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THIS WEEK AT CHRIST CHURCH, GEORGETOWN
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
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Parish “Feast”: Join us on Sunday, January 25 for Feast, a monthly brunch intended to foster connection within the Christ Church community. The gathering, on fourth Sundays, is 10:00 to 11:30 a.m., in the C. Boyden Gray Auditorium. Space is limited; your early reservation enables volunteers to plan well. For more information or to make a reservation, click here.
Guest Preacher and Lunchtime Interview: On Sunday, January 25, we will welcome the Very Reverend Dr. Joseph Bain-Doodu, Dean of Saint Nicholas Theological Seminary in Cape Coast, Ghana, a seminary of the Anglican Church in the Province of West Africa, who will serve as guest preacher at the 8:00 and 11:15 a.m., and 5:00 p.m. services. Following the 11:15 liturgy, parishioner Dr. Ernest Clark will interview Dean Joseph in the C. Boyden Gray Auditorium. Topics will include the state of the Anglican Church in West Africa, the role of theological education in shaping and propagating the church, and collaboration within the Anglican Communion. Lunch will be served. The requested contribution is $15 per person. To register, click here.
Women’s Happy Hour: Parishioner Paige Sass invites the women of Christ Church to join her at the University Club of Washington, DC for a convivial gathering on Wednesday, January 28, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. To register, click here.
Faith and Foreign Policy Forum: On Wednesday, February 11, at 6:30 p.m., parishioners and members of the wider community are invited to the C. Boyden Gray Auditorium for a presentation by parishioner Anne Patterson. Having served as U.S. Ambassador to Colombia and El Salvador, Ambassador Patterson will provide insights on current issues in Latin America and her perspective on U.S. relations with Colombia and Venezuela. This timely conversation will occur shortly after President Gustavo Petro’s scheduled meeting at the White House. Light refreshments will be served. The requested contribution is $10 per person. To attend, please register here.
America250 Lecture: On Presidents’ Day, February 16, at 6:30 p.m., all parishioners and members of the wider community are invited to the C. Boyden Gray Auditorium for a lecture by noted historian Ryan Cole, who will discuss his new book, The Last Adieu: Lafayette’s Triumphant Return, the Echoes of Revolution, and the Gratitude of the Republic, published in September 2025. The event is jointly sponsored by Christ Church and the National Society of Colonial Dames of America. We will provide more details and registration information next week.
Lent at Christ Church, Georgetown
Ash Wednesday: The solemn season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 18. The Holy Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes will be celebrated at 7:30 a.m., 12:00 noon, and 6:00 p.m., in the Church. The 6:00 p.m. liturgy will include Gregorio Allegri’s iconic setting of Psalm 51, Miserere mei, Deus, sung by the Choir of Christ Church.
Parish Lenten Retreat: Are you seeking a deeper life with God? Then join fellow parishioners for a Lenten retreat at the Virginia Mae Center. Led by guest speaker James Catford, the three-day gathering will provide ample space for connection with God, both individually and within the context of a small, intimate community of Christ Church parishioners. This year’s theme will focus on the inner life of a public figure. Each day will include recitation of the Daily Office, contemplative talks, individual guided prayer, and small group sharing. The retreat will run from Friday afternoon, March 6 to Sunday, March 8, at 12:00 noon. A Saturday-only option is available. For more information, contact Mother Tiffany Clark. To register, click here. The deadline for registration is February 1.
Tuesday Evenings in Lent: This Lent, we offer four different simultaneous Tuesday-evening series of fellowship and formation: February 24, and March 3, 10, 17, and 24. Following a simple supper at 6:30 p.m. in the C. Boyden Gray Auditorium, attendees will participate in one of four distinct opportunities for learning:
Spring 2026 New Members Class: A Path Toward Membership: Would you like to learn more about the Episcopal/Anglican tradition – its history, theology, and practices? Would you like to become more involved in the life of the parish community? Would you like to become a registered member of Christ Church? If so, please join Father Nate Huddleston. Register here.
