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BY LINDA WORTHINGTON
UMCONNECTION STAFF

In the neighborhood around Christ UMC in East Baltimore many of the houses are abandoned and boarded up. Debris lies scattered in the streets. Poverty shapes people's lives. It's here where the church feels it belongs. It's here where a Community of Shalom is being created.

On Oct. 25, 38 clergy and lay people came to Christ UMC to be commissioned as certified Shalom leaders.

Bishop John Schol, the Rev. Michael Christensen, national director of Communities of Shalom, and the Rev. J-P Duncan, national trainer, presented the certificates and laid hands on the men and women who had completed four of five training sessions.

Also present were the Revs. Bruce Haskins, conference director of Shalom, and District Superintendent Karin Walker.

Prior to the commissioning service, Duncan asked those present to share what the training had meant to them.

"We in this room are the bridge builders," said Michelle Simmons of John Wesley UMC. "Because we have respect for each other, we can go forward. As long as we fight for the Lord, we can do whatever we want to do."

The Communities of Shalom Initiative was launched by the General Conference in 1992, in response to the social unrest and riots in Los Angeles.

The decision to develop Communities of Shalom in Baltimore is part of the conference's Hope for the City Plan, under the leadership of the Rev. Tony Hunt.

Leading to this day of celebration, nine churches applied last spring to the coordinating committee to take the five-month training and work toward creating the areas of peace (shalom) in Baltimore. Since then three churches in West Baltimore have teamed up to create the program in that area.

Their goals are four-fold: renewing the Spirit of God in congregations and communities; developing the shared prosperity and economies of communities; strengthening relations among multi-cultural neighbors; and improving the delivery of community services.

"This is not just about providing direct services," Haskins said, "We will seek to make systemic changes to address root causes."

That's what the training over the past five months was about - becoming catalysts to make shalom a reality in the community. Beginning with the theological basis of shalom, the training included asset assessments, planning and technical assistance, community organizing, understanding multi-cultural relationships, fund raising and grant writing, and public relations.

"Shalom ministry is changing lives and communities all over the world," Haskins said.

"I'm here to affirm shalom is in the neighborhood," Hunt said. "We believe we're up to something wonderful here in Baltimore."

The "up to something" is many-fold. Each coordinator presented a status report of his or her team's progress and plans for the sites during the commissioning service.

• Ames Memorial UMC: "Our neighborhood, our home, our responsibility," is their motto. They plan to have a program to assist ex- offenders to return to the community, with job training, self-esteem building and a referral service.

"It's been a big step for the church, but its moving ahead," said Ruth Wilkinson.

• John Wesley UMC: A highlight of their plan is to build housing and assisted living for seniors. "We'll be seeking interfaith help," to accomplish the ambitious plans, Calvin Lewis said. They also hope to add a nurses training component in the assisted living facility.
• Unity UMC: "There's a lot of violence in our area," said Kim Hawkins. "We have a lot of gangs and we want to show what peace can really do."

The Shalom ministry in that area plans to work with the elementary and middle schools nearby for after school programs; and to acquire the abandoned houses in the area, through government grants. As they accomplish these goals, they will also offer substance abuse treatment for the addicts now occupying the abandoned houses.

• Christ UMC: "We want the community (the one now and the one to be) to know the church is always open," said Gloria Savage. Their Shalom plans include after school programs and a large healthcare awareness effort.
• West Baltimore UMC: The three churches will work in partnership to develop "one-stop" centers where there will be programs in education, health, for ex-offenders and jobs creation, said the Rev. Iris Farrabee-Lewis.

"We'll also create programs in fine arts - recreation for re-creation," added the Rev. Herbert Brisbon.

They plan to make the Shalom program visible to all they meet through T-shirts, bumper stickers, shopping bags, "anything visual, so they'll ask, ‘What is Shalom?'" Brisbon said.

"Shalom will play a major role in adopting the corners where the kids hang out at night, said Rev. Willie Gray, a team member and evangelist who works throughout Baltimore.

• Mt. Zion UMC: "We're energized by what God is about to accomplish," said Karen Blake. Their program has three emphases: spiritual, financial and healthy life styles. With several medical professionals on the team, they'll do quarterly health seminars and screenings. Plans also include developing a financial literacy institute, working through the area banks to teach youth and adults how money works. Also in the plans is a sports league to engage the youth in competitive sports. "We're confident as God leads, he will furnish the means to accomplish it," Blake said.

• Mt. Winans: "One of our dreams was to acquire the school across the street," said the Rev. Stacey Cole Wilson. They are now in the negotiation stage. The school will be a center for job training, child care and GED training.

The Mt. Winans team is also hoping to acquire two abandoned homes to rehab, particularly for "escaping prostitutes," she said.

In a partnership with Horton Hospital, they will bring health care assistance and screening to the neighborhood, which is some distance from any health care facility.

"I knew good things would come out of Baltimore," Christensen said.

"All you're doing is a symbol of hope for the city of Baltimore and the conference," said Bishop Schol.