3
2014
° 6 Six degrees of separation is an age-old theory. Essentially it means that just five friends of friends separate you or me from anyone on the planet. But how real can the theory be? That is a question you may start asking yourself after reading this issue of Journey.
WE LIVE IN A WORLD OF 7.2 BILLION PEOPLE with differing worldviews and disparate cultures. Finding points of commonality might seem impossible. Yet on these pages you will see Christ working through us in faraway places like the Democratic Republic of Congo and El Salvador, close by in Grier Heights, and right here on our church campus.
This fall edition celebrates the transformation made possible by our A Deeper Discipleship capital campaign. The representative stories allow you to see and hear firsthand how lives are being changed. Read what five Congolese girls have to say about their new school. Learn more about the legacy of Grier Heights from our neighbors. Rejoice with a Salvadoran woman who has reversed the cycle of abuse. These ministries illustrate kingdom work. They confirm how God is using your willingness to step out in faith to enrich the lives of people you know and those you someday may have the privilege of meeting. And they remind us as it says in 1 Thessalonians 5:24 that “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.” When we began this campaign, there were a few outsiders who thought raising $30 million dollars would be an insurmountable challenge for our congregation. Some of us may have agreed with them after the recession hit. Yet here we are just $3 million away from our goal. That is a testament to who you are as God’s people. On behalf of those whose lives are being changed, thank you for your generosity.
STEVE EASON SENIOR PASTOR
TABLE OF CONTENTS HOPE
CONGO GIRLS’ SCHOOL
4 RELATIONSHIP. CONNECTION. BOND.
Partnership Personified in Congo
6 A SYMBOL OF HOPE
Birth of the Girls’ School
8 A UNIQUE STORY
The Girls Speak Out
COMMUNITY GRIER HEIGHTS
12 WHAT GOD HAS JOINED TOGETHER
History Comes to Life
14 A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH GOD-SIZED POTENTIAL
What Was and Will Be
16 COLLECTIVE ACT OF COMMUNITY
The Art of Building Dreams
NURTURE WEEKDAY SCHOOL
20 BUILDING BLOCKS FOR A LIFETIME
BILLINGSVILLE
26 CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN TOGETHER
The Gift of Mentorship
28 DEFYING THE ODDS
One Teacher’s Perspective
30 LIFELONG LEARNING: A TWO-WAY STREET
Why Education Defines This Executive
NEIGHBOR CROSS MISSIONS
34 WITH OPEN EYES
Intentional Relational Ministry
36 BRINGING MINISTRY TO LIFE
The Outreach Center’s Impact
JOY
EL SALVADOR
40 JOY YOU JUST CAN’T BOTTLE
How Needles and Thread Fuel Dreams
42 PATTY’S STORY
The Full Circle of Discipleship
An Answer to Prayer
22 COMING HOME
PARTNERSHIP
What One Family Discovered
44 A KINGDOM PLACE
If These Walls Could Speak
What Getting Out of the Boat Means
A Challenge for Our Church Family
46 THEN NOW
48 SIX DEGREES PERSONIFIED
If you have comments or questions about Journey or Myers Park Presbyterian communications, please contact Dorothy Lineberger at dlineberger@myersparkpres.org or 704.927.1267. You also may contact Bob Davies, communications committee chair, at candescence@carolina.rr.com. 1
“LET THE LITTLE CHILDREN COME TO ME, AND DO NOT STOP THEM; FOR IT IS TO SUCH AS THESE THAT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN BELONGS.”
1 CONGO GIRLS’ SCHOOL
Relationship. Connection. Bond.
When Anne Wright describes the ministries that have the most meaning for her, it all circles back to relationships. 4
The self-described adventurer loves global mission. She has dug foundations alongside the people of Getsemani, El Salvador, and partnered on healthcare and clean water initiatives with the men and women of Malawi. Yet when she discusses the adults, youth and children of Congo, Anne has a special glow.
I
t all began 10 years ago when she mentioned
their initial sketch and having a member here do
to Fay Grasty that if anyone dropped out of an
the architectural drawings, it has been exciting.
upcoming Congo mission trip, she would be glad
We worked on this project for so long. Then Jo and
to fill that opening. That night at a restaurant she
Mike Stewart and I had the privilege of attending the
noticed her server had a distinctive accent. Anne was
dedication. To see this beautiful school on land where
surprised to hear he was from Congo. She mentioned
there was nothing is simply a miracle,” she said.
that she might have the opportunity to visit his home
Today the school welcomes 183 six- to eight-year-
country. Anne said, “He stopped what he was doing
old girls who attend primary school in the mornings
and said, ‘you must go.’ It was one of those moments
and 110 girls who attend secondary school — grade
when the hair stands up on your arms.”
seven and up — in the afternoon. Meeting many of
Anne recalled her first visit to Congo building
these students who view education as a priceless
relationships in the villages and countryside at the
gift is what Anne counts as “one of my life’s true
sewing school, garden project and feeding center.
blessings.”
Myers Park Presbyterian, after all, has had a 50+ year
Another blessing has been the growth in her
partnership with the people of Congo through the
relationship with Christ, thanks to seeing faith lived
IMCK Good Shepherd Hospital. “It takes a long time
out by the Congolese of all ages. “The people of Congo
to build relationships there, to establish trust because
have a faith that remains constant even when they
of what their country has experienced throughout
have absolutely nothing. Pastor Jonas, for example,
history. But each year when we go back, they can see
lives in a dirt hut. When it rains, he gets wet. During
the love we have for them and our shared faith. They
the rainy season you would think his life would be
know us. They know we are not going to leave. We’ve
miserable, but his joy stays constant,” she said.
grown. They’ve grown,” she said.
He remained joyful even when the bike he used as
Since that initial trip, Anne has served in Congo
transportation between village churches got stolen.
five times. She counts the relationships built with
“Seeing his face when we were able to replace his
mission co-worker Gwenda Fletcher and Congolese
bike was something I will never forget,” said Anne.
people such as Pastor Jonas and Rev. Mboyamba as
That is why when someone asks Anne about global
precious. Her greatest joy, however, began in 2007
ministry, she tells them not to think too hard about it,
when the Congolese Presbyterian Church asked
just to go. “You don’t know until you go. I can’t explain
Myers Park Presbyterian to partner in the construction
the emotions and feelings. It changes you. As Steve
of a girls school.
Eason always says, ‘you have to get out of the boat to
“This whole process personified the meaning of
walk on water,’” said Anne.
partnership. From the selection of the land to taking
5
The surrounding tropical rainforest provides a backdrop of unbroken green. As you near your destination, the faint sound of voices united in song can be heard. The voices grow more distinct, you reach a clearing and there in front of you is what our Congolese neighbors regard as a tangible symbol of hope.
tep through the cerulean blue doors into the crisp
S
stucco building and you will find girls of all ages engaged in learning — a feat that would have seemed incomprehensible just a few years before.
