'The Well' is making news.

[fsu813]

Great feature on a local faith-based organization/ministry doing fantastic work in the neighborhood.

Sometimes, being “missional” means developing innovative ministries and programs that push churches out of buildings into their communities. At other times it just means paying attention to the calendar.

Susan Rogers and her congregation at The Well at Springfield took advantage of the latter approach Tuesday night after realizing a long planned door-knocking/cookie-delivering event would be occurring on the anniversary of 9-11.

So The Well, a Cooperative Baptist missional church plant in Jacksonville, Fla., quickly added another stop to the 100-plus homes on the list: Fire Station No. 2 in the heart of Springfield.


Not only did a visit to the station in one of the city’s most troubled urban neighborhoods fit into the overall goal of being neighborly, Rogers said, it also was in keeping with the church’s missional purpose.

“It’s an expression of our belief that God does not expect us to passively wait in our church space for people to come to us,” she said.

Not that The Well does much waiting around in their church space.

For one, they don’t have church space. The congregation worships in rented space next door to a Springfield restaurant, and holds office hours in an edgy coffee shop nearby.

Story continues here:
http://www.abpnews.com/ministry/people/ ... FDP5Y1lRfE

[catcamp1644]

Not only did a visit to the station in one of the city’s most troubled urban neighborhoods

Lovely comment

[fsu813]

I guess nuance isn't their thing.

This pocket of a neighborhood isn't the same standard of living/quality of life as one a couple miles away in any direction.

[sue17]

Thanks for posting, Bill. As for the line about Springfield being one of Jacksonville's most troubled neighborhoods...that was not a quote from anyone at The Well nor did it have anything to do with our efforts that night. Our hope has always been to cast a positive light on all of the good things that are happening in the neighborhood!

[JanetD]

Rest assured, Sue...I don't think anyone will think any less of you or The Well because of that unfortunately phrased statement. Just seems to have been written by somebody who is mildly clueless about the neighborhood and perhaps wanted to make the background seem more dramatic than it actually is.

That aside, great idea to visit the guys at The Deuce on 9/11. Can't be too much appreciation shown to them, as far as I'm concerned.

[catcamp1644]

Completely agreed Sue. In no way, shape or form do I think you or anyone in your group made that statement. I think this is a case of a "journalist" trying to add color and drama to the story.

You ROCK Sue!

[Debbie Thompson]

I miss real journalists who report what people say instead of putting words into their mouths and inserting themselves into the story, don't you?

The Well rocks.

[jbm32206]

I thought it was extremely appropriate and very kind of the Well to visit the firefighters. The events of 9/11 hit the fire department very hard, and it's an emotional day for them, throughout the country. No doubt, they truly appreciated the visit.

The comment about the neighborhood is one, I simply ignored and saw the beauty in what the Well had done.