INTRODUCING URBI ET ORBI REPORTS-Bridging Urban Ministry Gaps
Rev. Joel Washington (Khunanpu Sangoma)
Published: September 27, 2013
It has become a ritual at community gatherings to lament the breakdown of the influence of family, church, school, neighborhoods, and other community institutions as means of progressive community development. What these discussion often fail to recognize is that the very processes of modern city life unfortunately work to fracture the influence these vital primary relationships.
Urbi et Orbi Reports serves to help unpack the social dynamics of urban life confronting inner-city communities from a Black Church pastoral care perspective. In a word ours is an urban ministry cause.
What is urban ministry? The best definition we've seen that partially guides our discussion comes from Los Angeles, California's Fuller Theological Institute that reads as follows:
"In American ministry culture, 'Urban' has become a code word for ministry to people of color, or people impacted by poverty, or hip hop culture, or resource deprived inner-city neighborhoods, or all of the above." The Fuller Institute definition goes on to say that the above realistic distinctions are often dodged or side-stepped in discussing the subject of 'urban' and 'urban ministries.'
This said Fuller references Jeremiah 29:7 which says "Seek the welfare of the city...in its welfare you will find your welfare." This space is dedicated to unpacking the challenges of big city life both in Chicago, greater American society, and the world. We hope Englewood Portal readers are ready for it. UEOR'S time has come.