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Memphis Daily News
VOL. 114 | NO. 93 | Friday, May 12, 2000
Program builds bridges to growing Latino community by Stacey Wiedower
Noticing Memphis growing Latino population, its language barrier and its isolation in the city, Rhodes College senior Jennifer Cramm and several fellow students decided to make contact with the local Hispanic community to make its residents feel more secure and welcome. They did it through Rhodes Micah 6 project, which teams students with local churches to jointly serve the community. What began as an adult English-as-a-second-language class held weekly at St. Michaels Catholic Church, 3867 Summer Ave., has expanded to Spanish classes for the church's children and adults, culture lessons, a Spanish-language Mass and other projects designed to unite the predominantly white congregation with its Hispanic neighbors. "The church members want to help, and see that there is a need," said Cramm, who minored in Spanish. "But, we need to learn how to communicate. So, were hoping to try to make this a two-way street. Were teaching them (members of the Latino population) English, but were also learning their language."
The project is one example of how Rhodes students are working to improve lives and relationships in the community, which is a key goal of the Micah 6 program. "In the fall, we initiated workshops with students and local churches to study issues addressed in the biblical passage of Micah 6," said Chaplain Billy Newton of Rhodes. "Together, they began a process of examining the needs in their community. The goal was to address those needs through justice ministries and public advocacy, direct services and spiritual enrichment." The Rhodes project is part of a larger program conducted by the National Council of Churches that unites 40 congregations around the country in service, in accordance with the biblical passage that instructs people to "do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with God."
One of the 40 churches participating in the national program is Memphis Evergreen Presbyterian Church, 613 University St., which is completing its first year of the two-year pilot program. "What Evergreen Church has sought to do is try to encourage each of our members to do one thing, intentionally, to address all three of those concerns to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God," said pastor Harry L. Strong. "Micah 6:8, has provided a very helpful lens through which to look at ministry for our church. It has given us a helpful set of checks and balances to make sure we dont neglect certain parts of our ministry to which we have been called." Some examples of projects and organizations Evergreen has encouraged its 530 members to become involved with through the program include Multi-National Ministries, the Inter-Faith Peace Network, grief workshops, the Target House and the Church Health Center. Although the Rhodes Micah 6 project is separate from the NCC program that Evergreen is part of, both Strong and Newton said they see Evergreen and Rhodes teaming up within the next year, as both programs promote the same goal.
"The Rhodes project is the only college-based Micah 6 program we know of," Newton said. It was the NCC program that sparked the idea for the Rhodes project. "We thought, Hey, this is a great idea to revitalize churches. It could work with students in terms of combining learning with social action and spiritual growth." Strong added that Evergreen and Rhodes have partnered in a number of projects over the years. "Especially since each entity has this focus, this charge and charter, I feel sure were going to look for ways to work together in the second 12 months of our two-year covenant," he said.
The Micah 6 project is being funded by the Princeton, N.J.-based Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Foundation, a non-profit philanthropic organization that supports crisis hunger ministries. The foundation also funds the Bonner Scholars Program, which offers service scholarships for students at 25 colleges, including Rhodes. The foundation granted Rhodes $5,000 to start the project. Along with Cramm's project, a second Micah 6 project conducted by Rhodes students united members of a Downtown congregation with inner-city youth through an urban scouting program. "The group started a Boy Scout troop and a Girl Scout troop Downtown," Newton said. All of the Rhodes projects go similarly in-depth. "In each case, we ask students to make a two-year commitment to their projects, which involve hands-on direct service, a study of justice issues, and explorations in spiritual growth." A new series of Micah 6 projects will begin in the fall as new students are introduced to the program. "This is more than a school project," Cramm said. "Its about developing relationships and learning more about our community."
Micah 6 in Memphis
As Chaplain at Rhodes College, Rev. Dr. Billy Newton has been teaching and coordinating service learning classes and experiential learning for students since 1990. "Students are now taking the lead," Newton said, "and they are organizing with local churches and community groups to translate biblical studies into hands-on service and acts of justice that improve our communities. The Micah 6 project is a beautiful way for us to connect spiritual life and faith with social action. When these students study the prophet Micah and hear his words ---'What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with your God'--- they take it seriously and seek to turn words into action."
In 2006, Newton was appointed as Executive Director of the Center for Strong Communities, based in Maryville, TN.
As Chaplain at Rhodes College, Rev. Dr. Billy Newton has been teaching and coordinating service learning classes and experiential learning for students since 1990. "Students are now taking the lead," Newton said, "and they are organizing with local churches and community groups to translate biblical studies into hands-on service and acts of justice that improve our communities. The Micah 6 project is a beautiful way for us to connect spiritual life and faith with social action. When these students study the prophet Micah and hear his words ---'What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with your God'--- they take it seriously and seek to turn words into action."
In 2006, Newton was appointed as Executive Director of the Center for Strong Communities, based in Maryville, TN.
Contact Billy Newton at [email protected]
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