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Worship at Wesley

Worship at Wesley affirms our Wesleyan heritage and is meant to be a means of grace, as in communion with God and one another we move towards Christlikeness.

Wesley is excited to return to in-person worship in Oxnam Chapel again on Tuesdays at noon EST! We will also continue to broadcast the services via Facebook Live. Click the button above to connect .

Wesley will now offer afternoon chapels to meet the needs of our Hybrid Monday and commuter students. Open to all, join us for these special chapel services . Watch here for more information.

A Message from our Chapel Elder

Welcome to Oxnam Chapel, the place we gather to bring our whole selves to worship and praise God at Wesley Theological Seminary. We worship regularly on Tuesday at noon. This new time, along with the introduction of enhanced online worship, will allow us to include community members who are not on campus during the day.

The Wesley community includes people of many different ethnic and racial groups and theological traditions. We seek to design worship experiences that celebrate and incorporate these riches, as I believe passionately in the power of Christian community to shape our lives.

It is good be be back at Wesley. I first came to seminary in 2003 after spending 27 years in the energy business, and graduated in 2006.

I return to Wesley, after serving Arlington Temple UMC, a small ethnically diverse community in Rosslyn, Virginia and then on the Cabinet of the Virginia Conference as the Arlington District Superintendent for six years. In 2019, I joined the Wesley Board of Governors, and am happy to be your Chapel Elder, as part of my current call to worship, art and to relationships. I invite you to see my art at www.cathyabbott.com.

Check this webpage often, to keep up-to-date with upcoming guest preachers and special worship opportunities, as well as the worship opportunities that will be offered over the academic year by student groups (to be announced).

My prayer is that you will find food for the soul and strength for the journey. Please join us, in person or online!

In Christ,

Rev. Cathy Abbott

Meet our Director of Music and Choir Director, Dr. Thomas Dixon Tyler

Tuesday Chapel Service

WTS Worship Calendar: Spring Semester 2022

Noon 2/1/22 (Virtual Only)

Theme: Why Do we Need Christ? (part 1 of a series to model what Adam Hamilton argues pastors should preach about each year—answering these three questions)

Scripture: Romans 8:31-37, Isaiah 42:1-9. Philippians 2:5-11, Colossians 1:15-20 Or selection by the preacher.

Preacher: Rev. Dr. Pete Moon, pastor of Reveille UMC, Richmond Virginia

Monday 2/7, 4:45-5:30 pm service.

Titus Bryant and Black Student group will organize a Black History Month celebration.

Preacher: Rev. Dr. Cynthia Turner Wood, Senior Pastor of Dayspring Community Church, Lanham, Md.

Liturgy by: Black Student Association

Noon 2/8/22 (Virtual)

Theme: Why Do We Need the Church?

(part 2 of a series)

Scripture: Ephesians 3:7-10; 14-21, I Cor 12:14-21, 27-31 or selection by preacher

Preacher: Rev. Kyungsuk Cho, pastor, Wesley UMC, Vienna, Va. Kyungsuk Cho

Noon 2/15/22 (Virtual)

Theme: Why Do We Need the WTS Faith Community? (collaborate with Wesley Design Team (on future of WTS))

(Part 3 of a series: in the local church we would ask “Why do we need this particular church?”)

Launch WTS Prayer Initiative on Future of WTS

Scripture: Eph 2:11-22, possibly Isaiah 43:18-21 (Cathy’s favorite) or preacher’s choice

Preacher: Rev. Dr. Vennece Fowlkes, Co-pastor, Metropolitan Community Church, Baltimore Md. fowlkesv1@gmail.com

Noon 2/22/22

Theme: Black History Month

Music and testimony of Black experience designed by Dr. Thomas Tyler.

Message: Rev. Kevin Lamár Peterman,Director for Assessment & Strategic Initiatives,.Howard University School of Divinity and Baptist minister, Shiloh Baptist Church, Washington, D.C

Noon 3/1/22 (beginning of Lent)

Overall Scripture: Jeremiah 29:4-7 “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you…and pray to the Lord on its behalf.”

Theme: Community Engagement Week #1

Preacher: Rev. Tim Ward, pastor Crossroads UMC, Ashburn, Va.

Noon 3/8/22: No Classes/No Chapel

Noon 3/15/22: 2^nd Sunday in Lent

Theme: Community Engagement Week #2

Preacher: The Rev. Leslye Dwight

3/21/22 Monday 5:00-5:45 pm.

Theme: "Self-care"

Preacher: Rev. Dr. Sarah Calvert, DS Arlington & Alexandria Districts, Virginia Conference UMC

Noon 3/22/22: 3^rd Sunday in Lent

Theme: Community Engagement Week #3

Preacher: Rev. Rochelle Andrews, Community Engagement Institute

Noon 3/29/22: 4^th Sunday in Lent

Theme: Reconciled through the Cross

Scripture: Psalm 32; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 NRSV

Preacher: Heidi Mills, Student Preacher

Noon 4/5/22: 5^th Sunday in Lent

Theme: Lent

Scripture: Isaiah 43:16-21; Psalm 126; Phil 3:4b-14; John 12:1-8

Preacher: Bishop Leila M. Ortiz, ELCA

Noon 4/12/22: Palm Sunday

Communion; Rev. Dr. Laura Holmes

Scripture: Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 31:9-16; Phil 2:5-11; Luke 22:14-23:56 or Luke 23:1-49

Preacher: Rev. Alyssa Densham, Washington Farms, UMC, Student Preacher

Noon 4/19/22: Easter

Theme/Title: "Go and Tell."

