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Have you ever worried about the next generation being lost in the cultureless society of America and...Read the full article.

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Thank you for this very useful information. Do you happen to have a telephone number OR hours of service?
Even it means travelling ocassionally to attend this service, our children must be in touch with their roots.

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Even it means travelling ocassionally to attend this service, our children must be in touch with their roots.

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That church may become a place for any Igbo weekend visitor to DC to worship irrespective of denomination. Many people have relatives that they visit in DC from time to time.

As an Igbo church, it must for the most part sing, pray and worship in Igbo. Engligbo notwithstanding, there should be no other pollution.

Jisie unu ike.

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Interesting article though ruined by - "Have you ever been worried about losing you child to an Akata?"

As for - "Have you ever worried about the next generation being lost in the cultureless society of America and losing touch of their root?' - this is the stock 1G immigrant fantasy. Yet time and again shows that by 3G, the grandkids are pretty much assimilated into the American 'mainstream'. Most 2G kids of Igbo parents born/brought up in America are far more American than Igbo - including the Igbo speaking ones. Its inevitable - America is home to them. Alaigbo is where their parents came from.

What we should be seeking is to ensure that African values and heritage become part of that American mainstream. The notion that you can create cultural enclaves or immigrant cutural ghettoes is just a delusion. Ask the Irish, the Jews, the Italians, the Arabs, the Chinese and just about everyone who came to America.

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Hi, folks!

It would be very interesting to know if the attendance in this unique church is denomination-sensitive: i.e. Would non-Anglican NdiIgbo (e.g. Roman Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, Qua Iboe Church, Pentecostal, Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim & Seraphim, etc) find this church appealing to them, or would they be motivated to start one that meets the requirements of doctrine and dogma as their own particular denomination too, in the Diaspora?

Furthermore, could this be the beginning of a proliferation of ethno-religious groups in the Nigerian Diaspora or uniquely Nigerianized (non-Euro-based i.e. Anglican; Methodist; Catholic; etc) Christian and/or non-Christian enclaves overseas, similar to Xango worship in Brazil?

Anyway, sha, God dey, ojare, my burodas and sisitas!

Muchas gracias.

Don Juan-Carlos ABRAXAS (III)

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=lionking>
Interesting article though ruined by - "Have you ever been worried about losing you child to an ***?"

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It ruined it for me too. The notion that the children of West African immigrants are significantly distinct from Black Americans is a complete delusion. If you are a Negro who was born and raised in America, and thus speak with an American accent, you are an ***, period. The genealogical status of your parents is absolutely irrelevant in determining your perception by American society. No one will ever stop to inquire about your roots before they open their box of stereotypes and extract whichever one they need to apply to you on a particular occasion - whether it is during a traffic stop or a job interview.

That aside, I sincerly hope that this initiative aimed at uniting Igbos and promoting Igbo culture, serves as a springboard for more concrete measures such as economic and scholastic projects. I would have been much more elated if an economic cooperative of some sort, aimed at assisting Igbos in the D.C. area with starting businesses, was being contemplated rather than yet another project in honor of almighty God. I sincerly hope the educated and industrious Igbos among the parishioners can convince the rest of the faithful of the exigency of more tangible pursuits, such as raising money to develop roads and building schools in Igboland.

I believe Igbos need those things much more than churches. Besides what could instill Igbo culture or the pride of their homeland in Igbo children, more than a vibrant and enabling Igbo homeland?

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Y'al wait, wait, wait, people. No one is here advocating that anyone should build a cocoon around himself or any member of his family for that matter, No! No! No! The integration of our children here is a given. However that is not the same as the support system.

One of us, now a Professor in one of the colleges brought three of his children from home. They naturally began to school here and started their integration process into this society. As they progressed in age into teenage, it was not long when that process began to touch on some areas that conflicted with our cultural values.

The father called them and said "well there are two possibilities here. One is to let you continue in your new found society ways uninterrupted, the other is to caution you that we need to retain those things in our culture that are essential for success. You should go and discuss among yourselves and return to me tomorrow to tell me which one you have chosen" He reminded them that crucial to the two ways is the freedom after the age of eighteen. The other is the continued support system even after that age but tied to the home-made Igbo traditional discipline including faithfully attending the church with the family.

