Important Update on Rental Space: May 20, 2025

The following letter was sent by email to all members and regular attenders of Incarnation on Tuesday, May 20. If you did not receive it and regularly attend Incarnation, please let us know so we can update your status in our database!

Dear Incarnation,

I am writing to you with significant and unexpected news. 

You may have noticed the construction project underway outside the windows at Drew Elementary. We have been requesting information about this renovation since January, and last week, the principal responded that some construction materials would be stored in the cafeteria. She recommended that we meet with the lead custodian on Sunday morning to learn more. We are a highly flexible church, so we went into Sunday’s meeting ready to adapt to these changes.

However, when we met before the service on Sunday, the custodian informed us that not only would a significant amount of materials be stored in the cafeteria, but that construction would also take place on Sunday mornings, starting on June 1. This is a major project. It will be loud and prohibitive to worship. There are no large meeting spaces at Drew that will not be impacted by the noise. As a result, this coming Sunday, May 25, will be our final Sunday worshiping at Drew Elementary.

On Sunday afternoon, I informed the staff and vestry and asked them to pray. On Sunday night, I called Deborah Porras, the pastor of Beverley Hills Community United Methodist, to make the audacious ask to begin worshiping there regularly in two weeks. While I was still spilling out the story — before I could even ask — Deborah interrupted: “Yes, yes, you can come here!” 

She said that their leadership team had been praying for their building to be used more regularly for kingdom work, and they had been wondering since our first contact whether Incarnation might be the answer to those prayers. In fact, they had already discussed moving their service time to accommodate us, since we both worship at 10am.

Our vestry met last night to pray and discuss these developments. Our time was marked with a profound sense of peace that this is God’s clear leading and unexpected provision for our church at this time. Although we did not seek it, this move will provide rest, stability, and opportunities to grow and deepen our ministries. It seems that we are still chasing the car down the hill, trying to catch up to where God is already going.

I met with Deborah this afternoon, and we discussed service times, storage, setup/teardown, children’s spaces, child safety, noise abatement, signage, hospitality, music, and much, much more. There is much work to be done, and there are many details to work out. But the most important detail is this: beginning on Sunday, June 1, we will worship weekly at Beverley Hills. I will share more details as soon as I have them (including the new Sunday service time), and we will hold a Q&A immediately after church in Virginia on Sunday.

I know that this news comes as a shock. It certainly has to me. This is very sudden, very disruptive, and very close to my sabbatical (I have 3 Sundays left). I would never have wished for this change to come on this timeline, but it has.

This move will mean that for the first time in our history, Incarnation will not be rooted in South Arlington — the geographic heart of our original vision. It also means that our staff will be working very, very hard in a very, very short time. It may disrupt your Sunday rhythms, impacting traffic, children’s naps, activities, etc. It will require a lot of patience, kindness, and understanding from all of us as we adapt to a new space. 

You all are so adaptable, so supportive, so faithful, so prayerful — I know we can do this with our characteristic joyful gentleness. But right now, it’s a lot to digest.

Two weeks ago, we celebrated Good Shepherd Sunday, which also marked my third year as your rector. I appreciated the opportunity to reflect on God’s great faithfulness to our church over these past three years. God has always shepherded us: through every transition, across every threshold, into every new and unfamiliar terrain. And I believe (Lord, help my unbelief!) our Good Shepherd is leading us now to green pastures and still waters.

Please reach out with any thoughts or questions. And please pray — a lot! We will have much more to discuss in the coming days. I am praying for you.

With love,

Your fellow sheep,

Amy