As We Close Out 2025
Dear Christ City Church family,
I hope you found rest and recentering over Christmas, wherever you were and whoever you were with. As we come to the close of another year—one that has asked so much of us—I’ve been reflecting on all that we’ve been through. All that God has brought us through.
For many in our community, 2025 brought job losses, layoffs, furloughs, and deep vocational, relational, emotional, and spiritual uncertainty. It was a year marked by political and civic anxiety; by health challenges, hospital stays, and lost loved ones; by housing instability; and by the strain of living through federal occupation at home and violence—national and global—that felt both distant and painfully close.
And yet—again and again—I have seen God’s grace and joy find us in the middle of it all. Let me name just a few ways.
We cared for one another. One of the greatest sources of hope for me this year has been the care you’ve offered each other: showing up in moments of grief, fear, and exhaustion; praying together; offering tangible help and relational support. Through small groups, affinity spaces, and countless informal and organic connections, we practiced the slow work of cultivating belonging. This quiet, faithful care is holy work. And it has been tangible too: in 2025, we disbursed over $20,000 from our Benevolence Fund to those in need of financial assistance.
We clarified who we are. Amidst the chaos, we experienced clarity in our shared leadership. We named and began living into our KAIROS Values, grounding our life together in the conviction that God’s Spirit is at work now. We navigated numerous staff transitions: giving thanks for Nikki’s decade of leadership, and welcoming Sarah, Josh, Abby, and Ritu into new roles, as well as Frances and Chloe for brief but impactful seasons. We also celebrated the calling of new elders—Robyn, Chellese, Andrea, and the return of Kathy—and unveiled a visual rebrand as a way of more clearly reflecting who we are and who we are becoming.
We grew, learned, and worshiped together. This year we celebrated four baptisms, twelve baby and child dedications, and welcomed more than twenty-five newcomers. We watched children and teens grow in faith through Kids City’s Grow curriculum and Teen City’s “Faith in an Anxious World” series. We worshiped alongside friends at Washington Community Fellowship and Table Church, hosted numerous guest preachers, participated in seminars like Indigenous DC, trained in Active Bystander Intervention with DC Peace Team, and took initial steps as part of the Mosaic Peacemaking Cohort (Telos) and the Building Together Grant (Calvin Institute of Christian Worship).
We showed up for our neighbors. Through missional grants as well as partnerships with local schools, community organizations, and global partners—including Rosedale and H Street collaborators, the Miner PTO, DCWISE1, Washington Interfaith Network, the Museum of the Palestinian People, Paz y Esperanza, Tent of Nations, and more—we continued showing up for neighbors near and far, embodying our calling as sent people.
When I step back and look at all of this, I am so grateful to be part of this faithful community—learning how to endure, to repent, to rejoice, and to hope. Together. And as we close out the year, I want to share two invitations:
First, as of last night, our community has raised over $18,000 to go towards our Advent Offering, supporting the Angel Scroggins Memorial Fund, Our Daily Bread, Paz y Esperanza, and TDO Sudan! If you haven’t given yet,could you donate to help us reach $25,000 by the end of 2025?
Second, if Christ City has been meaningful to you this year—if you’ve found care, challenge, or belonging here—and you’re in a position to do so, would you prayerfully consider making a year-end gift? Your generosity helps sustain this shared life: our worship, our care for one another, our formation, and our presence in the city.
GIVE TO THE ADVENT OFFERING | SUPPORT CHRIST CITY CHURCH
From the bottom of my heart, thank you. For your presence, your prayers, your generosity of time and spirit, and your willingness to stay engaged with us, with one another, and with God—however you could. I am deeply grateful and privileged to serve as one of your pastors, and I remain hopeful as we look towards 2026 because, as we remembered this Christmas, the light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it.
Wishing you a restful end to the year. We’ll see you on January 4 at Miner.
Grace and peace to you, on behalf of the staff and elders,
Pastor Justin