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Water Ministry
The Water Ministry provides hospitality to homeless people who come to the church’s door. We do this by nourishing our guests, getting to know them, and treating them with dignity.
Organized in 1989, the Water Ministry has seen a considerable increase in the number of guests it receives in the last couple of years.
Our volunteers can be adults of any age, although we also encourage occasional volunteering from youth (ages 14 and up). We currently have around 25 regular and occasional volunteers. On a usual day we have four to six volunteers and 20-35 guests. Our volunteers organize showers and laundry, cook and talk to our guests. Patience, humor and empathy help.
What do we do?
Four days a week, from September to June, we offer our guests showers, laundry facilities, lunches, and a place to rest and talk. We also offer the occasional party. We provide, to the extent we can, clean underwear and socks and donated clothing. In addition, we are sometimes able to help individual guests with some basic needs — transport, prescriptions, new shoes, and so on.
How can I get involved?
We are open to our guests between 11 am and 1 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday (in and around Room 205, on the second floor of the church). We welcome volunteers on a regular basis (e.g. weekly or monthly) as well as occasional “fill-ins.”
There are also opportunities for those who cannot volunteer at these times — contributing to lunches, helping with the Christmas party, collecting supplies and donating supplies (toiletries, detergent, used towels, new socks and underwear, etc.) all help our work. Donations of supplies are also collected in the Common on Sundays.
We also welcome anyone who could help us develop our contacts with other homeless services in the city.
Finally, we are happy to have people just drop in, enjoy a coffee with us, and see what we do.
One of our volunteers wrote the following sentiment: “The Water Ministry is, without a doubt, the most amazing place I have set foot in in DC, and it puts a lump in my throat every time I think that I might [not have time for] volunteering... It is a transformative and hope-filled place where I find God.” We like this thought, and hope that you might have the same experience among these great people.
Schedule: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Contact: Geoffrey Shepherd or Kathi
Chapman
Staff Contact: Rose Duncan