A Front Porch for All People

By John W. Edgar and Kelly Kelleher

This book offers inspirational guidance for any reader who yearns to live in a sustainable mixed-income community--and cares enough to do something about it. Rev. John Edgar, the founder of the United Methodist Church for All People and Community Development for All People, tells the story of laboring alongside low-income residents across two decades to transform the South Side of Columbus into an opportunity-rich community where everyone may thrive. Starting with an outreach ministry called the Free Store, people came together and launched the Church for All People, the most diverse United Methodist congregation in the nation in terms of the intersection of race and social class. Each year, direct service ministries provide over 35,000 individuals opportunities to touch grace and experience positive transformation in their lives. Having developed over 100 million dollars of affordable housing, Church and Community Development for All People is forging a radically inclusive neighborhood, where everyone can dwell in unity on a front porch for all people. The chapters in this book set forth key principles which shaped this journey, beginning with the affirmation that scarcity is a myth and all of us dwell inside a divine economy of abundance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cascade Books
• Release date: Jan 4, 2023
• ISBN: 9781666740776

John W. Edgar

John W. Edgar is the founding pastor emeritus of the United Methodist Church for All People, as well as the founding executive director of Community Development for All People. He serves as adjunct faculty at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio.

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Introduction

∑

When he [Jesus] came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

(Luke

4

:

16

–

21,

NRSV)

Today and every day, this Scripture is being fulfilled in multiple places around the world, including on the South Side of Columbus, Ohio, through the amazing ministries of the United Methodist Church for All People and Community Development for All People (CD 4 AP). The Spirit of the Lord is upon us as we bring good news to the poor. Thousands of people touch grace each week as they shop in our Free Store and feed their families with healthy produce from our Fresh Market. We empower people to go forth as practitioners of health and wholeness, offering recovery to those who are ill, ensuring all of us may thrive in body, mind, and spirit. As of the end of 2021 , we have constructed well over $ 100 million dollars’ worth of affordable housing so those oppressed beneath the burden of homelessness and substandard living conditions now rejoice to dwell in quality, affordable homes. Every Sunday we proclaim the Lord’s favor in the lively worship of an extraordinarily diverse congregation—black and white, rich and poor, young and old, gay and straight—reflecting the demographic richness of our community.

To the superficial observer, our low-income urban neighborhood in Columbus may appear as unlikely and remote as Nazareth in 27 AD where Jesus stood to read. Yet, to those with eyes to see and ears to hear, the front porch of the kingdom of God is unfolding here and now. What the ancient prophet Isaiah foretold is happening. The words have come to life touching so many lives and transforming an entire community. Every day I marvel at what God is doing as we embrace the good news that we dwell inside the divine economy of abundance. I am blessed beyond measure to share in an ongoing miracle.

As the word spreads about the impact of our ministries, individuals are increasingly eager to learn from our experiences. We are glad to pass along what we have discovered, and we rejoice over the exciting ways people apply these contagious principles in their own settings.

To further accelerate this process, I frequently share the story of the United Methodist Church for All People and the ministries we lead through CD4AP—describing who we are, what we do, and how it works. These presentations range from keynote addresses for thousands of participants to private conversations with single individuals who have traveled thousands of miles. Our staff teaches seminary intensive classes at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio. We offer a yearlong training process working with congregations across the region who are seeking to enhance their missional impact. We consult with ministries across the country who want to adapt what we have learned into their settings. We pray the people who participate in these various endeavors benefit from what we share, and I know we continue to learn from those with whom we interact.

This book sets forth learnings and insights from our journey in a comprehensive manner. The initial chapter describes the launching of our Free Store and how this ministry revealed the truth; we dwell inside a divine economy of abundance not scarcity. This reality inspired us to share forward the best we have received, yearning to expand the Free Store into an inclusive body of Christ. The next three chapters present primary concepts shaping all of our ministries: The Glass Is Half-Full, Hospitality Is Radical, and Grace Is Touchable. Interwoven are stories from Scripture along with vignettes from our journey, which illustrate the value of these essential building blocks. The middle chapters trace the growth of Church for All People and CD4AP. In the final chapter, I celebrate where we are going next, as a dynamic and inclusive body of Christ, constructing a front porch for all people.

I want to identify at the outset several core beliefs underlying my ministry and this book. 1) We encounter God’s presence incarnate in the people and the events of daily living. 2) The Bible and especially the life of Jesus reveal God’s nature and intentions. 3) God invites us to become co-creators in the ongoing transformation of this world according to a divine plan.

