Ethnography: Shalom International Ministries
Ethnography: Shalom International Ministries
We visited Shalom International
Ministry last week, understanding that this is a Christian ministry for refugee
families in the Clarkston area, “the most diverse square mile in America”[1];
but what we discovered was much more than was expected! The church building which houses Shalom belongs
to Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church (MDPC).
Although MDPC is an active congregation in PC(USA), the size and ability
of the congregation has been dwindling since the 1980s, due to an aging
population, less financial resources, and an overall shift in demographics of the
area that it serves[2],
which includes Clarkston and Stone Mountain zip codes. Therefore, MDPC has become the grounds for
Memorial Drive Ministries, which is an umbrella church-based nonprofit organization
“that fosters diverse worshipping communities, innovative social services, and
transformative relationships”[3]. Shalom is only one part of this relatively
new, diverse, and growing organization.
An Introduction to the Clarkston
and Stone Mountain Areas
What used to be a primarily white
middle- to upper-class region has become a predominately black and refugee low-
to middle-class region. The minority populations
of old are no longer minorities in Clarkston and Stone Mountain (see Table 1 in
Appendix). The African-American and
Asian populations are increasing; the white and Hispanic populations are decreasing;
and there is a simultaneous increase in poverty, decrease in median property
value, and decrease in median household income[4] (see Table
2 in Appendix).
Why is this important? According to PeopleKeep, the federal poverty
line in 2016 for a family of 4 was $24,300[5]. Not only do the median household incomes of
Stone Mountain and Clarkston qualify these areas as lower-class, but they also
fall below the median household income in all Dekalb County communities. Furthermore, there is a rift between whites
and nonwhites in the highest average salaries.
Whites in these areas make 1.67 times more than Asian workers, who make
the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity. African American/Black and Hispanic/Latino
races are left out of the comparisons, because their income is so low[6].
To concentrate on the area
where Memorial Drive Ministries and Shalom International Ministry do their primary
work, we have examined the data regarding the areas of Indian Creek Way, Indian
Creek Drive, and Pine Lake[7]. According to the census, the median household
income in these areas in 2016 was around $23,000[8], which places
these families below the federal poverty line.
David Roth, director of Memorial
Drive Ministries, and Reverend Gad Mpoyo of Shalom identified several other
issues that are prevalent in this area, besides income and its poverty counterpart:
- Workplace,
- housing,
- language barrier,
- lack of education,
- transportation,
- and childcare
Memorial Drive Ministries
While Memorial Drive Presbyterian
Church was doing well and flourishing with a growing population up through the
1980s, they continued to add buildings and increase their capacity for worship
and programming. After the 1980s, things
changed drastically, leaving many buildings unoccupied and under-utilized[11]. Nearly at the same time, in the 1990s, the Clarkston
area was identified as an ideal place to resettle immigrants from the refugee
asylum programs because of its proximity to metro-Atlanta, public transportation,
and affordable apartment housing. Today,
nearly 1,500 refugees are welcomed annually, and greater than 50% of the residents
of Clarkston are foreign-born, coming from over 50 countries[12].
The Presbytery of Greater
Atlanta recognized the refugee and immigrant needs for sustainability in the Stone
Mountain and Clarkston areas in the ‘80s and ‘90s, as well as the need for bodies
and finances to support a large empty church in the presbytery. Therefore, other worshiping communities,
nonprofit partners, and recreation groups, specific to the Clarkston and Stone
Mountain refugee communities, were invited into the space to help rejuvenate it,
as well as to bring in some finances to support the maintenance and upkeep of the
buildings and grounds[13].
In June 2018, Memorial Drive Ministries
was created as a non-profit organization to oversee these many ministries
hosted at the Memorial Drive location. This
non-profit organization is supported directly by ten churches in the Presbytery
of Greater Atlanta. These churches provide
support through prayer, study, collaboration, consultation, volunteerism, and
finances.
How Shalom International
Ministry Began
In 2008, while a student at Candler
School of Theology, earning his MDiv and ThM, Reverend Gad Mpoyo was introduced
to Clarkston by friends. During his
first visit, Reverend Gad met a few area residents and fell in love with the dynamics
of the area. After that, he was “hooked”[14]. Reverend Gad and his two friends began coming
to Clarkston on a regular basis, which later turned into a Bible study group that
met in various area homes. As the group
grew, they found a worship home in Midway Presbyterian Church in Decatur and
continued to lead community Bible study.
