Mormons in Virginia Gear Up for Annual Day To Serve

ALEXANDRIA, VA – Local members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“Mormon” or “LDS”) are once again answering Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s invitation to join the vast annual “Day to Serve” event.

A unique annual initiative that started as a one-day blitz of service efforts a few years ago, Day to Serve has expanded this year to an entire month of events from Sept. 11 to Oct. 10 in Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. The event is in its fifth year as of 2015.

Day To Serve participants readying donations in food drive

The 5,500 Mormons in the Mount Vernon Virginia Stake (roughly the equivalent of a diocese and comprised of thirteen local congregations) will join seven other participating stakes in Northern Virginia. Stake President Keith Davey explained why his membership is so eager every year to join the cause:

“Day to Serve transcends differences of politics, religion, and culture. This united effort brings us together as congregations, brings congregations together as communities, and brings communities together as an army to improve the lives of those around us.

“Our Lord Jesus Christ is the perfect example of service. The members of the Mount Vernon Virginia Stake appreciate these wonderful opportunities to follow in His footsteps. We happily accept the call to serve again this year with our friends and neighbors.”

Some LDS women display finished sewn items for donation

The emphasis this year for the Mount Vernon stake will be local food drives, including:

Members in Mount Vernon and Fort Belvoir teaming up with Heritage Presbyterian to do weekend food bags. (Sept. 12)

Another group partnering with Arlington Regional Transit for a “Stuff the Bus” event. (Sept. 12)

Members in the Kingstowne/Franconia area joining forces with several different churches to collect food and money for the Koinonia Foundation: Franconia United Methodist, Faith Evangelical Presbyterian, Bush Hill Presbyterian, St. John’s Lutheran, Olivet Episcopal, The Journey (formerly Central Christian Church). (Oct 3)

Alexandria members uniting with Giant to collect food, plus a sewing project to benefit developing countries. (Sept. 26)

Multiple congregations in Alexandria collaborating with the Christ House Food Pantry and Alfred Street Baptist Church. (Sept. 26)

Shirlington Mormons teaming up with the Arlington Food Assistance Center, Nauck Community Service Center, and Macedonia Baptist Church to collect and distribute food, and to glean apples at a local orchard. (Oct. 11)

Other local congregations are helping domestic violence shelter the Bethany House (Sept. 19), performing a clean-up of the Hume School (Sept. 21), and contributing to a community fair in the Franconia / Kingstown area (Oct. 3).

The LDS Church has been a leading partner in Day to Serve since its inception in 2011. Last year, church leaders L. Tom Perry and M. Russell Ballard issued a special video which you can watch below about the importance of the project.

Last year McAuliffe chief of staff Paul Reagan said, “Day to Serve is a credit to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the many other faith groups that make it happen every year.”

Media visits can be arranged to any of the local events held by members of the Mount Vernon Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Learn more about Day to Serve here. Visit Day to Serve on Facebook, also find it on Twitter with the hashtag #daytoserve.

 

Source: Jared Whitley