FOUNDING CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY, WASHINGTON, D.C. COMMUNITY NEWS:
FIRST MAYORAL CLERGY AWARD

Mayor of Washington, D.C. presenting the Rev. Susan Taylor, President of the Church of Scientology Washington D.C., with the city’s First Mayoral Clergy Award in recognition of her and members of her Church’s long-standing work and dedication to improving conditions in the community.

The Founding Church of Scientology Washington, D.C.’s community outreach efforts were recently recognized by the Mayor of Washington, D.C., Anthony Williams. Rev. Susan Taylor, President of the Founding Church of Scientology Washington D.C., was awarded the city’s First Mayoral Clergy Award in recognition of her and members of her Church’s long-standing work and dedication to improving conditions in the community in the areas of literacy, drug education, assistance to ex-offenders and others. Rev. Taylor was one of 16 District clergy to receive the award during a gala event held at the Renaissance Hotel. Rev. Taylor is also a member of the Mayor’s Interfaith Education Committee working with over 100 other ministers, priests and pastors seeking to bring reform to the issue of illiteracy and functional illiteracy among children and adults alike.

The Church’s outreach programs and efforts are located not only in the District of Columbia but surrounding Virginia and Maryland communities.

Volunteer Minister Program:

The Church sponsors a broad-reaching and multi-faceted Volunteer Minister program helping those in need. The program reaches people in hospitals, hospice care, those in need of marriage counseling, stress relief, spiritual care to overcome the effects of accidents, family counseling and other needs, helping to get them back on their feet and increasing their personal quality of life. Based on the International Volunteer Minister Program qualified and trained local Volunteer Ministers are on call to help those in need whether it be their own church members or others in the community.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers serving food to workers during emergencies.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers setting up for operation.

Mentoring Ex offenders:

Washington, D.C. has over 2,500 ex-offenders return to the District each year from prisons around the country. In recent years members of the Founding Church of Scientology Washington, D.C. were very active in the “Criminon Program” at the Lorton Prison in Lorton, VA. Using the programs developed by L. Ron Hubbard on drug rehabilitation, communication skills, personal integrity and other life skills, Scientologists have helped thousands of inmates to turn their lives around and realize, some for the first time, their true potential and a return of their self-respect and care for others.

With the recent closing of the Lorton Prison, members of the Church joined a faith-based community program sponsored by the Court Services and Offenders Supervision Agency, a federal agency designed to help offenders return to society. Church members using their skills in personal communication and counseling mentor offenders in the D.C. area helping them to insure that they do not return to prison by ensuring that their life skills are greatly improved and that they know that help is available for any difficulty they may have.