Scripture: Acts 10:34-43 or Isaiah 65:17-25; Ps. 118:1-2, 14-24, I Cor 15:19-26 or Act 10:34-43; John 20:1-8 or Luke 24:1-12

Preacher: Dr. Lucy Hogan

Noon 4/26/22

Theme: Asian American/Pacific Islander worship service.

Preacher: Rev. Dr. Janice Huie

List of Worship Services/preachers for Fall 2021 ( all services on Tuesdays at noon unless otherwise indicated)

9/7/21: Convocation

Preacher: President David McAllister-Wilson

Communion presider: Rev. Cathy Abbott

Monday Evening service 9/13: 4:45-5:30 pm

Preacher: The Rev. Dr. Antoni Sinkfield, Associate Dean of Community Life

9/14/21

Disorientation/Lament

Preacher: The Rev. Dr. Tony Hunt, Ph.D., Wesley Board of Governors

9/21/21

Preacher: Rev. Nadeem Khokhar, Crenshaw UMC, Blackstone, Va.

9/28/21

Hispanic Month; Latinx student group, worship organizers

Preacher: Rev. Victor Gomez, DS for Harrisonburg and Winchester Districts, Virginia Conference UMC

10/5/21

Preacher: Rev. Grace Han, Trinity UMC, Alexandria, Va

10/12/21 Reading Week-No Service

10/19/21

New Board of Governors dedication

Preacher: Rev. Dr. Pete Moon, pastor of Reveille UMC, Richmond, Va.

10/26/21

Preacher: student preaching TBA

11/2/21

All Saints/All Souls - Special recognition of Dr. Bobby McClain/internment of ashes

Preacher: The Rev. Dr. Veronice Miles

11/9/21

Preacher: Rev. Barbara Miner, Associate Pastor/Director of Worship, Floris UMC, Herndon, Va.

11/16/21: Celebration of 25^th Anniversary of Deacon’s Orders

Student Liturgists: Haley Hamblin, Lisa Dolce, Rachel Koehler

Preacher: TBA

11/23/21: No classes—no service

11/30/21: First Sunday of Advent

Preacher: student preaching

Monday Evening 12/6 4:45-5:30 p.m.

Preacher: TBA

12/7/21: Second Sunday of Advent, Lessons and Carols

Preacher: TBA

2/13/21: Exam week - no service

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List of Preachers for Spring 2021

January

Jan. 26: Rev. Dr. Josiah Young

February

Feb. 2: Dr. Tim Snyder

Feb. 9: Elizabeth Pruchnicki (Office of Admissions)

Feb. 16: Rev. Dr. Youtha Hardman Cromwell

Feb. 23: Dr. Laura Sweat Holmes

March

March 2: No Chapel, Spring Break

March 9: Rev. Dr. Joseph Bush

March 16: Kasongo Butler (Office of Development)

March 23: Rev. Dr. Doug Tzan

March 30: Dr. Denise Dombkowski Hopkins

April

April 6: Dr. Sondra Wheeler

April 13: Student Preaching Initiative #1

April 20: Rev. Dr. Lorena Parish

April 27: Student Preaching Initiative #2

May

May 4: Dr. Paul Cho

List of Preachers for Fall 2020

September
Sept. 1: President David McAllister Wilson Sept. 8: Dean Phil Wingeier-Rayo
Sept. 15: Rev. Dr. Veronice Miles
Sept. 22: Dean Asa Lee
Sept. 29: Dr. Emily Peck-McClain

October
Oct. 6: Rev. Dr. Anthony Hunt

(Reading Week, Oct. 13: no chapel)

Oct. 20: Rev. Dr. Sathi Clark
Oct. 27: Dr. Carla Works

November

Nov. 3: Rev. Dr. Beth Ludlum. Nov. 10: Elijah Ferebee
Nov. 17: Rev. Dr. Doug Powe

Thanksgiving, Nov. 24: no chapel

December
Dec. 1: Dr. Josie Hoover
Dec. 8: Rev. Dr. Michael Koppell

Other Worship Opportunities

Please note: With the campus reopening on August 15, 2021, student-led worship opportunities will be planned once the academic year begins. Please return here for updated information as it becomes available.

The Association for Black Seminarians (ABS): If you are interested in being part of ABS or would like more information on ABS worship services, please contact abs.blackseminarians@gmail.com.

The Korean Student Association (KSA) holds prayer services regularly. If you are interested in being part of KSA or would like more information on KSA worship services, please contact ksa.wesley@gmail.com

Plumbline formerly held Motivation Mondays monthly in Oxnam Chapel, a full service of word and table, presided over by the Chapel Elder and featuring student and guest preachers. Contact the Chapel Elder for more Information.

COVID-19 Policy for Oxnam Chapel UPDATED