Outreach Ministry Spotlight: Family Promise

"Company is coming..."

That's what we say when we prepare our homes for guests. For four weeks during 2025, St. John's welcomed some very important company: families struggling with homelessness. In February, May, August, and October, we opened our facilities and our hearts to care for families with children who needed a place to stay.

In partnership with Family Promise of Arizona through the Glendale Center, we provided a safe place to sleep, a healthy evening meal, and groceries for breakfast and lunch throughout each week. All of this was accomplished through the generosity of St. John's volunteers.

We hosted a total of 16 families, serving 41 individuals: 20 adults and 21 children. Our volunteers provided 28 evening meals and 28 overnight chaperones. This ministry involved 50 faithful servants, including 29 individuals and families who brought meals, 7 people who stayed overnight, and 14 who handled setup, cleanup, and laundry.

It is such a joy to watch as these faithful servants bring their time and talents to help people they have never seen before. They get acquainted and converse with our guests and are blessed as they also give blessings.

We are grateful to these volunteers for their service to their neighbors, especially to the many who took on multiple tasks. One faithful volunteer stayed overnight 13 out of the 28 nights. These are the servants who follow Christ's teaching in Matthew 25:40: "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it for me." They love their neighbors not just in words, but by their deeds.

If you would like to join this ministry in 2026, please contact St. John's office by emailing office@stjchurchaz.org or calling (623) 931-2451. Our upcoming hosting weeks are February 1-8, May 24-31, August 23-30, and November 15-22.