Community Participation
For the Church, seeking the welfare of the city involves not only the creative pursuit of church-based ministries, but also prayerful participation in existing community-based networks, collaboratives, and the day-to-day venues of work, school and neighborhood. Through such involvement comes knowledge of systems, insight into social and political challenges specific to one’s community, informed ministry, and the opportunity to rub shoulders in unique ways with a world in need of gospel hope. Examples include:
The Mission Community Council
GUM represents congregations at the table among nonprofits and governmental agencies that serve children, youth and families in the Mission District. Together, concerns about health, safety, services and city budget priorities are discussed and addressed.
Red Cross Community Advisory Board
Congregational partners of GUM rotate on the San Francisco Red Cross advisory board to advise the relief agency on the heightened challenges of emergency response, for example, to a cataclysmic earthquake, endemic to the most vulnerable neighborhoods of the city.
From our latest newsletter…
Demitria Gallaread writes: “I am not a public speaker. But this past year, I have had the opportunity to work with GUM to develop a presentation on the city’s health programs, Healthy SF and SF Health Plan. I have given two presentations…at both events I inevitably experienced a turning stomach, a rapidly pounding heart…The feeling of inadequacy was not a dull pain but a jarring throb…”