— by Reverend John Edgar
An inspiring, real-life story of building a radically inclusive urban community, by the leader of the most diverse United Methodist church in the nation.
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"An amazing and moving book! Should be required reading for those engaged in urban ministries as well as social workers, neighborhood organizers, and community development professionals."
“In A Front Porch for All People, John Edgar has issued a clarion call for every church to fall in love with its neighborhood. I believe that call originates in the heart of God who came and settled in with us in Jesus of Nazareth. Casting our lot with communities may transform them but most assuredly will transform the church.”
“John Edgar is one of the most effective and foremost thinkers on how to connect with the people in your community. In A Front Porch for All People, he details from firsthand experience why and how to connect with the people in your community. This book is invaluable to congregational leaders and nonprofit organizations that seek to connect with, engage, and involve the people in your community. His practical illustrations and clear strategies make this a must-read.”
“An amazing and moving book! Should be required reading for those engaged in urban ministries as well as social workers, neighborhood organizers, and community development professionals. Regardless of one’s own faith, John Edgar’s positive, asset-based community development approach will resonate and inspire. The book describes a dozen or more impactful initiatives, each worthy of its own case study, that meet vital community needs through creative engagement and collaboration.”
“Committed, Connected, Community.” In 1999 a small group of Central Ohio district leaders of the United Methodist Church had a vision. They wanted to launch a new ministry they named the Free Store. The Free Store would make available gently used clothing and household items donated by suburban and rural United Methodist churches to low-income people free of charge. In his book “A Front Porch for All People,” John Edgar, Pastor Emeritus of the United Methodist Church for All People, shares the journey that began in a small rented store front located in an inner-city neighborhood on the South Side of Columbus to what is now, 24 years later, a church and not for profit organization that provides a multitude of services that impact the lives of thousands of members of the community. Those services have been life changing for both the providers and the recipients. Pastor John’s unwavering focus on his understanding that because we live in a divine economy of abundance meant that the means needed to provide these important services were always available. The book is a collection of stories that share how Pastor John and many others worked tirelessly to find various ways to channel that divine abundance of material resources and human energy into creating a ministry that was committed to connect with all members of the community, no matter who they are. In the final chapter of the book Pastor John reflects back on the past 24 years and the future ahead for the ministry. “When we pause and look back with eyes of faith, we see the fingerprints of God’s amazing grace everywhere, the secret ingredient shaping all our endeavors. We know God is not finished with us nor with the South Side. We continue to work with God to advance the positive transformation, by drawing more and more folks into an awareness of the divine dimensions of this journey.” It is impossible when reading “A Front Porch for All People” to not be inspired by Pastor John’s personalized accounts of the positive transformations, guided by faith, that have and will continue to impact the Columbus South Side community and the many people of that community.
Love in Spain is a romance novel written by Ashlea Bradley. It tells the story of two young people who met each other and fell in love in Madrid during lockdown era of Covid-19. A heartwarming tale of friendship, romance, and betrayal took place in one of the most breathtaking places on the planet.
"My mind was drifting over the evening’s events when an epiphany, like a racing electric shock, jolted me to the core. No one else was in the car, but I exclaimed aloud, 'Oh my God, what if it is actually true?'..."
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Rev. Edgard led Community Development for All People (CD4AP) from 2003 to 2022. CD4AP, a faith-based organization serving the Southside of Columbus, has developed $125 million in affordable housing and operates award-winning health and wellness initiatives, often in collaboration with Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
The Free Store, a flagship ministry of CD4AP, provides free clothing and household items to 20,000 persons each year. The All People’s Fresh Market provides fresh fruits and vegetables to more than 350 families every day and has grown to be one of the largest distribution site of free food in central Ohio.
Rev. Edgar has a Master of Divinity degree, cum laude from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree in sociology, magna cum laude from Miami University.
— Keep up with John's speaking events and news related to building inclusive communties
