Episcopal Urban Caucus Explores Example of Urban Renewal
Episcopal News Service. March 24, 2005 [032405-1-A]
Daphne Mack
Signs of a national urban renewal movement are visible in the greater Newark area, New Jersey historian Dr. Clement Price said during a keynote address at the 25th annual assembly of the Episcopal Urban Caucus (EUC) February 24.
Gathering under the theme "Returning to Our Roots: American Cities in an Age of Globalization" members of the EUC met in Newark, New Jersey, to celebrate a milestone of work and to discuss ways in which urban communities can be better served, especially in reaching out to the poor and oppressed.
Faith-based community
"Cities are havens for the socially marginalized, but are also beacons of hope," said Price, professor of History and chair of the Afro-American Studies Department at Rutgers University. "Newark is also a city that has survived more than a generation of constant bombardment of negative imagery...and is now considered one of the most interesting places in New Jersey."
Price acknowledged the assistance of the Faith-based community in "boosting" the placement of the performing arts council in Newark. "Culture and social economic class are being bridged through Newark's Art Council and attention is now being paid to their public schools," he said.
Archdeacon Michael Kendall of the Diocese of New York said that concern for cities and for "the urban agenda has diminished in 25 years," using President Bush's 2006 federal budget proposal as an example.
Kendall, one of EUC's pioneers, said that the Episcopal Church and all people of faith need to come together when addressing urban issues.
Lynn Grifo, associate coordinator for the Episcopal Church's Office of Ministry Development, said her office is currently in conversation with a group of urban clergy who want to do some leadership training. "We will assist them with a little bit of funding and moral support and in any other way we can," she said.
Participants were also invited to join one of five Urban Concerns Learning Tracks that covered economic justice, education, immigration, restorative justice and the environment.
"The site visits planned for the environmental track were invaluable to really understanding what environmental justice is all about," said Martha Gardner, consultant for the Episcopal Church's environmental ministries. "What we saw was the fact that it's the poorer, more vulnerable communities which are disproportionately affected by the placement of incinerators and the like; the health of the people of these communities has been severely impacted."
Gardner said that by getting on a bus and actually seeing what's happening, "the statistics now have a face on them and the urgency for action and advocacy becomes more real."
She added that organizations like GreenFaith (http://www.greenfaith.org), which make the connection between our faith and the environment and provide positive alternatives, "are critical to resolving the environmental crisis."
Youth were empowered through a youth track on immigration and they visited New York's Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island to learn about the journeys and experiences of indigenous people. They also explored issues of economic justice, literacy and health.
The EUC was formed in January 1980 out of a series of national hearings -- one of which took place in Newark -- which determined the church's agenda was to stand with minorities and the poor.