Listening, Learning, and Living with Mayor Bill Bell

(A reflection for the Church on the Mayor’s State of the City address)

On Monday night, Mayor Bill Bell gave his annual State of the City address. He highlighted four areas that the city wants to focus on over the next year:

1. Reducing Violent Crime - The highlight of this portion of the mayor’s speech was recognizing a young man named Dante, who had voluntarily turned in guns to the police headquarters. Dante said he’s trying to find a way out of the street life. Mayor Bell said “We as a community have got to find ways to embrace the Dante’s of our city and be supportive as they try to change their lives.” The mayor also said he hopes to “include members of the faith-based community in this violent crime reduction effort.”

2. Continued Neighborhood Revitalization - Mayor Bell emphasized the importance of revitalizing whole communities. He noted a couple of the city’s projects and partnerships in this area, and stressed that “neighborhood revitalization is not just housing, but involves whole quality of life issues, such as jobs, safety, transportation, access to health facilities, recreation and appearance.”

3. Affordable Housing - The City wants to do this through a dedicated revenue stream, a deepened partnership with Durham Housing Authority, and finding the best ways to provide services for the city’s homeless population.

4. Sustainable Job Development and Creation - Mayor Bell said the goal of the City is to be a catalyst for the private sector to create jobs and to prepare people for work-readiness. He noted that our community is challenged by the fact that the unemployment rate among African Americans in the US is over 20%. Similarly, the unemployment rate among people with less than a high-school diploma was 20%.

Why is this important?

As the Church in Durham, we want to know the City’s stated priorities for a few reasons. First, it shows us what is happening at high levels of leadership and political power. It helps us see where the city’s money and attention are directed. Second, it gives us a unique window into where some of the resources and the needs are in the city. Third, it helps us to know how we might either speak out against something we see as wrong, or how we might partner with other entities in Durham.

How do we interpret and respond to it?

There are four appropriate ways the Church might respond to the Mayor’s address in Durham (and any city agenda, really): affirm, work together, critique, witness. When we see that the City’s priorities are in line with the Kingdom of God, it’s important that we affirm these. Broadly speaking, the four priorities that Mayor Bell stated are actually four areas of focus that we at Duke Memorial have designated with our mission theme. Our small group curriculum, Living Without Enemies, and our involvement with the Religious Coalition for Nonviolent Durham are intended to be a witness amidst the violence in our city. Our “Good Neighbor Team” is looking to begin the initial stages of neighborhood revitalization in the surrounding community. And two of our Dinner and Discussions will match the City's focus areas of affordable housing and jobs, respectively. So we can affirm the City in making these things a priority, because we believe that when we see “thy Kingdom come” in our city, we will see peace, flourishing neighborhoods, people with shelter, and people with economic stability and dignifying work. As I stated in my last post, God’s Kingdom is where “nothing is missing, nothing is broken.”

The corollary of affirming is working together. If the priorities of the City align with those of the Church, it makes sense to partner if the means of achieving the goals does not compromise our witness and identity. As mayor Bell said about reducing violence, he wants the faith community to be involved. This invitation is a gift! We the Church can make ourselves available to help the city with their good efforts (we can embrace the Dante's of our city), and we can be a witness to a better way when necessary.

It’s also the job of the Church to critique the city when they make misguided commitments, don’t follow through with their commitments, or if we feel that the “how” of reaching their goals is harmful. For example, although the city is making a commitment to neighborhood revitalization, some of their focus communities are halfway finished. We have the power to encourage the city to put the necessary resources into finishing the jobs they started. In other cases, we have the position to tell the City to make priorities out of things that might be overlooked.

The corollary of critiquing is bearing witness. When we see see inconsistencies or gaps in the way the City is operating, we can provide an alternative way. If we see neighborhoods that are still in need of revitalization, we bear witness to Christ by seeking their renewal with our own priorities and resources. One way we are bearing witness is by building a home for a family through Habitat for Humanity. Another way is setting the groundwork for getting to know our neighbors’ resources and needs through our “Good Neighbor Team." Our work is incomplete if we merely critique that which we think is wrong. But if we live by an alternative reality, we show a better way, the way of God's Kingdom.

This is our city, and the decisions of the city’s leadership affect us and our neighbors. We pray that our God will guide their decisions, and that they will regard and provide for the most vulnerable among us.