Feb
26
Written by:
host
2/26/2009 7:00 AM
For the past three years, I have been actively involved in the interfaith assistance agency in my community as a board member. We provide emergency rent, utility, and food assistance to persons in our county. Twenty-plus congregations, plus a couple of community organizations, each contribute funds and support to the organization. In addition to this work, I sometimes work the overnight shift at the homeless shelter in my town.
I tell you this not to toot my own horn, but to give you a bit of the context I bring to reading the book in today's review, Loving Our Neighbor: A Thoughtful Approach to Helping People in Poverty, by Beth Lindsay Templeton (2008, iUniverse). This is the resource I really wish I had had before I began to be involved in poverty assistance, because it is comprehensive, relevant, and grounded in personal (not theoretical) experience. Along with the companion study video which I previously reviewed, it should be part of every church's set of resources.
A Comprehensive Resource
Templeton covers virtually every aspect of congregational poverty assistance. Her initial chapters explore biblical themes about poverty, justice, and what it means to love one's neighbor in concrete ways. This material is well-written, theologically- and biblically-sound, and well presented for group study. The middle chapters form the bulk of the book, and cover a wide array of topics about congregational assistance. Some parts deal more on the personal level - i.e. how one should interact with individuals seeking assistance, or the double-standards we each may fall into when talking about poverty. Other chapters explore the various ways a congregation can start, be involved with, or improve existing poverty-related ministries. Finally, the last section of the book discusses the "big picture" about poverty, including a look at economic theory and the difference between charity and justice.
A Relevant Resource
Many congregations are receiving an increasing number of requests for assistance in these difficult economic times. Templeton's book is especially helpful for those congregations or individuals who feel ill-equipped to serve the people in their community who are in need. Those congregations who have more experience with assisting those in poverty will benefit from the book's breadth, discussion questions, liturgical resources (congregational prayers are included with some chapters), and worksheets.
A Resource Based in Real-life Experience
Templeton is a Presbyterian, USA minister who has worked for 25 years at United Ministries, a non-profit organization in Greenville, South Carolina. The book makes frequent reference to actual experiences she and others have had in ministering to those in poverty. I consistently got the feeling while reading the book that the ideas presented are truly in use in her setting, and have been practiced and refined thru years of experience. In addition, much of what I read was consistent with my own experience with this topic.
The only critiques I have of the book are minor, mostly dealing with things I'd like to see added to a future edition of the book. There is no list of recommended resources, though the footnotes do give the reader some idea of where to turn next. Second, I wish the sections related to community and political activism would have been greater, because addressing poverty in a community often requires a systemic, political, and legal approach. Third, the book feels slightly more relevant for a suburban or urban context, and very little in the book addresses differences between rural and urban poverty.
To sum up, I have learned an immense amount of information that will be highly useful to me in both the volunteer and paid work I do, and I strongly commend this resource to you. The book is available in hardcover, paperback and ebook, so pick the format ideal for you!
~ Tim Gossett