1.God has been at work in our world from the initial moment of creation, and God’s Spirit continues as an active transformative force for good. We experience divine power flowing through our world in various forms, including our prayers. We know things happen when we pray that fail to happen when we fail to pray. We behold the face and goodness of the Living Christ manifest in the people all around us, especially those who are economically poor and marginalized.¹

2.The Bible is divinely inspired Scripture. Each book was written by individuals seeking to understand God’s activity in their midst, as the Holy Spirit guided and enriched their discernment. In the New Testament, Jesus of Nazareth reveals God to the world in human flesh. The life and teachings of Jesus remain essential, even normative. We can and should base our actions on the Christian ethics emerging from Scripture.

3.God beckons creation forward in the direction of an unfolding divine kingdom—a kingdom here on this earth, just as it is in heaven. God calls each of us to become co-creators working in harmony with God to make our part of the world better. God creates remarkable diversity within the human family, revealing facets of the divine nature, in whose image we are made. Differences in cultures, first languages, identities, and ethnic backgrounds are precious gifts. The unique qualities, which blossom in each person, are manifestations of the wonder of the human mosaic. We advance the divine plan when we choose to form inclusive communities woven together with the beautiful strands of diversity.

As you read this book, I encourage you to remember and return to these core beliefs. For you will discover multiple ways these beliefs have served as the foundation for all we have done to create an opportunity-rich community and improve the quality of life for everyone here on the South Side of Columbus.

While Church and Community Development for All People are faith-based initiatives, we work closely with people from other faith traditions, as well as many who approach life from secular perspectives. Our capacity to form partnerships with such varied individuals and organizations has been central to our success in transforming our community on the South Side of Columbus. I have learned to use language and concepts that bring folks together, transcending barriers, including the potential hurdles caused by differing religious beliefs. I have strived to do the same in this book. In every chapter, I lift up key principles and offer accompanying narratives in ways readily understandable regardless of your religious or non-religious orientation. I hope each of you will connect with what I have written, just as we have connected with the people and groups in our diverse community.

That said, essential in my journey has been trusting God will take the best I have to offer and transform it for God’s purposes. Just as I am continually reshaped and inspired by the deeds of others, our actions located in one inner city neighborhood on the South Side of Columbus inspire and shape what is happening elsewhere. I offer this book as part of this ongoing collaborative effort. I invite each of you to interweave your experiences with its concepts and stories. May this book invite you to look around and celebrate what you are already doing. May it also bother you—may it challenge you to consider what more you can be and do.

At Church and Community Development for All People, we frequently refer to this evolving divine emergence as the front porch of the kingdom of God, a front porch for all people. I have written this book especially for those of you who yearn to dwell on an inclusive front porch, and care enough to do something about it.

Building and dwelling on the front porch may mean focusing on your immediate family, close friends, or an established community of faith. You may center your efforts on your daily practices or the place where you work. It may also involve birthing something new, or rebuilding and transforming programs so they more fully express justice, compassion, and inclusion. One way or another, I believe this book and what you do with it will contribute to the continued emergence of the divine plan in our midst.

I acknowledge that I have limited experience as an author, especially of extended narratives like the ones included in the chapters in this book. I am, however, a preacher, and have prepared and delivered several thousand sermons and presentations over several dozen years. I hope some of my more transferable homiletical skills may mitigate my compositional weaknesses. Reader, please do not be surprised as you discover, from time to time, segments of this book bearing resemblance to a sermon on the printed page.

Perhaps you might decide to read some key portions aloud. If you do so, may the echo of a still passionate and still caring pastor ring through and ring true.

1.

In the parable of the last judgment, Jesus emphasizes he is present in the lives of people who are economically poor and marginalized. I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me (Matt

25

:

35

–

37)

. Then a little later in the parable, Jesus states, Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me (Matt

25

:

40)

.

Chapter 1

A Divine Economy of Abundance

∑

Scarcity is a false myth, embraced by far too many people, too much of the time. Some folks assume whatever is most important for their wellbeing is likely to be what is in most limited supply. The exact opposite is true. There is more than enough. God organized creation and each of our lives ensuring there is a sufficient quantity of every good gift for every good purpose. When we share what we have, no matter how meager it may appear, God multiplies these gifts for the fulfillment of God’s emerging kingdom. You and I, every one of us, dwell inside a divine economy of abundance.

In 1999, I was a district superintendent in the United Methodist Church supervising seventy-eight congregations in central Ohio. Working in collaboration with a small group of district leaders, we decided to launch a new ministry we named the Free Store as a central mission focus with low-income people. We wanted to establish an ongoing venture to encourage middle class United Methodists in suburban and rural areas to come into the heart of the city and interact with low-income persons who were different from them. The goal was to form a ministry that would inspire folks to work cooperatively and discover positive connections, bridging differences of race and social class.

