On this first Wednesday of the new year, I'd like to share this prayer I came across. This is an adaptation of a prayer by Rev. Kevin B. Smalls
God of the ages, you have blessed us with another year.
Help us to make room for the blessings that are in store for us in the coming months.
May we be open to learn the right lessons, even if they hurt a little.
Help us to be patient so that we won't miss divine opportunities.
Show us how to be fulfilled without material possessions, so that we will not miss what it means to be a blessed people.
Enable us to be a blessing so you will recognize us as the ones who gave you bread when you were hungry, drink when you were thirsty, and clothes when you were naked.
Meet Brightwood Community Center's New Executive Director!
Today I was privileged to meet Shonna Majors, Brightwood Community Center's new Executive Director. Shonna has spent the last three plus years as the Director of Community Violence Reduction for the city of Indianapolis. She is transitioning from serving in a significantly broad role across the entire city, to a role where she is focused on the strengths and needs within the Brightwood-Martindale community.
Shonna started her new position on November 29, and she began considering what Brightwood Community Center should be and could be, going forward. Through her previous role, she had gotten to know many community members and leaders in the neighborhood, and she is already building partnerships with these same folks and others as well. From her work with the city, Shonna had learned directly from community members, that the greatest need of the individuals and families in the Brightwood-Martindale community is to have a safe place to be. Shonna's goal is for Brightwood Community Center to become a core services hub in the neighborhood.
Shonna's plan for program components of the renewed Brightwood Community Center (BCC) includes a mix of familiar and new offerings for children, youth and adults. The monthly food pantry for seniors continues to serve BCC's neighbors. She is in the process of designing workforce development and job training programming, as a significant part of her focus on parent enrichment. Shonna expects specific program offerings to begin before this summer, with several employers already lined up to participate. Donated laptops are being prepared for job searching and resume writing.
Under Shonna's leadership and in partnership with the city prosecutor's office and IU's McKinney School of Law, BCC will offer legal services to the community, beginning with the first outreach event on February 10. This event will focus on resolving suspended drivers license issues and helping folks understand the process of expungement.
Shonna is excited for BCC to offer the SPARKS Summer Enrichment Camp for neighborhood children this year and is partnering with Teen Works to have up to 10 teens fill the roles of paid counselors onsite throughout the eight-week summer program. BCC is also partnering with the Martindale-Brightwood Library branch for the library's summer reading program and with the nearby Boys and Girls Club on 30th Street for access to their pool and other facilities during the summer's rainy days. Once the summer program completes, Shonna anticipates resuming BCC's after-school tutoring program and having program scheduling throughout the day and evening that can accommodate adults and children in order to maximize the center's usage.
When I asked Shonna how she saw churches helping BCC in this renewal process, she had two thoughts. First, she wants to get to know the United Methodist churches and for the churches to get to know her and get reacquainted with the "small but mighty" Brightwood Community Center. Shonna would welcome invitations for speaking engagements. Second, Shonna stated that transportation is a concern for summer and after school programming. BCC does not currently have a functioning van or bus and is seeking church partners who can help ensure transportation is not a barrier to the children and youths' ability to participate in summer and after school programming.
Please join Metro Ministries in welcoming Shonna Majors to Brightwood Community Center! If you would like to reach out to Shonna directly, email is the best mode at this time, at brightwoodcc@gmail.com. The Center's mailing address is Brightwood Community Center, P.O. Box 18743, and the physical address is 2140 N. Arsenal Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46218, which is in the annex space of Scott UMC.
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Upcoming Grant Opportunity: Bishop's Christmas Offering Grants
The Bishop's Christmas Offering is collected each year from Indiana United Methodist churches. This annual offering seeks to strengthen ministries by providing financial support of efforts to reach out and improve the lives of young people. One of the ways this happens is through the Bishop's Christmas Offering Grants program.
Ministries seeking this grant must have a connection to the work of the United Methodist Church either directly by use of church building, members or boards; or indirectly as partners with other faith-based community groups.
Applications for this grant will be accepted from February 1 to February 28, 2022. For the full criteria and more details, click HERE. The link to apply will be activated on this page on February
___________________________________________
Seeking Presenters and Booth Hosts!
Children Matter Most – All In! is an opportunity for all who care about children to come together to learn, be inspired, and go back to their community with action steps to help children thrive.
The INUMC Children Matter Most team is seeking potential presenters as well as ministries and organizations interested in hosting a booth that day. Folks who are interested in either or both should complete an Interest Form by January 15. Presentations and booths must be geared towards children and youth and focused on education, non-violence, food insecurity or other topic directly impacting young people.
This all-day event at Grace UMC in Franklin, IN will include worship, multiple breakout sessions and an opportunity to create action plans for how we will individually and collectively declare we are All In to put children first in 2022.
More details will be announced in next week's newslettter.
_______________________________________________
INUMC Job Posting Board
Did you know the Indiana Conference website has a job posting board of open church staff positions and beyond?
Did you know that churches can post staff job opportunities on the INUMC Conference Job Board?
View current openings HERE, and scroll down to the "Post a Job" button to add your church's open positions.
Did you miss the latest newsletter from Metro Ministries? Is there a specific article you are looking for? You can access past issues at www.indymetroumc.org/communications!
If you know of other resources we should share, please let us know by emailing Tina McAninch at metrodirector1923@gmail.com.
_________________________________________________
FOOD RESOURCES
Community Compass
Community Compass is a tool created by Indy Hunger Network and has two key ways to connect individuals with food resources near them. The first is an app for smart phones that automatically provides food resources based on where the individual is. The second is the ability to text for food resources if an individual does not have a smart phone. Check out details of Community Compass. This very valuable tool now works in the donut counties as well as Marion County!
Listing of Central Indiana Food Pantries
We have updated the format of the food pantry list, making it easier to view when printed. You can download the updated listingHERE or from Metro's website's Resources Hub. Please let us know if you have food resources to add or update. We will make updates to this list on a quarterly basis.
.PNG)
.png)
.png)
.jpg)
