SUMMIT MEETING NOTES

June 9, 2005
Location: St Clare Catholic Church

ACTION ITEMS

The key action items as agreed to in this meeting are as follows:

 AGENDA

Gathering and Introductions

Agenda Review & Modification

Review of Minutes from Last Month’s Meeting

Prayer

Special Announcements

Review of Action Items from Last Month’s Meeting

Report From The Ministerium

College Hill Block Party

CHRURC Update

NRSA Update

College Hill Housing Survey Project

Surveillance Camera Update

Streetscape Progress Update

CPOP Aiken High School Progress Report

Community Events

General Announcements

DISCUSSION:

1.   Review of May Minutes – by Ron Cowgill

The minutes for the May meeting were agreed to, with no further corrections.

2.   Special Announcements

·        Summer School for CPS (Cincinnati Public Schools) begins Monday, June 13, for 3 weeks.  Aiken will run 8:30-11:30 am, Pleasant Hill will run 7:30-11:30 am.

·        Christ’s Community summer program begins 1 week from Monday, on June 20. 

3.   Review of Action Items from March Meeting – by Ron Cowgill

(A) Get previous meeting minutes posted on the website – Ron has endeavored to get this done, but  none have been posted.   Tom Strothers volunteered to post the minutes on the ARCH website until the Forun gets its website up and running.

(B)            Convene a meeting to work on process for revision of Mission/Vision – Ron & Valerie are working to coordinate schedules to make this happen in the next couple of weeks.   Summer schedules have been very difficult to coordinate.

(C)            Ministerium to share with Summit – Scheduled for this meeting, June 9.

4.      Ministerium’s Response to Summit Questions – by Fr. George

Fr. George reviewed the Ministerium’s response, and passed out a one-page summary.   The text of this summary is included on the following page.

College Hill Ministerium

Response to the College Hill’ Summit’s Reflection on

The Role of the Church in the Neighborhood

We want to thank you and support you in your interest, concern and commitment to College Hill.  Good things are happening.  Many of the people responsible for initiating these good things are members of our College Hill churches.  Look around at those who are gathered here today.   It is important to remember that the churches are the people and not merely institutions.  

The Ministerium was initially a gathering of ministers committed to one another whose purpose was fellowship.  But soon the ministers realized that they were being called beyond fellowship to action in the community.   Christ’s Community in College Hill formed over 30 years ago and is the action arm of the Ministerium.  

The following are some of the activities of Christ Community:

□       An 8-seek summer program for 50-75 youth.

□       “Clean Cut” – a summer employment program for youth and young adults cutting grass for College Hill residents.

□       Year-round emergency assistance, counseling and referrals.

□       Continued and increased working with the youth is a high priority for the staff and board of this organization.

□       Thanksgiving/Christmas Program

In addition to this, the Ministerium has made a commitment:

□       To communicate to their membership the happenings and events in College Hill.

□       To walk the neighborhood as a group.

□       To be a co-sponsor of the National Night Out week of events.

□       To sponsor cultural events such as the Margaret Garner Opera preview.

□       To provide opportunities for the churches and residents of College Hill to come together for prayer – i.e. the annual MLK Jr. Celebration.

□       To encourage their members to be active in the community and live out their Christian convictions in the community.

Many of the churches have their own particular ministry that benefits the community such as The Rock, St. Clare School, Parish Nurse Program, Grief Support Program, Counseling Program, Feast of Love, Tree House, Lord’s Bounty, housing sponsored by the church, St. Vincent de Paul and the list goes on.

We are committed to continually being partners in the life and growth of our College Hill community.  We see our diversity as a gift and a treasure from God and willing to work the fulfillment of Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream.   We do this by proclaiming and living the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Discussion of the Ministerium’s letter followed Fr. George’s review of the letter.   Key points in the discussion were:

Q:  Are all the churches committed to supporting Christ’s Community financially?

A:   Christ’s Community (CCCH) does not receive money from 100% of all the churches, but a significant number of them support in various ways.

Q:  Is Christ’s Community having all its financial needs met?

A:   A team from the Executive Service Corps (of Volunteers of America) is consulting with Christ’s Community (CCCH).     Through this consultation, CCCH has decided that a major focus for the organization looking forward is youth in the community.   CCCH wants to have someone on the streets continually working and talking with young people.   CCCH will need more financial support to be able to do this.

Q:  Has CCCH gotten to the point of having a specific person in mind for this youth worker position?

A:   No.   CCCH is looking for a person with the skills to relate to kids in a variety of ways.   Kids have all kinds of life situations.   This worker will need to relate to parents too.   Gangs are an issue.

There then ensued a discussion about neighborhood issues with youth.  Some key points are captured below:

§         The Clean Cut initiative has led to more contacts for CCCH in the neighborhood, and the discovery of turf boundaries of gangs.   Streets have formed neighborhoods within neighborhoods.  

§         There is a lot of information existing and available for issues such as gangs.   How can we (people of the neighborhood who spend a lot of time on the streets) convey this information to the Ministerium and other organizations?  

§         As an example, COP observed last night that there was a heavy concentration of drug dealers on Lantana, many of them were dealers that COP has met in the last 3-4 years.  Extra police are only on the street from 3 pm to 9 pm, and then only in the business district.   It feels like Lantana is going downhill fast, and the neighborhood needs more help now.   COP is an important “finger in the dike”, but hoping that the churches can provide more fingers.

