Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Man robbed at Tallmadge Avenue eatery
Another winter punch heading toward Ohio
Four teens restrain man, take items from his Akron home
Complaints against officer keep coming
Police: Ohio girl dies after fall into snow bank
Region makes way for latest batch of snow; cancellations rise
Cuyahoga Falls residents come home to find burning couch on balcony
Blogs:
First Bell - On Education:
No City of Akron basketball tonight
Pets:
Pet telethon re-airs
The Heldenfiles:
Chipmunks "Squeakquel" on DVD/BD March 30
Akron Zips:
Late surge gives Zips ugly road win
Tribe Matters:
Blogmail response on Hafner
Cleveland Browns:
Stallworth's contract terminated
Balanced Ledger:
QB in Browns future: another mock draft
Kent State Sports:
KSU Notes – February 9
Cleveland Cavaliers:
NBA Power Rankings from Around the Internet
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeyes grab 18 players on signing day
Varsity Letters:
Garfield at Buchtel basketball
All Da King's Men:
Palin At The Tea Party Convention
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Republican Pre-Conditions
Akron Law Café:
Citizens United v. F.E.C. (Part 4): Kennedy's and O'Connor's Basic Approaches to Constitutional Decisionmaking – Top Down and Bottom Up
Car Chase:
Collector Car Hobby Loses One of the Best—Jim Roll
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Decisions Decisions: Credit Cards or Your Mortgage?
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Loucile is looking for a Lake Erie getaway in June for three kids, ages 1, 3, and 5.
Sound Check:
Talk of the Town – Top entertainment picks for the weekend
HRLite House:
OFCCP Report
Akron Gamer:
Makers of 'Castle Crashers' unveil 'BattleBlock Theater'
See Jane Style:
Do IT this week: Layering
Trinity United Church's leader brings diversity, ideas to Akron neighborhood
By Colette M. Jenkins
Beacon Journal religion writer
Published on Sunday, May 03, 2009
Eight years ago, the gym at Trinity United Church of Christ was being used as a storage area for furniture.
Today, the gym is being used every night during the week to reach out to the community.
''For so many years, people thought we were closed because there was no activity here,'' said Jim Walser, director of Christian Family Life at the church on North Hill. ''Now we've got programs that are attracting 700 to 1,000 kids. We're in a new era of growth, and we need a dynamic leader to help swing the doors open even wider and help us grow.''
This afternoon, the 250-member congregation officially will install the Rev. Carl P. Wallace as its next senior pastor. The service for the Cleveland native will be at 3 p.m. at the church at 915 N. Main St.
Wallace, an African-American, received a 97 percent approval vote from the all-white congregation after an 18-month search for a pastor. Since September, Wallace and the congregation have been working together to build a healthy relationship that will move them in a positive direction in the future.
''This isn't about me. It's really about the Holy Spirit working through this ministry to meet the needs of the people in this community,'' said Wallace, 58. ''The whole process of us coming together was spirit-led. This church, which is a 100 percent European church, calling me as its pastor is a phenomenal statement of who this church is and where it wants to go. Since my wife and I have joined, it has become an integrated church.''
Wallace came to the church from the denomination's national headquarters in Cleveland, where he served in the Justice and Witness Ministries as executive associate; minister for special projects; and project team leader for the Gulf Coast Justice Initiative. He has also served as pastor of Union Congregational Church in Painesville and Trinity UCC in Cleveland, a multicultural, multiracial church.
He was instrumental in spearheading the UCC Public Education Task Force initiative to promote public education as a fundamental civil right and was executive officer of Equal Opportunity Affairs for Cleveland Public Schools. Through his work with the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, he created and implemented voter education and enrichment programs in the community.
Wallace received his undergraduate degree from Tufts University; his master of divinity degree from Ashland Theological Seminary; and his doctor of divinity degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton. He and his wife, Del, have been married 12 years.
Church Council President David Brown said he knew Wallace was a perfect fit for the church community after the search committee finished a telephone interview with Wallace.
''When the call ended, the group erupted in spontaneous applause, and we agreed that we could feel the love coming from him,'' Brown said. ''He was looking for an urban church ready for renewal, and we were looking for that kind of pastor. He has an emphasis on lay minister, and together we want to create a multicultural, multiracial congregation that reaches out to the community.''
