Hope in Hard Times

Today, I was contacted by the local ABC news program in Baltimore seeking comment on what churches are doing to offer help to persons in light of the recent economic crisis. The crisis has brought on significant stress for many persons and families, and this week there were two murder-homicides in Maryland where two families were found dead (a total of nine people). Several other incidents of violence related to the economic crisis and stress have occurred around the country in the past few weeks. My response to the inquiry is that most churches open their doors to members and non-members offering food and clothing to those in need. Many serve hot meals several times a week, and some offer financial support for persons having difficulty paying energy bills or facing eviction. Many churches also offer counseling and host support groups for persons dealing with various stress-related issues. Most pastors are familiar with community resources that may be available when churches are unable to help. In Baltimore, the United Methodist Church has developed Hope Counseling, a program designed to work with persons and families affected by violence in the city. These are days when helping institutions like churches and community service agencies are more needed than ever. I concluded by sharing that we are all encouraged to reach out for help when times seem hopeless. No person should ever feel that their situation is hopeless or that they are totally alone.

The Earth is the Lord's

In Psalm 24:1 David shared that “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it.” This is a wonderful affirmation of the creative gift of God of the earth as the dwelling place of all living things. David reminds us that God is the creator of all that is and is to be – and that all that God has created belongs to God. We who dwell on the earth are to be stewards of that which belongs to God. On this past Sunday, United Methodists and other persons of faith shared in a Green Festival at the New Life United Church in northeast Baltimore. The event brought together various non-profit, community-based and religious organizations to raise awareness as to our shared responsibility to care for God’s creation. Not coincidentally, the Green Festival was held during the same week as Earth Day which we celebrate today. It is also not coincidental that the Green Festival was held in the city. God is concerned for the care of the city. Concerns for environmental and ecological justice are intricately related to social justice and should expand to both the cities and the fields. Mr. James Winkler, General Secretary of the United Methodist Church’s General Board of Church and Society, joined us at the Green Festival and reminded us of our shared responsibility to care for all that God has created. We are reminded of the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who shared that “true peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.” And so on this Earth Day, we offer thanks to God for all persons and institutions that labor daily to create a just and peaceful world, both in the cities and in the fields.

It Takes a Village

In 1988, Bruce Main started a ministry called Urban Promise in Camden, New Jersey. For over a year and a half, more than one hundred inner-city children, many of them African-American, found safe haven after school and in Sunday worship in the predominantly white church. While the program was paying its own way, it was also taking a toll on the church. Carpets and walls became soiled, bathroom walls became covered in graffiti, and restless children disrupted Sunday morning services.

The deacons of the church asked for a meeting with the pastor. They wanted to know if the program was making a difference, and the proof they required was baptisms.

To their surprise, Bruce shared that a number of the children had professed their faith and were prepared for baptism. The deacons tried to stop the program, and some of them eventually left the church. But the Holy Spirit was at work in Camden, and the program received full support from the congregation. Today in its 21st year, Urban Promise is a thriving ministry with the following mission: “To equip Camden’s children and young adults with the skills necessary for academic achievement, life management, spiritual growth and Christian leadership.” The ministry has expanded into several other cities in the U.S. and internationally.

Read more of the Urban Promise story at http://www.urbanpromiseusa.org/ and in Revolution and Renewal, by Tony Compolo. (This excerpt is taken from The Abingdon Preaching Annual 2009, p. 140).