Church of the Resurrection is an Anglican church located in SE Washington DC. The congregation was founded in 2002 as a multi-ethnic fellowship with a vision for establishing a vibrant church in Washington. In 2004, they began meeting for worship on Sunday evenings in rented facilities on Capitol Hill. In 2021 they purchased and moved into the historic church building at this site. Constructed in 1883, this historic church was designed by the first African American professional architect in Washington DC, Calvin T.S. Brent. They endeavor to be the church equivalent of a teaching hospital, with a strong commitment to leadership development and have also played a role in establishing new congregations throughout the region and in other major cities.
Church of the Resurrection seeks to establish a public contemplative space with sidewalk frontage in the property’s eastern and western side yards for use by visitors, the community, and for public congregation events. This Sacred Place will occupy an existing yard beside the building, protected on three sides by existing structures, with a paved path running front to back. The congregation gathers here before and after worship services. The space currently offers no seating or protection from weather; the existing ramp from the sidewalk up to the yard is not ADA compliant; the grass becomes muddy and unusable after rain. There are no design elements that might invite someone in during the week. Recognizing that many people have felt pushed away by churches and would not feel comfortable inside one, the church’s hope is that a well-designed outdoor space can be a blessing to those in their community that their building cannot serve. The aim for the Sacred Place in the churchyard is that it will welcome everyone and invite rest, reflection, prayer, healing, or creation, away from the city noise.
