If you haven’t noticed yet, we LOVE celebrating our youth! Parents and/or guardians, please submit your child’s 2nd quarter report card by February 8. We’re excited to honor them on Y.A.Y.A. Sunday, February 15, during our 10:00 a.m. worship service. Please send grades to office@hemingwaymemorialame.org

The 2026 Lay membership drive continues. We invite you join Hemingway Memorial AME Alphonso Sutton's Lay Organization. Dues are $25. Pay via check (payable to Hemingway Memorial), Givelify, Paypal or Zelle (hemingwaymemorial@gmail.com) Once you pay, please contact us to let to inform us you have paid. Send an email HERE. Visit the church giving page HERE

Hemingway Memorial is partnering once again with NCCU Metro DC Chapter for a toiletry drive on January 31, 2026. Items Requested (New and Unopened): shampoo, conditioner, body soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, mouthwash, brushes, combs, lotion, hand soap, deodorant, feminine hygiene items, adult depends, Kleenex, Band-Aids, loofahs, disinfectant wipes, baby diapers, baby wipes, trash bags, cleaning supplies, transportation passes, grocery store gift cards, new/unused: coats, blankets, socks, gloves, hats, wash cloths, bath towels, twin sheets, twin comforters, shower liners, shower caddies, shower shoes & shower caps _______________ DROP OFF TIMES Location: Hemingway Memorial Friday, January 30th • 3-7pm Saturday, January 31st • 9a-12pm _________________ Volunteers are needed and requested Sign up now. All PGCPS students, please use your school email address to receive community service hours. Sign up to volunteer: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B44A8A72BA3FACF8-61384058-3rdannual?useFullSite=true#/

SCAM ALERT!!! For Immediate Release Monday, November 24, 2025 Taylor Thomas Public Information Officer III 240-687-2207 Scammers Steal Thousands While Posing as Sheriff’s Deputies Upper Marlboro, MD – November 24, 2025 — The Prince George’s County Office of the Sheriff is urging residents to remain vigilant as reports of an aggressive phone scam continue to rise. Multiple residents have been swindled out of thousands of dollars, with more than $12,000 stolen in the past week alone. The scammers are impersonating sheriff’s deputies, using the real names of sworn personnel and falsely claiming that the targeted individual has an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in court. Victims are instructed not to hang up the phone and pressured to pay an immediate “fee” using gift cards or Bitcoin to avoid arrest. Sheriff John D.B. Carr is extremely troubled by this predatory act and is reminding the community that no deputy from the Prince George’s County Office of the Sheriff will ever call to demand payment, request personal financial information, or instruct anyone to meet in a parking lot to resolve a legal matter. If you receive such a call, hang up immediately and contact the Sheriff’s Office at 301-780-8500.

Hemingway Memorial’s Book Club is excited to share a new community partnership with the City of District Heights. We donated funds to establish a Little Library Box that was installed in front of the church, providing free books for readers of all ages. This initiative is designed to build community, inspire lifelong learners, and expand access to books for everyone who passes by. We were honored to receive a special visit from the Mayor’s Office, who stopped by our location and generously contributed a collection of books to help launch the library. We look forward to sharing more details soon. As a reminder, the Hemingway Memorial Book Club meets every 2nd Saturday at 12 noon, and we welcome everyone to join us. Whether you’re an avid reader or just curious, there’s a place for you in our growing community of book lovers.” Pictured above: Members of the Book Club. Our new president, Sis. Corine Mungo (front centered dressed in black) Pictured below: Members of the City of District Heights Mayor's office.

New Lay stoles are now available for order! The stoles are $30 each. The deadline to order is October 24th. To order your stole: Submit payment of $30 to the church via Zelle, PayPal or Givelify (access online giving options at hemingwaymemorialame.org/give ), Cash App ($hemingwaymemorial), or by check. Please note "ASLO Lay Stole" in the memo/note. After payment is sent, please notify Lauren Williams HERE with your name and form of payment. What is the Lay Organization? The Lay Organization of the A.M.E. Church organizes and trains lay members to use their God-given abilities to improve the church, educate them on church history and stewardship and provide support for its' programs. For more information on the Lay Organization, please contact them HERE .

Hemingway Memorial AME Church hosted an incredible intergenerational event — our “Dollars for Scholars” bowling fundraiser — and it was a resounding success! Families, friends, and supporters of all ages came together for a fun-filled day of fellowship, laughter, and strikes — all in support of a meaningful cause: raising funds for scholarships that support continuing education for our youth and adult learners alike. The energy, unity, and joy throughout the event truly reflected the spirit of our church family and our commitment to uplifting the next generation. For over 40 years, Hemingway Memorial AME has been a beacon of hope and opportunity in the community, awarding scholarships that empower students to pursue their educational dreams and realize their full potential. “Dollars for Scholars” is just one of many ways our congregation continues to invest in the future. We extend a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Melvin Washington, Head of Christian Education, for his leadership and dedication in making this event possible. We are also deeply grateful to every sponsor, donor, pledge contributor, and marketing. Your generosity, time, and talent made all the difference and we couldn’t have done it without you! Although the event has passed, the opportunity to support this cause remains. If you would still like to give, here’s how: Online Giving: Visit us at hemingwaymemorialame.org/give Mail-In Donations: Make checks payable to: Hemingway Memorial AME Church 6330 Gateway Boulevard, District Heights, MD 20747 Please include “Dollars for Scholars” in the memo line, whether you give online or in person, so your contribution goes directly toward our scholarship fund. As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, all donations to Hemingway Memorial AME Church are fully tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us continue this important legacy of educational empowerment. Together, we are making a lasting difference — one scholar at a time. To see the video, click below

Beginning Monday, July 7, all children 18 and younger can receive meals at 16 open sites through the Prince George's County School System — eight schools and eight community locations — regardless of enrollment. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. No registration or ID is required. Meals are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Operation dates are as follows: June 23: Free meal service begins for PGCPS students enrolled in summer programs at designated sites July 7 - July 31: Breakfast and lunch available to all children at school open sites. Hot meals will be served. July 7 - August 8: Lunch available to all children at community open sites. Bagged meals will be served. Families should note that only the 16 open sites offer drop-in meals; all other sites serve only students enrolled in on-site summer programs.

On July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass delivered his powerful speech, ‘What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?’—a poignant address reflecting on the signing of the Declaration of Independence and its contradictions in the context of slavery. Douglass challenges his audience, both Black and white, to confront the injustice of slavery. He questions how Americans, especially those who claim to hold Christian values, can reconcile their celebration of freedom with the existence of slavery. He argues that true justice cannot exist as long as slavery is part of the American system. Though the speech is filled with criticism of American society, it also conveys a sense of hope and possibility for change. Douglass calls on Americans to live up to the principles of freedom and equality that their nation was supposedly founded on, and to take action to end slavery. Today: The rhetoric of equality in the United States often clashes with the lived reality of Black and Brown Americans. From police violence to racial profiling and economic disparities, many communities still face systemic racism. The current administration, for example, took steps to roll back protections for Black and Brown people in areas like housing, education, and voting rights. The "Make America Great Again" slogan, for many, harkens back to an era when racial segregation and exclusion were more overt, and the concept of equality was limited. Source: PBS Read more about the speech and Frederick Douglas from the National Museum of African American History and Culture CLICK HERE . Read the speech in its' entirety CLICK HERE . See the speech read by James Earl Jones below.