July 23, 2007

Responding to Gang-related Violence

Friends:

A colleague in the Episcopal Church happened to pass a letter onto me a few months ago. It seems that the Greater Homewood Community Corporation was sponsoring a program to respond to gang-related violence in the Barclay community of Baltimore. Several adult males in the area with teaching experience wished to offer a summer youth intervention program specifically targeting African-American males ages 12-15 who are at risk of joining local gangs, primarily because there is an absence of programming for kids their age. The result is the Barclay Boys Rites Program, an eight-week structured program of mentoring, physical fitness, martial arts, chess, male development issues, community service and reflection, for which the youth are paid $100 per week (portioned out to a savings account, their head-of-household, and the boys themselves). Twelve young men have been working with several leaders for a month now and we are cautiously optimistic about the results.

The program is a brand new grassroots community response to these seriously at-risk young men. GHCC invested in it with no other “proof” of success than their faith in the volunteer leaders. The Presbytery of Baltimore invested in it with nothing else but our faith that God has called us to respond to Urban Violence in some way. A quickly-garnered unanimous vote from the Urban Non-Violence Committee resulted in a $5000 donation to the Barclay Boys through GHCC. Several individual churches made their own donations.

Faith: The belief in things unseen. This has been our response; that and our continuing prayers for these boys and their dedicated mentors. We ask that you join us in our prayers for them.

The Barclay Boys Rites Program is being very carefully monitored and documented in the hopes that it can be replicated in future years. A plan is being formed as to how to keep the young men engaged as they progress onto high school in the fall. We will let you know what happens.

In faith,

Deb Milcarek, Associate for Mission & Justice

Inside this issue

Upcoming Events:
Christian Education Curriculum Workshop led by Jane Johnson
July 31 10:00am-1:00pm
Faith PC

Youth Leader Ice Cream Social

Aug 18 1:00pm-4:00pm

Second Presbyterian Church

Take Note/Act Now

§ Seeking Choir Director

§ Choir Robes Available

§ Family Film Festival

§ Youth Leader Ice Cream Social

§ Fall Middle School Retreat

§ Small Church Retreat

§ Ecumenical Institute Registration

Prayer Concerns
New Imani NCD

People

Prayer Concerns

Please pray for New Imani NCD for:

· Their recent move from their old building and a smooth transition to worshipping at Mt. Paran at 1:00pm on Sundays

· Clear communication, that those who are seeking a faith community will find them and that mail will be smoothly diverted to their new address at P.O. Box 1647, Owings Mills, MD 21117

· Guidance to find a new site which will suit the community well

· The continued growth and vitality of the church community

Contact Information

For the Presbytery Offices:

Phone: 410-433-2012

or 800-511-0087

Office E-mail: office@baltimorepresbytery.org

Website: www.baltimorepresbytery.org

To Unsubscribe:

email Alice McGee or call the office

Take Note/Act Now

Baltimore Presbytery Items (non-dated items first; dated items in date order)

Faith PC is seeking a Choir Director/Organist (more).

Choir Robes: 34 choir robes in reasonable condition available at no charge. Traditional style washable polyester robes, varying sizes. Cream colored with cream and maroon reversible stoles. Contact Faith PC, 410-435-4330 for further information.

The Faith PC Family Film Festival is back! The next free film will be shown on the lawn on Friday, July 27^th (more).

All youth leaders are invited by the Youth Committee of the Presbytery to attend an ice cream social on August 18^th from 1:00-4:00pm at Second PC in Baltimore. During the event attendees will have an opportunity to meet other youth leaders from the area and share ideas. Please e-mail Jane Johnson or call her at the Presbytery office (410.433.2012) to reserve a space (flyer).

The fall Youth Middle School Retreat will be held at Camp Wo-me-to on October 12^th-14^th. Registration and information forms are now available on the Presbytery website (more).

Other Items and Events

The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia is hosting a small church retreat, August 5-8 at their conference center in the Shenandoah Valley, Shrine Mont (www.shrinemont.com) (more).

Interested in classes in scripture, theology or church ministries? August 15^th is the application deadline to enroll in master’s level courses for the fall semester (September 4 – December 13) at the Ecumenical Institute at St. Mary’s Seminary and University. For more information please contact fellow Presbyterian Patty Rath at 410-864-4200 or prath@stmarys.edu, or visit the website at www.stmarys.edu/ei/index.htm.

Also on our website

Don’t miss all the new Local Church Announcements at: http://www.baltimorepresbytery.org/announcements.html Presbytery Yearly Calendar

Past Issues of Tidings are available at: http://www.baltimorepresbytery.org/midweekmail.html.

Peter Nord, Executive Presbyter

pnord@baltimorepresbytery.org

Bill Millen, Associate Executive

bmillen@baltimorepresbytery.org

Charles Forbes, Stated Clerk

cforbes@baltimorepresbytery.org

Deb Milcarek

Associate of Mission and Justice

dmilcarek@baltimorepresbytery.org