Strategic Priorities for the Central Territory

USA Central Urban Mission Discussion

    We Have Moved To A New Location!

    Phil Aho  14 January 2011 14:45:07

     Finally.  It has taken place.

    This will be my final blog at this address.  The Salvation Army USA Central Territory Urban Mission Blog has moved to this WordPress website.

    We are working on how to provide access to prior postings.  You will see that a few of the last have been transferred to the WordPress blog.

    Well, goodbye from t h i  s   s  i   t   e     s e   e   y o  u    a t   t  h   e    n  e   w    b  l   o    g  . .  .  .   .    .      .        .


    Christ Transforming the City

    Phil Aho  28 December 2010 12:18:25

     Flee the city?  Perfect it?  Coexist with it?  or transform?

    This helpful article by Dr. Tim Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian in Manhattan might take 5-10 minutes to read.  But it is a handy way to examine four models Harvie Conn has reworked from R. Richard Niebuhr's material.

    Urban missioners in the Salvation Army are busy people who seem to always be doing the most.  But take some time to find out if what you are doing is consistent with what you deep down inside believe about the city and Christ.


    Coconut Cream Pie at the Golden Nugget

    Phil Aho  23 December 2010 09:47:04

     I ordered decaf and a slice of coconut cream pie at the Golden Nugget on Irving Park Road just west of the Kennedy Expressway. 

    A sip and then a bite of indulgence as I visited with Jason and Kelly Pope and Andrew and Brenda Marin.

    Jason and Kelly were in town from Atlanta leading a group of leaders and young people presenting their hip hop Christmas show at various venues in Chicago.  Earlier in the day they had been at LaSalle Street Church, a Catholic residential program, and briefing time with kettle workers at Chicago Temple (thank you Envoy Tyrone Staggers for assisting them this week).  Their few days here were busy and a success, and Jason was happy to be in a northern winter; Jason likes snow.  The Popes serve with the Salvation Army in Atlanta, Kelly in the Southern Territory's Youth Department and Jason at DHQ in Atlanta as well as the Corps Sergeant Major at Atlanta's Kroc Center.  I don't think they would mind mentioning that they expect their first baby in late March.

    Andrew and Brenda Marin are good friends with the Popes.  Jason has worked in the Southern Territory with Andrew who is founder of the Marin Foundation based in Chicago.  Andrew's work is in that challenging place between the Church and the GLBT community; check out the Marin Foundation website.

    Jason and I talked about current work in our respective territories, especially the work of identifying, recruiting, developing, and deploying people in urban mission.  Jason is involved with creation of an urban mission internship program backed by territorial resources.  He was glad to hear of the Central Territory's commitment in a similar initiative as we are about to inaugurate the Urban Ministry Internship Program in Flint, St Louis, and Kansas City.

    We also talked about the challenge and heartbreak of working with young people living in the city.  The Popes have recently been helping teens faced with very difficult situations.  Issues tend to be well defined and simple, if we are living in places of comfort and wholeness.  Inner cities and many urban settings abound with moral and ethical ambiguity.  Urban mission involves complexities of diversity, density, and stark despair with which some places in America have but a passing acquaintance.

    Jason enjoyed the Chicago snow.  May you enjoy a Merry Christmas!


    January Move To Facebook and the End of Cabrini Green

    Phil Aho  13 December 2010 20:37:16

     Jon B has set everything in place for the move of this discussion to Facebook.  Sometime during the last week of December I will get acquainted with our new venue and then beginning in January make the move there.

    Last week we watched the farewell of the last resident of one of the last remaining high rise complexes of the Chicago Housing Authority.  Here is the NY Times story on it.

    Gail and I became familiar with the CHA Henry Horner Homes during the 80s and 90s, just a couple miles southwest of Cabrini.  On occasion we would visit a family living in Cabrini.  One summer we participated in an outreach sponsored by the Salvation Army's Correctional Services in Chicago with Envoy Bruce Mardis.  Just a little over a mile west of Chicago Temple Corps was Rockwell Gardens surrounding Chicago Midwest Corps.  Especially in the 80s a visit to Midwest meant keeping an ear alert for gunshots.  The officers who served there faced daily challenges.  Bruce and Cheryl Bailey, Buzz and Diane Lambrecht, Kevin and Christie Van Zee, Ed and Joy Hoskins, Robin Rutledge, and many more.  I believe it was where K.K. Mathews had his first introduction to the Salvation Army.

    Now the high rises that formed a canyon around Midwest are almost all gone.  Henry Horner last low rise building at 1936 W. Washington may be gone now.  There are lots of stories of what happened inside these buildings and if you are ever interested there are a few I could tell.  And there were colorful places like Cicero's, the little shop where children could buy a very large dill pickle with a peppermint stick rammed down its middle.

    Interestingly, former residents of Henry Horner have organized an annual weekend each summer in Union Park, right across from the old Viceroy Hotel, one of the few places left that feels like home to former Near Westsiders.  A few years ago, Gail and I stopped by one afternoon to visit.

    Place is so important.  As Cabrini, Midwest, Horner, Rockwell, and all the other 'jets' on the westside and southside vanish many Chicagoans think it is progress.  But it's only displacement.


    Update on Urban Mission - Sorry About the Blog, CBLI 2011, and Urban Ministry Internship Program

    Phil Aho  6 December 2010 15:02:43

        If you have tried, you will have discoverd that the urban mission discussion will not accept comments. 

    It's been several weeks now since the particular platform the Army uses has essentially shut down this function.  At this point our IT people are shaking their heads about the problem and pointing us to Facebook.  I need to talk with Jon B one more time before we abandon this ship.

