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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 worship in Oxnam Chapel again! We will begin with our first Opening Convocation Service on September 7, 2021 at Noon (please note this permanent time change).

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 on September 13 at 4:45pm with Dean Sinkfield preaching and December 6 at 4:45 p.m.

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

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

Wesley Oxnam Chapel Covid-19 Policy

2021-22

Entrance

a) Everyone seeking entry must be fully vaccinated.
b) Hand sanitizers will be available at stations outside and inside Oxnam Chapel.
c) Wearing a mask is required upon entrance and must be worn at all times during the worship service by the congregation.
d) Prior to entering the chapel, please sign in, so that we can do contact tracing if needed. The sign in sheet will ask you to acknowledge that you do not have a fever or other symptoms of Covid-19.

Social Distancing

a) Preachers, singers, and speakers will be six feet from the congregation and will temporarily unmask while speaking/singing.
b) Initially, there will be only small groups of musicians, not the full choir.
c) Initially, the congregation seating will be arranged so to allow for social distancing.

Communion Elements

Individual cups and communion wafers will be used.

Policy Revision

In consultation with the Associate Dean of Community Life, the Chapel Elder and the Director of Music and Choir will modify this policy as conditions change. At all times, the policy will be consistent with the applicable Wesley Theological Seminary guidelines and with the DC Government guidelines.