Day 7: Experiencing Hoodie Sunday and our first day in Detroit

After a long day Saturday, Class 42 rose early for one last activity in Washington, DC.  We attended the early morning service at the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church.  In addition to participating in the service, which included a lot of singing, we were graciously welcomed by the congregation and introduced individually.  It was also interesting to be there in “hoodie Sunday”, a day when Steward Gary Jones and pastors across the country wore hoodies under their robes bring attention to the shooting of Trayvon Martin by police in Florida.

With a few free hours before our flight to Detroit, the group split up to grab brunch, pack, and explore the Smithsonian.  After landing in Detroit we checked into our hotel, the Inn on Ferry Street, a hotel opened five years ago in five historic house sin the downtown area that had been abandoned.  It is one of the great success stores in the effort to revitalize Detroit.  A quick dinner at a restaurant called Union Street and we were all off to bed in anticipation of a full schedule of activities around Detroit over the next three days.

Written by Presiding Fellows Anne Coates, Robert Grether, and Denise Junqueiro