Building relationships with actual neighbors and local entrepreneurs can lead to transformation for our churches, but also for our neighborhoods.It all begins with relationships.
- Warren UMC: Experiments with Missional Identity – Neighborhood Partnership: In March 2018, Warren UMC decided to accept an invitation to partner with the CMO to help them focus outwardly on their neighborhood. Warren UMC intentionally rebuilt in 2007 after a previous building burned. They have chosen to remain in ministry with their neighbors at the corner of Malcolm X & MLK Boulevards in South Dallas – Fair Park. With the leadership of Rev. Joshua Manning, the church has boldly explored partnering with other organizations to use their modern space to create a co-working center and multi-use rental space for community-oriented groups. This effort leverages the church’s legacy of being a gathering space for community activists and visionaries since the Civil Rights Movement.
Community Building Work in South Dallas – Fair Park: DFW FaithHealth Collaborative (DFW FHC) is a partnership between faith communities, local health systems and other community partners. DFW FHC partner programs provide support to local faith communities through educational training for faith community volunteers. These volunteers support and grow health ministries and, in some cases, provide support to neighbors before, during and after hospitalization. This organization has helped uncover that the leading cause for hospitalization in South Dallas – Fair Park is loneliness and isolation. This finding is corroborated by the experience of many of the 135+ faith communities and 55+ nonprofits that are based in the neighborhood. Very few of these groups have relationships with actual residents. The CMO, working with DFW FHC and many others, is currently exploring ways to rebuild the social fabric of South Dallas – Fair Park, block by block, so that residents are less isolated from community, faith resources, and health.- One + One Dallas: An initiative to connect faith communities and schools in Dallas ISD in an effort to enhance public education and student life. Founded earlier this year as a ministry of First UMC Dallas, One+One Dallas – part of the North Texas Conference’s larger One+One initiative – includes collaboration with Dallas ISD, Meadows Foundation and Pastors for Texas Children. In the 2018-19 school year, One+One Dallas is focusing its efforts on the schools in the Fair Park-South Dallas area, working to ensure that all the schools feeding into Madison and Lincoln high schools are partnered with a faith community.
For more information, email Rev. Jessica Wright or call 972-526-5018.