Why? The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a vast country with immense economic resources, has been at the center of what experts call “Africa’s world war.” Years of conflict and dictatorship have taken their toll with the loss of 3-4 million people. Nearly half of these deaths have been children, many from malnutrition and preventable diseases. Less than a third of Congolese children have attended school over the past decade because they were working, fighting or displaced from their homes. The country’s leaders call them the “lost generation.” According to a UNESCO/UNICEF study, of the 7.3 million Congolese children ages five to 17 who are out of school, 3.8 million are girls.
6
of
7.3 million CONGOLESE
Children, AGES
5-17
In 2007, the Congolese Presbyterian Church
offered architectural guidance. Then our
approached Myers Park Presbyterian regarding
partners on the ground in Congo team oversaw
a partnership that could help address this
onsite construction administration in Kananga.
crisis of human potential. That is when the
“In the West, things move much more
dream for the Kananga girls’ school was born. quickly. The challenge in Congo is to earn “We have helped build a lot of schools in
people’s trust,” said Anne. A trust that proved
Congo,” said Anne Wright, “but the time was well-founded. Today in Kananga, two schools right to address some of the root issues of
share the A Deeper Discipleship-funded
poverty.”
facility—an all-girls primary school in the
Her opinion was echoed by Mission Co-
morning and an all-girls secondary school in
Worker Gwenda Fletcher who said, “Educating
the afternoon. The school has English–French
girls has widespread impact.” She went on
bilingual instruction, a library, a computer lab
to explain that when girls are educated,
and an all-women faculty; elements vital to the
their families are healthier, they have fewer success of a school in a developing country children, they wed later, and they have more according to UNICEF research. opportunities to generate income. Statistics
Gwenda said, “The teachers have all
NOT IN SCHOOL,
show that one extra year of primary school
received extra training in how to emphasize
boosts a girl’s future wage 10 to 20 percent.
critical thinking and participative learning.”
3.8
An extra year of secondary school increases
She added that the computer skills and
that earning potential by 15 to 25 percent.
English being taught are making “our students
million ARE
GIRLS
Building the school was a long process
competitive
for
highly
sought-after
jobs
that required collaboration and the gifts and
with non-governmental organizations and
talents of many. It began with a need-based
international businesses.”
discussion, followed by Congolese board
The true joy, however, can be best expressed
members sketching out their ideas. Gwenda by Anne who said, “Attending the dedication helped facilitate the ongoing dialogue and
and meeting the girls and teachers was
Rev. Dr. Kabala Mboyamba served as a local
amazing. I stammer when I talk about it
financial point person.
because we worked on it for so many years.
By 2011, the search for property had
It is a testimony to the generosity of this
yielded two different sites which were shown congregation and personifies the true meaning to the Myers Park team. After the land was of A Deeper Discipleship.” purchased, Myers Park Presbyterian member and architect Bill Monroe
7
A
UniquE Story
Each of the girls who attend school in Kananga has a unique story to tell. Their perspective is essential as we consider the A Deeper Discipleship story of transformation. Since the students’ primary language is French, Kristi Rice, a mission-coworker, agreed to ask the girls a series of questions and then translate their responses. That information has been summarized here so you can learn more about their experiences. 8
“I am happy for the good teaching...”
“Girls don’t make a mess like boys.”
Hornelie
secondary School
Mbuyi
primary School Mbuyi has started her second year of school here at the Kananga girls’ school. She is what would be called a rising secondgrader in the United States. The first year her teacher was Madame Nathalie and there were 25 children in her class. Each weekday she and her sisters leave home at 7 a.m. for their 30-minute walk to school. She likes her school because “girls don’t make a mess like boys.” Her favorite subject is math. Last year “in English we learned recitations,” she said, and in French “we learned autograph (writing).” Her dream when she gets older is to sew clothes.
Hornelie is what Americans would consider an eighth-grader. Last year, she had 26 students in her class with teachers who rotated by subject. Hornelie had attended a mixed-gender primary school but appreciates the girls-only environment because girls have “one voice” and more unity. She chose to attend this school because it has good teachers, it is clean and has bathrooms (note: lack of school bathrooms is a key reason many Congolese girls drop out of school when they reach puberty). Each day, Hornelie does chores from 6-11:30 a.m., then walks 30 minutes to school for the noon start. Her family has struggled to pay the school fees ($10 per month) “but I am happy for the good teaching and the cleanness of the school,” she said. Hornelie appreciates her teachers because “they teach us about God.” When she finishes secondary school, Hornelie hopes to “do work on a computer.”
“Thank you for building this school!”
“I want to be an accountant or a cashier at a bank.” “I would encourage my friend to come study here.”
Primary School
Claris
secondary School Claris has begun her third year of secondary school — the equivalent of ninthgrade in the U.S. She and her sisters are grateful for this opportunity because “boys cause a lot of disorder.” Claris considers school important because “studying/ learning helps to get a job.” She likes everything about the school, especially her computer and business studies. When asked about three things she learned in the most recent school year, she cited French verbs, metric geometry and zoological facts about squirrels and rabbits. A typical day for Claris — whom we would consider a middle schooler — begins at 7 a.m. when she wakes up, washes the dishes, sweeps the house/ yard, goes to the market to buy food for her family, then reviews her school lessons, bathes and prepares for the 30-minute walk to school. When school dismisses at 5:30 p.m., she walks home, reviews her lessons, then hauls water for her family. Her future dream is to be an accountant or a cashier at a bank.
Agnes
Kanku
primary School Kanku just completed her first year in primary school. Her teacher was Madame Odestine and there were 25 students in her class. Her favorite activities were learning how to read and write. She attends school with her older sisters. When school is dismissed at 1 p.m., Kanku walks home, eats and then sweeps the compound.
Agnes has entered what students in the United States would consider fourth-grade. She found out about this school from her grandfather, Pastor Mboyamba, and is very glad she did because at her previous school “boys cause conflict.” She likes her teacher, Madame Agnes, “because she teaches well” and enjoys learning how to conjugate verbs and long division. A typical school day includes singing at 7:30 a.m. prior to entering the classrooms, studying math first and then French, and mid-morning playing a game called “kandi” at recess. When they return to the classroom, the girls study geography, science, French grammar and civics. At noon, they pray and say goodbye to the teacher. When Agnes reaches home, her mother washes her uniform and then Agnes goes to get water. Sometimes she makes seven trips for water in one day. Although the school fees are expensive for her family, Agnes says she is thankful to be able to attend because “it is a good education and also…they don’t throw paper on the ground. It is clean.” Her dream when she gets older: “I want to work in a bank.” Her parting words to the people of Myers Park Presbyterian were, “Thank you for building this school!” 9
COMMUNITY
GRIER HEIGHTS
2 Passion is a word that exemplifies Neill McBryde, especially when it comes to Grier Heights, a neighborhood that is less than two miles away from Myers Park Presbyterian’s church campus. He has been integral both to the partnership that has been built with the men and women of this neighborhood and in establishing CrossRoads Corporation. CrossRoads Executive Director Don Gately said, “Neill McBryde has been a leader, mentor and friend to all who have served with CrossRoads in Grier Heights over the past seven years. He has exhibited an unwavering faith that a better quality of life for our Grier Heights neighbors can and will be achieved.” In December, Neill will retire from his position as CrossRoads chair. Our eternal thanks go with him.
