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BY ERIK ALSGAARD
UMCONNECTION STAFF

Pastor Helen Stafford Fleming was speechless. Miracles have a way of doing that to people.

Grinning from ear to ear, the newly installed pastor of Douglas Memorial UMC in Washington, D.C., was standing in the basement of her church after a three-hour re-dedication worship service. People were going through a refreshment line, still buzzing about the music and the testimonies offered during the worship.

No one appeared anxious to leave, even though the hour was well past 10 p.m. on a windy Nov. 15 night.

When Fleming finally gathered her thoughts, she had already moved on to what?s next.

'I guess tonight was the ending of one phase and the beginning of another,' she said. 'And that is to go out into the community, and that?s exciting because we have a place now to welcome them in.'

Do they ever.

Douglas Memorial has been through trials and tribulations in its recent past. A church once served by now Bishops Forrest Stith and Marcus Matthews, saw paint peeling from the ceiling, carpets in desperate need of repair, doors that didn?t shut properly and basement rooms that leaked every time it rained.

It also experienced the former pastor leading more than half of the worshipers out of the denomination to start a new church.

The conference, at that point, faced a decision - close the church or redevelop.

Not more than 12 months after making the decision to keep the church open and to appoint Fleming as pastor, Bishop John R. Schol, the Revs. Charlie Parker, assistant to the bishop, and Rod Miller, director of connect-ional ministries, were on hand to lead a worship service celebrating the rebirth.

'Just a little over a year ago, I wondered if we?d ?make it over,?' said Bishop John R. Schol, referring to an anthem sung earlier in the service by the Community Action Group choir. The D.C.-based choir is comprised of former drug addicts and alcoholics who have found new life in Jesus Christ. 'I got a call one day that there might not be a congregation anymore at Douglas Memorial. When I came that next Sunday morning, I wondered if we?d ever ?make it over,?'

The bishop drew applause at one point, when he said that once the church had looked like a ghost church. 'But then I learned it was a Holy Ghost church!'

The sanctuary of Douglas Memorial UMC gleams from a fresh coat of yellow paint. New carpeting is everywhere in the sanctuary, and fresh landscaping outside greets visitors. The ceiling has been repaired and restored. Work on finishing the basement is well underway.

'We will be starting a day care downstairs,' said Fleming, 'in partnership with the Baptist church (nearby). We?re also setting up a computer lab. We?re getting ready to roll. We?ve gone through this phase, let?s move on to the next one.'

To accomplish the renovations, the church sold its parsonage. Before any of those proceeds were spent, the church members decided to give 10 percent of their money to local mission projects.

Some of that money went to the New Life UMC in Baltimore. Its pastor, the Rev. Eric King, attended the service to thank Douglas Memorial for its gift, used to buy new carpet for the church.

The Rev. Ernest Lyles, from A.P. Shaw UMC in Washington, thanked the congregation for their gift to his church, which they used in restoring their church building.

A portion of the gift, Lyles said, also went to a school in Ghana, where A.P. Shaw has been in mission. 'We are naming a classroom of this school the ?Douglas Memorial Room? in your honor,' he said to cheers and applause.

And the Rev. Wade Martin, pastor of Trinity UMC in Emmitsburg, thanked Douglas Memorial for the gift to his church. 'We have something in common,' he said. 'We both will raise the name of Jesus Christ in the community.'

Conference lay leader, Delores Oden, commented on the giving Douglas Memorial had done.

'I saw Christ in so many people' at the worship service tonight, she said. 'I saw what faithfulness can do when you trust and believe, and how doors can be opened unto you. And it was just awesome how this branch of Zion, who was in such need, shared their goods with others. Just bountiful blessings will come back to them.'

For Fleming, the night truly was evidence of a miracle.

'There is no way to articulate the miracles God performed to make this night happen,' she said. 'People don?t really know all the miracles that happened to make this project come to pass. When I look at all those miracles, I can?t really express how I feel.'

Even with the renovated building, and all the work that went into that, it?s the change in the people that leaves Fleming the most excited.

'The people are actually living a different way,' she said, 'walking a different way. That?s exciting.'

Yolanda McCoy, a member at Douglas Memorial for 35 years, has been through the whole transition and transformation. She called the night, simply, 'beautiful.'

'I saw the joy of the Lord here tonight,' she said. 'Tonight has been a rededication of what God has in store for us. I hope that we will continue to glorify God in all that we do, that we can reach the community and bring the people in.'

Jimmy Shields, a member at Douglas Memorial for more than 14 years, sings in the choir and is head of church security. 'We talk about restoration,' he said, 'this is not that. This is a rebirth; it?s like coming from the womb all over again. It?s a joyous occasion.'

As people come in, they?ll see the love and harmony that lives in this church, he said. 'First and foremost, they?ll see that it?s a Christ-centered church. We know that God is going to give the increase.'