(For one of our homework assignments we were asked to attend a South Side church that ministered to our marginalized community. I wrote a little bit on my experience with Hope Center. I definitely could have said more but it was such a neat experience witnessing real outreach to the poor, addicted and the 'unwanted')
I went to Hope center. It was definitely a unique experience. When I first arrived I was greeted by three women who were outside smoking. Not your typical church greeting. When I went inside, there was a diverse group surrounding several round tables-coffee and cookies were to the side. I imagine this set up was to better facilitate fellowship and I think it was pretty effective. I had tried not to dress up this morning (as I would normally for other church services), but I still felt very conscious of my neat, put-together attire and my brand new shoes. Coming into the sanctuary I sat in the back next to Kim. Kim was very friendly and told me there is no church quite like Hope Center which draws and welcomes “all kinds.” As all churches should be, I thought. The sanctuary was slowly filling up. All kinds. All kinds of bruised and broken men and women. Men and women atypical of our stereotypical clean, “put together” church. “Why is that?” I wondered...What is Hope doing differently? Yet, all kinds didn’t include many upperclass, or “wealthier” people, as far as I could tell. During worship, I spent a lot of time just observing and looking around. I couldn’t help but think how these are the kinds of people Jesus spent His time with. I wondered what their stories were and what led them to this place. A woman came in late and couldn’t find a spot to sit, so I scooted over and invited her to sit next to me. She was beautiful but she looked sad, sacred and very thin. I don’t know what it’s like to be in their shoes. To be the unwelcome and unwanted in society, to come from places of such poverty and heartache. I read this verse this morning, Psalm 12:5, “ ‘Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise,’ says the Lord, ‘ I will place him in the safety for which he longs’” The church has such an opportunity be and offer that place of safety. I loved how Hope seeks to offer that. I understand, that the location of Hope makes it easier to minister to certain populations and as I’m learning, is a good example of what it means to best minister incarnationally, by making it easy to draw people people, by living in the midst of a needy, plundered people.
It’s hard to help and understand and love from a distance.
I went to Hope center. It was definitely a unique experience. When I first arrived I was greeted by three women who were outside smoking. Not your typical church greeting. When I went inside, there was a diverse group surrounding several round tables-coffee and cookies were to the side. I imagine this set up was to better facilitate fellowship and I think it was pretty effective. I had tried not to dress up this morning (as I would normally for other church services), but I still felt very conscious of my neat, put-together attire and my brand new shoes. Coming into the sanctuary I sat in the back next to Kim. Kim was very friendly and told me there is no church quite like Hope Center which draws and welcomes “all kinds.” As all churches should be, I thought. The sanctuary was slowly filling up. All kinds. All kinds of bruised and broken men and women. Men and women atypical of our stereotypical clean, “put together” church. “Why is that?” I wondered...What is Hope doing differently? Yet, all kinds didn’t include many upperclass, or “wealthier” people, as far as I could tell. During worship, I spent a lot of time just observing and looking around. I couldn’t help but think how these are the kinds of people Jesus spent His time with. I wondered what their stories were and what led them to this place. A woman came in late and couldn’t find a spot to sit, so I scooted over and invited her to sit next to me. She was beautiful but she looked sad, sacred and very thin. I don’t know what it’s like to be in their shoes. To be the unwelcome and unwanted in society, to come from places of such poverty and heartache. I read this verse this morning, Psalm 12:5, “ ‘Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise,’ says the Lord, ‘ I will place him in the safety for which he longs’” The church has such an opportunity be and offer that place of safety. I loved how Hope seeks to offer that. I understand, that the location of Hope makes it easier to minister to certain populations and as I’m learning, is a good example of what it means to best minister incarnationally, by making it easy to draw people people, by living in the midst of a needy, plundered people.
It’s hard to help and understand and love from a distance.