WHAT GOD HAS JOINED TOGETHER The modest one-story brick building with white columns sits quietly with hundred-year-old oaks towering above. Passersby might overlook it, their eyes drawn to the laughing boys and girls on the adjacent elementary school playground. In failing to notice, however, they would miss a vital part of our community and our nation’s history.
12
The nearly 90-year-old structure nestled in the heart of Grier Heights is one of just 746 remaining Rosenwald Schools. Designed to improve the quality of public education for African Americans in the early 20th-century South, these schools were conceived by Booker T. Washington and funded by Julius Rosenwald, president of Sears, Roebuck & Company. When this school was built in 1927, Grier Heights was a rural
Center. The original three-teacher community school design would
community composed of business owners, contractors and
translate easily into “a focal point for providing education, services
skilled laborers. It, like the almost 5,000 Rosenwald schools in
and programs and fostering community fellowship,” said Gately.
15 Southern states, was cooperatively built with donations of land
The rich legacy and partnership represented by the original
and labor provided by the local African American community, and
Billingsville School is something the team wants to foster. “We see
matching seed grants from the Rosenwald Fund.
this as one more way our community can get back on its feet and
Landowner and businessman Sam Billings sold residents two acres and donated a third for the school’s site. Edward Wallace
help itself,” said Grier Heights Economic Foundation Chair Jonathan Belton.
Sr., a Grier Heights resident and contractor, laid the foundation.
Gately agreed saying, “Tremendous strides are being made,
And A.S. Grier, owner of Grier Funeral Home and a Monroe Road
thanks to people working together.” In addition to funding provided
store, contributed $500 to the residents’ fundraising efforts so
through Myers Park Presbyterian’s A Deeper Discipleship campaign,
a brick veneer could be added to the frame structure soon after
CrossRoads won community center restoration grants from the
completion.
Lance Foundation, Wells Fargo, the Foundation for the Carolinas
Today the Grier Heights school “represents history, family and
and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
community to the people of this neighborhood,” said Don Gately,
Belton and Gately feel the positive changes occurring in Grier
executive director of CrossRoads Corporation, the non-profit
Heights are due, in part, to a holistic approach to revitalization:
corporation founded by Myers Park Presbyterian to promote Grier
new affordable housing, repairs to existing homes, mentoring
Heights’ revitalization.
and literacy-based education initiatives from preschool through
That is why a team of neighborhood leaders, Myers Park
middle school, parenting education and youth programs within the
Presbyterian members and CrossRoads representatives thought it
neighborhood. Belton smiled as he said, “I definitely understand
was ideally suited to become a refurbished Grier Heights Community
why God brought us together.”
13
A Neighborhood with
God-Sized Potential
14
Jonathan Belton was born and raised on Alpha Street, in a thriving Grier Heights community where his school, church, barbershop, dances and afternoon job were just a quick walk away. On his way to any of these destinations, through tree-lined streets, he was more than likely to pass one of his teachers, the local doctor or a pastor. Challenges were dealt with by neighborhood leaders and victories were celebrated as a community. All of that began to change in 1969.
with the A Deeper Discipleship planning team – a team composed of fellow neighborhood leaders and Myers Park Presbyterian members – as they discussed key priorities. “The need for a community center became clear very quickly. Our goal was to have a place that would serve as a hub for the very young all the way up to our senior citizens. A place that would celebrate our rich history. We saw a real opportunity to tie the past to the future by restoring the Rosenwald school that lies in the heart of our neighborhood. The vision for Rosenwald schools is what we have for the future community center. We want it to be a place for us as neighbors to bring something to the table, for our community to take care of their own,” said Jonathan. The fact that the dream is close to becoming reality is something the passionate man attributes to strong partnership between the church and CrossRoads Corporation. “A lot of people saw this old raggedy building with no lights and thought it could never become a community center. Where we are now is already a miracle,” said Jonathan. He paused for a moment, filled with emotion, and added, “Ten years ago, before this partnership got started, I went to my pastor, Larry James, and told him that I felt called to make this neighborhood my mission. Obviously I was not the only one. Working together, you can see God’s hand everywhere here – the new homes, the programs for kids, the volunteers and the reduced crime. We just need to be patient and keep on keeping on. There is God-sized potential here.”
I
n an unanimous decision, the Supreme Court ordered CharlotteMecklenburg Schools to begin desegregating and a plan of integration was drawn up that included extensive busing. To Jonathan, then a seventh-grader, that meant riding the bus out of his neighborhood to Randolph Middle School. While the decision was designed to provide racial equality, it had a domino effect on Grier Heights that is still being felt to this day. “A lot of the more affluent professionals who could now live anywhere left the neighborhood. We lost role models and a lot of dollars that had been invested in our community,” said Jonathan. In addition, over the next two decades, decisions made by the Charlotte Housing Authority regarding Earle Village, Piedmont Courts and Dalton Village shifted Grier Heights from being a neighborhood of proud home owners to one of renters. “Many people moved to Grier Heights as a last resort because they felt forced to move there. They had no love for the neighborhood and no sense of the shared history and pride,” said Jonathan. The 58-year-old watched the decline with great sadness from afar during his time in college and the Air Force. “I had a heart for Grier Heights and such a strong connection to it. This is where I learned the meaning of community, what it meant to be a professional, how to earn money, and the value of mentors,” he said. When Jonathan returned to Charlotte he was determined to rally Grier Heights and help restore its sense of pride and place. As the newly named chair of the Grier Heights Economic Foundation, Jonathan worked closely 15
COLLECTIVE ACT OF COMMUNITY STEP BACK IN TIME SEVERAL CENTURIES AND GAZE AROUND YOU. THE GROUND IS CLEARED, THE LUMBER PILED TO THE SIDE, AND PEOPLE OF ALL AGES ARE GATHERING. IT IS TIME FOR A BARN RAISING: A COLLECTIVE ACT OF COMMUNITY WHERE EVERYONE RALLIES UNPAID TO HELP A NEIGHBOR. 16
YET AN ACTIVE IMAGINATION REALLY IS NOT NECESSARY. RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW SOMETHING SIMILAR IS HAPPENING JUST A COUPLE OF MILES AWAY IN GRIER HEIGHTS. AT LEAST THAT IS THE WAY IT APPEARS TO ALLEN WOODWARD, A RETIRED BANK EXECUTIVE. SINCE HE JOINED MYERS PARK PRESBYTERIAN IN THE EARLY 90S, ALLEN HAS TAKEN PART IN COUNTLESS HABITAT NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION AND REHAB PROJECTS BOTH HERE AND IN EL SALVADOR AND MALAWI. ALLEN SAYS THERE IS NOTHING MORE ENERGIZING THAN THE SMELL OF SAWDUST AND THE SOUND OF SAWS AND HAMMERS ON A HABITAT BUILD. WHY? “SHELTER IS A CORE NEED. IT NOT ONLY HELPS US SUSTAIN OUR LIVES, BUT IT GIVES US A CHANCE AT THE FUTURE,” HE SAID.