    Some good news.  This summer, the 2011 Central Bible Leadership Institute at Camp Wonderland will feature an Urban Mission Intensive Cohort.  This means persons can come to CBLI for a week of intensive focus on urban mission in the Salvation Army.  I just received feedback from a number of folks throughout the territory on the concept and it looks like there is strong interest.  This interest will need to translate into actual delegates which means summer schedules (CBLI will run July 29 - August 7) and saving up money.  So, consider coming to CBLI this summer.  Those of you who have participated the past year in Intersections (regional gatherings to share information and discuss urban mission) will find CBLI ideal for the informal opportunities over coffee, at meals, on the lake.

    Finally, a pilot program will begin in 2011 to place college students preparing for urban ministry in one year internships at Salvation Army work in urban settings.  Flint, St Louis, and Kansas City will serve as the first three locations.  This has been made possible financially by the Central Territory's Candidate's Department.  One of the words that described urban missioners at the 2009 Territorial Conference on Strategic Priorities was 'passion'.  Young adults who love the Lord pursuing degree work in urban ministry?  Bringing them together with Salvation Army people who love the city and the urban places of America?  Potent combination.


    Kansas City - City Vision College and True Light Family Resource Center

    Phil Aho  15 November 2010 21:35:57

    I met with Michael Liimatta, Executive Director of City Vision, earlier today in Kansas City at their new home on 31st Street, just a few blocks west of Troost.  The Salvation Army here in the Midwest will soon begin a pilot program for urban ministry internships with City Vision College. 

    City Vision recently moved to take up residence in one of several buildings of the True Light Family Resource Center.  After our meeting, Michael took me on a tour.  He introduced me to Pastor Alice.  Alice serves as senior pastor for True Light Church of the Nazarene, just two doors away from City Vision.  On the other side of 31st Street is their Resource Center.  Michael and I walked into the Center not long after lunch had been cleared away for a group session with women who are homeless in the Troost Avenue section of Kansas City.  Check out the True Light Family Resource Center website.

    Michael introduced me as being from Chicago.  Alice said that she also is a Chicagoan.  We discovered that we both had worked on the West Side near the CHA Henry Horner Homes, Alice was at Mile Square Health Center when I served at Chicago Temple Corps.  Now she is busy at work in another underserved neighborhood.  Her husband, Philip, teachs at a nearby community college.  Michael says that Alice and Philip not only work at but also significantly invest their own personal resources into the ministry.

    I mentioned to Alice that she should meet another transplanted Chicago West Sider, Captain Dale Simmons now serving at the Kansas City Bellefontaine Corps.

    Alice showed us around the old house behind the Resource Center.  It's one of several grand old houses lining Charlotte Avenue south.  Slowly, it has been renovated by volunteers from a number of suburban church members who have heard about True Light's work.  Hardwood floors shored up and sanded.  New windows.  Tile floor in the bathrooms.  Fresh paint.  Pastor Alice wants to have it ready for this winter as a transitional home for some of the women she works with.

    By the way, True Light earlier this month received a Passion Award from the Servant Christian Community Foundation.  Here's a video feature of True Light; it's the second in the top row.


    Iowa City Corps

    Phil Aho  4 November 2010 17:27:48
     

     It's now three Sundays ago that we visited the Iowa City Corps.

    Captains Terry and Jennifer Smith with their children Lauren and Andrew have served as the corps officers for over seven years.  The building is inadequate.  The chapel is small.  It was filled with people.  Happy, energetic, and so many young people.

    The corps has a definite urban feel to it.  Multicultural.  After meetings I was treated during the corps meal to sushi and potstickers courtesy of a soldier who somehow heard that I am Japanese-American.  Kitty, who is Chinese, not only prepares Japanese food but also enjoys the corps' African-American worship style.

    Can a corps have room for more than one culture?  And if so, how do we do it?  Is there more than one way to worship, serve, and learn how to love one another?


    Urban and Rural Together?

    Phil Aho  4 November 2010 16:53:31

     Gail and I visited the corps in Brown County IN last weekend.  We met ... Phil and Gail.  Barrett, that is.  Located in Nashville IN (population 800) in a county with 15,000.  I heard someone comment after the Sunday morning meetings that 120 were present.  The room was comfortably full.  For the 'pitch-in' (potluck) all the chairs had to be moved, tables set up, and a long slow line passed through the narrow serving area.  Gail Barrett's corn pudding was divine.

    All in all, a warm welcoming corps with so many young people, most with parents and other family members.  Thank you, Brown County, and Majors Richard and Vicki Amick who graciously accompanied us.

    As we left later that afternoon Phil Barrett said that the corps would like to have a group of their teens and leaders come to Chicago for a mission experience.  They want to learn more about the Army in an urban setting.

    Would someone help them?  Let me know.


      Comments, Off Again

      Phil Aho  4 November 2010 16:40:28
       Sorry, the comments have not worked for several days.  Hope it's up soon.Web Development


      The Urban Forum

      Phil Aho  25 October 2010 16:29:52

       Urban Forum Poster 2011

      You may be interested in The Urban Forum 2011 hosted in Toronto, January 26-29; I plan on being there.

      Majors Geoff and Sandra Ryan live and serve in the Regent Park neighborhood of Toronto.  Over the last several years the Ryans and their leaders have developed a Salvation Army '614' work.  In May, Gail and I spent a few days in Regent Park with the Ryans to experience this expression of Christian community development; see the May postings for several features.

      Visit '614'