When families flee war, persecution, or disaster, their journey doesn’t end when they land in the United States. In many ways, it begins again—navigating housing, health care, schools, and jobs in a country where everything is unfamiliar.
This is where Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA) and its community partners have stepped in, offering shelter and a warm welcome. One of LSSNCA’s partners is St. John’s Norwood Episcopal Church.
This month, we spoke with the Rev. Anne Derse to reflect on the partnership with LSSNCA in the work of welcome, a partnership she says is ‘one of the most rewarding ministries of her life’.
“The work of welcome is one of the most fulfilling things I have done in my professional and personal life,” she said. “You know what you are doing is incredibly helpful—even life-changing—for the people you are supporting.”
A Story of Welcome
St. John’s Norwood has long been a place of welcome. In the 1970s, the congregation helped resettle Vietnamese families fleeing war. That spirit was reignited when two members of a church who had worked with Lutheran Social Services in Michigan suggested partnering with LSSNCA.
“We told LSSNCA we were interested in equipping an apartment for an incoming family,” recalls the Rev. Anne. “Within two days of putting the word out, our congregation had gathered all the items and volunteers we needed for our first home setup. That showed me there was an appetite in our congregation to help LSSNCA with the work of welcome.”
What began with apartment setups quickly grew into something bigger. Members of the congregation wanted not only to provide furniture but also to form relationships with the families they welcomed. With support and guidance from LSSNCA, St. John’s Norwood moved into a sponsorship model and became part of the Good Neighbor Partner program.
“We talked with a synagogue and civic associations, like Rotary, who have welcomed families before. We were told it was hard work—but God’s work—that pays back a million different ways in building teamwork, camaraderie, and living out faith values,” she said. “We said, ‘Let’s do it.’”
A Family of Ten
One of the first families St. John’s Norwood supported with LSSNCA was a Congolese family of 10.
“Their village had been destroyed, families murdered, and they hid in the jungle before making it to Uganda, where they spent four years in a refugee camp. Then suddenly, they were dropped in Bethesda, Maryland. It must have been completely disorienting for them,” she recalls.
The father could read a little, but the mother could not. The children—eight of them—ranged from toddlers to high schoolers. There were three different schools involved, numerous appointments, and a steep learning curve of adjusting to American life.
“It was challenging,” Rev. Anne said, “but it was also an incredible blessing. We supported them for a full year. They eventually moved to Wisconsin, got jobs, bought a house, and they’re thriving. The kids are growing up, getting married, [and] having babies. We’re still in touch—they message us, send updates, and say they’ll come visit someday.”
At the height of resettling the Congolese family, St. John’s Norwood mobilized more than 100 volunteers. By breaking tasks into small teams—housing, transportation, school enrollment, and tutoring—the congregation demonstrated that collective action makes daunting challenges manageable.
“Not everyone can sponsor a whole family, but almost everyone can do something,” Rev. Anne emphasized. “Whether it’s offering a ride, preparing a meal, teaching English, or simply being a friend, even the smallest act of welcome can change a life.”
Afghan Families
Following the successful partnership in resettling the Congolese family, the church took a break to rejuvenate and plan. One day, someone walked into the church and said, “I found an Afghan family that is just sitting in a park in Bethesda and doesn’t know where to go or what to do.”
This family had arrived following the evacuation after the fall of Kabul.
“When they arrived at the airport, they should have been welcomed and sent to a base, but they got some misinformation in the chaos of the airport and [were] just left on their own. They didn’t have any connection with any resettlement agency. Their daughter found them an apartment in Bethesda, but they didn’t know what the next steps were,” recalls Rev. Anne.
St. John’s Norwood reached out to LSSNCA to work with the family through the Good Neighbor Partners program. Volunteers rallied to find them stable housing, connect them to health care, and support their transition.
“What we learned is that there are so many people out there who want to welcome,” she said.
Today, the mother—who once thought she could never work outside the home—has a job she loves. The older boys are working, and the younger son with special needs is thriving in a program tailored to his abilities.
St. John’s Norwood has continued welcoming families. Last fall, the congregation supported a Venezuelan mother and daughter referred through LSSNCA when the Reception and Placement program was put on hold by the Trump administration. Volunteers helped them settle into an apartment nearby. The daughter quickly found two jobs, and both women are learning English as they adjust to their new life.
Another individual who was resettled in 2021 through LSSNCA in partnership with St. John’s Norwood reunited with his wife and child recently with support from LSSNCA’s legal team. Members of the congregation helped furnish their home and even hosted a baby shower for their second child.
Current Challenges
Since January, much has changed for refugees and resettlement agencies, which are facing funding cuts and reduced resources. Many refugees approved for arrival in the United States remain stranded overseas amid the suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).
The few newcomers, mostly Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders who travel on their own, are left with fewer resources. They arrive without the support that once greeted them at the airport, leaving them to find support from agencies, like LSSNCA, for housing, jobs, schools, and health services on their own during their initial months.
“The biggest challenge is housing,” said Rev. Anne. “They need support until LSSNCA support kicks in. That’s where we step in—to provide housing and support until their cases are approved by the State Department.”
Rooted in Faith
For Rev. Anne, refugee resettlement is deeply rooted in both faith and national identity.
“I can’t think of any faith tradition that does not value welcoming the stranger,” she said. “For us, it’s the quintessential Christian mission. The Bible is replete with encouragement to welcome and help the stranger. This is about loving your neighbor, respecting the dignity of every human being, and feeding the hungry.”
She also frames this work as part of the American legacy:
“Our country has flourished on the efforts of people who had the courage to leave everything behind and start anew. It hasn’t always been easy, but it has made us stronger as a community and as a country.”
How You Can Help
St. John’s Norwood is one of LSSNCA’s long standing partners, working to closely with LSSNCA program participants, ensuring the work of welcome continues even in times of uncertainty.
“We have been pretty successful in rallying communities to work under our umbrella,” said Rev. Anne. “But what makes this possible is LSSNCA. Their expertise and experience give congregations like ours the tools to say yes to welcome.”
You can be part of this story. The most immediate way to make a difference is through a gift to LSSNCA. Your donation provides critical support for families in their first months—covering housing, food, health care, school enrollment, and more.
As Rev. Anne concludes:
“When we see the world we are in today, the lack of welcome we see, the hostility towards people we need to consider as our neighbors, we need to be reaching out and helping. This is what we are called to do. It is the right thing, and it is also incredibly inspiring and fulfilling mission.”