W
hile Allen has enjoyed serving as an elder, clerk of session, personnel chair and search committee and strategic planning team member, he finds himself drawn to housing and shelter ministries because of the fellowship and relationships you build neighbor to neighbor. Maybe that is why the 2009 conversation Allen had with Don Gately, CrossRoads Corporation Executive Director, about serving in Grier Heights resonated in such a profound way. Allen was newly retired after having spent five years living in Charlotte and working in Raleigh. He had been heavily involved with A Deeper Discipleship planning, but now had the time and energy to take part in its implementation. Don described the desire to house a community center in the former Rosenwald school facility immediately behind Billingsville Academy. The building had been used for this purpose but was in poor condition. Allen agreed to take on the leadership challenge. The building would require extensive plumbing, electrical and air/heat work to bring it up to code, and they had to unravel the tangled trail of authorities who had jurisdiction over the building. They discovered the school system owned the building and leased it to the county. The county then leased it to the Grier Heights Economic Foundation. All parties would require negotiation, a process made even more challenging because of the National Trust for Historic Preservation guidelines. “There was and is incredible passion surrounding this project from Grier Heights leaders like Larry James and Jonathan Belton. That coupled with the neighbors’ excitement and CrossRoads’ momentum confirmed that the time was now. So we continued the conversation, knowing that we wanted to restore the building’s historic
character and bring it back to being a community hub,” said Allen. Many ideas were exchanged about resources that could be housed in the proposed center including a computer lab, adult literacy center, afterschool tutoring activities and a lending library. “The bottom line, however, was that this center needed to be a source of pride for the entire community — a place that would draw homeowners and renters together,” said Allen. The team faced many challenges including a yearlong lease negotiation with the Charlotte Mecklenburg School system and raising funds to supplement Myers Park Presbyterian’s A Deeper Discipleship campaign gifts. Now five years later, all negotiations have been complete, CrossRoads Corporation has raised most of the additional money, and approval from the historic preservation trust has been won. Groundbreaking is set to start within days and to be complete in early 2015. The team feels the hard work has been worthwhile. Allen said, “When you hear our neighbors talk about this building, tears come to their eyes. You can see how important this project is to them. Making this community center happen in a way our neighbors feel proud of means everything to me.”
17
NURTU THE WEEKDAY SCHOOL
URE
3
BUILDING BLOCKS FOR LIFE 20
Here’s the church. Here’s the steeple. Open the doors and see all the people. TODAY
one cannot help but think of that childhood nursery rhyme while walking through the Weekday School hallways. Glance in the doorway window and you will find one class giggling as they finger paint. Another group is listening intently to a story. The babies are snuggling down for a well-deserved nap. In each wellequipped classroom, boys and girls are happily engaged in learning from morning through afternoon. In many ways, this is answered prayer. In 2006, Myers Park Presbyterian was trying to discern whether it should deepen the Weekday School ministry by adding a full-day program. At the time, waiting lists were long at local schools. A lack of full-day programming close to uptown was a growing problem. The children and their families ministry was experiencing strong growth and noticing a surge in two-income families. Laura Corsig, who at the time was chair of the children and their families lay committee, an elder and Weekday School Task Force chair, said, “nearly half of all member families had both parents working — a percentage that was climbing and has continued to climb.” After much prayer and extensive analysis, the decision was made to
move forward with the renovations to the children’s portion of the church campus and expand the Weekday School program as part of the A Deeper Discipleship capital campaign. Renovations were completed in record time. The initial full-day program which served infants, toddlers and twoyear-old children was full in days with no advertising. There were waiting lists at every level and soon the program earned North Carolina’s highest fivestar state accreditation. Yet eight years later, for Weekday School Director Kim Vanover, Associate Director Debbie O’Brien and Associate Pastor for Children and Their Families Julie Hester, the incredible journey is just beginning. Vanover said, “Our parents say philosophy is what sets us apart. We provide a nurturing, yet stimulating environment where skilled teachers are able to focus on the children as individuals, mind, body and spirit.” Hester added, “The Weekday School is a clear example of how this church lives out God’s mission to care for children. It is a privilege to partner with parents as we help form a new generation of faithful disciples.”
21
COMING
Think of them as frequent fliers who found a place to call home. That is how Matt and Lecil Sullivan characterized their yearlong search for a church family.
E
ight years ago, the married couple was expecting their first child and visiting a lot of Charlotte churches. They came back to Myers Park Presbyterian shortly before the birth of their son and realized their search was over. “It really felt like home,” said Matt. The couple, who are both Wells Fargo executives, got very involved from the first day of membership in activities like Habitat builds. It was not until two years later when plans were underway to open the full day portion of our Weekday School that a crisis occurred and the church proved to be a “true lifesaver.” Their oldest son’s childcare situation turned him from a happy baby to a crying child so they pulled him out without any place to go. “When we discovered that
22
the church had plans to open full day classes as part of the Weekday School, it seemed like an answer to prayer. We knew we would have peace of mind,” said Lecil. Their 2 ½ -year-old took his place in the inaugural fullday Weekday School class and for this young family, the rest was almost predestined. “As Weekday School parents we bonded, supporting one another. We got to know the other children and families because we were around them every day. We talked to them at pickup and drop-off, at birthday parties, planning events at the school. We became this tight, cohesive unit. And it made it so much easier for me because I can be a bit of an introvert, to find a place in our church family. It was a huge accelerator,” said Lecil. The 30-something couple who by now had welcomed a second son appreciated knowing that their children were receiving the highest standard of care with consistent values. Matt said, “It really brought my faith back into focus.” They found themselves engaging in faith-based discussions as a family, sometimes in unexpected ways. Lecil shared an example. “One day in the car, my youngest son was getting really squirmy so I told him he needed to be patient. He got really quiet and then he said to me, ‘yes, patience is a fruit of the spirit.’ That was something he had just learned in the Weekday School. Matt and I were so amazed,” she said. They laughed saying that both boys play the Vacation Bible School CD over and over, “shouting it from the top of their lungs.” Matt grew more serious and added that when their oldest son came to them with questions about Jonah and the whale, it made them realize how important it was for them as parents to be grounded in their faith. That is why Matt and Lecil find Julie Hester, associate pastor for children and their families, and their fellow parents in the Sparking Faith class to be an invaluable resource. “We basically feel like we have an extended family here at Myers Park Presbyterian and we value these relationships,” said Lecil. So when it comes to ministry, you naturally will find them
serving in the Weekday School and children’s ministry. Lecil also has used her human resources background to assist with searches for the Weekday School director and outreach director/pastor as well as serving on the Weekday School board. Matt said, “Being part of the Weekday School gave us a lot more avenues to get involved. We felt so pulled in and welcomed. This is a huge church but we felt at home. For our family, the school, the children’s ministry and this church have met us where we are and it has been a true blessing.”