Adult Baptism, Confirmation, and Reception Course: We all come to Christ Church having walked different journeys. If you have not been baptized and would like to be, or if you have been baptized, but not confirmed or received into the Episcopal Church, this series, led by the Rector, will provide an opportunity for you to take the next step in faith. Register here.
Food and Faith: How does our experience of food enact the story of our life with God? How do particular food-based practices form us for eternity? Join Mother Tiffany Clark and a number of guest speakers for a series of conversations around the spirituality of food and the significance of its role in our life as a church. Register here.
Tolkien and Christianity: The Christian Heart of The Lord of the Rings: J.R.R. Tolkien is best known as the author of The Lord of the Rings, but less well-known is his abiding Christian faith, which lies at the heart of the book he once called "a fundamentally religious and Catholic work.” Join Father Andrew Stump for a series exploring the Christian ethic of faith and redemption embedded within Tolkien’s mythology that has given his work its enduring power and legacy. Register here.
At the conclusion of the evening, all will gather in the Church to recite the brief office of Compline. Questions? Speak with a member of the clergy or contact the Parish Office.
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Annual Parish Meeting: The 209th Annual Parish Meeting of Christ Church, Georgetown will take place on Sunday, February 1, at 10:00 a.m., in the C. Boyden Gray Auditorium. A Senior Warden and four new Vestry Members will be elected at that time. The Nominating Committee is delighted to report that the following parishioners will stand for three-year terms: Alexander G. Troup, IV (Senior Warden), Francis E. (Gene) Hiigel, D. Andrew (Andy) Sigler, Deborah E. Jessiman, and R. Lincoln Foran III.
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| Alexander G. Troup, IV
Al has been a member of Christ Church since 1989. He and his wife, Kerry, were married at Christ Church in 2001, and their daughter, Katie, and son, Sandy, were both baptized here. Since becoming a member of Christ Church, Al has served on the Vestry Committee, the Stewardship Committee and the Usher’s Guild (11:15 service). Al is a partner at Altus Realty, a Washington, DC-based commercial real estate development and investments firm.
Lincoln Foran
Lincoln and his wife, Cristina, have attended Christ Church since 2019, joining in 2022. He is currently Registrar to the Vestry and an usher, and previously served on the Stewardship and Nominating Committees. Cristina and Lincoln have hosted Parish Groups in their home in Tenleytown since joining, and their daughters, Susanna and Eugenia, were baptized at Christ Church. Lincoln is currently a Senior Advisor at the Department of the Treasury.
F. Eugene Hiigel (Gene)
Gene was confirmed at Christ Church in 2021. He attends the 11:15 service with his wife Charisse. Since becoming a member of Christ Church, Gene has served on the Stewardship Committee and Nominating Committee (Vestry), as well as working at the Church of the Atonement food bank in Southeast, making deliveries for the Flower Ministry and from time to time covering the telephones at the church office. He is active in the Men’s Ministry and Prime Timers as well. Gene is a retired partner at Skadden Arps in New York, where he practiced securities law. Gene and Charisse have three adult children, two of whom live in the DC area
Deborah Jessiman (Debbie)
Residing in Chevy Chase, Maryland from an early age, Dr. Debbie Jessiman, a retired pediatrician, graduated from Princeton University and from the Tufts University School of Medicine. She has served on the boards of the National Cathedral School, the St. Albans School, the Beauvoir School, and the Metropolitan Club where she recently served as Club president. Debbie is also president of her family foundation. She is married to Alistair Jessiman, and they have 6 adult children. Prior to joining Christ Church in 2023, Debbie attended services at the Washington National Cathedral.
D. Andrew Sigler (Andy)
Andy was confirmed at Christ Church, Georgetown, in 1999 and is a regular at the 11:15 service and Evensong. Over the years, he has been active in many of the church’s ministries, including discernment and search committees. He currently serves as a lector, acolyte, head of the livestream guild, and occasional substitute organist. Outside of his work prosecuting terrorism cases on behalf of the Justice Department, Andy devotes his spare time to travel, reading, music, and hosting dinner parties for family and friends.
