The Faith in Action Workgroup of the Emancipation Economic Development Council hosted over 30,000 youth volunteers in town for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America’s bi-annual conference. Working in partnership with Mayor Sylvester Turner’s Complete Communities Initiative, Faith in Action coordinated community service opportunities for ELCA youth including mural paintings at Alfredia’s Restaurant, KCOH and Blackshear Elementary, community clean-up around ChangeHappens and SHAPE, work in churches like Boynton UMC, the Shrine Christian Center, Riverside UMC, Trinity and Trinity East UMC, TSU Community Garden, Yates High School, Burnett Bayland Park and many others. After three days of service, at Emancipation Park visiting volunteers were able to hear from Mayor Turner, Councilmember Amanda Edwards and Dr. Thomas Freeman who shared Houston history and thanked ELCA youth and leaders for their service to the Bayou City. Attendees included Pastor Linda Davis, Carl Davis, ELCA rep Reverend David Roschke, Pastor Marilyn White, Pastor John Eigege, Ken & Dolores Rodgers, Pastor Sylvia Bradshaw, Pastor James Dixon, Taha Jones, Ed Pettitt, Ohemma Zaid, Kirk Jackson, Chris Spellmon, Gardell Sandford III, Mihn Strusz, Paig Winters and countless others.
