On April 15 and 16, more than 250 people convened at Westminster Church to commemorate 175 years since the Pearl Escape. Courtesy of R.A. Dean by Jackie L. Williams, Ph.D. Commemorating 175 years since the Pearl Escape of 1848 has come to institutionalize the significance of this historic incident as a Washington DC, American, and global […]
Lest We Forget: Celebrating 175 Years of the Pearl Escape of 1848
by Jackie L. Williams, Ph.D. The Pearl Initiative celebrates the 175th anniversary of the Pearl Escape on Saturday, April 15 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday, April 16, 2023 from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. at Westminster Church and the Southwest Waterfront at the Wharf in Washington, DC. This commemorative event engages the community […]
14th Annual Toys for Tots Drive Distributes over 4,000 Holiday Toys to Ward 6 Families
By Paul Taylor For the 14th consecutive year, the Southwest Comm-Unity Annual Christmas Toys for Tots drive and distribution was another huge success. Held on Saturday, December 17, 2022, at Westminster Presbyterian Church, this year’s event distributed over 4,000 toys to families throughout Ward 6. The generous supply of toys also enabled James Creek, Syphax […]
Car Wash Raises Funds for Youth Programs
By Southwester Staff The Southwest Neighborhood Assembly Youth Activities Task Force (YATF) held its third car wash on Saturday, June 4 in the parking lot of Westminster Presbyterian Church. Plans for a fourth, timed for YATF’s 40th anniversary this fall, are already in the works, according to YATF Chair Thelma D. Jones. The June car […]
Westminster Presbyterian Church Filled with Music and Joy at Mathes and Mitchell Nuptials
By Cheryl Kravitz At a wedding like no other, the sounds of The FAME Jazz Ensemble (high school musicians from The Foundation for the Advancement of Music & Education) heralded the “jazzy” arrival of the Linda Mathes and Robert Mitchell wedding processional as they made their way down the aisle at the Westminster Presbyterian Church […]
Southwest DC Hosts Events Commemorating Historic Escape of Enslaved People to Freedom
By Reverend Ruth Hamilton The public is invited to gather at the corner of 4th and I Streets Southwest (by Westminster Church) on Friday, April 15 at 6:00 p.m. to begin a “Remember the Pearl” memorial walk to The Wharf. On April 15, 1848, a total of 77 men, women, and children enslaved by prominent […]
A New Chapter at Westminster Presbyterian Church
By Georgine Wallace To many of us, they are treasured friends and partners in neighborhood projects, and to the parishioners of Westminster Presbyterian, Co-Pastors Ruth and Brian Hamilton are the heart of their church. Long-time member Vyllorya Evans describes Ruth Hamilton as their “spiritual leader” and “connection to the community” while Brian Hamilton “challenges our […]