Saving Stations break down barriers, reach out to communities By Yvonne J. Medley
UMCONNECTION CORRESPONDENT Rain or shine, Saving Stations continued to operate in the Baltimore-Washington Conference this summer. 'God has blessed us with four days of sunshine and then the last two days with rain,' the Rev. Eric King of New Life UMC in Baltimore, said about his church's Saving Station, held July 19-24. 'We've been in the house of the Lord and we have joy.' | YVONNE MEDLEY/UMCONNECTION The Rev. Dred Scott, right, prays over John Sanders on the last day of the Saving Statin hosted by New Life UMC in Baltimore. |
The tent was set up on the corner of Parkside Drive and Minnesota Ave., across the street from the church. Each night, said King, 'more and more people are stopping by either to worship or to take advantage of the outreach arms that we have.' In addition to serving as a kick-off for the church's vacation Bible school, the Saving Station provided blood-pressure screenings and medical experts on health issues, offered opportunities for voter registration and gave out advice on home ownership. 'It's been wonderful letting our church be seen,' said Robin Weems. At Calvary-Casa del Pueblo UMC, it wasn't a white thing, a black thing, a Latino thing, or an Asian thing. It was a diversity thing as the church closed down Columbia Road and held a Holy Ghost block party, said the Rev. John M'Akwalu. The event capped the Saving Station's weeklong festivities, held July 24-31. M'Akwalu said that he wanted to break down the barriers of religion and denominations in his community to let everyone know that, 'a Methodist church can also be a Latino church.' Each day the church conducted workshops at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, on how to use worship arts in street ministry. Each evening, participants used what they learned at the Saving Station, set up on the corner of 14th and Irving streets, just around the corner from the church. 'We're coming together to start a ministry called Ruach Worshipping Arts Center and it's going to be multicultural,' said Faye Chandler. 'There'll be classes in mime, dance and all those different art forms.'  | YVONNE MEDLEY/UMCONNECTION A little limbo dancing took center stage at the Calvary-Casa del Pueblo's block party on the last day of the saving station. |
Chandler, a 2004 Wesley Seminary graduate who also holds degrees in elementary education from Howard University and theater from New York University, will head up Casa del Pueblo's center when it opens late this fall. Serving with her will be Joung Sook Park, director of the praise dance group, Peace Mission, from National Korean UMC in Rockville. 'There's no one way of growing a church,' said M'Akwalu, pointing to Wyatt Jackson from Bethel AME Church in Boston who came to the Saving Station to teach Hip Hop praise. 'I've been doing Hip Hop since 1980 and it's who I am,' said Jackson. He brought his art form to the Saving Station because, he said, 'I think that Jesus would want me to use what I know how to do.' | 
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