wfn.org | Strengthening the Black Church

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS 97" by SUSAN PEEK on April 15, 1997 at 14:24 Eastern, about DAILY NEWS RELEASES FROM UNITED
METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (341 notes).

Note 340 by UMNS on Sept. 22, 1997 at 16:30 Eastern (5831 characters).

CONTACT: Linda Green	528(10-31-71B){340}
	    Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470	Sept. 22, 1997

Black church committee begins identifying church resource centers; developing training model for partner congregations

	WICHITA, Kans. (UMNS) -- The 19-member committee at its meeting here Sept. 19-21, identified 11 vital black congregations that
could be partnered with struggling black churches.
	The selected urban, suburban and rural churches cross jurisdictional lines and actively engage in either a multitude of
ministries or specialize in specific areas of ministry.
	The coordinating committee, governing body for the $1.3 million churchwide Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century
initiative, has set in place a new covenant with African-American churches, by African-Americans, to assure the existence of
black churches well into the 21st century and beyond, said Andris Salter, staff coordinator of the four-year emphasis, which has
offices in Dayton, Ohio. The focus on the black church was mandated by the 1996 General Conference and is accountable to the
denominations General Council on Ministries, also in Dayton.
	The 11 selected churches are a first step in the strengthening initiative that calls for the formation of 25 resource centers
across the nation by the year 2000, said Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton, Ohio East Area, and committee chairman. Each center will
train 10-15 teams annually from local churches with the ultimate goal of reviving the ministries of 400-600 black churches in the
United Methodist Church. 
	Keaton will issue an invitation to the 11 churches, through their bishops, urging their participation. The bishops also will be
asked to send to the committee by Dec. 30, the names of vital rural and or small-membership congregations. Before a decision on
any church is made, each will undergo an accreditation process and formal announcements of the selections will be made by the
committee in January.
	There are approximately 2,500 black United Methodist churches in the United States, according to Salter . The initiative offers
opportunity to link growing, vital congregations with those desiring to become more vital. 
	A vital congregation is described as: 
7 Christ-centered; 
7 appreciates and affirms its Wesleyan and cultural heritage; 
7 values clergy and lay leadership; 
7 fosters clergy and laity partnerships; 
7 demonstrates the mission of the church; 
7 engages in vibrant and varied worship;
7 provides spiritual formation and education; 
7 makes disciples; 
7 is involved in social, economic and political life of the community where it is located.
	After the churches were identified as possible resource centers, the committee began to develop a training model for the
churches desiring to partner with the resource centers to improve their ministry. Components of this model include Bible study,
prayer and discernment, onsite visitation, worship, networking, covenant relationship, nurture, training, resourcing, and
self-study.
	"I believe these basic components are necessary to strengthen relationships and communities, which in turn strengthens
churches," Salter said. "It is by and through Jesus Christ that we are called to the unity of the beloved community."
	The coordinating committee is not working in isolation. Representatives of church agencies are ex-officio members and provide
various materials to help the committee with its work. One such agency, the United Methodist Publishing House, Nashville, Tenn.,
will assist the committee in creating an African-American library in the resource centers. The library will consist of books and
resources that are germane to the black church and how it can be strengthened. "Because a book is written by an African-American
author does not mean that it would become part of a library," said Carolyn E. Johnson of West Lafayette, Ind., committee
vice-chairwoman.
	According to Cynthia Gadsden, representative to the committee from the Publishing House, the agency has entered  partnerships
with other publishers to address the  diverse and distinctive needs of African-American Christians. "We are pleased to join in
partnership with leaders and agencies across the United Methodist Church in finding effective and innovative ways to foster
congregational life and witness through the ministries of African-American congregations," she said. 
	Since the committee was established last year, it has visited three African-American churches with diverse worship styles. It
also had an audience with the pastor of a fourth church.
	During the meeting, the committee visited and participated in two worship services at Saint Mark United Methodist Church, here.
In nine years, under the guidance of the Rev. Tyrone Gordon, the membership has grown from 350 to more than 1,700 and attracts
people of all races and cultures. The church has been recognized as one of the fastest growing African-American congregations
within the United Methodist Church.
	Located in the heart of Wichitas African-American community, Gordon said, Saint Mark has impacted the community spiritually,
socially, politically and economically. The church sponsors community clean-ups, voter registration drives and a free health
clinic. It also is building a mini shopping mall to develop the community economically. The church plans to take the profits from
this enterprise to buy former drug houses and dilapidated homes to repair and resell to low income families.
	"The leadership of the church is not afraid of change," Gordon said. "The church is always willing to move beyond our comfort
zones because we are in the business of healing hurts and meeting the needs of people."
	The next meeting of the coordinating committee will be Feb. 25-27 in a rural setting in South Carolina.
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