Wayne Presbyterian Church: Community Organizing to "Make God's Way Known"

Wayne Presbyterian Church: Community Organizing to "Make God's Way Known"

Wayne Presbyterian Church (WPC) is known for its historic presence in the prestigious Main Line corridor of Philadelphia's western suburbs. The church has also become recognized for its emphasis on holistic ministry -- "Our way of making God's way known upon the earth," as Associate Pastor for Mission Carol Clarke puts it.

Led by Dr. John Galloway, the church participates in a broad and innovative range of mission projects, including hosting homeless families on church property through the Interfaith Hospitality Network, renovating the homes of low-income families, environmental stewardship initiatives, and food distribution. Much of WPC's outreach takes the form of partnerships with urban churches and nonprofits. The danger in suburban/urban collaboration is that the wealthier partner can easily become condescending toward or exert power over the urban partner. Through a ministry called CityLights, led by Carey Davis, WPC has taken seriously the principle of ministering with and not simply to a community.

Carey's passion for linking city and suburbs reflects her own experience of "second conversion." "My first conversion," Carey explains, "was to Jesus Christ, when I gave him my life as a 12-year-old. My 'second conversion' came in college, when I realized that following Christ must include caring about the things that were of utmost importance to him, particularly the needs of the poor and oppressed."

At a public housing community in Southwest Philadelphia, Carey helped provide a summer day camp for kids through EAPE, a ministry founded by Tony Campolo. That summer, she recalls being "confronted with children of exceptional beauty and strength who faced a grim future because of their circumstances. Realizing that the location of one's home and the color of one's skin could have a dramatic impact on people's life chances was overwhelming." Carey committed herself to remedying the injustices facing city kids.

Ten years later, she found herself back in Southwest Philadelphia, encouraging WPC to be a part of a movement that would empower neighborhood residents toward wholeness in the name of Jesus Christ. CityLights bridges racial, economic and geographic boundaries to connect the skills and experiences of people from both communities to improve the quality of life for Southwest city residents, and to encourage all toward deeper discipleship.

In the church's annual report, Carey writes about the process of vision discernment for CityLights:

Vision. In his book Power Surge, Michael Chapter Foss describes the importance of having the work of the church led by its vision. He defines the term this way: "Vision is a clear picture of the desired present and the preferred future.. .the end toward which mission drives.. .based on an accurate understanding of God, self and circumstances." A year ago a special task force wrestled with scripture to put on paper a vision statement and strategic plan for CityLights for the next three years. Our vision reads as follows:

Jesus Christ calls Wayne Presbyterian Church and CityLights to engage our community and our Philadelphia neighbors in Kingdom work.

Our statement makes clear a few things: our reliance on God to initiate and to empower us; our purpose is to join our urban partners in fulfilling God's greater vision of wholeness for all his people, in Southwest Philadelphia, in Wayne and beyond; and further, the fulfillment of that vision often has as much to do with the relationships nurtured with our partners as with the tangible project outcomes.

As we mark the 10th year of collaborative ministry in Southwest Philadelphia, it is a joy to report that God's kingdom work is indeed being done, both in what has been accomplished in "the neighborhood" and in the transformational moments of our deepening relationships.

CityLights promotes this vision of wholeness not by providing direct services, but by coming alongside existing ministries and helping to organize Southwest Philadelphia residents, churches, schools, service agencies, and other community leaders to work toward common goals. A community Leadership Team plans monthly network meetings for support, resource sharing, and joint action. The CityLights network has successfully advocated for positive changes in the community, such as blocking a trash facility from relocating into the neighborhood and promoting new small business opportunities. CityLights also builds relationships by connecting WPC members with volunteer opportunities in the Southwest community.

One of City Light's goals is to "equip WPC Team leaders to demonstrate and articulate a holistic (i.e. 'word and deed') approach to outreach." Carey notes, "Our urban partners taught us to be more faithful in verbally sharing God's love with others, primarily through their example." CityLights volunteers are presented with a prayer card as a reminder that "our service is an outgrowth and expression of our Christian faith."

Carol Clarke notes, "We are using what we have learned from CityLights and other areas of ministry to forge new partnerships and move into other geographic areas as well. CityLights itself is evolving; the next decade may look different in some ways, but it will always be at the heart of our mission outreach." She summarizes the driving force behind CityLights and all WPC's ministries: "God is on a mission in this world -- and invites us to participate! What a privilege it is to be part of God's work."