Since 1976 · Faith · Community · Service
ደብረ ገነት መድኃኔዓለም · ፶ኛ ዓመት
50 Years of Grace. A Stronger Tomorrow. The stronghold of our faith. The emblem of our identity. The haven of our souls. Come, let us praise MedhaneAlem together.
Sunday, November 15, 2026 3:00 PM Waterford Event Center, Springfield, VA
“Prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
Sunday, November 15, 2026 · 3:00 PM Eastern · Waterford Event Center
Ye shall hallow the fiftieth year… it shall be a jubile unto you.
Beloved children of MedhaneAlem, for half a century this church has been the stronghold of our faith, the emblem of our identity, and the haven of our souls. What began with fewer than a dozen faithful in a borrowed hall now stands as a house of prayer for generations.
On this Golden Jubilee we remember the fathers and mothers who carried the torch, we give thanks for the wondrous grace of God, and we look with hope toward the years ahead. Come and rejoice with us. May God, Most High, bless you and lift up His face upon you.
By His Grace We Began. By His Grace We Remain.
From a rented hall in Washington to a consecrated home in Temple Hills. Choose a decade, or use your arrow keys, and walk the road with us.
In a land of exile, God became our refuge
For fifty years Debre Genet MedhaneAlem has been the center of spiritual life for Ethiopians across Washington and its surrounding areas.
Every Sunday, hundreds of brethren renew their spirits in the ancient chants of Saint Yared and the sacred Divine Liturgy.
Hundreds of infants baptized into the faith of their forefathers, young couples united in Holy Matrimony, and Fithat faithfully offered for members.
A pioneer in celebrating Demera (Meskel) and Timkat (Epiphany) in the diaspora while preserving their authentic Ethiopian heritage.
On the National Mall, beneath tents adorned with the Ethiopian flag, the church led and coordinated Ethiopian Day, sharing our homeland’s image and culture.
He Heard Us in a Foreign Land
A historic day to commemorate our journey, give thanks for God’s wondrous grace, and envision a bright future together.
The mezemran lead us in praise with drum, sistrum, and prayer staff.
A word of thanksgiving for fifty years of grace.
Honoring the founders, servants, and families who carried the torch.
Reconnecting with the stories and faces of the past 50 years.
We break bread as one family and praise MedhaneAlem together.
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.
This is a free invitation. Let us know you are coming so a place can be prepared for you and your family.
Dear Honored Guest,
With joy and thanksgiving, Debre Genet MedhaneAlem invites you and your family to celebrate fifty years of God's grace.
Sunday, November 15, 2026 · 3:00 PM
Waterford Event Center, Springfield, VA
Tap the letter to write your own name and words. Scroll back up and the envelope seals again.
Admission is free. Tell us you are coming and your invitation pass appears.
The celebration is free for everyone. If you feel moved to sponsor or support the Jubilee and the life of the church, any gift is received with gratitude. There is no set amount and no expectation.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Tap each candle to light one for every decade of grace. Offer it in thanksgiving, in memory, or hope to the future.
Five candles wait for your light.
I am the light of the world.John 8:12
Cannot travel to the DMV? Stay close through the church live stream and nightly prayer.
A baptism, a wedding, a first Timkat in America. Leave a memory for the Jubilee book.
The banquet is held at Waterford Event Center, 6715 Commerce St, Springfield, VA 22150. The church itself is at 4401 Old Branch Avenue, Temple Hills, MD 20748.
No. The celebration is a free invitation. Please confirm through the form above so a seat can be prepared for you.
Yes. Join the worship online, add a memory to the wall above, and keep the church in your prayers.
