Hope for the City - A 2009 Report

In late 2007, the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church adopted a comprehensive plan for ministry, Hope for the City, for the churches in Baltimore city. The implementation of Hope for the City beginning in 2008, under the coordination of the Baltimore Hope Council, has included the development of 7 new Communities of Shalom (involving 9 churches) in various communities across Baltimore. In addition to the Deaf Shalom Zone, housed at Christ Church of the Deaf, each of the Shalom Zones seeks to bring about community transformation using the model of asset-based church/community ministry. There are currently plans to develop at least 5 additional shalom zones in the Baltimore region in 2009-10. The implementation of Hope for the City also involves strengthening churches and communities through ongoing clergy and lay leadership development. Currently, pastors serving churches in Baltimore are organized in 6 urban cohort Discipler groups designed to provide training and address specific issues in urban ministry, and to promote collaboration among churches. Lay leadership development has involved the offering of several courses through the Discipleship Academy in urban settings, as well as Leadership Days for leaders in the Baltimore Metropolitan area. An equipping event entitled “It Takes a Village: Developing Partnerships between Churches and Schools,” will be held on May 30, 2009 and is being designed to equip church leaders from across the city to more effectively work with the schools in their communities. The Baltimore Hope Council is currently in the process of planning a region-wide urban convocation, “Redeeming the Dream: Renewing the Church in the City.” The convocation, scheduled for September 18-19, 2009 at the Maritime Institute of Technology, Linthicum, MD, will offer opportunities for persons to be further equipped in the practice of urban ministry. Other ongoing work under the auspices of Hope for the City involves Camp Life, a partnership of the Baltimore Hope Council, the Board of Childcare, and Conference Camping and Retreat Ministries where up to 100 youth from Baltimore will be able to participate in one of the Conference camping opportunities this summer; and Hope Counseling, a partnership of several agencies in Baltimore which provides free counseling and support to persons affected by violence in the city. Indeed we continue to witness and experience signs of hope in the city.

High Hopes - Annual Conference and Making Connections

One of the things that I love and appreciate about United Methodism is that ours is a church of connections. In three weeks we’ll share in connecting as we gather in Baltimore for the 225th session of the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference. Annual Conference is always an exciting time, as it affords us an opportunity to experience our broader ministry as we connect with persons who we may not see often, but who share a common faith as Methodists. One of the amazing parts of Annual Conference is the joyful noise that seems to pervade our gathering each year. It is the joyful noise of persons reconnecting with each other, the joyful noise of singing and preaching. It is the same joyful noise that almost certainly was shared by those who gathered at the Lovely Lane Meeting House in December 1784 as they joined together to discern about the future direction of our faith community.

Indeed, it is a blessing to connect for a time to consider matters that are important to our faith and life together. Our Pre-Conference materials invite us to use our time together as a time for Holy Conferencing. We are reminded of the words found in 1 Peter 3:8: “Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” In Eugene Peterson’s offering of these sentiments from 1 Peter in The Message, we are reminded to “be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble.” What powerful words of faith and life these are. Indeed, these are words that we can live by as Christians.

As we prepare for Holy Conferencing this year, I pray that we will recall the words of 1 Peter, and that in our time together and in the days that are before us, we will be filled with the joy, love, unity and the humility of God.

High Hopes - The Turn Around-Turn About Community Center

On Saturday, May 2, 2009, the Turn Around-Turn About Community Center opened its doors for service in West Baltimore. The Center is a part of the Community of Shalom at St. James United Methodist Church. The church and Center sit in the midst of a zip code that has some of the highest rates of violence, drug addiction, and HIV infection in the nation. At the ribbon-cutting celebration on May 2nd, city and state officials, educators, and community and religious leaders shared in articulating a vision for community renewal through the Turn Around-Turn About Center, which will facilitate partnerships and will bring programs such as GED tutoring, drug interdiction, job placement and health-care to the community. Rev. Dr. Iris Farabee-Lewis, the pastor of St. James Church spoke of her vision – similar to one shared by Joshua – where the promises of God would be realized through renewed faith and bold action (Josh. 24). May God grant strength and grace to each of those who will share their time, talent and treasure with this important ministry, and may many lives be turned around to the glory of God.

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).

Growing Deeper - Rising Higher

“The person who looks for quick results in the seed planting of well-doing will be disappointed. If I want potatoes for dinner tomorrow, it will do me little good to go out and plant potatoes in my garden tonight. There are long stretches of darkness and invisibility and silence that separate planting and reaping. During the stretches of waiting, there is cultivating and weeding and nurturing and planting still other seeds.” (Eugene Peterson, Traveling Light)

The season of Lent affords us the opportunity to engage in the work of growing deeper. The words of Eugene Peterson speak of the possibility of such spiritual growth, and the work that we are to do – often in silence and separation - as we prepare for Easter. We seek to grow deeper so that we will rise higher in the days ahead.