The community continued this way for three years. In 2009, two of the worship leaders graduated
and moved on to pursue education at the PhD level. Reverend Gad graduated and began working full-time. Without the help of the other leaders, it
became difficult to continue in the activities of the ministry[15].
In 2011, the director of 1001
Worshiping Communities reached out and asked Reverend Gad to discern
forming a worshiping community under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church. After six months of prayer and consideration,
in December 2011, Shalom International Ministry was officially birthed. It started in Reverend Gad’s home and began
rotating to other homes. After just a
few months, the worshiping community had outgrown the homes and moved to the chapel
on Memorial Drive, where they are still flourishing today.
Shalom’s Four Core Values
Shalom’s mission is
based on the model of Jesus’ ministry, focusing on the whole individual. Shalom addresses the social, economic,
emotional, physical, and spiritual needs of every person. This is reflected in their four core values: hospitality, healing, learning, and worship[16].
Hospitality
Although Shalom is not the
first organization to provide refugee services in the Atlanta area, there is
something unique about the hospitality at Shalom. Reverend Gad, an immigrant from the Democratic
Republic of Congo, defines his ministry of hospitality in this way:
“Hospitality
is related mostly to the immigrant and refugee experience. By that, I mean, I remember when I came. I was by myself, and I didn’t have any
support system. So, based on that
experience and on the experience of the many people who came before, we say, “No
this has to change”, in the sense that when someone is new, we need to make sure
that they don’t feel lost. That they are
part of the community, a family, and a way to show that is not only welcoming
them to church but … being present in their lives – when there is death we cry
together, when there is birth we celebrate together, and when there is a birthday…have
cakes, pizza, to show that you belong to this community”[17].
Currently, this concept of
hospitality is established through relationships among refugees and immigrants
from the Democratic Republic
of Congo, Republic of Uganda,
United Republic of Tanzania,
Federal Democratic Republic of
Ethiopia, Republic of Rwanda
and The Republic of Djibouti. Reverend Gad and other Shalom volunteers are particularly
sensitive to the challenges being faced by immigrants and refugees and aim to
assist them in understanding and transacting in their new environment. This is demonstrated by providing
transportation to and from services and programs; pastors Gad and Charles going
into the community to welcome newcomers; seeking people, greeting people, checking
on people; serving as translators; and, like a family, being present at important
life events.
Healing
As we are accustomed to the traditional
American concepts of prescriptive techniques, fixing problems, and creating
programs based on assumptions, it was revolutionary to hear Reverend Gad share his
ministry’s balm for healing. We asked how Shalom ministers to persons who have
come through the trauma of war, genocide, religious persecution, home destruction,
personal violence, and loss of loved ones.
Because of Shalom’s hospitality concept, no one is forced to share or to
participate in order to receive services.
Rather, volunteers at Shalom earn the trust of the parishioners. When they are ready and willing, parishioners
may share their stories with the staff and volunteers at Shalom[18].
The ministry team’s first line
of response in helping parishioners to heal from their past horrors and wounded
memories is the ministry of presence and active listening. This means they attend “to others in their
particularity and otherness within the presence of God”[19]. The ministry team provides culturally appropriate
pastoral and psychological care; works to reconcile communal divides of race,
culture, and ethnicity; nurtures forgiveness for perpetrators of violence and
injustice; and connects the parishioners with long absent medical and dental
care. It is sacred work, which requires
care, compassion, and sincere empathy[20].
Learning
Shalom’s focus on learning is shown through programs they’ve created and by
those which they support. One of the ministries created by Shalom is the Inspire
initiative, which is an afterschool program for middle school refugee students
in the Clarkston and Stone Mountain areas.
Teachers at Inspire work in collaboration with the public school system
to identify students in need of academic, spiritual, physical, social, and
emotional support. Inspire, which is
offered Monday through Thursday 4:30-7:00 p.m., provides a safe and enriching
environment in which students can receive assistance on their homework; navigate
through their school curriculum, which is in a completely foreign language for
some; and nurture their creativity, talents, interests, and self-esteem. The flexible approach by the volunteers at Inspire
allows students to decompress and relax after a long school day and to explore
nature, their environment and community, STEM, health and nutrition, and self-expression
through performing and visual arts[21].
