Church of the Resurrection (Washington, D.C.)

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Coordinates: 38°52′57″N 76°59′57″W / 38.88253°N 76.99927°W / 38.88253; -76.99927
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Church of the Resurrection
LocationWashington, D.C.
CountryUnited States
DenominationAnglican Church in North America
Websiterezchurch.org
History
Founded2002
Architecture
Architect(s)Calvin Brent
StyleGothic Revival
Years built1884-1887
Administration
DioceseChrist Our Hope
Clergy
RectorThe Rev. Dan Claire
Mount Jezreel Baptist Church
Part ofCapitol Hill Historic District (ID76002127)
Added to NRHPAugust 27, 1976

The Church of the Resurrection (known colloquially as "Rez"[1]) is an Anglican parish in the Capitol Hill area of Washington, D.C. Planted in 2002, it owns and occupies a historic church building facing Marion Park. It is one of three surviving churches—alongside St. Luke's Episcopal Church and the Third Baptist Church—that were designed by Calvin T. S. Brent, generally considered to be Washington's first black architect.[2]

History of the building[edit]

The foundation stone at Church of the Resurrection shows the building's history as Mount Jezreel Baptist Church.

The church building, located at 501 E Street S.E., was designed by Calvin Brent for the Mount Jezreel Baptist Church, which was pastored by Temple Robinson and composed of freed slaves. The church bought the plot of land for $900 in 1882. After the building was completed in brick in a Gothic Revival style, it was valued at $20,000. The church was renovated in the 1920s and an education annex was completed in the 1960s.[3]

However, by the 1980s, the growing congregation had insufficient room to expand. In 1982, Mount Jezreel Baptist relocated, first to Riggs Park and then to Silver Spring, Maryland.[3] In 1984, Pleasant Lane Baptist Church (renamed after 2010 to Progress for Christ Baptist Church[4]) occupied the building.

Acquisition by Rez[edit]

Church of the Resurrection was planted as a house church in 2002 by the Rev. Dan Claire and began meeting in rented Capitol Hill space starting in 2004. Sunday evening services were held at Christ Our Shepherd Church and eventually a morning service was added at Capitol Hill Seventh-Day Adventist Church.[1] Part of the Anglican Mission in America and the Anglican Church of Rwanda prior to the founding of the ACNA, when it joined the network that would eventually become the Diocese of Christ Our Hope, Rez planted the Church of the Advent in Columbia Heights (2008)[5] and the Church of the Ascension in Arlington, Virginia (2009, now defunct). It also supported church plants in Harrisonburg, Virginia; Boston; Chicago; Buffalo, New York; and Salisbury, England.[6]

In 2021, after raising $1.83 million toward the purchase,[6] Rez bought the church at 501 E Street S.E. from Progress for Christ Baptist Church. Rez is making renovations to the space while occupying it. Today the church is a contributing property to the Capitol Hill Historic District.[7]

Controversies[edit]

The interior of the Church of the Resurrection in 2024

On April 5, 2022, a group of people from the Anglican Diocese of Christ Our Hope said that they had experienced spiritual abuse at the church, and claimed that leaders at the diocese, such as Bishop Steve Breedlove, failed to hold the rector of Church of the Resurrection accountable.[8] The complaints resulted in an investigation into Breedlove's handling of the abuse allegations, carried out by Grand River Solutions.[9][10]

References[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Church of the Resurrection.
  1. ^ a b "Our Story". The Church of the Resurrection. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  2. ^ "Our Building". The Church of the Resurrection. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Our History: Mount Jezreel Baptist Church A Loving, Caring, and Sharing Church". Mount Jezreel Baptist Church. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  4. ^ "Washington DC Churches". Soul of America. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  5. ^ "Living Up to Its Name". Anglican Church in North America. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Planted: Deeper Roots on Capitol Hill". The Church of the Resurrection. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. ^ "DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA INVENTORY OF HISTORIC SITES" (PDF). D.C. Office of Planning. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  8. ^ Post, Kathryn (2022-04-07). "Anglicans say leaders botched response to allegations against DC priest". Religion News Service. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  9. ^ "EXECUTIVE REPORT: REVIEW OF INVESTIGATION OF REV. DAN CLAIRE AND ASSOCIATED ACTION BY THE DIOCESE OF CHRIST OUR HOPE" (PDF). Diocese of Christ Our Hope. December 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  10. ^ "RESPONSE OF THE DIOCESAN COUNCIL AND BISHOPS TO THE REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM GRAND RIVER SOLUTIONS" (PDF). Diocese of Christ Our Hope. January 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.

External links[edit]

38°52′57″N 76°59′57″W / 38.88253°N 76.99927°W / 38.88253; -76.99927

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