§         COP is not allowed to speak to students/youth hanging out on street corners – could people from the churches do this?

§         There is a group called Citizens Making A Difference, and they have been meeting with members of the neighborhood about drugs, blight, and the deterioration of the streets.   Many people are afraid to try to deal with issues themselves and are hoping that the city will help.  People are putting their houses up for sale to move out of the neighborhood.   Other homes are being abandoned and neglected. 

§         Idea: what if the churches made one street into a project and worked on all these issues?  Cedar Ave, for example? 

§         Lots of people are going to prison.   There is good cooperation from prosecutors and judges.  But they serve their prison time and come back to the streets of College Hill.

§         There are no jobs and no vocational training for young people.  

§         There are 3 Task Forces now forming at Aiken High School.

Additional information was shared as follows:

Þ    There is a prayer meeting at House of Joy every day at 5 am, and on Mondays at 6-7 pm.  They pray for the community and ask that everyone give their prayer requests to Jane Lott.   Anyone is welcome to attend, and all prayer requests are accepted.

Þ    There is a ministry called “Super Choir” which welcomes kids ages 5 to 20 from all over the city.  There is a weekly one hour rehearsal at The Rock.   They give performances all over the city at multiple venues.

Þ    The Ministerium is now looking at its mission strategy and plans for the future.

Þ    Coach Thomas is the new principal of Aiken Service Learning School.   This is good news.

5.   College Hill Block Party – by Chappie

This is a combined effort of lots of groups and organizations.   More information will be coming later.

6.   CHRURC Update – by Marty Weldishofer

Linden Park Commons: There was a meeting of Al Neyer, CHRURC, and the city to discuss progress on the proposal.   CHRURC will be asking Shuler for an extension of the option to purchase beyond the original expiration date of June 30.   Due diligence is taking longer than anticipated, along with a scheduled Council recess is leading to a September purchase.  

Neyer has submitted a proposal to the owner of the Kroger property and is waiting for a response.  

The Masonic Eastern Star is in agreement to sell except for the proposed time frame.   Negotiations are proceeding on this point.

Façade Program:  They are wrapping up the architectural guidelines by the end of the month.  The logo is done, and colors are being tweaked.   The new logo will be presented at the Forum meeting.

Marty also suggested that the churches in the area could be helpful by putting information in their bulletins.   He shared an example from St. Clare, where a flyer was inserted into the church newsletter.

7.   NRSA Update

There wasn’t an update at this meeting.

8.   College Hill Housing Survey Project – by Phyllis Schoenberger

Phyllis indicated that more volunteers are still needed to help with the survey.  It is a good way to meet people in the neighborhood – they come up to you and ask what you are doing.  If you or anyone in your church have any questions or interest, call Phyllis.

9.   Surveillance Camera Update – by Jim Bodmer

Camera speed has been significantly upgraded, although it may not ever achieve some of the speeds asked for.  Jim is now looking for 2 people (volunteers) to monitor the system every day.  

10. Streetscape Update

About 12 trees still need to be planted, and some planters still need to be done.   Planters are scheduled for the first week of July.

11. Aiken & CPOP  (Community Problem Oriented Policing

They need volunteers to help call parents about youth participation in bands.  There is a script that volunteers could use.   Please call Phyllis if you are interested in helping.  Ron suggested that the Aiken High School Alumni group that meets regularly at CHPC might be willing to help.

12. Community Events

·        The Rhythm Race has been postponed from June 10 to Sept 16.   They still need sponsors.   There will be a kids Fun Run.

·        A College Hill Cookbook is being developed.   See more information on the ARCH website.

·        On June 23, at 6 pm, there will be a program by the Urban League on Landlords & Crime Prevention.  Reservations are required.  See Jim Bodmer for more information.  There is a problem in the community of crimes being committed by renters, and landlords have difficulty controlling this.

·        The College Hill Sampler was a great success.  There will be another one next year.  Jean Ritchie sent a very nice note.

11. Loving Christ Records – Dimetrius Gilbert

Dimetrius joined the meeting in order to share with us about his ministry.    It uses free entertainment, food, and gifts to make connections with people on the street and then in turn helping them make connections with more positive organizations.   Financial sponsorship is needed for the planned summer Hood Tours through various Cincinnati neighborhoods.   More information is available on his website, lovingchristrecords.com.

Next Meeting: July 14, 2005 @ 8:00 am at Aiken High School.

Ron and Valerie will not be there, since they are going to China to help pick up their new adopted granddaughter.    Ron will arrange for others to run the meeting and to take notes.

                        Summarized by:

                        Valerie Hershberger

                        June 19, 2005 

Abbreviation Key:

ARCH                = Arts Revival in College Hill

CCCH                = Christ’s Community in College Hill

CCHMC                = Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center

CHBA                = College Hill Business Association

CHCURC                = College Hill Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation

CHG                = College Hill Gardeners

CHPC                = College Hill Presbyterian Church

CHRC                = College Hill Recreation Center

COP                = Citizens On Patrol

CPD                = Cincinnati Police Department

CPOP                = Community Problem Oriented Policing

C&T                = Communications & Technology Committee of Forum

HUD                = The Department of Housing and Urban Development, a Federal Agency

NRSA                = Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area, a HUD program for low/med income neighborhoods

QOL                = Quality of Life Committee of Forum

Summit Meeting Schedule

2005

General Meeting Time:   Second Thursday of the Month, 8:00 am to 10:00 am.

Location Rotates