726. Capital Briefs

Reporting from the National Capital, somewhere along the Left Bank of the Potomac River, about Milepost 96 if memory serves me.

Attended church this morning at Saint Margaret's Episcopal, on Connecticut Avenue near Leroy Place. There were about 87 in attendance, a number which includes the 20 or so in the procession - a rector, assistant rector, three acolytes, and about 20 choir members. While my church has abandoned gold and silver during Lent in favor of wooden chalices and crosses, St. Margaret's hasn't. The homilist gave a left-of-center sermon related (mostly) to the Ten Commandments, which were the focus of the First Reading on the Third Sunday of Lent. She made a comparison of different types of laws and how laws should be made to unite rather than divide. Her sermon included support of same-sex marriages, but it was only one of many points she made. This was, as best I could tell, her first or second Sunday as the new rector.

After church I met a Kentucky-to-DC transplant, my friend Jessie Phelps. She relocated here at the beginning of the year to work in Congressman Yarmuth's office. We spent the afternoon walking from St. Margaret's south into Dupont Circle, then west along Massachusetts Avenue to 16th, and then again south to St. John's, the Hay-Adams House, and the White House. From there we walked the lower end of the National Mall, encircling Washington's Monument and the World War II monument. We then walked westward passed the Vietman War Memorial Wall to see Mr. Lincoln, sitting up high in his personal cathedral. I was mostly moved by the large number of people who were simply seated on the steps and approaches all around. I wanted to say to Lincoln and all his admirers, "I, too, am a Kentuckian" but resisted.

Eventually, Jessie and I crossed the bridge to Arlington, Virginia, where after a quick trip on the Metro, we parted ways. I had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.