Congressman Jim Clyburn poses for a picture with the Shady Grove travelers on the U.S. Capitol steps. Clyburn, who represents the 6th Congressional District/Sumter, is the House Majority Whip. Shady Grove Baptist Church members along with family and friends recently traveled to Washington, D.C., where they spent four days sightseeing and visiting various landmarks in the nation's capital.

While in Washington, the group was able to tour and have lunch at the U.S. Capitol, see the offices of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Congressman Jim Clyburn, S.C. Sen. Lindsay Graham and others. Group members also spotted CNN correspondent Anderson Cooper as he hurried through the Capitol Visitors Center.

Other stops included the Lincoln Memorial, the White House, Pentagon, Jefferson and Washington memorials, Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, and Arlington National Cemetery, where they viewed the Changing of the Guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Attending a premier performance of the Broadway show, The Color Purple, at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts with the return of Fantasia Barrino was a highlight of the trip for many of the travelers.

The final day of the journey was spent worshipping with First Baptist Church of Georgetown, a very old and historic church located in the Washington suburb of Georgetown, where Vernell Knuckles Knox, sister of Shady Grove's music minister, Mary Knuckles Jones, has been a member for many years.

The Rev. Lee Byers Jr., Shady Grove's pastor, delivered the sermon at the Georgetown church and the Shady Grove Praise Singers and the Shady Grove Youth Singers presented special music.

The two churches have exchanged visits and shared worship services for a number of years, beginning in 1990.