Testimonials
To get a better sense of what you would be investing in by giving to The Next Five, we invite you to see and hear what God is doing in and through Christ City Church from people who call it home.
“a visible and tangible example of Christians actually seeking to be more like Jesus—and to be Jesus in our city and in our world.”
“It’s been a blessing to find a church that isn’t just concerned with the well-being and growth of those who attend it, but also the community and the city of which it is a part.”
“a beautifully diverse community of Christians actively practicing the teachings of Jesus.”
“The people of Christ City come together from many places. Places of weariness, hope, passion for justice, confusion, conviction, humility, pride, trauma, healing, desire to serve, and more. We fit together imperfectly but sincerely. In pursuit of love, of wisdom, and of knowing and following Jesus more fully and more consistently. In spirit and in truth. In word and in action.
Often, I feel like the odd one out. I hear I'm not alone in that. It's a messy community: we're not all alike and not all on the same page. But always, I feel the sincerity of Christ City's desire to grow and walk together.”
We are so grateful for the openness of Christ City Church — both an openness to exploring difficult questions about our faith walk and a community with open arms to receive and refresh the spiritually tired. What we learned from fellow CCCers in sermon, song, small groups, prayer, and even meal trains when our son was born still resonates strongly for us, even as we live many states away. Christ City is the place in DC we will always consider home, with people who will always occupy the rooms reserved in our hearts for family.
Ashley & Stephen Orme
FORMER MEMBERS
“The community at Christ City saved my faith. The church is an open-minded, humble, and loving community, such that wherever you are with faith—atheist, agnostic, identify with other religions, doubting, or devout Christian—you belong and are appreciated. No question is too scary, and the Holy Spirit's presence is invited and cherished. I love our community and am so grateful for it.”
I served as the Creative Arts Fellow for Christ City for about three years. My role was to bridge the gap between the arts community of the H Street neighborhood and the Christ City community. From the beginning, I learned very quickly that Christ City has so much love for the neighborhood it has been placed in. I have never been in a community that was so supportive and thoughtful of how to enrich the neighborhood than Christ City, which really helped me understand the true meaning of the selfless love that Jesus showed. Through friendships and the family-like relationships (which I still consider to this day), I learned that compassion and love are driving forces in Jesus' life and Christ City has taught me how to show that in my daily life whether I'm in DC or not. I'm really excited to see how Jesus' love and compassion will shine not only in the DC area but also overseas. I pray through this season that Christ City grows in bringing the Kingdom of God through the creative arts.
Zach Woodard
FORMER STAFF MEMBER
“I have been encouraged and challenged by the ways in which the Christ City Church community has emphasized and focused on creating a diverse, inclusive, socioeconomically, culturally, and ethnically diverse community that reflects the kingdom of God.”
“Being a part of Christ City has challenged me to go deeper into my faith and identity over the years. When I first visited, I was looking for the "perfect church," and when I stayed, I found imperfect community instead. This community has always pointed me back to Christ and reminded me of myself, and challenged me when I needed to hear it.”
Christ City was a haven for our family during a time of healing. We happened upon the church and landed in a small group who became our family. We had always imagined a faith community could bring us hope, accountability, and restoration, but we had never really experienced it as authentically as we did at Christ City. Not only did we experience unceasing support from the pastoral team, we were shown by example how to slow down, how to hold space for one another while working out our faith, and how to come alongside others in prayer. Something happens in community that is hard, but so rich, and that was definitely true for us with all of you.
We are excited for Christ City to make a real impact in DC. We came into contact with so many people in the congregation that were serving in so many fields across the city, there is tremendous potential for these seeds to be sprinkled throughout DC and take root so that the kingdom of God can bring new life. I know this vulnerable, God-seeking community can truly represent Christ in ways we can't even imagine.
Jason & Kelly Pope
FORMER SMALL GROUP LEADERS
“I stopped going to church a few years ago because traditional church practice no longer served normal people and my faith was growing out of typical expressions of faith in church. I wanted to rediscover church to re-engage in community faith practices, but this time without all the pain, isolation, judgment, and self-righteousness.
We spent a long time looking for a church like Christ City, one that welcomes all people and practices faith in a way that is concerned with kingdom thinking and loving people. I never thought I would be proud of a church again until I became part of this one.”
I found CCC through a flier on a light post near Miner during an afternoon jog. Bless that volunteer because that was a spirit-changing encounter!
