“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” – Hebrews 4:16
There is a local not-for-profit organization that is in need of help, specifically from Black churches.
The organization is the Indianapolis Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN), and it is a “ministry of hope for homeless families.” While the organization offers a multitude of services, one of its primary objectives is to find housing for its clients. The Indianapolis Interfaith Hospitality Network understands that securing permanent housing for a family may take time, so in a proactive measure it temporarily houses homeless families at various churches that support Indy IHN. The families stay at the area church for one week at a time.
To give you a better understanding of the process, here’s an excerpt from Indy IHN’s web site that describes a typical week:
“On Sunday afternoon, the network van arrives at the host congregation with beds and families’ personal belongings to be set up in designated spaces, such as classrooms. Guest families arrive at the host congregation Sunday evening. Families settle in and become acquainted with the volunteers and facility. Dinner is served family-style as guests and volunteers share the meal together. Families are responsible for their children and help with cleanup and chores. After dinner, some congregations offer activities while others offer free time before turning in for bed. An overnight host volunteer(s) stays at the facility overnight and assists guests with breakfast and departure to the Day Center the following morning. Food is available for guests to make lunches to take to the Day Center.
Families leave for the Day Center at 7 a.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. weekends. Children go to school and parents to work. If guests are unemployed, they work with the director to seek employment, housing and other resources designed to help them regain independence. Guests are transported back to the hosting congregation each evening.
The following Sunday, families pack their beds and belongings and leave the facility. They are transported to the Day Center and are picked up that afternoon by the next hosting congregation.”
I wanted to provide detailed information about services Indianapolis Interfaith Hospitality Network offers because I hope it will result in more Black churches supporting the organization, thus helping individuals in need.
Over the weekend, during one of many visits to area churches, Indy IHN’s Executive Director Shannon Glenn shared something that was incredibly surprising to me. She said 90 percent of the organization’s supporting churches are not African-American, though that same percentage represents the number of African-American families Indy IHN serves.
In short, nearly all of the individuals that Indy IHN serves are Black, and nearly all of the churches throughout Marion County and the donut counties that support IHN’s clients are non-Blacks.
Service is service and help is help. The churches that support Indy IHN by providing shelter for its homeless clients should be commended for their efforts – regardless of the congregation’s color. However, it is really unfortunate that more Black churches are not involved.
When I asked Glenn why she thinks there is such lackluster participation from Black congregations, she stated, “They don’t want to get involved. (Housing homeless people) requires you to step out of your comfort zone.”
Apparently many Black churches don’t feel comfortable stepping out of their “zones.” Glenn has spoken at various meetings that Black pastors are affiliated with and while some express a slight interest, most have never fully committed.
I can understand some of the hesitation from churches and the seemingly endless questions that they may ponder: Can these people be trusted in my church? Will members of my congregation feel comfortable volunteering? Is being a host congregation safe?
While these questions are certainly legitimate, stepping out on faith and trusting God are a couple of the fundamentals of Christian faith. Supporting Indy IHN and other organizations like it is a great way for churches to practice what they preach.
By the way, maybe some of the hesitation would be eased if more people knew that the average homeless person is not a drunken adult who wears tattered clothing and sleeps on public benches. The average age for a homeless person is 9 years old; a mere child.
You can e-mail comments to Shannon Williams at Shannonw@indyrecorder.com.
