Roger hit the big four in his sermons (scripture, theology, global issues, and the personal connection), but he does it in a way that makes you want to bring a tape recorder to church just to save his words of wisdom for yourself. One sermon that I was especially impressed with was his Ash Wednesday homily which beautifully tied in Flannery O'Connor's short story "A Good Man is Hard to Find," a personal favorite of mine. I have heard pastors in the past mention how they would love to work Flannery O'Connor into a sermon, but have had trouble figuring out how to do it. This was not the case at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church. Pastor Roger also commonly works in theologians such as Paul Tillich and Karl Barth into his sermons, doing his congregation a great service by not dumbing-down the great moral or metaphysical questions we are commonly faced with. Without a doubt, Pastor Roger gives the best sermon I have ever heard. Roger's wife is also a remarkable theologian as she has authored one of the best feminist theology books I have read entitle "Back to the Well." The church also provides a number of courses covering a wide variety of topics concerning christianity and the greater world. If you want to experience how churches can still get it right in the twenty-first century, I highly recommend that you visit New York Avenue Presbyterian Church next time when you're in DC. While a pretty good crab cake can be found around the corner at Old Ebbitt Grill, I would personally recommend checking out the brunch menu at Teaism found at 400 8th Street NW.