Nazarenes in the News is a compilation of online news articles featuring Nazarene churches or church members. 

Volunteers working to repair Tulsa church damaged from storms

Tulsa, Oklahoma

(NewsOn6.com, July 15) A south Tulsa church is missing an entire wall after storm winds blew it clear off the building. Thursday, Central Church of the Nazarene was exposed to the elements, but thanks to volunteers, the huge wall is now covered up with a tarp. Volunteers are also busy transforming the north end of Central Church of the Nazarene into a tropical oasis.

Vacation Bible School starts Monday, and because of their hard work, you’d never know that, on the other side of the church, an entire wall is missing.

"The sky was just this dark green-ish. It was just kind of creepy,” said Jaycee Cravello, who works in the church office.

She said a pre-school class was in session when the tornado warning went into effect Thursday. Teachers walked them into a hallway, also known as their "safe zone," until it was canceled.

For the rest of this story and video, click here. 

It takes an Urban Village to build relationships

Nazarene Theological Seminary partners to restore community as part of program created by Ontario Nazarene church

Kansas City, Missouri

(The Catholic Key, July 21) Ministries, whether parish, community or individual, are based on intentional relationships. People reaching out to help other people, especially those whose lives could be bettered.

And often, folks participating in a parish-based ministry, particularly social service or emergency assistance ministries, get to know and build relationships with those they serve, even if they don’t live within the boundaries of their parish.

St. Peter’s and its adjoining parish, St. Therese Little Flower, are closely connected, with overlapping neighborhoods and one pastor, Father Steve Cook, shared by both parishes. As a result, St. Peter’s social service ministries extend beyond its parish boundaries. Ministry staff and volunteers work together with St. Therese staff and volunteers to assist area families with housing needs, senior and youth programs and build community.

A couple of years ago, St. Peter’s began a project called Urban Village, which works to strengthen social and economic opportunities throughout its entire parish boundaries through innovative partnerships with individuals, families and organizations. Urban Village serves St. Therese parish also.

St. Peter’s Urban Village, in partnership with Nazarene Theological Seminary and several other organizations, recently reached out to residents of the Blue Hills neighborhood with Refresh, a house-painting program, and also to get to know them. The Blue Hills neighborhood is in St. Therese parish, just northeast of St. Peter’s, between Paseo and Prospect.

The volunteers included students and faculty from Nazarene Theological Seminary, St. Peter’s parishioners and staff, Americorps (National Civilian Community Corps), residents of the Blue Hills neighborhood, several Kansas City police officers, and others in the Kansas City community. Overall, 126 people volunteered during the week of May 16 – 20.

Refresh is part of the mission of Ephraim’s Place Community Center in Toronto, founded in 2007 in memory of 11-year old Ephraim Brown, who was caught in the crossfire of a gangland shootout just steps from his home. The center was founded by Bill Sunberg, pastor of the neighborhood Church of the Nazarene, across the street from where Ephraim died. The community joined in working to ensure such a tragedy would never happen again in their neighborhood. A year later, they decided to reach out to neighbors in need and help spruce up their homes to restore their dignity and pride. Refresh was born.

For the rest of this story, click here. 

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