Renewed Excitement for Transformation
| The Westside Ministers Coalition (WMC) has been a strong presence on the Westside of Chicago for over thirty years. The mission of WMC is to be “an organization whose purpose is to work in cooperation with other organizations sharing similar values in accomplishing our goal which is to explore and initiate self-help efforts to improve the Westside communities of Chicago in the areas of housing, health, energy, education, economics and community development.” Rev. Lewis Flowers has been leading the WMC since the beginning and is highly respected among his community, political leaders and other clergy on the Westside. |  |
Rev. Flowers and his staff have been working diligently for the betterment of the Westside of Chicago however are facing the same challenges so many NOPs are facing when it comes to lack of development and transformation. It is discouraging feeling that a community is stuck in a cyclical pattern of poverty. I met Rev. Flowers while speaking on Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) at School of the Prophets, a local clergy gathering. Through this introduction to ABCD and then a follow-up in-depth training the WMC has developed a renewed excitement and optimism for transformation on the Westside of Chicago. The Westside Ministers Coalition and Rev. Flowers are now strong advocates of Asset Based Community Development and have begun hosting trainings for their partners in order that true transformation and development will continue on the Westside of Chicago. While WMC is at the beginning stages of this process the renewed energy in the organization and its’ constituency is evident. It will be exciting to see how God uses WMC to continue His work in Chicago. I look forward to sharing the many stories of transformation I know will come from WMC as they continue to apply the ABCD process in their communities. Bethany Dudley | |