Signs of Hope - A Year After

It was a year ago this week that the Baltimore-Washington Conference held a press conference and prayer service at John Wesley United Methodist Church in Baltimore to address the rising number of murders and violent crimes in the city. Last year, as of the first week of December, there had been 268 murders in the city. On that Friday in December, several hundred persons gathered at the church, and several family members shared stories of the lasting impact of the death of their loved ones on them and their remaining family.

Bishop John R. Schol shared the church’s vision and commitment to offering hope and shalom in communities across the city. Specifically, Bishop Schol shared that in 2008, as a part of Hope for the City, the church’s strategic plan for ministry in Baltimore, the Baltimore-Washington Conference was committed to a five point action plan to addressing the murders in the city where we would:

1. Start at least seven Communities of Shalom
2. Provide a free camping experience at one of the United Methodist camp sites for any youth affected by the murder of a family member
3. Provide grief counseling for persons affected by murder
4. Work with police and community leaders to institute a gun turn-in program
5. Pray for persons, institutions and churches in each of the communities of the city.

This year, as of December 1st there have been 216 murders in Baltimore. While the decline may be a sign of hope, it does point to the significant challenge that continues to confront the city. In April, one of these 216 murders occurred in West Baltimore down the street from Unity UMC while a funeral was being conducted in the church. That murder was apparently in retaliation for the murder that had occurred just a few days earlier, of the person being memorialized at the church.

Each of the 216 persons counted on the rolls of the dead in the city so far this year represent the sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts of many persons. Each of these murders, like those of the three persons at whose murder sites we prayed last year, represent lost hopes and dreams, lost potential, promise and possibility.

In 2008, we in the Baltimore-Washington Conference have sought to follow through on the commitments we made last December. This year seven new Communities of Shalom involving 9 congregations have been commissioned and have begun to implement their action plans for ministry, several persons continue to receive grief counseling through Hope Counseling Services, and 46 children and youth affected by death and violence against a family member attended camp this past summer.

One compelling story is that of three of the persons who attended West River Camp who were connected to Unity UMC. This grandmother, and her two grandchildren had recently lost their son and father to murder, and shared of experiencing a bit of healing and hope in the few days afforded them to be away from the violent reminders incumbent in their West Baltimore community.

In 2009, we are committed to strengthening each of these ministries with specific plans to start at least three new Communities of Shalom and to offer camping opportunities for at least 100 city youth next summer. Signs of hope can be found in the ministry that each of us can offer to those who are hurting among us.