Since Wallace has been at the church, he has attended more than 50 community meetings, making connections with leaders in education, government and other churches. The congregation has obtained $40,000 in grants to support new ministries and eight members have joined since the beginning of the year.
At Wallace's request, the church formed a new leadership and discipleship group called the Trinity Heartbeats. The group is made up of 12 parishioners, aged 15 to 81, who attended 11 Saturday workshops to develop goals for the future.
The congregation is working to extend its community reach through such programs as:
• Trinity in the Community (T'nC), which provides free clothing, food and financial assistance to North Hill residents through Info Line at 211.
• Christian Fellowship Basketball League (CFBL), which combines good sportsmanship with positive values and Bible study. Trinity is a founding member of the program, which meets Thursday evenings.
• Great Food for All, a discounted grocery program.
• Project Rise, an Akron Public Schools program that helps provide school uniforms, shoes and other clothing for students in transitional housing.
• Empowerment Scholars Project, a ministry done in conjunction with Project Rise to help students cope during times of transition.
The church is also home to one of the oldest Boy Scout troops in Akron, and the church's resource room also contains information to help people with housing, income, health care and job training.
The congregation is an active partner with organizations in the community, including Dawn's Angel Wish Network; North Hill Community House; the Community AIDS Network; Unity 365; and Mothers Assisting Mothers. Wallace, Brown and Walser agree that the congregation is working to live out its motto: At the Heart of the Community With the Community at its Heart.
The motto, adopted in the fall of 2007, is the focal point that keeps the congregation motivated to look for ways to serve the community.
''It's more than just the ministry of the church. It's the ministry of Christ in partnership with the church,'' Wallace said. ''We're here to spread the gospel of Christ, not by proselytizing, but by meeting the needs of the community.''
Colette Jenkins can be reached at 330-996-3731 or cjenkins@thebeaconjournal.com.
Eight years ago, the gym at Trinity United Church of Christ was being used as a storage area for furniture.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
Canton, OH
Posted 08:11 AM, 05/03/2009
Good story. . .Good Job. . .Props to Rev. Carl Wallace.
Akron, OH
Posted 08:53 AM, 05/03/2009
Welcome to Akron Reverend!
Stow, OH
Posted 09:35 AM, 05/03/2009
This church is about the kind of business a church should be. I wish Reverend Wallace and this congregation well.
AKRON, ohio
Posted 09:42 AM, 05/03/2009
thank goodness someone is doing something for north hill
Posted 12:55 PM, 05/03/2009
Great Job Trinity ... Wish the ABJ would do a story once a week, listing the other Churches in Akron that are really reaching out to people. I can think of at least four in the Kenmore area that are doing a wonderful job! Anything from proving reasonable day care & after school programs for working families, food, clothing and either free or reasonable meals! These programs are a God Sent to many families!
Orrville, Oh
Posted 01:50 PM, 05/03/2009
Church pastors reaching into pockets of Fathers disqualified for affirmative action with white skin, Union workers, consumers, taxpayers, and America’s grandchildren’s children. To pay for donors tax refund for supporting nonprofit, tax exempt, Church. With money derived from wages or independent business profit.
Makes free, fair, and affordable commerce IMPOSSIBLE; Makes funding schools IMPOSSIBLE; Makes balancing every budget IMPOSSIBLE; Makes union workers, consumers, taxpayers, and America’s grandchildren’s children LIFE UNAFFORDABLE; and created the $40 trillion social security and the $9.3 trillion national debt. America’s grandchildren’s children are responsible to pay interest with until they are 18 years old. Then pay the debt with the $6.85 per hour labor wage!
Posted 04:26 PM, 05/03/2009
Loren ~ You REALLY DO need to get a life.
Barberton, OH
Posted 10:01 AM, 05/04/2009
Loren, quite with your racist comments!
Barberton, OH
Posted 01:20 PM, 05/04/2009
This may be a church I look in to. I've been searching for a church that is really about the work of helping others, and not just a glorified social club.
Loren - switch meds dude!
Rittman, Oh
Posted 01:53 PM, 05/04/2009
Wow Loren. Im really sad for whatever happened to you that sparks such rage and hatred of the entire world of Christianity. It wasnt Christian, and shouldnt be viewed as such.