Creating a community that fosters individuality, acceptance, and a sense of
belonging is an important part of the Inspire initiative. In addition to
creating a safe, flexible, and enriching afterschool program, volunteers visit
the students and their families at their homes on Friday evenings. In this way, volunteers from Inspire share
information about the students with the families, encouraging them to take part
in the children’s development and academic career[22]. This
is a unique approach to education, as it is very time-consuming and requires many
resources, but Shalom is dedicated to this approach, because it reflects their
core values.
Another Shalom learning program
is the youth group, which is intended for high school students. This program, which takes place on Friday
nights from 7:15-9:00 p.m., is open to high school students of any religious tradition
and culture in the Clarkston and Stone Mountain regions. Pastors Gad and Charles, along with other Shalom
volunteers, provide transportation for these students to and from the church
and their homes. At the beginning of the
evening, the students engage in student-led personal interest activities, like film,
dance, social justice, and singing; towards the end of the evening, they
participate in an ecumenical theological discussion, under the guidance of
Pastors Gad and Charles. The topics and direction of the discussion are
primarily initiated by the youth themselves, who maturely and respectfully express
their thoughts in a safe and supportive environment. The topics of last week’s
discussion, as suggested by Christiana, a youth with great poise, dealt with temptation,
holding peers accountable, and forgiveness.
What’s most unique about this youth group is the multicultural, interfaith
community in which these students engage.
Although most of the youth are Christian, a few Muslim students attend Friday
night activities regularly.
Through community building and conversation, these
students develop an understanding of one another’s languages and actions and a
deeper sense of cultural appreciation. Not
to mention, they are learning about conflict resolution and staying away from gangs,
violence, and drugs, which are generally widespread on Friday nights.
Shalom also supports learning
in the larger community by offering a children’s ministry. This ministry was
created to address a community need for young children to have a safe and
entertaining place to go on the weekends. Shalom’s program is offered the first
and third Saturdays from 12:00-4:30 p.m.
The program welcomes, feeds, teaches, and provides healing for the
neighborhood’s children, which give Shalom “a deeper sense of what being a
disciple of Jesus Christ means as we cross cultural barriers and minister to
children from around the world”[23].
Partner learning
programs which are supported by Shalom include the Refugee Family Literacy Program
and the Amani Program. The Refugee
Family Literacy Program provides opportunities for women who are pregnant or
have young children to improve their literacy[24]. The Amani Program provides opportunities for
mothers of school-aged children to learn and/or improve the craft of sewing and
to bond with a diverse and supportive community. These women create handmade goods that can
then be sold for income[25]. The support of these partner organizations displays
Shalom’s core values of learning, hospitality, and healing. Through education, literacy, hands-on skill-building,
and the ability to contribute to their family’s finances, women are involved in
hospitable and welcoming communities.
They are also participating in a healing environment, in which their own
wounds caused by trauma, abuse, refuge, war, death, and loss of status can be
healed, while others are healing alongside them.
Worship
The congregants at Shalom are primarily
African refugees of northern and central Africa. They come as a mixed population of males and
females, young and old, English-speaking and non-English speaking, single and
married, married with children, single parents, students, and those waiting for
financial aid to attend school; and they come with mixed emotions - scared, safe,
angry, thankful, and, yet, always faithful to God and in need of this community.
On Sunday evenings, a small
congregation of 20-30 individuals gathers in the chapel at Memorial Drive
Presbyterian Church. The space is full
of the Holy Spirit through song, prayer, worship, laying on of hands,
testimonies, anointing with oil, reading Scripture, teaching moments, candle lighting,
and the laughter of children and adults.
The congregation gathers at 6:30 p.m., and it disperses around 10:00 p.m.
