Wesley at Mount Vernon Square - A Prophetic Partnership in the Public Square

What do you find at the crux of poverty and power, at the cross-section of theology and politics, and at the corner of Massachusetts and 9th? Wesley at Mount Vernon Square - the latest graduate school venture in contextual urban ministry and public theological education

Located in the heart of the nation's capital, MVS is the fruit of a robust collaboration between Wesley Theological Seminary, Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church and Asbury United Methodist Church. The Partnership seeks to bring the strengths and stories of each of these historic institutions to bear on the life and health of the city as well as in the development of best practices for urban ministry and public theology to be translated across the country.  

Wesley President David McAllister-Wilson says, "Churches in cities have the same mission as churches everywhere. We believe in what we pray: ‘Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.' The difference is that the problems of homelessness, hunger, hopelessness are more intense and closer to the front door of the city church. Washington is the best place to develop effective solutions to these problems. Our vision is to work with our partners to prepare church leaders who practice the values of compassion, forgiveness, generosity, justice and humility and who will learn to ‘do good' well."  

Among those heralding the opening of Mount Vernon Square is urban ministry luminary Pastor Rudy Rasmus, a celebrated church leader based at St. John's in Houston, Texas. "A Seminary needs to be more supportive and ag gressive with getting students out into the field. That's how I learned what I know about ministry...from people who were doing it before me and who were willing to come into the unknowing of my ‘Samaria' to show me." Rasmus contemporary Rev. Dr. Ron Peters gave a rousing plenary invocation at the dedication service on October 27th, encouraging students, practitioners and academics alike, to engage the city "as a living text."  

The multi-use facility is within walking distance of the White House, Capitol Hill, and Chinatown, as well as an active community of social service organizations. In addition to housing the expansion of Wesley's contextual education programming and various ministries of Mount Vernon Place UMC, Mount Vernon Square is also home to DC's latest urban intentional community, an initiative of Wesley students that is based in the newly dedicated Birch Residence Hall, named after Wesley's popular Dean Emeritus, Dr. Bruce C. Birch. Resident manager Elaine Ramsey says, "We are thrilled to be in the heart of downtown DC to grow in community with one another and to walk in solidarity with our neighbors. It is a unique and challenging opportunity to expand learning beyond the classroom as we strive to live out the Gospel through common meals, worship, and community service."  

Heading up the leadership at Mount Vernon Square are three key faculty members at Wesley. Dr. Youtha Hardman-Cromwell, Professor of Practice in Ministry and Mission, will serve as the Assistant Dean for Mount Vernon Square. She is joined by Dr. Fred Smith, Professor of Urban Ministry and Dr. Shaun A. Casey, Professor of Christian Ethics. 

Come check out Wesley's new presence in the heart of nation's capital. For more information and to schedule a site visit, please consult www.wesleyseminary.edu/mvs. 

Urban Ministry at Wesley:  MDiv   |   DMin   |   J-Term 2010

Urban Ministry at Wesley centers around contextual education. In partnership with two historic churches, Wesley's urban ministry students learn to engage the poor and the powerful, to meet the needs of diverse cultures, and to answer their call to dynamic, applied ministry in the complex social systems of the inner-city. Wesley's urban ministry program provides supervised study, specialized coursework, and an urban ministry placement. Coursework includes Introduction to Urban Ministry I & II, Sociology of Religion, Pastoral Care and Counseling in Context, and 9 elective credits from the urban ministry curriculum.