wfn.org | Black church committee selects final resource centers

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

Nov. 12, 1998	Contact: Linda Green*(615)742-5470*Nashville, Tenn.
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By United Methodist News Service

The last 13 of 25 African-American congregations have been chosen to
serve as Congregation Resource Centers for a United Methodist effort
known as "Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century."
	
The centers will serve as places where black congregational leaders and
members can go for help in providing more effective Christian ministry
to their communities.
 
Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century, mandated by the
United Methodist Church's 1996 General Conference, is a $1.3 million
initiative to restore, reconstruct, redeem, reconcile and revitalize
African Americans within the denomination and the community at large. 

The chosen churches are geographically spread throughout the nation in
urban, suburban and rural communities, with memberships ranging from 150
to 5,000, said Andris Y. Salter, staff executive for the churchwide
program in Dayton, Ohio. 

"These are churches that are willing to nurture other churches into
vitality," Salter said. Of the churches, one is a mission disciple
church, another describes itself as "a church in the middle of the
hood," while still another is led by a politician. 

"All are vital churches that are Christ-centered, biblically based, and
lay empowered," she said. "These are churches that hold themselves
accountable to the blessing God has provided them."
	
The "vital" congregations were selected because they:
* value clergy and lay leadership;
* foster partnership between clergy and laity;
* demonstrate a clear mission;
* enable and nurture all persons to grow spiritually;
* provide for education, Bible study and other faith-formation
development;
* engage in vibrant and varied worship;
* engage in a cycle of planning, doing, evaluating and refocusing their
ministry;
* value Christian hospitality and their Wesleyan and cultural heritages;
* creatively and faithfully engage their residential communities; and
* act on needs, problems and issues arising from social, political,
cultural and economic aspects of life in the church, community, nation
and world.

The remaining United Methodist congregations selected from four of the
church's five jurisdictions, with the names of their pastors, are: 

North Central: Barnes, Indianapolis, the Rev. Charles R. Harrison;
Wesley, Jeffersonville, Ind., the Rev. Larry Martin; Aldersgate,
Warrensville, Ohio, the Rev. Neriah G. Edwards.
Northeast: Brooks Memorial, Jamaica, N.Y., the Rev. Joseph E.
Washington; John Wesley, Baltimore, the Rev. Alfreda Wiggins;
Resurrection Prayer Worship Center, Fort Washington, Md., the Rev. Rev.
C. Anthony Muse; AP Shaw, Washington, the Rev. Kenneth H. Greene, and
Congress Heights, Washington, the Rev. Sandra Greene. (AP Shaw and
Congress Heights are combined congregational resources centers).
Southeast: Ben Hill, Atlanta, the Rev. McCallister Hollins; Mt.
Pleasant, Gainesville, Fla., the Rev. Geraldine McClellan; H.A. Brown
Memorial, Wiggins, Miss., the Rev. Carolyn Abrams; North Orangeburg,
Orangeburg, S.C., the Rev. Calvin Alston; Francis Burns, Columbia, S.C.,
the Rev. Mack McClam.
Western: Genesis, Milpitas, Calif., the Rev. Junius B. Dotson.

The 25 chosen churches do not have all of the answers, Salter said, "but
they are willing to share their resources as well as receive
resourcing." 

These are churches that do not shrink away from a challenge or an
opportunity, she said. "They take risks for God and are willing to step
out on faith to make a statement and difference within their community."