This congregation is special in
its meeting time. They follow the liturgy
of PC(USA) but they do it in a way that reflects their culture[26]. It follows very loosely the liturgical rhythm
of many Presbyterian congregations. The welcome
song, for example, is sung in one of many languages that are spoken in
Africa: Swahili, English, French, Portuguese,
or some other African dialect. The music
is led by a choir of four Africans, three of whom are youth. The call to worship is taken directly from the
Bible, rather than a printed prayer or a prayer from the Book of Common Worship. The passing of the peace is a hug passed to
almost every single person of the congregation, including visitors. The congregation gives space for testimonies
by lay people, when two or three people talk about how God has provided for
them in both expected and unexpected ways during the week. Additionally, the prayers of the people are
very personal. Congregants share their concerns
and needs, as many congregations do, but then the congregation is split into
sections for devoted, passionate, spoken-aloud prayer. For
example, last week, the prayer groups were divided to pray passionately about the
political turmoil in the Democratic Republic of Congo; the families of those
lost in a shipwreck in Lake Victoria, near Uganda; health conditions; and student
examinations. Another week, prayer
concerns were offered in silence by the congregants, and then the people were
anointed with oil by Reverend Gad. While
these things may not seem completely unique to all congregations of the
PC(USA), they are unique in the way they meet the needs of the community every
week, permitting the lay people to lead worship through their own words,
prayers, and thanksgiving. The worship is
not scripted but is entirely guided by the Holy Spirit, alive within each of
the congregants.
Conclusion
Shalom International Ministry
has been worshiping since 2011 at its current location. Since that time, it has developed into much
more than a worshiping community. It’s
an afterschool program during the week, a youth program on Fridays, a children’s
program on Saturdays, and a worshiping community on Sundays. At the same time, it’s a PC(USA) congregation
whose startup funds will run out in 2020[27]. Therefore, it’s critical that Pastors Gad and
Charles consider the growth of their ministry and how they will finance that growth.
Reverend Gad stated that it has
taken him some time to determine what growth means in the context of this
ministry. Typically, church growth is measured by attendance at Sunday worship.
Sunday worship attendance at Shalom, however, is influenced by so many factors: weather, work, grocery shopping, and family
time. Because of these reasons, Reverend
Gad does not pay close attention to numbers.
Rather, he seeks growth and development in the people – growth in relationship,
trust, support systems, engagement with the Word, and spirit of creativity. He also
seeks assistance from those in the surrounding communities. An Amazon wish list of everyday school supplies
for the Inspire Program is available for those wishing to give in-kind
donations. There are mentoring opportunities
for the boys and girls in the youth group and Inspire initiative. Financial donations are also accepted. Reverend Gad mentioned that he and those who
support Shalom through the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta are even considering
changing Shalom’s worshiping community status to that of a non-profit organization,
so that they may seek outside resources that are not currently available to them.
The work at Shalom is not
over. We, the authors of this document, have
a continued interest in ethnography, participatory observation, and political activism
that are motivated by the hopes and desires of the parishioners at Shalom. Shalom’s parishioners quote Jeremiah 27:9 at
the start of every worship service, saying, “Seek the shalom of the city where
I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for
in the shalom of it shall you have shalom”[28]. Shalom International Ministry continues to
assist refugees and immigrants in their quest for shalom.
Appendix
Table 1. Demographics of Clarkston and Stone Mountain
(2018)
Clarkston
|
Stone Mountain
|
|
African-American/Black
|
58.5%
|
72.2%
|
Asian
|
24.9%
|
NA
|
White
|
8.92%
|
20.7%
|
Hispanic/Latino
|
NA
|
4.33%
|
Table 2. Median Income and Housing Expenses in Clarkston
and Stone Mountain (2016)
Clarkston
|
Stone Mountain
|
|
Median income
|
$33,486
|
$35,964
|
Poverty rate
|
35.9%
|
19.9%
|
Median house or condo value
|
$96,600
|
$84,000
|
Median gross rent
|
$898
|
$962
|
[1] “History.” City of Clarkston. http://clarkstonga.gov/history
(accessed December 9, 2018).
[2] Roth, David, informal
interview by Amy Remaklus at Stone Mountain, December 9, 2018.
[3] “Our Vision &
Mission.” Memorial Drive Ministries. https://memorialdriveministries.org/vision-mission-approach/
(accessed December 8, 2018).
[4] “Clarkston, GA
& Stone Mountain, GA.” DataUSA. https://datausa.io/profile/geo/clarkston-ga/?compare=stone-mountain-ga
(accessed December 10, 2018).
