Bishop
Bruce Degn
Attendance
about 150
Sample Worshipper Dress
navy-blue suit, lavender tie, cuff links, sacred garment
Service Length
about 90 minutes
Tearful Testimonies of Faith
four
Windows
none
Congregational Fervor
A former Safeway, Capitol Hill Ward’s worship space feels more like a Cold War bomb shelter than a D.C. Zion, but the solemn digs did little to weaken the spirits of the churchgoers who packed the room—especially the children. A recent Sunday-morning sacrament meeting was packed with weeping toddlers. HHHHH
Food for the Soul
“When I first attended, I was in between jobs—I had been fired—so I had time to go,” joked Degn while trying to sell the congregation on the church’s annual soup-kitchen volunteer project. Whatever employment troubles lay in Degn’s past, he made it clear that his work ethic wasn’t to blame: “I was cleaning up gelatinous goo and taking garbage out the back. It was messy; it was hard; it was a really rewarding experience.” HHHHH
Food for the Body
No food or drink was served following the sacrament meeting. HHHHH
Overall Worship Power
On the first Sunday of every month, congregation members take to the pulpit to give thanks to God and testify to their faith in the church. “With all the attention Mitt Romney has been getting, I’ve been asked more questions about my faith,” said one congregant, referring to the Mormon presidential hopeful from Massachusetts. “I know we’ll be under the microscope, and I’m thankful for this wonderful church.”HHHHH
—Aaron Leitko