HOME “WE BASICALLY FEEL LIKE WE HAVE AN EXTENDED FAMILY HERE AT MYERS PARK PRESBYTERIAN AND WE VALUE THESE RELATIONSHIPS.”
23
PART
BILLINGSVILLE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
4
NERSHIP
CLIMBING THE
MOUNTAIN TOGETHER IMAGINE BEING ALONE AT THE BASE OF WHAT LOOKS LIKE THE WORLD’S TALLEST MOUNTAIN. YOU HAVE NO MAP. LIMITED EXPERIENCE. AND YOU MUST SUMMIT THE PEAK IN WHAT SEEMS LIKE A DEATHDEFYING TIMEFRAME. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THIS IS HOW NOVICE TEACHERS OFTEN DESCRIBE THEIR FIRST YEAR IN THE CLASSROOM.
26
LEARNING PROFICIENCY INCREASE:
27% TO 60% A
ccording to research from the National Foundation for the Improvement of Education, beginning teachers frequently find themselves overwhelmed and undervalued. This dilemma often triggers a quick exit from the profession by many emerging talents. In 2007 at what was then called Billingsville Elementary, a little over half of the teachers chose to renew their contracts. The teaching turnover was a particular tragedy to the Grier Heights school because over 30 percent of its students were homeless. The need for consistent relationships with adults who remain in their life is vital. That is why Myers Park Presbyterian’s decision to partner with Billingsville through A Deeper Discipleship was regarded as much more than a gift. After meeting with leaders from Grier Heights, Billingsville and Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) to establish priorities, the church agreed that funding a teacher mentor position was a top need. Studies have shown that mentorship not only improves teacher retention but also boosts the quality of classroom instruction. That has certainly proven true at Billingsville. Dianne Burke was hired as the Billingsville teacher mentor in 2008; then and now she is the only mentor in the entire CMS system. At the time, Dianne was a 17-year classroom veteran with three additional years as a fulltime CMS teaching mentor (CMS discontinued the program for budgetary reasons). Billingsville Principal Michelle Johnson, a career educator who has been on the school’s administrative team for nine years, said, “When you have a school with students who have high emotional, social and academic needs, a mentor like Mrs. Burke really helps strike the balance.” Burke works with educators who are in their first, second or third year of teaching — typically six to 19 individuals. The teacher mentor said, “I am there if the teacher needs extra support or is struggling to get a particular concept across. Typically my help falls into one of three categories: academics, classroom management or cultural issues. We like mentoring to be a growth model. We give a lot of active support in the first year, ease back a
(left to right) Dianne Burke, teacher mentor; Michelle Johnson, principal; Ashley Horn, teacher
little the second year, and the third year we like to just stand in the wings until called upon.” Both women are quick to point out that teacher mentorship is just one of many examples of the ongoing partnership’s positive impact. The evidence is irrefutable. Between 2006 and 2012, the teacher retention rate increased from 58 to 97 percent. Learning proficiency went from 27 to 60 percent in the first three years alone of partnership. And the school ranks sixth statewide in improving student performance. The energetic principal said the school family is grateful to the 125+ Myers Park Presbyterian members who have helped with everything from lunch monitoring to tutoring and tearing math sheets out of workbooks. She also credits the tenacity of Myers Park Presbyterian members for ensuring that every Billingsville Learning Academy student has a school uniform, not to mention smart boards in every classroom. “We are one of two Title 1 schools in the state that can say that,” said Johnson. One of the things Johnson and Burke value most, however, is how the Billingsville/Myers Park Presbyterian/CrossRoads Corporation team leaders like Mike Stewart, Howard Haworth and Don Gately listen and respond to the school and community when needs are identified. They cite the addition of the Community in Schools coordinator and the YWCA afterschool and summer school programs as strong examples. “We partnered together to tailor the Y program so that it aligned with our school’s initiatives and goals. It is specific to our community’s needs. Our students need life coaches, people who can mentor them year round. Whether it is learning how to swim, getting tutored or working together on a community project, we want to lift them up and get them to believe in their community,” said Johnson. The principal stopped for a moment and then added, “Myers Park Presbyterian has been with us every step of the way, even when it seemed like we were taking steps backward. We know you are with us for the long haul. We view you guys as our angels.” 27
Defying theOdds S
tatistically speaking, Ashley Horn is defying the odds. While national research shows that onethird of America’s teachers exit after three years, Ashley is starting her fourth year as a teacher at Billingsville Leadership Academy. The National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future (NCTAF) research also shows that
46 percent of teachers leave the profession within five years of their start date. However, in Grier Heights, the overall Billingsville teacher retention rate increased from 58 to 97 percent between 2006 and 2012.
28
RETENTION RATE INCREASE:
58% TO 97% T he retention crisis has been compared to “dumping sand into a bucket with holes in the bottom” by NCTAF President Emeritus Tom Carroll who said, “There is this idea that we can solve the teaching shortage with recruitment. What we have is a retention crisis.” So what is making the difference at Billingsville? Richard Ingersoll, the University of Pennsylvania education chair, says that teachers who work with a mentor and have regular supportive communication with an administrator are much more likely to stay in the classroom. Both are in place at Billingsville, thanks to the A Deeper Discipleship capital campaign, and Ashley is deeply appreciative. The one-time college business major “truly fell in love” when she began taking education classes. “I am the only teacher in my entire family, and I believe that becoming a teacher was God’s plan for me,” said Ashley. But she would be the first to tell you that the start of her teaching career was challenging. “Everything I was taught in college about teaching was great, but it was so different when I stepped into Billingsville on my first day as a teacher,” she said. The key for her was Dianne Burke, the Billingsville teacher mentor funded by A Deeper Discipleship, and the ongoing support of Myers Park Presbyterian members. “Since day one Mrs. Burke or Mama Burke as we like to call her has been by my side. I simply can’t express how grateful I am to the church for funding her
position. She is God’s gift to Billingsville and to me. I don’t think I would have survived my first year teaching without her support,” said the 26-year-old teacher. Ashley said Dianne helped teach her how to write effective lesson plans, develop a professional development plan, and navigate her first few years of teaching. She said with a smile, “Mrs. Burke is more than just a mentor — she is a mother figure, a cheerleader, a smile in the hallway, and an everyday reminder that truly amazing people exist. The support of Myers Park Presbyterian members also has been a “godsend.” “One member always comes and brings fresh flowers to my room, and she always seems to come on the days when I need a boost,” Ashley said. Another member serves as a classroom volunteer, organizing books and helping with diverse tasks. These individuals are part of the 125+ disciples who have served at Billingsville — tutoring and assisting as lunch buddies, gardeners and classroom helpers. Ashley said the children and teachers look forward to seeing “smiling faces.” The time, financial support and donations of school supplies, books, uniforms “are appreciated more than you know.” Ashley concluded saying, “Many of our kids simply don’t have the basics that most students need to do the best in school. You make it possible. Billingsville just wouldn’t be the same without the support of all the amazing members of Myers Park Presbyterian.”
