The Plan

MISSION:

To equip and empower children and families living in poverty with the resources and opportunities to break the cycle of poverty and hopelessness.

VISION:

Holistically restored communities with indigenous leadership fully engaged in the process of transformation.

STRATEGY:

To implement a city-wide comprehensive faith-based strategy to address the cycle of poverty and hopelessness in communities of need through a suburban church and urban ministry partnership initiative. This strategy is based on the principles of Christian Community Development defined as “The Three R’s”:

• Relocation: Those living in the community best understand how to lead efforts to restore the community. There is a leadership deficit in our inner city communities. We need people to relocate, return and remain in the communities of need to help lead its restoration.
  
• Redistribution: Our inner city communities are under resourced. We need to channel resources in such a way that children and families living in the community can break the cycle of poverty and the community can be restored.
  
• Reconciliation: The barriers between people such as class and race have been broken in Christ. People will only see and experience this as people act in faith to cross these barriers through their actions.
  

PLAN:

To facilitate partnerships among urban ministries with suburban churches.
In order to address the multifaceted needs of urban communities, this plan calls for churches along with other sources, to provide the resources and a volunteer base to come along side urban ministries to strengthen their effect in the community. City Vision will mobilize and train those individuals desiring to make a long term impact with the poor and partner them with local leadership within the community of need

STRUCTURE:

Church Partners and Community Partners

• Church Partners: Church Partners are offered consultation and training, and agree to “adopt” specific communities in need. They are linked with Community Partners.
• Community Partners: Community partners are offered consultation and training, and agree to prepare a plan for their ministry to train, place and encourage dozens of volunteers and the resources that accompany them. Each Community Partner will develop a tour, volunteer job descriptions and information session to share the needs of their community.

Deliverables:

1. Training classes and conferences: City Vision will develop training and equipping through a variety of classes available to both Church and Community Partners. Local conferences will also be hosted by City Vision and other local ministries in proven practices of Christian Community Development.
2. Internships: City Vision will assist Community Partners in recruiting and training interns.
3. Indigenous Leadership Development: Support and training will be provided to leadership in communities who are currently overwhelmed and under-resourced.
4. Community Churches: City Vison is committed to the strengthening or planting of urban churches which will address the felt needs within their community.
5. Holistic Efforts: The gospel will be taken to these communities through the development of a holistic approach addressing spiritual, social, physical and emotional needs. This will be directed by the Community Partners and include things such as Bible Studies, tutoring, After School programs, mentoring, housing, jobs, education and other felt needs.
6. Reconciliation: The connection between Community Partners and Church Partners will result in relationships that cross social, economic and racial barriers.
7. Results: City Vision's strategy will allow for both the Community Partners and Church Partners to see tangible results as evidence of God's work through this ministry.

EMERGING OPPORTUNITES:

1. "Halftime Columbus" is a movement within 20 churches in Columbus, helping those in their second "half" of life to develop a personal mission statement to move from success to significance. City Vision has been asked to mobilize, train and strategically match those "Halftimers" who desire to impact the poor with community leadership in the urban ministries of Columbus.
2. Community Partners. Currently there are ten Community Partners with many more requesting to become partners.
3. 3. A replicable plan that could serve as a model to other cities. City Vision has already established relationships in Akron, Cincinnati, Dayton, Cleveland, Buffalo (NY) and Pine Ridge Resevation (SD) where opportunities exist to strengthen their work amongst the poor. Jim is actively involved with ministries in several of these areas.

FUNDING:

To accomplish it's mission, City Vision offers the opportunity to partner in this effort to individuals, churches, foundations, corporations, and government sources.

BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE:

As the founder of City Vision, Jim Swearingen will bring over 15 years of experience living and working in the South Linden community as the Executive Director of Urban Conern, a ministry of Xenos Christian Fellowship. In addition Jim was ordained in 1981 and has planted and co-pastored several home churches since that time.

Current Board Positions:

• Dayspring Christian Community Development Corporation: a holistic ministry of Rhema Christian Center currently focused on affordable housing in Columbus, Ohio.
• Christian Community Development Association (CCDA): an association of over 600 Christian ministries serving in inner city and low-income areas across the country and around the world.
• Oyate Concern: a community development ministry on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.

Awards:
During Jim’s tenure Urban Concern received numerous local and national awards including: The Point of Light Award presented by the White House on behalf of President George Bush Sr.; The Mustard Seed Award presented by World Vision; The Community Service Award presented by the Columbus Dispatch, and The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award from the Columbus Education Association among others.