Get Involved in the Community
How We Serve the Community
As a mission community of Orthodox Christians, the purpose of Saint John the Merciful is to practically address needs in our neighborhood and greater community.
Since our parish began in 2016, a major focus of our outreach ministry is addressing food insecurity amongst children, families, and the homeless in Wards 7 and 8 of the District of Columbia.
Some Ways To Get Involved:
Hospitality
Administrative tasks
Organic produce deliveries to local food charities
Young adult outings and events
Community worship and choir
Gardening and gardening events
Meal ministry
Beekeeping
Prosphora-baking
Adult education
Housekeeping and decorating for feast days
Hygiene kit assembly
Our Place of Worship and Community
Through the generosity of a single benefactor, we moved to our permanent home in August 2021. During the first twelve months, we directly facilitated 36,000+ meals through a charity partner. We plan to expand this ministry further in coming years and are looking for charity partners with whom to continue this vital service to local children in need. Additionally, we regularly collaborate with local Orthodox churches and numerous individual donors and supporters.
Currently, our most visible project is the mission garden. Our place of worship is a spacious home, converted to a chapel and sacristy, with a full apartment upstairs. God willing, and with the support of our gracious donors, we will be able to extend the facilities in the future.
The mission garden allows volunteers to engage with God’s creation, with each other, and with the local community. We lovingly grow organic produce that we deliver to neighbors and food charities in the area. Our volunteers also run small meal ministries and keep a population of honey bees on mission grounds.
Community Outreach Programs Presently in Operation:
Local Organic Garden
Raised-bed gardening to provide organic produce to the local community.
Freedom of Faith
Working to address freedom of faith or conscience in our society and worldwide.
Human Trafficking
Anti-human trafficking programs and efforts both domestically and worldwide.
Community Outreach Programs in Development:
Neighborhood Counseling & Care
Free mental health counseling and advanced pastoral care services in the neighborhood. When we have sufficient resources, we will also create a mobile counseling center to better address behavioral health issues for those in need.
Real Estate Investment
Purchasing property in our neighborhood to increase impact.
Get Involved
At St. John the Merciful, we are deeply grounded in the history and tradition of the Orthodox Christian faith, and we’re also dynamic and relevant in our mission to address the issues facing all of us in a new and challenging era. We’d love for you to come visit and see what we’re all about!
If you are looking for a parish in the DC area, or a meaningful way to volunteer with any of the above programs, email us at info@st.johnthemerciful.org.