29
LIFELONG LEARNING:
A TWO-WAY STREET
Many words have been used to describe Howard Haworth over his lifetime. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER. NORTH CAROLINA SECRETARY OF COMMERCE. CHAIRMAN EMERITUS OF THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION. CORPORATE DIRECTOR.
But the term that has defined his life is 30
ADOPTED.
Haworth’s adoption by loving parents — a young Quaker minister and his wife — almost eight decades ago gave him a foundation for which he will be eternally grateful. He in turn is striving to ensure that same kind of foundation for children at Billingsville Leadership Academy, in Charlotte and throughout North Carolina.
T
“THE DEEPER I GOT INTO IT, THE MORE I SAW IT AS A RESPONSIBILITY FOR US AS CHURCHES AND COMMUNITY TO REACH OUT.”
he 17-year member of Myers Park Presbyterian said, “I would never want to overemphasize the fact that I was adopted because that was in my past. But the love and motivation these wonderful human beings provided for me both as great teachers and role models definitely has shaped my life’s journey,” said Haworth. That is one of the prime reasons education has proven to be such a passion for Haworth. He said it all began for him in a secular way when he was working in the furniture industry and finding it difficult to recruit well-educated workers. Haworth began visiting state leaders to discuss the challenges. “The deeper I got into it, the more I saw it as a responsibility for us as churches and community to reach out. Personally, as I saw the children around me who needed a helping hand, it was a ‘there but for the grace of God’ realization,” he said. That spurred the initial involvement of Haworth and his wife, Pat, when they were living in Morganton, N.C. It also sparked their later involvement throughout Burke County and statewide. Haworth stresses that there are no stars when it comes to work like this and that positive change only comes through partnership and prayer. “You don’t get through life without God and fellow human beings,” he said, “and you can never overemphasize the teamwork necessary for the miracle of Billingsville.” The father and grandfather says
one of his life’s greatest joys is seeing children growing and learning at this Title 1 elementary school in Grier Heights where 95.5 percent are considered economically disadvantaged. Haworth and fellow Myers Park Presbyterian member Tracy Watts were two of the initial team members who helped initiate the partnership with Billingsville as part of the A Deeper Discipleship capital campaign. “In 2006, during the pre-campaign analysis, we were evaluating what Myers Park Presbyterian could do from a domestic outreach perspective. We knew the challenges public education was facing and the needs of high poverty students. Our goal was to find a school where we could really partner with the teachers, administrators and neighborhood families to make a real difference. That is definitely the way it has worked out at Billingsville. It has truly been transformational for everyone involved,” he said, Haworth says seeing children better prepared in school and ultimately better prepared for life is deeply fulfilling. He commends the individuals who have worked together to make Billingsville Leadership Academy an excellent learning environment. “You begin to realize that you have been a small part of making a child’s life better and in a way that has bettered your life as well. At some point, all of us have had a teacher, coach or mentor who helped us. I know that has been true for me. I hope I can continue doing that for others,” he said.
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CROSS Missions
NEIGHBOR
R
5
With Open Eyes The days are long. The exhaustion is real. But the joy is indescribable.
T
hat is how Laura Grier describes her ongoing CROSS
go wrong at ministry sites and processing the harsh realities of
Missions experiences. CROSS was founded by
poverty, homelessness and injustice can be difficult. At those
Myers Park Presbyterian to provide urban ministry
times, Laura found inspiration all around her — inspiration that
experiences for youth from across the nation.
far exceeded any challenges. “There is such joy that can be
Laura’s CROSS experience began when she was 19 and had
found in community and being part of one big mission. I found it
just completed her sophomore year at the University of North
with the interns living in the Cornerstone, walking alongside the
Carolina-Chapel Hill. Laura, part of the Myers Park Presbyterian
students, and getting to know the adult leaders and the non-
church family since birth, was looking for an internship where
profit staff at each site who feel called to do what they do and
she could make a real contribution. She found that and much
have such passion for it,” she said.
more through CROSS.
When asked about the changes that she has seen in CROSS
“CROSS is intentional, relational ministry. clothes, do yard work and paint houses, but you also get to know your neighbors. So much of ministry is loving the people around you and being willing to share yourself. CROSS not only took me out of my comfort zone, it showed me the value of relationships and the importance of community,” said Laura. Laura’s initial experience as a CROSS intern was so strong that she applied to return for two additional years, the second year as a counselor and this summer as a logistics coordinator for
Sure you sort
Each summer, I found things getting better and better and my faith continuing to grow.
has been made possible thanks to the Myers Park Presbyterian Outreach Center. “It is great to have everyone housed in a central location, rather than scattered across our campus. The outreach center has sleeping space, a kitchen, game room, gym, two sets of showers and two great classrooms for devotion all in one place,” she said. Seeing the impact of CROSS and the outreach center has given Laura a greater appreciation for Myers Park Presbyterian. “I am so thankful that I have been part of this church family. It is why I got involved
the ministry. “Each year, my faith grew and I built off what I had
with CROSS and it has helped make me who I am as a person,”
previously learned,” she said.
she said.
Developing relationships with the neighbors and the mission
Laura’s realization of how faith and ministry have
teams’ youth and adults taught her invaluable lessons about God
stretched her is why she encourages everyone to use
and people. “It strengthened my faith so much. I began to really
their God-given gift(s). The 22-year-old refers to Matthew
see God in other people and watched God work in and through
20:32-34, the 2014 CROSS theme verse, which describes
them,” she said.
Jesus and the blind men. She adds quietly, “My prayer
The recent Chapel Hill graduate is quick to add, however, that the experience is not without its challenges. Things can
34
over her three-year tenure, Laura cites the ministry growth that
is that Christ will always let my eyes be opened.”
Jesus stood still and called them, saying, “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. “they said to him, ‘Lord let our eyes be opened.’” Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they regained their sight and followed him. 35
Bringing Ministry to Life What is the Myers Park Presbyterian Church Outreach Center? A youth gathering space. A gym. A haven for the homeless. A wellness hub for all ages. A tangible representation of A Deeper Discipleship.
