Cleveland Park Congregational UCC, like all United Church of Christ congregations, is self-governed by our lay leadership, pastor, and congregation. Our congregation gathers each January for an annual meeting at which all matters are discussed and voted on directly, like an old-fashioned town meeting.
Our Pastor: The Rev. Ellen Jennings
Pastor’s Sabbatical: Rev. Ellen Jennings is on sabbatical through Septembe
Rev. Ellen Jennings was called to serve as Pastor of Cleveland Park Congregational United Church of Christ on April 3, 2011. Pastor Ellen received her Master of Divinity degree from Harvard Divinity School in 1991 and was ordained as a UCC minister in 2007.
Prior to her call to Cleveland Park Congregational UCC, Ellen spent three years serving a Unitarian Universalist Congregation as Minister of Religious Education and Sabbatical Minister. During her time there, she led worship, created a Lifespan Religious Education Program, provided pastoral care, and facilitated spiritual practice groups and retreats. From 2001-2008, Ellen served The Interfaith Families Project (IFFP), an independent interfaith community of Jewish and Christian families, as Director of Religious Education and Interim Spiritual Director. While there, she developed IFFP’s preschool through eighth grade religious education program and wrote much of its interfaith curriculum. <more>
Please call or e-mail to schedule time with Pastor EllenM, W, Th: Appointments and visits
Tuesday: Sabbath
Friday: Sermon and study day
Moderator: Bruce Grimes
Bruce Grimes and his husband Donald Clarke are longtime members of Cleveland Park Congregation UCC. They married there in 2010 at the church’s first same gender wedding. Bruce now serves on the Mission and Social Action Committee as liaison with Friendship Place, one of the church’s mission partners. He has held several positions over the years including on the Pastor Parish Relations Committee and the Children and Youth Committee where he was a Sunday School teacher. He also headed the diaconate for more than ten years. Bruce has actively volunteered with Friendship Place since 2013 and currently serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors.
Bruce has BA degrees in Political Science and French from the University of Richmond and an MPA from George Washington University. He is also an Army veteran and studied at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. He followed his military service with a 42 year career at the Department of Veterans Affairs. He retired in 2012 as a Congressional Liaison for the Under Secretary for Health.
Bruce and Donald have lived in Adams Morgan for 42 years and currently share their house with their fifth dachshund, Elska.
Children & Youth Programs:
Teen Group Leader: Grandon Purnell
Sunday School Lead Teacher: Position Open
Church Administrator: Meg Hanna House
Meg House joined the staff in April 2015. Along with her background in editing, marketing and writing, she has a Master of Arts in religious studies from Wesley Theological Seminary and is part owner (with her husband) of a wine store in Virginia. She’s lived in the DC area most of her life, and is a member and elder at The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC. Meg enjoys singing, playing the flute, and long walks.
Office Hours – Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday (Closed Wednesday)
Call 202-363-8211 or email info@cpcchurch.org.
Cantor and Choral Leader: LaTia Wilson Barrett
LaTia Barrett is a native Washingtonian who studied Vocal Performance at Howard University (B.A. ’04). She has served Cleveland Park Congregational UCC as a staff musician for 12 years (with a short break in the middle to start a family). Though she is a Soprano, she can sometimes be found singing Baritone parts for fun!