The Central Outreach Team in partnership with Shalom Zone and our Power Program will be sponsoring a Neighborhood Block Party on Friday, June 25. The event will take place in the grassy area across from the church on Mary Street and will last from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. We will have children’s games, an inflatable bounce house and slide, and a free meal for our neighborhood families. We invite the entire congregation to pitch in or attend this event to allow us to be the church outside the church walls that so often separate us from our
neighborhood. We will be sending special invitations to our child care families, the families at St. Lucas Place, and the families of all of the children who will be taking part in our VBS program that week. Please let Mike Warneke or Ruth Randall know if you would like to help out in any way.

Following riots which broke out in Los Angeles after the Rodney King trial, the “Shalom Zone” concept was developed by a General Conference of the United Methodist Church in 1992. The goal was to create areas of peace in local neighborhoods with churches taking the leadership role.

Central United Methodist Church initiated a Shalom Zone ministry in 2000 in response to the needs of the surrounding neighborhood. St. Lucas United Church of Christ, Jacobsville Neighborhood Improvement Association and Weed & Seed soon joined the team. Over the years, other churches and organizations have joined in making Shalom Zone a success.

Outreach programs include neighborhood clean up programs and monthly free neighborhood meals. Attendance at the meals has grown from a handful of individuals to well over 100 neighbors and numerous volunteers. Much of the food is donated by those who serve.