36
When Myers Park Presbyterian launched its A Deeper Discipleship campaign, few could have imagined achieving $30 million in commitments – an unprecedented $11 million for local and global outreach and $16 million for campus improvements. Nor could they have envisioned the June 2011 worship/dedication of a 42,000 square foot outreach center. Changes in the historic campus have included renovating space for the expanding children’s ministries and preschool; constructing the new outreach facility across Providence Road; converting the original Oxford Hall gym into multipurpose space that houses the contemporary Celebrate worship service and other large-scale events; and building a welcome center to serve as the church’s front door. Each has had a huge effect on the ministry of Myers Park Presbyterian, but when asked to describe the impact of the outreach center, Steve Eason, senior pastor of Myers Park Presbyterian, said, “The outreach center is a unique synthesis of outreach, wellness and youth ministries. We think of the outreach center as a place of welcome.” He added, “The outreach center is a place that will never appear the same way twice – a place being brought to life by the mud of ministry. Youth nationwide come here for our CROSS Missions ministry. They use the center as a home base for weeklong stints as they serve Charlotte’s homeless, hungry and disabled. The outreach center provides our own local youth with a unique space for deepening spiritual growth and building relationships. It gives Boy Scout Troop 55 a real meeting place. It provides our Room in the Inn guests with separate rooms for men and women, a place to prepare and eat healthy food, and dedicated bathrooms. And last, but not least, it provides our members with a place to serve others and enjoy every kind of fitness and wellness option imaginable.” Maybe the best way to think about the tangible and intangible impact of the outreach center is to hear how CROSS Missions, a ministry housed in this facility, has impacted the lives of those who have called it home while serving in urban Charlotte. A CROSS youth from Allentown, Pa., said, “I learned that God is everywhere and is in everyone.” This view was echoed by a Charleston, S.C., teen who discovered that you should “learn about people before you judge them.” Perhaps the most telling statement, however, came from one church leader who summed it up by saying, “CROSS is not a program or a ministry or a once-a-year experience. It’s a way of life and is intended to enable us to live that way.” In small ways and large ways, for individuals and for groups, the Myers Park Presbyterian Outreach Center is bringing ministry to life.
37
J O Y
6 El Salvador
JOY YOU JUST CAN’T BOTTLE
The three suitcases were filled with colored fabrics — scraps really — left over from quilting projects long forgotten. But to the women, teenagers and tweens of Getsemani, El Salvador, this fabric and the opportunity it offered was priceless. As Norie Sanchez stood on the dirt floor beneath a tin roof with an extension cord snaking between the used sewing machines, she realized that the original plan of spending an afternoon making quilted placemats with a few women had just morphed into a Godsized project.
40
S
he and Susan McKinney took a deep breath and began improvising. They handed out newsprint and asked the girls and women to sketch out a design of what they would like to make. Next they showed them how to make a basic pattern. “Once they had their design, we told them they could choose their fabric and the spontaneous joy and delight that erupted were overwhelming. Fabrics were flying, women were talking, sharing, bonding, helping. Instantly they were like quilters all over the world. Scissors got passed around and sewing machines whirred non-stop. Translators were there to help, but mostly we understood each other without words,” said Norie. By the end of the day, the Salvadorans were taking on advanced techniques. Overnight, several women completed an entire quilt top by hand. The small village even hosted a lunchtime parade so the proud women should showcase what they had made. At the conclusion of the trip the Myers Park Presbyterian mission team left five refurbished sewing machines on long-term loan. The recipients of the machines were chosen by ADESCO, the equivalent of a homeowner’s association, based on interest, enthusiasm and need. Before flying home, Norie and Susan
explained to the women that “you can’t do all this by yourself. Quilting is something that requires sharing and relying on others – it requires teamwork.” They left uncertain whether their words were lost in translation. Little did they know, the Salvadoran women not only understood them, but embraced the idea wholeheartedly. Soon an eight-woman sewing cooperative formed. They met together regularly to improve the quality and quantity of their designs. They also learned how to set themselves up as a business, market their goods together and share the proceeds. Today these women are able to help provide food for their families and in one case put a roof over her children’s heads. And to think it all started with Norie’s basic love for making quilts that began when she was just a preschooler. “My intention was not to do anything lifechanging. In fact, what we were doing seemed ordinary. But that’s what Christ does. You do something and go about your life and it leaves ripples that you never imagine and in most cases, never know about. In this case, I was blessed to see the result,” she said. Norie said she has learned not to be surprised by the way God moves. She cites another example from that same trip to Getsemani. A
young, severely handicapped boy lived in the village. He had a dire family situation and the other children not only tried to protect him but served to distract him when he got in the way. One morning as they started the day with their team devotion and sang a praise song, the little boy got into the middle of the circle and began dancing with his face to the sun. “I will never forget the look on his face. The pure joy that he had. It has served as a constant reminder. On a mission trip like that, you are so hot, tired and overwhelmed that you connect with God on a basic level. Often it isn’t until later that you get hit with the true ‘aha’ that God wants you to have,” she said. She continued saying, “For me, it means going where God points. On this mission team, I was an ordinary person with skills that I could share. I couldn’t move many tiles. I couldn’t fill many buckets with concrete. And I certainly couldn’t dig 15-foot deep septic tanks. But God showed me a way to ‘get out of the boat’ and share my unique gifts. That brings a joy you just can’t bottle.”
41
PATTY’S STORY The impact of A Deeper Discipleship can be seen on our campus, throughout the city of Charlotte and around the world. But sometimes it is the quieter, deeper miracle God orchestrates that goes unnoticed but by a few. Patty’s story is that kind of miracle.
42
Patty was born in a tiny Salvadoran village where she met and married her husband. They moved to Getsemani in hopes of a better future. They had two children — Anthony Noé, who is now 11, and Elizabeth, who is eight. Soon after arriving in Getsemani, her husband started becoming abusive. The family lived in a makeshift shelter with gaping walls that did little to keep out insects, vermin and the rain that fell incessantly for six months each year. The crude home looked like a palace, however, next to the outhouse which had rags for walls and a roof made out of cardboard. Patty worked tirelessly doing laundry trying to improve their circumstances through her meager income. It never seemed to be enough, but the young mother would not give up — she was determined to give her children a different life. Her situation came to the attention of Habitat El Salvador and Myers Park Presbyterian. A $3,000 lot was purchased and put it in Patty’s name. Then Habitat eased the qualifying conditions, and accelerated the mortgage approval, construction schedule and the title, in large part, actions made possible by A Deeper Discipleship. Patty worked every day, for a solid month, on Habitat builds in the Getsemani community to earn her sweat equity. That meant forgoing her laundry income. She completed the Habitat work requirement days before the arrival of the Myers Park Presbyterian youth mission team — a team that was slated to build three homes that week — one of them would be for Patty and her children. By Friday, Patty’s home was complete. The traditional gift of a Bible and the front door key were ready. The only thing missing was the first $20 mortgage payment. Patty did not have it. At that moment, God used A Deeper Discipleship to bring things full circle. The women’s sewing cooperative, jumpstarted by Myers Park Presbyterian members Norie Sanchez and Susan McKinney two years before, heard about Patty’s situation. That month the 10-woman co-op had earned a record $350. They agreed to cover the needed $20 mortgage payment so Patty could move in right away.
Two weeks after moving into her new safe haven, Patty began working at the women’s sewing cooperative. The money she earns there, coupled with the dollars from her laundry customers and her rabbit-raising business, give her a monthly $100 income — just enough for putting food on the table and keeping her mortgage current. Patty’s dream of providing a better future for her children has begun. “I have had the privilege of partnering with the people of Getsemani, El Salvador, and witnessing the power of A Deeper Discipleship for the last five years. It is transforming lives far beyond housing. Each time we go, we laugh and cry together. There are heartbreaking stories and examples of transformation that you will never forget. We experienced unbelievable heat, torrential rain and a moderate earthquake while working on Patty’s house. All that pales when you consider her story.”
