Discipleship Year Program

Basic Information

Address: 1640 Columbia Rd. N.W.
Phone Number: 202-328-1102
Fax Number: 202-328-7483
Director: Dawn Longenecker

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Additional Information

Causes Served: homelessness, poverty, racism, persons dying of AIDS, unemployed, undereducated, children in need, global injustice
Clearances Required: No
Background Check: Yes
Population Served: adults & children in need in DC area, along with addressing injustices in the global community
Ages for Volunteer: 21 or older
Hours of Service: 32 hours per week
Minimum Hours Required: 5 days/week and 11 ½ months altogether
Mission Statement:

The Discipleship Year Program strives to deepen our member's spiritual journey's. The Church of the Saviour community founded Discipleship Year and we put emphasis on the three areas focused on by this church. One is our inward walk with God, another is our outward journey of mission to the world and the third is living within community, set within a Christian context.

Philosophy/Belief Statement:

The program seeks to assist volunteers in integrating personal/spiritual development with a commitment to servant leadership and social justice. We believe in Jesus Christ and believe that we are responsible to live accordingly.

Program History:

Discipleship Year Program is sponsored by the Church of the Saviour community in Wash., DC. This ecumenical Christian church was started in the 1940's and is now made up of nine small faith communities. It is run out of the Festival Center which also operates the Servant Leadership School in DC, which volunteers take classes from. Discipleship Year is a year-long residential experience that actively engages volunteers with issues of social justice and servant leadership. Volunteers live in intentional community in a Christian setting, enter into theological study and/or reflection through classes at the Servant Leadership School and work in one of the Church of the Saviour ministries or a similar organization.

Events:

Orientation is held at the end of August each year for each new group of volunteers who serve for one year. Retreats are held 3 times throughout the year to strengthen the volunteer's experience. Other events include classes at the Servant Leadership School, a weekly seminar held at the Disciple House, worship services within the Church of the Saviour community, special events at the Festival Center and Potter's House (a coffee shop/entertainment site), opportunities for involvement through the area placement where each volunteer works, DC local events, etc.

Additional Information:

People are welcome to apply as early as January of every year and the program continues to accept applications through May, until the program is full for the fall of each year.  Each year we accept 7 volunteers.