May was the start of our annual Empower our Neighbors in Need (ENN) campaign, which runs through the month of September and it is truly something we look forward to each year Why? Because it is both an opportunity to share the impact of our mission with you – our partners – usually through the experience of our program participants – and to invite you to engage in its accomplishment with your time, talent and treasure.
You see, this campaign is all about engagement. Yes, there is a fundraising component to it, but largely the Empower our Neighbors in Need campaign is an opportunity to directly and personally engage with all our partner churches and schools where YOU are. We do this through Samaritan Sunday events (either in-person or virtual depending on how your church is conducting services), helping to coordinate food and gift card drives for our participants, community walks among multiple partners in a shared geographic area, such as Anacostia. Further, as pandemic restrictions continue to be scaled back, we look forward to once again having other outdoor events such as 5K walks, ice cream socials, and concerts!
First out of the gate was Christ Lutheran Church, our immediate neighbor next to the NW DC office. On May 2, they shared testimony as part of a Samaritan Sunday from Next Step participant and STRIVE graduate Antoinette Green, as members collectively considered how they would invest individual allotments of cash each member was given by the Church . . . a unique way for a congregation to invest outreach dollars!
But this campaign is not just about how one invests one’s financial resources. Just two weeks later, on May 16, another historic partner, St. Francis Episcopal Church in Great Falls, VA hosted a virtual Samaritan Sunday where Samaritan participant and Speakers’ Bureau member . Benjamin Morgan shared his story of success, introduced by Executive Director David B. Wolf, who opened up the sermon, reminding the congregation who we are and what we do. With great to Rev. David Lucy, St. Francis’ Rector for inviting this engagement so quickly and for the talent of Communications & Technology Director Pat Killoran, who made it all flow so well, this was a great engagement! For you Partner Churches who are still discerning how you want to engage, consider listening to the impressive footage that Patrick provided: https://stfrancisgreatfalls.org/2021/05/13/samaritan-ministry/.
Here we want to shamelessly put a plug out to Partner Churches who are still “discerning” what you want to do: Consider getting a Samaritan Sunday on your calendar soon, especially as you open up! Scheduling is tight between now and Sept. 30 but is as simple as picking up the phone (202-722-2280, x310) or sending email, dwolf@samaritanministry.org – so jump on it!