[5] “2016 Federal
Poverty Level (FPL) Guidelines.”
PeopleKeep. https://www.peoplekeep.com/blog/2016-federal-poverty-level-fpl-guidelines
(accessed December 8, 2018).
[6] “Clarkston, GA
& Stone Mountain, GA.” DataUSA. https://datausa.io/profile/geo/clarkston-ga/?compare=stone-mountain-ga
(accessed December 10, 2018).
[7] Mpoyo, Gad, informal
interview by Amy Remaklus at Stone Mountain, December 2, 2018.
[8] “Clarkston, GA
& Stone Mountain, GA.” DataUSA. https://datausa.io/profile/geo/clarkston-ga/?compare=stone-mountain-ga
(accessed December 10, 2018). Census Tracts
0220.08 and 0219.08 were explored in detail, demonstrating the median household
incomes in various areas of Clarkston and Stone Mountain. The areas ministered to by Memorial Drive Ministries
and Shalom International Ministry are in the poorest regions of Clarkston and Stone
Mountain.
[9] Roth, David, informal
interview by Amy Remaklus at Stone Mountain, December 9, 2018. Also Mpoyo, Gad, informal interview by authors
at Stone Mountain, November 30, 2018.
Recording with Gina Brown at Decatur, Georgia.
[10] “Refugees.” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugees-asylum/refugees
(accessed December 8, 2018).
[11] Roth, David, informal
interview by Amy Remaklus at Stone Mountain, December 9, 2018.
[12] “History.” City of Clarkston. http://clarkstonga.gov/history
(accessed December 10, 2018).
[14] Mpoyo, Gad, informal
interview by authors at Stone Mountain, November 30, 2018. Recording with Gina Brown at Decatur, Georgia.
[15] Mpoyo, Gad, informal
interview by authors at Stone Mountain, November 30, 2018. Recording with Gina Brown at Decatur, Georgia.
[16] “Core Values.” Shalom International Ministry. http://shalominternationalministry.com/core-values/
(accessed November 23, 2018).
[17] Mpoyo, Gad, informal
interview by authors at Stone Mountain, November 30, 2018. Recording with Gina Brown at Decatur, Georgia.
[19]
Osmer,
Richard R. “The Descriptive-Empirical Task: Priestly Listening” in Practical Theology: An
Introduction. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co, 2008, p. 34.
[20] Mpoyo, Gad, informal
interview by authors at Stone Mountain, November 30, 2018. Recording with Gina Brown in Decatur, Georgia.
[21] “About Inspire.” Inspire:
A Shalom Afterschool Initiative. http://shalominternationalministry.com/inspire/
(accessed December 11, 2018).
[22] Mpoyo, Gad, informal
interview by authors at Stone Mountain, November 30, 2018. Recording with Gina Brown at Decatur, Georgia.
[23] “Children Ministry.” Shalom.
http://shalominternationalministry.com/children-ministry/
(accessed December 11, 2018).
[24] “Who We Are.” Refugee Family Literacy. https://www.mommyandmefamilyliteracy.com/
(accessed December 11, 2018).
[25] “Amani Sewing
Academy.” Amani Women Center. https://www.amaniwomencenter.org/awc-sewing-program
(accessed December 11, 2018).
[26] Mypoyo, Gad, informal
interview by authors at Stone Mountain, November 30, 2018. Recording with Gina Brown at Decatur, Georgia.
[27] Mpoyo, Gad, informal
interview by authors at Stone Mountain, November 30, 2018. Recording with Gina Brown at Decatur, Georgia.
[28] (New Revised
Standard Version)
__________________________________
Class: Imagination & Resilience for God's Changing World
Semester: Fall 2018
Degree: Master of Divinity
Assignment Description: Small groups of 4-5 people will produce a 15-minute presentation (PowerPoint, Prezi, etc.) and
corresponding paper of 8-10 pages on ministry in context. Each small group will visit a preapproved site in the greater metropolitan Atlanta area in which there is some type of active
Christian ministry that is addressing a particular concern in the area. Students will gather data
about the larger setting for that ministry, the history of the ministry, the fit and significance of
that ministry, and the various community responses to that ministry.
Group Participants: Gina Brown, John McCrosky, Amy Remaklus, Mylika
Slaughter
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