Parking the Homeless at First Presbyterian Church
By now you’ve seen or read this story about First Presbyterian Church downtown offering its parking lot as a large, outdoor shelter for downtown homeless. I’m still trying to conjure what to make of it. The first thought that comes to mind is the old saw about what happens when you put out food for strays. And then it occurs that, on the face of it, it certainly seems like the Christian thing to do. But then, I’m not so sure. Let’s jump.
Okay, so Rev. Joe Clifford says that he’s trying to love his neighbors and aid the poor — all standard stuff in Christian ethos. But offering them a parking lot? That puts me in the mind of when people in Los Angeles and San Francisco spent hundreds of thousands to provide the homeless with free shopping carts. Is that really a solution?
Then there’s the issue of the church’s neighbors. They’re not too happy about a homeless camp sprouting up next door. Sure, the church should be free to do what it wants on its own property. But how would Rev. Clifford or his congregation members feel if someone set up a similar deal next to their homes and businesses?
I could be way off, but this seems more like grandstanding than genuine ministering to the poor. Your thoughts? Comments on.
19 Comments to “Parking the Homeless at First Presbyterian Church”
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Seems to me the Rev. Clifford just wants to give some homeless people a safe place to sleep. He acknowledges that it’s a temporary solution. Doesn’t grandstanding require more, well, grandstanding?
Neighbors? There is the abandoned Lone Star Gas building on one side, a surface parking lot on the other, then the Farmers Market down the street. Who is complaining?
Have you driven down Park, or Ervay, or any of the adjoining streets in the early morning to see where they are sleeping now? I say where’s the harm?
Gwyon, good point. But not all grandstanding requires you to grab the bullhorn. Sometimes it’s smarter to create the circumstances under which others become compelled to grab it.
John —
http://www.myfoxdfw.com/myfox/.....geId=1.1.1
Is it grandstanding to uphold one of the basic tenets of civil society as well as Christianity and Judaism?
Deut. 15:7. If there is a poor man among you, one of your brothers, in any of the towns of the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand to your poor brother; but you shall freely open your hand to him, and generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks.
But is allowing them to sleep in the parking lot REALLY fulfilling that credo? In the Old Testament, in the laws given to Israel, provision was made not for the poor to languish in the same circumstances, but to actively feed and cloth themselves in time. Think of Naomi and Ruth - poor, yes, but Ruth took advantage of a provision that allowed her to glean dropped grain from the fields during harvest.
If they were out there helping them get the social services they needed, so they could live not on the streets but in a home, that would be fulfilling Biblical command. Merely letting them bunk on a parking lot you’re not using for the next few hours may provide them with a measure of security, but it’s not addressing the actual problem.
In summary: the Rev. Clifford isn’t doing too much, he’s not doing enough; however, in not doing enough he’s still grandstanding, even though technically he’s not personally grandstanding but only creating conditions in which others might grandstand.
I live near Ervay and I-30. As soon as the city finds a way to shut down what the church is doing, the homeless will go back to their usual places in my neighborhood. It’s a never-ending problem. When the new shelter opens in the spring, there will be some improvement. But there will always be a small number of the homeless that do not want to be in a shelter or home or assistance program. It’s how the city deals with those people that I’m interested in.
Bethany,
I think the point of the Stewpot IS to provide social services. It does far more than give them a cup of soup each day–it provides help with basic identification documents, legal documents, a voicemail system so that homeless people trying to find a job can provide a phone number to potential employers, and basic medical and dental care. Please visit http://thestewpot.org/ to better understand how First Presbyterian is trying to help the homeless.
The parking lot situation was a direct reaction to the city’s decision to crimilize the homeless, not part of some planned ministry. There may very well be a better solution and the church leaders are trying to come up with one, but this is the best the church can do at the moment. The only other option was to do nothing, which was an unacceptable choice.
Neil
I think the better summary would be that if a church - any church - wishes to begin a homeless ministry, that church should a) make sure they’re doing something that is actually a ministry (i.e., making things better), and b) do more than dip a toe in.
You can’t see progress with piecemeal, make-shift effort - especially in this case where there are people affected by this decision that really had no say in it, such as the people that live and work in the area surrounding the church.
Don’t get me wrong - it’s a lovely gesture, but perhaps there are better ways and means to address the problem.
How is doing all of that doing nothing? That is the sort of thing I have been involved in before - something that produces a lot more personal pride than sleeping in a church parking lot does.
I guess I’ve always been a “teach a man to fish” kind of girl, you know?
While I don’t know if I’d go so far as to besmirch the motive behind the parking lot offer, I just think that with a little more thought into it, maybe people wouldn’t have minded so much. I think of it as inviting the neighbors to the party you’re having, so they don’t call the cops on the party you’re having.
But I admire any group who tries to tackle the issue of homelessness in a city where it’s basically illegal to be homeless.
It appears to me that the option was to have the clients of the Stewpot rounded up by police every evening or give them a spot to sleep. The church chose to do the later.
I think the Reverend is right to do it.
And I wonder if we could retire the homeless/stray animal connection?
I find it deeply troubling on several levels.
Apparently, most of the commenters have no idea that THIS CHURCH and THIS MINISTRY have for years been trying ON THEIR OWN to minister to these throwaway people, as their Christian consciences compel them by feeding them and helping them obtain what few social services are available for them. They offered up the parking lot when the City of Dallas tried to sweep these people off the streets, like yesterday’s trash. I am not a Christian, but most of you are. You should be happy that these Christians lead by example.
I just went by the church, it is totally clean during the day.
Ship them to Collin County - it’s about time they took some responsibility instead of freeloading at Parkland and expecting us to take care of the region’s poor.
The Church is providing a safe spot for those who refuse or cannot find a shelter spot. They CAN legally do that since the individuals sleeping in the parking lot are there with permission. However, if they take the residents inside they suddenly become a shelter which requires a permit the City of Dallas will never give them. They would shut it down in a minute!
I am ashamed that the City of Dallas has not resolved this need with a “safe” outdoor area for those not sleeping in shelters. A simple fix until the new center opens. It can be done and should be done.
I support this church 100% my mother is out there. I sat with her yesterdat while she ate her dinner last night. Everyone homeless person doesn’t shoot up drugs and stuff. A lot of them are mental patients and need help. The state of Texas does minimal for the mental ill and I see know the city of dallas is doing the same. We live in city that cares more about profits than people. Again,I would like to thank the church for what its doing. And thank you for providing a security guard for them. God bless
Let’s not Throw our love ones away,or kick them to the curve.
what this Pastor,and church is doing is great
and a Blessing to the Dallas area..,
the Homeless need to know Christ Jesus Love them too.
Matthew 25:34-40 Do you Recognize…Jesus?