June Issues Among Us - 6/24

Harmonies of Liberty Concert and Salon Conversation

with Andrew Lee

An Evening of Music, Dialogue, and Community

Tuesday, June 24
West End Neighborhood Library

5:45 PM – Pre-concert Discussion

6:15 PM – Performance

Let's go together and join the Washington Conservatory of Music, American Purpose, and the DC Public Library for Harmonies of Liberty — an inspiring evening that blends stirring chamber music with powerful conversation.

This salon-style program features an ensemble performance of string works by Mozart, Florence Price, Duke Ellington, Antonín Dvořák, and James Weldon Johnson, celebrating the rich tapestry of musical voices that continue to shape our cultural identity.

Guiding the evening is  Andrew Lee, Executive Director of WCM, who will lead a pre-concert discussion that invites reflection on the universal human themes carried through classical and contemporary works. His insights will illuminate the enduring resonance of these composers’ legacies in today’s American narrative.

 Come for the music. Stay for the dialogue. Leave inspired.

Please RSVP to Erin if you plan to attend.

Click here to learn more about our Issues Among Us Series.

Discerning, Discussing, and Dreaming - Summer Convos

We've been getting to know each other. We've enjoyed worshiping together. We shared burgers and dogs and Cheetos together. We kinda like each other. So, now what?

Things have gone so well over these past few months of Western and Pilgrims getting to know one another as we discern if we would be called to ministry together in some way. The next step is to discuss, wonder, and dream together about what what that ministry might be. To do that, we will spend the summer sharing in a series of one-on-one conversations.

This Sunday (6/15) during worship, and for a short time after worship, Pastor Erin will introduce the One-on-One Conversation plan. One-on-One conversations are a tool used frequently in community organizing to help build relationships and power, to help neighbors understand self-interests and passions, to help grow movements and connections. We are thinking that the One-on-Ones between Western and Pilgrims will help us get to know and discern God's call for our mission, in this moment, and together.

Over the summer, all Westerners and Pilgrims will be invited to participate in three intentional One-on-One conversations with a member from the other congregation (that's just one each month). This Sunday, Erin will provide some training and lots more details on how these conversations go and we'll practice briefly. Then you'll have one person per month to chat with. You can meet after one of our shared worship services, or find a time to meet on your own. Together, you'll dig deep into core values and passions, sense of call and dreams for mission. After these conversations, in the fall, there will be opportunities to provide feedback, to discuss what we heard from our conversation partners, and from the Spirit, along the way.

To pair with this practice, we've planned a Summer Worship Series exploring God's call in scripture. Maybe some themes will overlap. Maybe some ideas will spark. Maybe some new friends will be found.

Come and be a part of the conversation. See you Sunday at Pilgrims!