The children met and chose their traditional upbring in lieu of the freedom galore laissez faire of the new society. Ten years later, the three children have all graduated from top Medical schools in this country and are practicing medical doctors.
Guess what, they all speak the Igbo language fluently.

The Asians with a similar approach to life in this country have excelled above those who rush headlong into the prevalent social "forget your heritage" culture that I am hearing here. We are witnesses to the outcome of some of these integration methods. There is need for calculated wisdom. If you doubt me, take a suvey and you will see results that vary.

Some of the most powerful social groups in my neck of woods here are the Irish Club, Sons and daughters of Italy, Jewish Community Organization, Portuguese Club. I did'nt even know that there are some special Swiss Schools until my Swiss colleague started to send his daughter to one of them. Why I asked him? His answer was culture, discipline and security. I was shocked when he showed his copy of the application form. They preferred Swiss.

If our children retain our cultural disciplines here some of which can be supported in our own church nuturing setting, you bet that it will add to their identity confidence which in turn positively enhances their achievement capabilities in this society, unless ofcourse the organizers are not serious.

Even the teachers in this country will be the first to ask you how you raised such an examplary kid. Go and ask the Indians and the Jews. Also ask them the role of their religious temple and the synagogues in all their success stories.

It is not just about a church anywhere but our own that gives both spiritual and identity roots to our children.

Many good things can germinate from many of the church, again if the organizers are anointed. Would you not prefer an Igbo mama to baby seat your child while you and your wife are gone to work or school? What if the church offers you that connection as you worship there. Do not forget marriages also. Those could happen elsewhere but what a good place for it to happen.

What if the church formalizes such a baby care program into one of their activities that meets the support and standard of the state?

There are those who keep wake for their departed ones at home over here. That can be handled in such a church. I have been to a wake keeping program where we sang beautiful heart touching Yoruba hymns here in America. The hymns and some other songs were in Yoruba. The hymns of course were also in English for others, but I purposely sang the yoruba version because I enjoyed its touch in that language. As a kid I was a member of a choir in an Igbo church in Lagos. I am yet to have such an experience in Igbo. So why not?

I have seen others who even go as far as wearing their toga and head gear right from their houses to go to their traditional churches here in America. That did not stop their children from integration into the American society. On the other hand it offers them the support sytem they need to withstand any odds in the process. It will not stop our children from being American integrated. That is a given.

What about support systems such as after school programs, SAT tests preparation, schools information and search including grants and scholarships, job announcements etc ?

What about a serious program for teaching Igbo language and culture which from what I know will definitely attract support by from a number of sources including the state educational budget. Go and ask, you will be suprised to know that such exists. That encouragement is not in Iceland alone, my people. Look around you and discover what others are benefitting from. Remember the faith based assistance from the Fed, thanks to GW.

We have Jewish Synagogues, the Armenian churches, the Spanish Churches, the Korean Churches, etc. Ji sie unu ike.

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America is a "cultureless" society? Oh, you mean -- not Nigerian. Isn't that as rascist (and erroneous) as a Westerner coming to Nigeria and declaring that Nigeria has no culture, just becuase it isn't Western?

I guess it's that "culturelessness" that has provided so many Nigerians with opportunities that "cultured" Nigeria never gave them.

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@Oguguo Yakere

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... there should be no other pollution.

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I am reminded of the Nazi discourse on race "pollution”. Is this supposed to be a place of worship or one more evidence of the Nazifaction of Ndigbo?

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Good job Churchill,
In south London,there are about two or three such groups for Igbo Catholics.Its interesting to note that we have non Igbos attending and when asked how they find it, the usual answer is that there is nothing like the Nigerian warmth.
The kids love it, especially the praise and worship songs which come with dancing and clapping.My children keep asking when we are going for the next one because of the Nigerian atmosphere which you feel once you are in there -you know every one is Aunty this or that and there 's always the Nigerian delicacies to be ravished.
The organisation is barely Two years old and we are having a bazaar in the Nigerian style next week.