Urban Strategy

The EPA-PenDel Urban Ministry Task Force & The Urban Strategy Process

On December 14, 2009, a group of urban ministers from The Eastern Pennsylvania and Peninsula-Delaware Conferences met with Bishop Peggy A. Johnson to receive approval to form The Eastern Pennsylvania/Peninsula-Delaware Urban Ministry Task Force (EPA-PenDel UMTF).  The three objectives for this joint-Conference Committee are as follows:

·         To develop a process that will yield a sustainable, contextual urban strategy for each Conference;

·         To raise awareness around the vitality of urban ministry; and

·         To share information, human resources, and jointly acquired funding resources.

The EPA-PenDel UMTF has engaged The Rev. Dr. Fred D. Smith, Jr., Director of Urban Studies at Wesley Theological Seminary, and four Wesley Urban Ministry students to guide and assist us in a multi-phase, two-year process that will yield an Urban Strategy that will re-ignite, mobilize, and celebrate our urban local churches and urban ministry for the advancement of The Kingdom of God and the building up of followers of Jesus Christ.  With support from Bishop Johnson, and our Extended Cabinet, “Phase I – The Urban Ministry Oral History Project” is under way and YOU ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE!

 The final baseline manual that will result from this project will include narratives, images of urban local churches, and demographic and statistical profiles for each participating church.  The baseline manual will document how our local churches have developed over the years, where we are now, and will aid in our discernment of where God wants us to be.  Local churches may receive copies of their profiles and, as part of the strategy, profiles will be re-examined and updated annually.  All participants in this phase of the process will be publicly acknowledged and thanked in the final product, which we hope to complete by 2011 Annual Conference.  We hope you will be a part of this great ministry initiative!

For more information, contact: Rev. Yvette Davis, 215-200-4213 or ydavis@epaumc.org.