Many naysayers point to the decline of America as our community values crumble. Here is a story of how a small group is reaching out to reunite and rebuild.

At the Wayman AME Church in North Minneapolis, we strive to connect with our surrounding community on all levels to support growth and family. During the holiday season, we hold a toy drive for local children, and this summer, Wayman AME Church on 7^th Ave North in Minneapolis will put our values to action again by hosting a block party for the community.

Our goal with this event is to reunite North Minneapolis, an area of the city that has been hard-hit by crime in recent years. This is an opportunity to make everyone aware of our presence and ongoing efforts to reach out and touch the lives of others. We will close off 7th Ave to celebrate with music, the crowning of Miss Seventh Avenue, competitions for dance, rap and singing, and most importantly food. Our church is famous for cook-offs. The first lady of our church is from New Orleans… need I say more? With this event, our church is reaching out to all of the people in the surrounding neighborhood, but the welcome mat is also extended to the entire metropolitan area and beyond.

When I moved to North Minneapolis from Georgia in the mid-70s with family members, we only locked our doors at night. Everyone was friendly and courteous, but unfortunately North Minneapolis has changed and many people have left this once vibrant community. I joined Wayman in the late-70s, and at that time most of the congregation lived in North Minneapolis. Today only about 15% of our 750 members live in the immediate area.

The excitement at our church about the block party is growing, and we have support from local busineses and corporate sponsors. We anticipate this event being so sucessful that we make it an annual one. And hopefully, it helps to jumpstart the growth and revitalization of North Minneapolis.  

If you live in Minnesota or plan to be in town during this event, please join in this effort. The block party will be held on Saturday, July 23^rd from 11:00am to 7:00pm. And if you have a grassroots story about building community locally, please share it here. You may inspire others.

Read more blogs at SCG’s 41 Stories.

-Carol Payne

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