Christmas is a time of giving.
One of the great gifts of the North Alabama Conference is Urban Ministry. This
year we celebrated the 35th Anniversary of this vital ministry to the community
(West Birmingham) that has the lowest median income in the entire state with a
poverty rate of over 40%. Urban Ministry serves more than 7000 each year
through the Community Kitchen, Food Pantry, Homelessness Prevention and
Emergency Services programs. Then there’s the Urban Kids after-school and
summer learning program, the Joe Rush Center for Urban Mission (which offers
exterior house painting), and West End Community Gardens (17,000 volunteer
hours were given by people this year!).
Since 2010, Urban Ministry has
offered Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Rehousing, a new program under the
care of social worker Jeff Bowman. Jeff administered approximately $90,000 this
year to assist families at risk of homelessness with rent, utilities, and
housing, helping more than 250 individuals avoid homelessness and achieve
long-term housing stability.
Visit www.urban-ministry.org
and you will see all the good that is being done in the name of Christ and our
church.
As you can imagine, this has been
one of the toughest years ever in finding funds for Urban Ministry. Our new
director, Rev. Melissa Patrick, has been cultivating Urban Ministry's friends
and supporters in a wonderful way. Most of the people served by Urban Ministry
didn’t need to be hit by the spring storms to be in dire straits; they were
living on the edge of desperation long before the storms without anyone to help
except Urban Ministry.
This Christmas please join Patsy
and me in sending a gift to Urban Ministry. You can be sure that your gift will
be used wisely and widely by an accountable, proven ministry, one of the best
creations of our Conference and one of the best ways to show our active
compassion for our sisters and brothers at this sacred time of the year.
Will Willimon
Call (205) 781-0517
1 comment:
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