My heart is filled with gratitude and I want to thank you for the generous way you showed your affection to me last Sunday with great food, great fellowship, and a gift that reminds me that together we are the heart of God
This week it is my honor to welcome my friend and colleague, the Rev. Dr. William Jenkins from Christ United Methodist Ministry Center to St. Mark’s pulpit. Rev. Jenkins will be our guest preacher, sharing his message of love and understanding of Matthew 25:35-40.
Some of you know Rev. Bill from his work at Christ Ministry Center during the Haitian refugee crisis in 2016. Some of you know of his continued work in today’s refugee community. But I’d like to tell you about my connection with my friend, Bill.
I met Bill in 2004 while he was the Sr. Pastor at Christ United Methodist Church in San Diego and I was a Lay-Leader in the San Diego District of the UMC. Christ UMC was a church that was declining in membership and uncertain in its future. Bill and I continued to stay in touch and prayed for what God would do at Christ UMC. Little did either of us know what God was preparing Bill and the congregation for in their united future. Here is a brief account of what happened from the CMC website. https://www.cummc.org/what-is-a-ministry-center
“In 2005, when it seemed inevitable that Christ United Methodist Church in San Diego would eventually close, the Rev. Bill Jenkins convinced his dwindling congregation to take a slightly different path. In the process, the congregation offered a home to a dozen multi-ethnic congregations of various faiths and space to social programs serving their North Park [and Normal Heights] neighborhood while saving a historic building, The transformation came with the support of the United Methodist California-Pacific Annual Conference. “Like a lot of urban congregations, its core members were mostly commuting from other places,” recalled the Rev. Myron Wingfield, who was the South District superintendent at the time. What made the project work were good collaborative choices, Wingfield added. Church members were willing to start meeting the needs of the community, with Jenkins providing the leadership. “It’s an uncommon collection of factors that really has led to a vital presence of ministry in that location,” he added. Perhaps the most important factor is Jenkins himself, who stayed on as the center’s executive director. Like the church, he has been on a lifelong journey of transformation and faith.”
When the Haitian refugee crisis began in San Diego in 2016, Christ Ministry Center became a focal point for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for Haitian refugees to find temporary housing. The relationship between ICE and CMC remains vital today as women and children continue seeking asylum at our border entries. As a result, Christ Ministry Center has begun a new ministry called Safe Harbors (www.safeharbors.net) “Safe Harbors are churches, individuals and organizations that help provide shelter for refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers. Our priority is keeping mothers and children safely together. Unlike Sanctuary churches, Safe Harbors shelters may be in the church, but may be in other safe places (homes, hotel, hostel, shelter). Safe Harbors' refugees and immigrants are "documented".
St. Mark’s began partnering with CMC in 2016 as they housed refugees in their SafeHarbors Loft. Today, it is my family’s privilege to also partner with Safe Harbors as we host a mother and her infant son in our home.
I hope you’ll join us this Sunday as Rev. Dr. Bill Jenkins talks about the work of Christ United Methodist Ministry Center and together how we can make a difference in the lives of families.
For the love of Christ,
Jeri
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Sermon - August 12, 2018
Rev. Craig Dorval
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