The hand of God for so long has been urging his people to take the good news of the gospel to the streets and proclaim freedom for the prisoners, justice for the oppressed, and hope for the hopeless. There is a neighborhood just west of downtown Cincinnati where this message so desperately needs to be proclaimed. In South Cumminsville there are approximately 4,400 residents in a .87 square mile radius. Two housing projects sit right next door to each other. The first one as you drive north on Beekman is Moosewood and the other is Millvale. These two projects have become the target area for an inner city church plant.
Directly up the street on Westwood Northern Boulevard is another community, North Fairmont where approximately 5,500 residents live in a one square mile radius. North Fairmont is home to English Woods, a large housing project.
The Churches of Christ in Cincinnati have answered God's call
to minister in the inner city. James and I have already started
working in the neighborhood and the people in Millvale have been
very supportive of the idea of starting a ministry in their
neighborhood. These two communities combined have over 10,000
residents living in less than a two mile radius. As we walk the
streets and become part of the neighborhood these numbers will
take the shape of names and the Names will take the shape of our
brothers and sisters in Christ. This will then take the shape of
a vibrant and live church right in the heart of the inner city
where God will be glorified and a community will be changed for
God.
-- Pat Pugh -