Excerpt from Unpublished Book – The Urban Imperative

Located in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, the Beulah Church of the Nazarene defines itself as a missional church “ministering to the total person...a church that is evangelistic, inclusive compassionate and reproductive.”¹

Under the leadership of its Senior Pastor, the Reverend Dr. Wenton Fyne, Beulah has created three not-for-profit organizations in addition to the church corporation to help them fulfill their mission and faithfully proclaim the Gospel in Brooklyn.

Pastor Fyne notes the church is “a seven day a week operation.” “We are an inner city church committed to coming alongside the community. We are turning the church to the outside.” For him, the three other corporations are “expressions of our faith” and “manifestations of the gospel.”²

Hope City Empowerment Center is located on Washington Avenue, a few miles from the church’s main facility. On September 11, 2001, Hope City ministered to people who fled downtown Manhattan by foot after the World Trade Center was attacked. Hope City was an oasis to hundreds of dazed, dust-covered and weary New Yorkers. Hope City continues to be an oasis in what can be a dry, harsh city any day.

A multi-faceted center, Hope City empowers the needy, provides fellowship and activities for seniors, weekly meals, clothing distribution and offers a multi-educational center for youth. Programs are designed to not only meet immediate needs, but give people motivation and skills to help themselves. Services are offered to the community six days a week in four general areas: Basic Adult Services include the Lamb’s Table that offers hot meals and a pantry for the homeless and needy; Senior Program with bible meditations and fellowship, hot lunches, crafts, exercise programs, and excursions; Youth Program in computer literacy, tutoring, and Counseling Services. Hope City is a separate not-for-profit corporation with an annual budget of approximately $330,000, including inkind gift. Grace Braithwaite, a long-time member of Beulah Church, serves as Hope City’s executive director.

Understanding the church as called to serve “this generation in the community in which God has placed us” Beulah leadership identified some of the greatest challenges in its community to be affordable housing and economic disenfranchisement. To respond to these challenges with the gospel, the Church created two additional entities. Beulah Community Housing Development Corporation was incorporated in January, 2005. BCHDC is committed to developing decent, affordable housing available to low income earners in the community through rehabbing existing deficient housing and developing new housing.

Currently BCHDC is offering educational seminars for home buyers, linking bankers, attorneys and real estate professionals with potential buyers, and establishing strategies to meet the goal of completing two to three housing projects annually in these first few years of operation.

Recognizing that the revitalization of the community if done by others, leaves “the church and the community with no economic power, BCHDC aims to break this cycle by acquiring land within our community to build financial institutions, educational institutions, grocery stores, sports facilities and housing.”

The objective is to create “a self-sufficient community through acquiring real estate and developing businesses.” In pursuit of this objective, strategic alliances are being fostered with local politicians, city, state and federal agencies.

The charter and application process for Beulah Credit Union is entering its final phases. The Church sees BCU creating “an opportunity for us to lay a firm foundation and have a voice in the financial world, both collectively and individually. It is an opportunity for members of Beulah Church of the Nazarene to own and operate our own financial institution and it will also allow our members to save and borrow money at reasonable rates.”

BCU will offer credit to those in the community that might not otherwise be deemed credit worthy by other financial institutions and provide a vehicle for people ready to make investments with opportunities to invest, and in the process, invest in the neighborhood.

Both the credit union and housing development corporation come under what Pastor Fyne calls the economic development arm of the church. Beulah Church is the parent birthing and nurturing these initiatives at each step of the way with finances, board leadership, staffing and volunteers. Although separate corporations, Pastor Fyne notes they are accountable to the Church theologically and philosophically.

On Sunday approximately 1,300 people gather for worship at one of three services in what Pastor Fyne describes as a “blended service” style. The congregation is predominately black, with approximately 50 percent of the people middle and upper class and the other half struggling or working lower class. They come from all five boroughs of New York City, but the majority live in Brooklyn.

But for the people of Beulah, “church” is more than just a one day a week thing. Dr. Fyne’s vision of “turning the church to the outside” is clearly becoming reality in Brooklyn.

For more information: The Rev. Dr. Wenton Fyne, Senior Pastor, Beulah Church of the Nazarene, 1250 St. Johns Place Brooklyn, NY 11213, T: 718.756.2310 I: www.beulahnaz.org