A small church and a small nonprofit that share a common goal of community service have recently formed a partnership to share space and programs as well.
Shalom Scranton was looking for an office in the Hill Section near its community garden at Vine Street and North Irving Avenue. Just six blocks away, Myrtle Street United Methodist Church opened its doors.
Shalom Scranton, officially the Shalom Community Development Corp. of Greater Scranton, had United Methodist roots when it was formed in 2002. Its programs promote sustainable, local agriculture; nutrition; community building and education through after-school programs.
When Jane Risse, Shalom Scranton's executive director, met the Rev. Josefina Perez, the church's pastor since late 2010, the two "clicked," Ms. Risse said.
"The reason she is there right now is to try to take the church to the community and bring people together," she said. "That's what Shalom is all about, too."
The church has reinvigorated long-standing programs to offer food and clothing and also expanded into new areas, like facilitating performances, community forums, after-school homework help and monthly dinners.
"We're a small-member parish that does big ministry," the Rev. Perez said on Wednesday during a midday rush at the church's food pantry and community closet, where, she said, people in need "shop for free clothing."
The basement rooms are set up like a store, with display racks separated and labeled by size, gender and clothing type, from baby onesies to winter coats. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, registered families can select a set number of articles of clothing and pick up a brown bag filled with enough food for three meals and a breakfast.
The 401st person signed up on Wednesday morning.
Patty Austgen, a church member who directs the food pantry, said Shalom's influence is clear in the church's growing awareness of the nutritional value of the food it provides. Shalom has contributed fresh produce from its community garden and the farmers market for the food pantry and soup dinners held on the third Monday of every month.
Next year, Shalom and the Myrtle Street church plan to offer free "garden to table" cooking classes to teens.
"The beauty of having the collaboration with the church," Ms. Risse said, "is having the kitchen."
Notes of the collaboration even appear in the metaphors the Rev. Perez uses to describe their work: She was inspired to partner with Shalom Scranton on an after-school program for neighborhood children last spring after she saw kids playing in the alley and lot behind the church. She also acknowledged the planning that was necessary for such an undertaking. "You can't just stand in the weedy lot and throw seeds and think it will grow," she said.
The program was successful, with more than two dozen registered children, and the church and nonprofit intend to restart it if they can find an educator to lead it.
The Rev. Perez said she wants the church to be a resource and an expression of love in the community. She uses a question as her guide: "How can we be hope?"
Contact the writer: llegere@timesshamrock.com