If you missed the Belonging Through Serving training on April 11, the Diaconate has provided a recap, including ways to get involved through serving our neighbors in the city.

Grace Downtown – Belonging Through Serving Event Recap: April 11, 2026 

Panel 1: Meeting the Need in D.C. | This panel discussed the current ways our neighbors in DC are experiencing need and how the community can step up to meet those needs.

Panelists included:

● Charity Beam, Faith Community Liaison, D.C. Mayor’s Office. Ms. Beam discussed pressing needs in DC, including the rising cost of living. Ms. Beam noted that neighbors in Wards 7 and 8 feel the effects of rising costs most sharply, and experience difficulty accessing food given the limited number of grocery stores in those wards. She highlighted the efforts of churches around D.C. to meet the needs, including one church’s project to help at-risk individuals complete the paperwork necessary to access resources like housing assistance. 

● Tony Casson, Manager of Mission Muffins, Central Union Mission. Mr. Casson shared his experience leading Central Union Mission’s Mission Muffins program, which equips homeless and employment-challenged individuals with skills applicable to the job market. Mr. Casson described how. each person doing their part to make a difference matters for Christ’s kingdom. 

○ Learn more about Mission Muffins and get involved here. Stop by the food truck 6:30-11:30am Monday-Friday to snag a treat and support the mission (65 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001) 

● Pastor William Spence, Representative of Breadcoin. Breadcoin distributes food tokens, or “Breadcoins,” to people who are hungry or food-insecure that can be used like cash at local restaurants, bakeries, markets, food trucks, and more. Breadcoin helps feed our neighbors with dignity and support local restaurants. Pastor Spence shared the transformative impact of sharing a table with our neighbors, and the value of helping people access nutritious meals, rather than the cheapest which are often the most unhealthy. 

○ Learn more about Breadcoin and get involved here. 

Panel 2: Making the Leap | This panel addressed common barriers to engagement and best practices for getting started in serving the community. Panelists: 

● Andre Thomas, Mission Muffins Volunteer and Graduate of Restoration and Transformation Program. Mr. Thomas described the value of seeing people as people, recognizing everyone wants to be known, seen and talked to. Reliance on the Holy Spirit and prayer as you go, he said, helps overcome fear and uncertainty when making the leap into serving in new ways. 

● Emma Wenckowski, Grace DT Member & Little Lights Volunteer. Ms. Wenckowski discussed the value of her regular commitment with Little Lights and her belief that giving one’s time should be a sacrifice, just like a tithe. She shared how much it’s blessed her to teach children difficult concepts and show them they can do hard things. Ms. Wenckowski emphasized the importance of humility in service, recognizing we have much to learn from the people we serve.

○ Learn more about Little Lights and get involved here. 

● Ryan Roegge, Executive Director, Love in Action. Mr. Roegge discussed how Love in Action, helps remove the obstacles to service by offering regular Saturday morning service opportunities. Mr. Roegge noted that opportunities are available for any age and shared how many families with children joined with community gardening projects or group outreach walks. 

○ Find out more about Love in Action and how to get involved here. 

● John Nasby, Grace DT Member & Central Union Mission Volunteer. Mr. Nasby highlighted the value of knowing the neighbors and neighborhoods around you, and the importance of being present where God has placed you. When interacting with folks experiencing homelessness, Mr. Nasby explained how simple acts, like remembering names, can go a long way. Mr. Nasby also noted that it can be surprisingly empowering to ask people in need for help, treating them as people with something to offer, rather than problems to be solved.