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Centering Prayer: Looking for a way to experience the presence of God amidst the busyness of daily life? If so, consider participation in a community-led practice of Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina on Tuesdays, from 8:45 to 9:30 a.m., beginning January 27, via Zoom. These practices come from the monastic tradition and offer an intentional way we can make ourselves available to God, acknowledging that “we do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us.” As we show up with this intention, we make ourselves available to Him for His will in our lives. Centering prayer is a 20 minute silent practice followed by a Scripture reading for meditation. To obtain a link to the video contact parishioners Molly Peacock or Lesly Lilly (713.805.5889).
Spiritual Parenting Short Course: Join Mother Tiffany Clark, for an interactive, honest look at what spiritual parenting does (and does not) look like over the remaining three sessions: Sundays, February 8 and 15, and March 1, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., in Keith Hall. Questions? Contact Mother Tiffany Clark. Please register here.
Bite-sized Bible Study: For three more weeks, Bite-sized Bible Study participants will meet in Keith Hall (rather than in Linthicum Hall) joining with those who plan to take part in the Spiritual Parenting Short Course. For more information, contact parishioners Julia Ainsley, Megan Murton, or Matthew Fredericks.
Thursday Morning Bible Study: This semester, participants in the Thursday Morning Bible Study will read, pray, and talk their way through Revelation, an ancient book filled with vivid descriptions and startling imagery – one that shows us God’s world as it truly is. No advance preparation is required, although the book is challenging. Sessions will take place on Thursdays, January 22, February 5 and 19, March 5 and 19, April 2, 16, and 30, and May 14, from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m., in Keith Hall. A Zoom option is available. For more information, contact parishioners Ernest Clark or Virginia Mentz.
Women’s Bible Study: Join the women of Christ Church as they seek to meet Jesus in the pages of the Gospel according to Saint Matthew. This semester, participants will explore Christ’s fulfillment of Isaiah’s Messianic prophecies, his inauguration of a kingdom that upends human expectations of greatness, and his calls for participation in that kingdom’s way of life, including the work of cross-cultural mission. Sessions will take place on Mondays, January 26, February 6 and 23, March 9 and 23, April 13 and 27, and May 11, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m., in the Memorial Room. A Zoom option is available. To view an introductory video about the series, click here. To receive the bi-weekly reading guides, contact Mother Tiffany Clark. New participants and guests are always welcome.
Choral Evensong: The next service of Choral Evensong will take place on Sunday, February 1, at 5:00 p.m. Evensong will continue on the first, third, and fifth Sundays of the month through May. A reception follows each service. Do plan to join us… and bring a friend.
Prime Timers: This spring, participants in the Prime Timers parish group will delve deeply into the intersection between theology and the arts, reflecting on how music, movement, visual art, and poetry deepen faith and shape Christian imagination. On Thursdays (February 12, March 12, April 9, and May 4) gatherings will begin at 6:00 p.m. in Keith Hall, and include dinner, a presentation, and the brief office of Compline. The registration fee for the full series is $100. Financial assistance is available; speak with a member of the clergy. No walk-ins, please. For details on topics and speakers click here and to register, click here.
Mission Trip to Kenya:This announcement is abbreviated until after the Annual Parish Meeting. The mission trip will take place June 18 to 28, 2026. For more information, contact Mother Tiffany Clark. To register, click here.
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SUNDAY SERVICES
Holy Eucharist: Rite One
at 8:00 a.m.
in the Church
Holy Eucharist: Rite Two
at 9:00 a.m.
in the Church
Holy Eucharist: Rite One
(1st, 3rd, and 5th Sundays)
at 11:15 a.m.
in the Church
Morning Prayer: Rite One
(2nd and 4th Sundays)
at 11:15 a.m.
in the Church
Choral Evensong and
Holy Communion
(1st, 3rd, and 5th Sundays October through May)
at 5:00 p.m.
in the Church
Holy Eucharist: Rite Two
(2nd and 4th Sundays)
at 5:00 p.m.
in the Chapel
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WEEKDAY SERVICES
Morning Prayer
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, at 8:00 a.m.
in the Church
Morning Prayer and
Holy Communion
Wednesday, at 8:00 a.m.
in the Church
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