FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1/6/26 Friendship House Announces Partnership to Support Dignified, Safe Temporary Encampment in Wilmington, Delaware. Wilmington, DE — Friendship House of Delaware is proud to partner with the City of Wilmington and community organizations to manage a temporary, service-centered homeless encampment at Christina Park starting January 5, 2026. This initiative reflects a shared […]
Housing Advocacy at SsAM
Many people in Wilmington, Delaware cannot find the housing they need at a price they can afford. The homeless at our doors are not the only ones affected by the current housing shortage. Our church is called to advocacy. What can we do?
Housing Ministry at SsAM
Donation to Housing Alliance of Delaware in January, 2026. Thanks to your generosity of our members and resources from the Apostles in Ministry fund, our church donated $2,000 to the Housing Alliance of Delaware. Here is a response from Sonya Starr, Policy Director: “It is an honor and privilege of my position at Housing Alliance […]
Recommendations by Wilmington’s Homelessness Task Force
On September 30, 2025, Fr. Patrick Burke and other advocates responded to the report and recommendations made by the City of Wilmington’s Homelessness Task Force that day. Together the group called for solutions that will make a more meaningful impact such as more emergency shelter beds, access to restrooms and showers, investment in permanent supportive […]
I am a developer. You can be one too!
“Developer” and “lawyer” are NOT bad words and it saddens me to hear those words used that way. A reflection by Danny Nelson Schweers for August 24, 2025. I think of Chris White, who was both lawyer and developer. As a lawyer, he worked for Community Legal Aid Society, which offers free legal assistance to […]
SsAM Vestry Approves Housing Hub Concept
A Special Announcement from the Vestry, August 29, 2025. Dear Members of the SsAM community, Matthew 25 reminds us our calling is to care for the “least of these” among us. Our own mission statement affirms our community role: To be an inclusive Christian community which worships God, follows Christ in all aspects of our […]
Six Housing Listening Sessions were held in July, 2025.
Do you have an opinion about redeveloping the parking lot into a hub for housing justice? Five in-person listening sessions and one Zoom session were held in July 2025. Our clergy and vestry conducted a series of listening sessions to gather feedback and answer questions. All members of the SsAM community were invited to participate […]
Friendship House, Ministry to the Homeless, Wilmington, Delaware
SsAM — The Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew & Matthew — has supported Friendship House for many years. One of their empowerment centers is located on our first floor facing Orange Street. Recent News 2025-06-29 — Friendship House partners with Limen Recovery and Wellness. 2024-11-08 — Article in the News Journal: Sued for policing homelessness, […]
No Place To Call Home – Voices from the Streets and a Faithful Response
A two-part exploration by Cynde A. Bimbi and the Rev. Patrick Burke on the human and systemic sides of homelessness in Wilmington, Delaware. Voices from the Street “I’m not ashamed — I’m homeless.” Wilson has been living on the streets of Wilmington for nearly a year. “I got too comfortable in the beginning, during the […]
Lent: An Invitation from Father Patrick
Dearly beloved in Christ, Lent is the season of the church year when we focus on penitence and fasting to prepare ourselves for Easter. During this season we engage in spiritual practices of self-examination, prayer, fasting, meditating on God’s word, and repentance to prepare our hearts to receive the risen Christ. While Lent is often […]
This Dazzling Winter
It must be a great disappointment to God, says Mary Oliver, if we are not dazzled at least ten times a day. A reflection by Danny Nelson Schweers for March 2, 2025. This week I learned that three Cooper’s hawks moved into the horse barns at Bellevue State Park during the freezing days this winter, […]
Housing Ministry Update – March 23, 2025
On Sunday, March 23, 2025, Rabbi Sonya Starr shared information with us about Housing Alliance Delaware. The Housing Alliance does incredible work across the state managing centralized intake and other portions of the systems that support those in need of housing including policy and advocacy work. If you would like to learn more about that […]
Seeking a Home at SsAM – People Without Shelter.
If you visit our church in the early morning, you will often find people asleep outside our doors, really anywhere that seems out of the way, places where our uninvited guests hope to be undisturbed for a few hours. People without a home think of churches as places where they might find shelter and safety. […]
I’ve had it easy: food, good parents, clothing and comfort.
A reflection by Carynn Kelley-Katz for December 15, 2024. Most of my life I have had it easy. Food, clothing, good parents and comfort. To be honest I’ve never thought twice about the homeless. They were not even a blip on my radar or anywhere near my house. Then I joined The Episcopal Church of […]
Abandoned Possessions
A reflection by Danny Nelson Schweers for May 26, 2024. Some homeless person has abandoned all their worldly goods, or they abandoned him. Or was it a her? I found three opened containers in my church’s parking lot last Sunday morning, making me wonder what happened Saturday night. My church is downtown and ministers to […]
How is the Holy Spirit calling us?
Showers and Laundry at SsAM for the Un-Housed began the Week of June 24, 2024. How is the Holy Spirit calling us? Showers and laundry services are now offered to Friendship House clients at the Empowerment Center at the Orange Street entrance to our church building. Friendship House needs volunteer help! To start, showers will […]