The concept of the Free Store was just what the name suggests—a store distributing clothes and household items absolutely free of charge. Our approach was simple and straightforward. We invited people in each of our churches to gather up gently used clothing and household items they were willing to give away. We asked some members from various congregations to follow their donations into an inner-city neighborhood on the South Side of Columbus where they could help to give away these items in a small storefront we had rented on Parsons Ave. We hired a retired social worker named Sharon Allen on a part-time basis to manage the store and coordinate volunteers. We hoped the church volunteers, most of whom were middle class, would develop positive relationships with the folks who came to shop.

The response from the congregations was overwhelmingly positive. Some churches held clothing drives, challenging their members to look through their closets and bring whatever they had to donate on a designated Sunday morning. Other congregations constructed permanent donation boxes next to the sanctuary, where members could drop off Free Store items at their convenience.

When I recruited Sharon Allen to be the Free Store director, I painted images of a second-hand shop, with a slow-paced atmosphere. I predicted there might be twelve to fifteen shoppers in the three hours we would be open each day, a rate of four to five customers per hour. I promised to make sure there would be one or two volunteers to share the work and help pass the time.

Well, the Free Store took off in ways we had never anticipated. When we opened for the first time on a bitterly cold morning, a volunteer stood on the sidewalk out front beckoning people passing by to come inside and check us out. Within one hour, the store was overflowing with curious shoppers, most wanting to figure out the catch. How could a store sell everything for free? When we closed up three hours later, eighty-eight customers had come through the front door. Each shopper departed with overflowing bags of merchandise and a big smile on their face. Sharon Allen and her volunteers were amazed, tired, and eager to open up the next day.

Never again did we engage in any form of advertisement. We did not have to. News of a free store spread like wildfire across the South Side of Columbus. People loved shopping in a store where everything was free and the merchandise changed every day based on the donations received, motivating shoppers to come back repeatedly. Each day the number of folks increased. By the conclusion of the first year, we were bursting at the seams with one hundred or more shoppers in each three-hour period, five days a week.

The volunteers were equally delighted to come and come back. Mostly middle-class white people from suburban or rural churches, they loved becoming acquainted with people they might never have gotten to know in other settings. They embraced the opportunity to travel a little bit outside their comfort zone and to begin building relationships crossing boundaries of race and social class. Sue Wolfe, one of the organizers of this ministry, described her early experience this way:

Finding the building, recruiting volunteers and getting donations of clothing and household stuff was the easy part. On opening day and many days that followed, I was even comfortable being behind the counter, smiling and being a welcoming presence to people as they came in. What was more life-changing for me was coming from behind the counter to be present with our customers. Perhaps the earliest God moment was, on opening day, when a mother came in with a couple of school-age children in tow. Their house had burned down the night before and they had nothing other than the clothes they were wearing. It was a gift that they were greeted kindly. It was a gift that we had some things to offer them to get back on their feet. It was an even greater gift—to me and to others who were serving that day—to know that we were a small part of this ministry and a part of how God was to be at work on the South Side of Columbus. On that first day, I don’t think any of us could imagine the impact the United Methodist Free Store would have on people’s lives, whether shoppers, volunteers, or staff. I know I could not imagine how it would continue to change me!¹

The Free Store grew steadily with more shoppers, expanding cadres of volunteers and an ever-increasing abundance of donations. We soon got to the point where we were serving more than 20,000 folks per year and distributing over one million dollars’ worth of merchandise.

Perhaps most amazing, we never ran out of good stuff to give away. As we welcomed more and more shoppers, there continued to be more than enough to share. Donations poured in from all directions. Excited church members began asking their friends and neighbors to set aside items to bring down to the Free Store. Sunday school classes launched drives for socks and underwear, while scout groups coordinated campaigns for donations, going door to door in their neighborhoods. Periodically, entire truckloads of contributions would arrive unexpectedly, along with the merchandise left over at the conclusion of church rummage sales and neighborhood garage sales. Somehow, the volume of donations consistently outpaced the growing number of shoppers.

By the end of the first six months, the six hundred square foot storage area in the back half of our building was filled to capacity. Inundated with the clothing and other items people were eagerly dropping off at the back door of the store, volunteers built additional clothing racks and shelving, striving to keep up with the daily tides of generosity. Caring for the facilities became a passion for a few folks, such as Dr. Richard