A Unity that Brings Freedom
By: Kayleigh Clark, Lead Pastor at the Uniontown Free Methodist Church and Set Free Movement Leader
When I was in middle school, the Disney Channel phenomenon, “High School Musical” debutedafter a year of advertisement and hype. “We’re All In This Together,” was the moral of the story told by Disney through basketball games and play practices. As cheesy as the dance moves may have been, Disney was on to something. If I have learned anything from roughly a year of urban ministry and seeking to engage in the work of Set Free, it is that we can accomplish more when we know that we are all in this together.In my particular context, it is not directly working with victims of trafficking or providing training and education around the issue of human exploitation that we have been able to do. Rather we have been working to protect and serve vulnerable communities in order to bring about community change. We believe that by working to care for the most vulnerable, whether that means families in poverty or victims of violence, we are also working to prevent trafficking within those populations. However, this is no small task and one church or group cannot do it alone.
This summer the violence in our city skyrocketed. We experienced 4 fatal shootings in one neighborhood. Caring for the families of the victims and creating space for lamenting was something we knew God desired for us to do, and also knew this would require us to partner with others. We joined other churches, the NAACP, and local community members to plan a prayer vigil and time of remembrance. Around 100 people, including local government officials and law enforcement and the families of each of the 4 victims, all came. Without the numerous community members who partnered with us, we would not have been able to serve such a large segment of our hurting community. We made an impact that evening as the neighborhood witnessed churches, community organizations, law enforcement, and others working together across racial and socioeconomic lines. It was the unity of the Kingdom coming to life, a unity that brings freedom.
Kayleigh Clark is the lead pastor at the Uniontown Free Methodist Church. She loves Jesus, loves his church, and loves being a part of what God is doing through his church. She is a 4th generation pastor and is married to her best friend Nate.