Page 23 - 2021 Spring Summer Our Hands

CONGREGATIONAL ENGAGEMENT

his Spring, Samaritas and the Synod of the use their empty sanctuary to fill up with backpacks for
Covenant, Presbyterian Church are entering children we serve all over Michigan. Rev. Delezenne,
Tinto an official covenant relationship. Signing whose name might be familiar to Lutherans from her
the paper to make this official are the Rev. Dr. Chip former work with Living Waters
Hardwick, Interim Executive for the Synod of the Ministries, has been very involved “Everything
Covenant, and Sam Beals, CEO of Samaritas. with Samaritas for years. She, along
with her family and her church, have comes back to
“God is a covenantal God,” said the Rev. Dr. welcomed a family of asylees into Covenant, in the
Hardwick. This theme is present in the life of their midst with Samaritas’ help.
Presbyterians worldwide, and Samaritas is honored to First Presbyterian also hosted the Bible and in life.”
be a part of this important relationship. “Covenants Samaritas’ backpack drive, allowing
are not a contract, but a promise, according to Rev. volunteers and staff to use their empty ~ Rev. Julie Delezenne
Dr. Hardwick. “In sanctuary to fill up with backpacks
covenants like these, the for children we serve all over Michigan.
Synod promises things to
another group, and they “Coming together to bring this family to America was
promise things to us.” a great example of covenant,” Rev. Delezenne said.
“Different Presbyterian churches donated living space,
The Presbyterian Church a church van to pick up this family, and money for
is encouraging churches plane tickets to reunite this family. Samaritas was there
to become part of the whenever we had questions about how to best support
Matthew 25 movement this family, and together we learned a lot.”
from Jesus’ words in that
gospel: “Whatever you did Her husband, Elder Adam Delezenne, works for the
to the least of these, you Southwest Detroit Immigrant and Refugee Center,
did it unto me.” Therefore, which also has a covenant relationship with Samaritas.
Samaritas is a wonderful He says “that living out/embodying covenant with one
partner for service in another is kind of a "proxy" to living in relationship
this way, since Presbyterians are called to work on with God. It's a visible sign of that covenant.” To
eradicating systemic poverty in Jesus’ name. There make things even MORE Presbyterian, the Executive
are about 100,000 Presbyterians in the Synod of the Director of the Center is also a Presbyterian Church
Covenant (largely the states of Ohio and Michigan), pastor, the Reverend Kevin Piecuh. He and the SWIRC
so Samaritas is thrilled about these new possibilities were instrumental in helping the Delezennes to connect
for partnership. Rev. Dr. Hardwick is hopeful that with the family who they have welcomed to First in
Samaritas will be one of the first calls that Presbyterians Warren and into their lives.
make when they are seeking to do ministry according to
Matthew 25. Rev. Delezenne and First Presbyterian hope to welcome
a second family from the DRC later this year with
This covenant is an expansion on an original Samaritas’ help, and to practice what they learned in
document worked on by Hardwick’s predecessor, the process.
and it focused on refugee welcome and resettlement.
The new covenant that was signed in 2021 expands What I’ve learned as a pastor is that Covenant is
that partnership to all of Samaritas’ child and family powerful! I am so excited to live into this covenant with
services, which in addition to refugee resettlement, these pastors and leaders, and to meet many more. We
include foster care and adoption, family reunification, can do amazing work to serve Christ together, and to
and our shelters for houseless families and formerly see his face in the faces of those whom we serve.
incarcerated women.

Reverend Julie Delezenne, pastor of First Presbyterian
in Warren, whose name might be familiar to Please let me know if your congregation would
Lutherans from her longtime work with Living like to receive my monthly updates. We also
Waters Camp, has been very involved with have many opportunities for engagement
Samaritas for years. She, along with her family and outreach. I'm here to help connect
and her church, have welcomed a family of Samaritas with Good Samaritans! Beth
asylees into their midst with Samaritas’ help. Birkholz, Congregational Engagement
First Presbyterian also hosted the Samaritas’ Director, Beth.Birkholz@samaritas.org
backpack drive, allowing volunteers and staff to

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