Myers Park Presbyterian member Enrique Sanchez 43
A
KINGDOM PLACE
A man approached three bricklayers building what appeared to be identical walls and asked, “What are you doing?”
The first replied, “I am building a wall.” The second said, “I am building a cathedral.”
The third and final bricklayer responded, “I am helping create a place for the kingdom of heaven on earth.” 44
O X F O R D H A L L
l
ess than two years ago, construction began on the $5.5 million expansion/renovation of Myers Park Presbyterian’s A-building. It was the second phase of A Deeper Discipleship capital campaign and plans called for a two-story welcome center, more than doubled classroom/fellowship space, and a renovated Celebrate worship center/multipurpose Oxford Hall. The decision to take this next step during skittish economic times was not made lightly, but it was made prayerfully. As Senior Pastor Steve Eason said, “this is a congregation committed to ‘moving into the deep water’ and furthering worship, fellowship and spiritual growth.” In just 12 months — Christmas 2012 — the doors on this expanded space opened and in some ways they have never closed. Thousands have shaken hands, hugged one another and introduced themselves to new friends in the welcome center. Hundreds have taken part in the in-depth discipleship classes throughout the A-wing. Yet the transformation that has occurred in the second floor signature Oxford Hall space is truly remarkable. These four walls have set the scene for the college of elders banquet and national leaders at the NEXT PC(USA) conference. It has been the site for a community prayer breakfast with hundreds of business men and women and national speaker Ken Blanchard, as well as a community forum on human trafficking. The locale also has welcomed siblings, parents and grandparents in events ranging from pancake breakfasts to Chapel Sing, Boy Scout banquets and the Learning Collaborative graduation ceremony. One of the most important dreams for Oxford Hall, however, has been realized as a forum for enhanced worship. It has housed 100+ Celebrate services, Vacation Bible School worship and Women of Faith. Praised for its light, openness and acoustics, the flexible space might have been best described by CROSS Missions director Joel Tomkinson who said it is “almost like a Holy room…it just shows the Kingdom of God and His abundance.”
45
LOCAL
HOMELESSNESS
5,000
Over
people in Charlotte are homeless.
Committed $220,000 in capital funds over a five-year period through Charlotte Family Housing. Advocated and befriended the homeless and nearhomeless through six WISH/Hope teams. Partnered to create Targeted Prevention Crisis Assistance program — an investment of $172,000 — to stem the tide of newly homeless families in Charlotte; enabling 48 families to avoid homelessness.
Committed/gave $500,000 in capital funds to build Moore Place, which will shelter 121 homeless neighbors; in the first year this housing initiative sheltered 86 neighbors, triggering a… • 78 percent reduction in emergency room visits • 79 percent drop in days spent in hospital
• $1.8 million savings in healthcare alone • and a 78 percent drop in total arrests
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
82%
RENTAL HOUSING in GRIER HEIGHTS
Founded CrossRoads Corporation, a 501(c)(3) organization in Grier Heights. Building/selling 35 new homes which will
increase HOME OWNERSHIP ratio by 27 percent.
EDUCATION One out of three Billingsville students are homeless – the largest group in CMS.
since partnership began, teacher retention increased from
58% to 97%
School rose to sixth statewide in improving student performance
1/6
HEALTH In North and South Carolina, one out of six people have no healthcare coverage.
Provided
$50,000
to expand health-related ministries of parish nurse
CHURCH TRANSFORMATION/MISSION EDUCATION Invested $200,000 over five years in constructing Union Theological Seminary and providing classes, curriculum and student scholarships.
PERSPECTIVE N IS AN AMAZING THING
early seven years ago, the Myers Park Presbyterian congregation committed over $30 million – an unprecedented $11 million to local and global outreach and $16 million to campus improvements – through its A Deeper Discipleship capital campaign. Today despite economic downturns and uncertainty not seen since the Great Depression, this campaign is drawing to a close with just $3 million outstanding.
“God has used this campaign to accomplish what many thought could not be done,” said Senior Pastor Steve Eason. Eason went on to describe the partnerships in five countries and in Grier Heights which “have reached new heights.” He added that the congregation’s commitment to children led to prioritizing the renovation of the children’s educational space first and the expansion of Myers Park Presbyterians’ child development program.
70%
Strengthened healthcare services, investing
Congo has the highest proportion of undernourished people worldwide – about 70 percent of the population – and one of the
rates.
$318,000 over five years and providing drugs, supplies, equipment and medical services to IMCK Good Shepherd Hospital
highest child mortality
EL SALVADOR The majority of families in Getsemani have annual incomes of
completed more than
$1,200 – $2,800 and nearly half live in shacks or bamboo-mud structures.
150
Habitat for Humanity homes in the Getsemani area
MALAWI Malawi is the eighth poorest country in the world with
74 percent of its people living on less than $1.25
per day.
Almost half
of the deaths of children under five are due to malaria.
GLOBAL
CONGO
Partnered with the Synod of Livingstonia on a
crisis nursery, communitybased childcare centers, three hospitals, several clinics, schools and clean water program.
CUBA
2%
Over the past 30 years, only two percent attended church because of severe religious restrictions.
This commitment has led to unprecedented congregational growth of families with young children. The positive campaign accomplishments included launching a new outreach center in 2011 which Eason says has proven to be “a haven for the homeless, a gym, a youth hangout, a wellness hub for all ages and a living testimony to Christ.” But many feel one of the most remarkable
Devoted
$75,000
to renovate the Remedios church and pastorate, furthering the new groundswell of faith in Cuba.
transformations has to be Oxford Hall and the A-building renovations. “Knowing that we wanted this space to be a place that would deepen worship, discipleship and fellowship and then seeing that lived out in events like Sprout Outreach where 200+ men, women and children took part or watching hundreds worship in Celebrate each Sunday, it just makes me very thankful.” Eason stopped, smiled for a moment and then
added, “This is a congregation committed to ‘moving into deep water.’ A congregation that starts where others stop. A congregation that remains true to its convictions.” So just how are our lives and the lives of others being changed through A Deeper Discipleship? The examples above describe the hands-on transformation. 47
It is estimated that the average person meets 10,000 people in a lifetime. Through our church family – 5,000+ strong – God has the power to touch the lives of 50 million people.
THAT IS 7 PERCENT OF THE ENTIRE WORLD’S POPULATION.
48
SIX DEGREES P
“What I do you cannot do; but what you do, I cannot do. The needs are great, and none of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful.� Mother Teresa
PERSONIFIED.
49
Myers Park PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
JOURNEY
2501 Oxford Place Charlotte, NC 28207 myersparkpres.org
Myers Park PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
2501 Oxford Place Charlotte, NC 28207 myersparkpres.org