In some ways, the Whole Foods in the Englewood neighborhood on Chicago's South Side looks the same as Whole Foods does everywhere; there are pyramids of avocados and bouquets of fresh-cut flowers. But it also has unique touches, such as a small children's lending library and a mural of the neighborhood.
The Englewood Whole Foods is more than a place to grab groceries. For residents of this low-income neighborhood, it's also a community hub, a lunch and dinner spot, and a significant employer -- as well as a source of hope.
"It feels good to walk there and get whatever I want that's healthy," said resident Asiaha Butler, who is the co-founder and executive director of the Resident Association of Greater Englewood. "And I love that I see my neighbors there. It's almost like 'Cheers' -- there's always somebody who knows my name."
Whole Foods has a reputation for high prices. Englewood has a reputation for poverty and violence. So how has this establishment flourished in this neighborhood?
In part, it's through the efforts of Englewood's Canaan Community Church and its pastor, the Rev. Jonathan Brooks.
"The purpose of this church will always focus around the community," said Brooks, who also goes by "Pastah J." "We believe that it's not enough to just open a church and have services. How can you be a representative for those who are most harmed by society? Those are the people whom the people of God should be standing up for, advocating [for] and living with."
Read more about Canaan Community Church » |
| | FROM OUR ARCHIVE: COMMUNITY MINISTRY |
How will Christians live out their faith in a world that is more urban than ever before? The director and the dean of City Seminary of New York share what they're learning as God brings Christians from across the globe to New York and other urban areas.
Read more from Mark Gornik and Maria Liu Wong » |
| If your ministry is no longer achieving its intended impact, it may be time to ask why. Probing a ministry's purpose and progress may reveal that it's time to reverse course and start again. Read more from Dave Odom » |
Community Ministry: New Challenges, Proven Steps to Faith-Based Initiatives by Carl S. Dudley
After an era of "faith-based initiatives," congregations still find themselves in the business of establishing and supporting community ministries -- daycares for infants and toddlers, respite care for elders, and programs for housing rehab and home repair, tutoring, and social justice advocacy. In this volume, Carl S. Dudley revised and updated his earlier book, Basic Steps toward Community Ministry, which Alban founder Loren Mead called "the most valuable book on parish ministry I've seen in a decade."
Dudley was the co-director of the Center for Social and Religious Research and Professor of Church and Community at Hartford Seminary in Hartford, Connecticut.
Learn more and order the book » |
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