We Come

A creative expression of Binghampton United Methodist Church

An original poem by Kory N. Turner, Shalom Intern

Sometimes broken, sometimes weary
But we come

Binghampton United Methodist Church

Sharing the value of the human experience
We come

We come bringing our gifts with prayers we lift
Our hearts to one another

Laying aside our titles, moving beyond our age, gender, race, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status,
We come.

We are brothers and sisters in Christ
Striving together to do God’s will

We come
Breaking through the darkness
Acknowledging the light that’s deep within each of us

Binghampton United Methodist Church

We come
With hearts full of love, forgiveness, reconciliation, and healing

We come and we gather at the table
For a love feast that binds us
Together as one

We come
So that ALL
Might be able to come




Binghampton United Methodist Church is one of the partners housed at The Commons of Merton.
They worship every Saturday at 4:30pm at 258 N. Merton followed by a community dinner. 

Come!

Writer:  Kory N. Turner
Kory is a seminary students at Drew Theological Seminary. 
He is serving as a Shalom Intern at Center for Transforming Communities this summer.

A Most Difficult Concept for Christians

Leading to the joys and fruits of authentic, relational ministry

One of my favorite resources for Communities of Shalom is the book titled, Building a People of Power by Robert Linthicum.   Within the book, Linthicum gives a great introduction to a key concept that churches need to apply if they are serious about working for the common good of their community and seeking the shalom of the neighborhood where they worship.

This concept is often referred to as the Iron Rule:  Never do for others what they can do for


Members and neighbors from Trinity UMC

themselves.  Or put another way, the people who are best able to deal with a problem are the people most affected by the problem.

Linthicum writes, “I have discovered in more than 50 years of ministry that this concept is the single most difficult insight for Christians to grasp and apply in their ministry.” 

Why is it so difficult? 

One way to answer is to consider that there are three general ways in which a church responds to its neighborhood.  They either have ministry in a community, for/to a community or with a community.

• A church in a community does not see itself as being part of that neighborhood.  This is a church with its building in a neighborhood but with no relationships with the neighbors and other stakeholders.  Most of the members commute to the church, and all activities are designed to serve the membership.
• A church for a community develops programs to serve people outside the walls of the church.  Often this church is motivated through its faith teachings to help people less fortunate, even if they do not attend the church.  Sometimes a church who is doing programs for the community is motivated because it is a shrinking congregation who hopes that reconnecting to the neighborhood might help it grow.  There is great potential in this approach and this approach has a flaw.  The flaw is that, more often than not, the church decides what is best for the community.  Well-intentioned church-folk develop programs to help or fix the people outside the church.  The people outside the church are viewed as deficient and unable to solve their own problems. 
• A church with a community respects and perceives the people of the community as people with great wisdom and potential.  The church does not develop programs for people, but instead partners with the people in dealing with their own issues and pursuing their own aspirations for their community.  A church with the community participates in the community’s struggles and dreams, allowing both to shape the church.

Primera Iglesia Metodista prepares for asset mapping

Being a church in ministry with the community is difficult to do because it goes against our problem-solving tendencies.  It means we may have to give up our timetables and operate at the community’s (sometimes slower) pace.  It might even mean that we have to allow our church to be influenced by the community! 

Once a church embraces the notion of being in ministry with the community, the real journey (and work) of change and transformation begins…for the community and the church.  The activities of the church move away from relief and quick fixes to lasting and sustainable community transformation. The reward are the joys and fruits of authentic, relational ministry.

Imagining the fruits of ministry with

This summer, Center for Transforming Communities has used this framework to help five churches in Nashville imagine ways that the church can grow in its relationship with the community.  We have been exploring the principles and tools of Asset Based Community Development as one approach to doing ministry with the neighborhood.

If you or your church would like to learn more about doing ministry with your neighborhood, I hope you will contact us at info@ctcmidsouth.org. 

-Amy Moritz, Director of Center for Transforming Communities.

Photos courtesy of Nate Paulk, Trinity UMC in Nashville, TN.  Nashville trainings sponsored by the Turner Center at Vanderbilt.

Servant Leadership: Living, Loving, and Learning in Community

Making a difference through radical love and inclusion

Not too long ago, I had the privilege of sitting down and talking with Floridia Jackson, a Memphis native who has most recently become the Director of the Memphis School of Servant Leadership. Floridia has been active with this school for several years. She started off with The School while in seminary. At the time, she was seeking a group of people that were “like-working” in that they shared in a common mission to make a difference in the world through radical love and inclusion, and work against oppression and other injustices. She was encouraged to move forward in this mission in the classes that she took on “the call” and “racism to reconciliation” at Memphis School of Servant Leadership.

Floridia Jackson, Director,
Memphis School of Servant Leadership

According to Floridia, the Memphis School of Servant Leadership is a school that seeks to “raise up Christian servant leaders for the church and the world.” All classes are free as the school recognizes that not everyone might be able to pay. Each individual in the classroom, whether teacher or student, are on a journey together. The teachers are referred to as companions instead of facilitators/teachers to reflect this principle.

Instead of a board of directors, the Memphis School of Servant Leadership has what is referred to as a ‘mission group’. In addition to managing the business and order of the school, this group meets together for spiritual development. The mission group gathers every two weeks to pray with each other about the direction the school should be going, shifts and changes in their personal lives as a result of their connection to the school, and ways in which spirit is calling them to work against oppressive and racist structures.

Floridia has enjoyed being a partner in The Commons, the shared space operated by Center for Transforming Communities. Every day at the office provides an opportunity to experience the God in others, be it someone reminding her of what’s going on in God’s global world, updates on the work other partners of The Commons are doing in the community, or an African woman nursing her child as she waits for her two other children who are in the Refugee Empowerment Program classes, reminding her of the way in which God loves and nurtures us.

In her own words, Floridia states that “Community is when we stop to pause, to see, to witness that God-life, God-force/energy in one another.” Imagine a world where people acknowledge and carry out the call to serve and live in true community. This is the work that is being done through the Memphis School of Servant Leadership.

Namaste’ (The divine in me acknowledges the divine in you)

Author:  Kory N. Turner

Kory is a seminary students at Drew Theological Seminary.  He is serving as a Shalom Intern at Center for Transforming Communities this summer.