Faithful Presence

In 1989, when my wife, Claity, and I moved into Buffalo from Houghton, N.Y., one was hard-pressed to find any Wesleyan presence. It's a different story today as it is also in places like Detroit, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, etc.

Twenty-seven years ago I was looking for a quick fix, a plan to be implemented in one quadrennium. I hadn’t thought much about how long it might take to earn the trust of people who lived differently than I, or how slowly change occurs, especially for dysfunctional families, chaotic neighborhoods, and fledgling urban church plants. I hadn’t thought about finding other faith-based ministries or community organizations to work with who might share our concerns. I didn’t realize how little I knew about my new city. And I didn’t know that the city would become “my city” and that I would come to love it and its people. I hadn’t fully appreciated that “an urban/ethnic ministry is a long-term project.”

In 1989, Buffalo’s downward spiral that began in the 1950’s was hitting bottom, hopelessness was commonplace, people who could were fleeing the city. There was nothing romantic about the rustbelt.

We began a small church plant on the tough west side with a group of idealistic, white, college-educated, young people (I was an old guy even then), who were committed to following Jesus, standing for justice, and loving the poor (at least in theory).

It was a bumpy 18-year ride and the church didn’t survive–or did it? Here are some of the organizations that have their roots in that effort: the Jericho Road Community Health Center with its clinical operations, community programs, and global initiatives; Westside Ministries; River Rock Church; Peace of the City; and Houghton College’s Wesley Service Corps. Sometimes, if you put down roots and stay around long enough, you get to see it all play out–the life, death, and resurrection!

In his book, To Change the World, sociologist James Davison Hunter builds a case for “faithful presence,” arguing that as Christians partner with their communities, the church contributes to the benefit of all. He states, “A theology of faithful presence calls Christians to enact the shalom of God. . . . Christians share a world with others and they must contribute to its overall flourishing.” The following is a look at three people with ties to “the church that didn’t survive” whose lives illustrate what faithful presence looks like in Buffalo, New York.

Dr. Claity Price Massey

As educators, Claity and I moved into Buffalo to help save a historic former church building and adapt it for use as a model early childhood school.

With a background in early childhood education and more than a decade among the education faculty at Houghton College, Claity was asked to serve with the King Urban Life Center developing plans for a model program in the former church. When restoration efforts were delayed, she led the effort to create a pilot program at School #90, a nearby Buffalo public school. Construction work was finally completed in 1998 and an annex of School #90 opened at the former church building, now known as the King Center.

The center soon became a charter school and Claity was asked to lead it. King Center Charter School (KCCS), the first charter school in Buffalo, opened in August 2000 with 80 students from kindergarten through 3rd grade.

Thirteen years later, when she retired as director, KCCS was home to 260 students in K-6th grade with authorization to expand to 8th. Following in their footsteps, there were also 15 other charter schools serving nearly 8,000 students in the Buffalo area. June 13, 2013, was proclaimed “Dr. Claity P. Massey Day” by Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown and The Buffalo News carried a feature article captioned, “She built a better school.”

In this school serving a poor and minority population, the children in their letters of thanks captured her impact:

• Dr. Massey protects us and uses caring words and actions. She is beautiful. (Nia, grade 1)
• Dr. Massey is special to me because she shakes my hand when I come into school. (Caden, grade 1)
• Dr. Massey's helpful for making this school. She could have just been at home kicking back, watching TV and minding her own business. (Jeremiah, grade 3)
• Your faith is strong. I never want to leave you. You always believe in what can happen. (Asia, grade 4)

Now in retirement, Claity is serving as president of the Jericho Road Community Health Center Board of Directors.

Dr. Myron Glick

Myron is a 1988 graduate of Houghton College. He attended the University at Buffalo Medical School and “the church that didn’t survive.” After his residency, he and his wife, Joyce, returned to Buffalo to establish Jericho Road Family Practice.

In selecting Myron and Joyce Glick as “Outstanding Citizens of 2013,” The Buffalo News stated: “About 90% of the 1,300 immigrants and refugees who come to Buffalo annually, as well as another 500 people who move to the city from other locations in the United States, settle on the west side. Many of them will find their way to Jericho Road Community Health Center, founded by Dr. Myron and Joyce Glick in 1997 . . . Jericho Road’s success— how it has affected so many lives for the better—couldn’t have been done without them.”

More than half speak languages other than English. It also provides programs addressing legal services and temporary housing for asylum seekers; mentoring of at-risk, pregnant refugee women; English classes for adult learners; in- home early-childhood development; mentoring of economically disadvantaged women; financial education and planning for families; and a help center for refugees.

In February 2015, in the midst of the Ebola outbreak, Jericho Road’s Adama Martha Memorial Community Health Center opened in Sierra Leone, Africa. Within the next year, another clinic will open in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

John Lee

John and Sue Lee found their way to “the church that didn’t survive” in 2000 when their daughter was leading worship there. With strong ties to the Wesleyan Church of Hamburg, they attended their suburban home church’s Saturday evening service and came into the city to worship on Sunday mornings. After nearly 30 years with Praxair Corporation, John brought a wealth of business experience along with a passion for ministry.

John assessed the needs of the church and community, evaluated best practices, and developed a two-year plan that has been key for addressing the situation. Fourteen years later John is still implementing it, and he appreciates that “an urban/ ethnic ministry is a long-term project.”

Since retiring from business in 2004, John expanded his non-profit involvement and is now engaged with multiple boards: Jericho Road Community Health Center, Wesleyan Church of Hamburg, Westside Ministries (a Christian community development organization), and Houghton College, with a focus on work in Buffalo. Wesleyan Church of Hamburg is a major financial contributor to Jericho Road, and Westside Ministries provides building management services. It’s not surprising that John now serves on the World Hope International board as well.

Looking to the future

Claity, Myron, and John–all products of Wesleyan colleges or churches–have invested a combined total of 67 years in our city. Buffalo, as a result, is a better place and thousands more people are flourishing today than in 1989. Education, health, economic, and spiritual needs are being addressed and Jesus’ unconditional love has been demonstrated. But Buffalo is still facing great challenges to meet the needs of a disproportionally poor and minority population. As Wesleyans pursuing a theology of faithful presence, we preach good news to the poor, and follow John Wesley’s admonition to combine acts of kindness and also address underlying causes of poverty and injustice.

It is a long-term project.