Welcome to The YARD

How does a church become missional?

That question motivates my work at Stones River Church (SRC) as much as anything else. Others wiser and more experienced than I have been attempting to answer it for some time, and their writings are indispensable. But practical, feasible, local answers are elusive. Inertia is monstrously powerful, and becoming is a kind of miracle.

I am convinced, nonetheless, that part of the answer definitely lies in the practice of hospitality. This practice is complex, but let me focus on its essence. By hospitality, I mean making space for others. As God has opened the divine life for the sake of communion with humanity (John 17:20–23), the church community that opens its life for the sake of communion with its neighbors takes a step in the direction of participation in God’s mission. But opening congregational life means, concretely, making space—actual space—for that fellowship. Doing so in contextually meaningful ways is full of challenges. Moreover, making space specifically for neighbors who live on the margins of society, as Jesus so often encourages us to do, entails special difficulties.

To my delight, SRC has chosen to make such a space. As I mentioned in a previous update, we have named this space The Yard because our property includes, well, a yard where we stage a great deal of hospitality. In the last year, it has become a place where many of Murfreesboro’s recently incarcerated and homeless know they are welcome. Adjacent to the green space is a house called Taylor Place whose kitchen, living room, and bathrooms are regularly open to these neighbors.

Partnering in Hospitality

The most significant development in the last six months is a partnership with Sanctuary Homeless Refuge, a mobile food ministry that now provides meals at The Yard twice a week. The chief protagonist of this ministry is Randy Lee Bowen (affectionately called LeeBo). He collects and prepares the donations of a number of Nashville-area businesses that make these meals a delicious blessing. The Friday “Grillin’ and Chillin'” events are especially popular. Sanctuary pulls up a trailer equipped with three large grills, and a cookout of epic proportions ensues. We serve steak, chicken, pork chops, sausages, and more, accompanied by nutritious and filling sides cooked by Leebo and his team.

Two other partnerships have arisen from SRC making space. The first is with Tammy Poteete. She has served the homeless for many years in Murfreesboro and recently founded Bethesda House Ministries to further this work. In a wonderful turn of events, Tammy and Leebo were married last month! Our second partnership is with Carolyn Young, who has been independently preparing and serving meals for the homeless for twenty years. She cooks week in and week out with extremely limited resources, and she knows virtually everyone on the street in Murfreesboro. Her help has been vital, and, happily, she now attends SRC on Sunday mornings.

Transitional Ministry

In regard to transitional ministry, Julie Hadlock continues to lead us in service to neighbors recently released from prison. (Last year, Tennessee designated anyone who has been labeled as a felon, a convict, a criminal, an offender, or a parolee as “justice-involved individuals.” This strikes me as a silly bit of jargon, which I will henceforth ignore.) We have placed a number of parolees in transitional housing and helped them restart their lives. Julie’s energy, dedication, and sacrifice are an inspiration. I have learned a great deal from her and give thanks to God that she has joined us at The Yard.

The Shed continues to funnel a tremendous amount of donated clothing and basic resources to our neighbors. Julie not only curates and distributes these donations, she also manages the volunteers who regularly organize The Shed. She has secured the donation of a second storage building, which is soon to be installed at The Yard. It will serve as an intake facility, so the current building can function solely as a storefront.

The Shed serves both homeless and recently incarcerated neighbors. It is open to those who come for meals at The Yard, but it also provides necessaries for those seeking to begin again after prison. Despite the frequent overlap of these two groups, since many homeless people find themselves under arrest at some point, those who come out of prison are often hesitant to affiliate with the homeless. They seek, instead, to live in transitional housing, find a job, and make their own way as soon as possible. Still, some show up for a meal, particularly within one or two days after their release. Increasingly, these connections allow us to help neighbors in transition find housing and work. One recent example is a young man named Charlie. With nowhere else to go, he came to The Yard for a meal. As I talked with him, it was clear that he desired to stay sober and pursue a new life. I connected him with Julie, and he is now living in a transitional house and working a steady job. He has attended SRC a few times. Thanks be to God for such opportunities. May our endeavor to make space be a witness to God’s kingdom!

Not all stories are so happy. I met Brittany inside the workhouse, the low-security facility to which well-behaved inmates transition before release. After her release, she began working at The Yard under Julie’s guidance. Hers was a joyful presence, and she was eager to serve others in Jesus’s name. But after a few weeks, she tragically overdosed and died. This loss is hard to express. Too many who find themselves in the criminal justice system cannot escape the cycles that resulted in their incarceration. Brittany was a friend and colleague. We mourn with her family and long for the redemption that can save us all from our addictions.

Thanks be to God, who gives us hope in every circumstance and calls us to make space for our most vulnerable neighbors. And thanks to all who support this good work.