At CCC I found a warm and honest invitation to keep it real, ask hard questions, and lean in fully to the cutting edge of my faith. For me that meant stretching in ways I never imagined for myself: leading worship and leading a small group. In both roles I felt welcomed and encouraged to be authentic, free and responsive to God’s leading. In turn, that led me to move in a creative, listening, and exploratory way that God used to strengthen my understanding of what it means to practice faith in/as a community and deepen my own healing and, ultimately, spiritual growth.
My prayer is that CCC’s next years will be marked by growth in a shared experience and practice of this authenticity, fearlessness, freedom, and togetherness. And that we all would deeply know and pursue God’s calling to go to places that would shape us more in ways of Christ — as individuals and as a congregation.
Chris Breitenberg
FORMER WORSHIP LEADER & SMALL GROUP LEADER
“Christ City has been a place where I experienced more of the beauty, diversity, and commitment to the hard work of justice of God’s kingdom than anywhere else. I’m so grateful for the breadth of perspectives and community that have expanded my understanding and experience of God.”
Christ City (previously TDC East Side) was Casey's first church home ever, Chuck's first chosen faith community, and our first church home together as a married couple. Christ City has been a place of faith formation and faith deepening through the weekly sermons and small groups and also through living our everyday life together as a faith community which included being encouraged, cared for, prayed for, celebrated with and held up in times of grief and sorrow by the staff and community at church. Christ City is and will always be our family, regardless of where we may live or worship in the future. Christ City is part of our faith DNA and we are grateful that Christ City has always been faithful to God's call to love Him, love others, and make disciples. including us.
We are excited to see and know that Christ City continues to live out its calling to see God's kingdom on display in every life and sphere of life. We hope CCC continues its courageous vision and calling to be a church that is truly inclusive and reflective (not just representative) of God's kingdom — worshiping with and bringing together folx from every and all walk of life, tribe, age, race, immigration status, ability, creed, etc. to come together and love God, one another, and their neighbors for the glory of God.
Chuck & Casey Lamar
FORMER MEMBERS & FORMER ELDER (CASEY)
“I was interested in finding a church that empowered women in leadership, cared about racial justice, and was inclusive towards the LGBTQ+ community. Seeing all of the above represented in various capacities was a gift from the Lord. CCC has been a place to welcome all people from all walks of life—truly a representation of the Kingdom of God.”
“Christ City Church has been a blessing to our family by giving us a church community that holds firmly to Christ and his gospel in Spirit and in deeds. We have been able to connect with this vibrant and diverse community despite the variation in perspectives and beliefs even within our own family. Christ City's connection to the local community and commitment to peace and justice offers real opportunities to live out our faith in meaningful and tangible ways.”
“Being a part of Christ City has challenged me to go deeper into my faith and identity over the years. When I first visited, I was looking for the ‘perfect church,’ and when I stayed, I found imperfect community instead. This community has always pointed me back to Christ and reminded me of myself, and challenged me when I needed to hear it.”
Christ City Church, greetings to you in the joy of the Lord Jesus Christ! As I think on my time among you, I praise God for the many ways that the Spirit of God has made room. Room for the hard questions of faith and how sitting with those hard questions led less to clean and clear answers and more to lives lived faithfully before the Lord. Room for the gifts of the God's people to be cultivated, expressed, and received in Sunday services, in small groups, in ministry meetings and preparation (including those once-upon-a-time 6am elder meetings), in meals shared, in the community, and whenever and wherever we gathered. Room for God's people to be qualified and counted as His based on faith in Jesus alone and for us to individually and collectively consider the kinds of disqualifications we're placing on ourselves and others.
Of course none of these things have been done perfectly. How could it? We're still in progress. So I pray that as you embark on The Next Five, you will be confident that God, who has started this good work in you, will keep on working it out until it's a done deal.
May you continue to ask hard questions — seeking wisdom from the scriptures, the cloud of witnesses, the living saints, and the Spirit of God — and know that God is worthy of your faith in Him even as you wait for answers. May you continue to bring your gifts and offerings with cheerfulness and without hesitation for the building up of Christ City Church, this part of the Body of Christ, this branch of the set apart Family of God, for those now among you and those who've yet to walk through your doors. May the peace, joy, and hope of your lives continue to be built on Christ alone, His life, His cross, His blood, His death, and His resurrection. And may this be what qualifies any and all of us to belong to God both now and forever! Amen.
Marisa Stubbs
FORMER ELDER
