Bishop Julius C. Trimble is the Resident Bishop of the Indiana Area of the United Methodist Church.

Bishop Trimble has the personal mission to encourage all people with the love of Jesus Christ to rise to their highest potential. It is his commitment to his personal mission that led Bishop Trimble to create the “To Be Encouraged” Podcast along with co-host Rev.Dr. Brad Miller.

Bishop Trimble says, “I am compelled by Jesus to share with you an encouraging word or two about Jesus, theology, the Bible, the pandemic, the environment, racism, voting rights, human sexuality, and the state of the United Methodist Church.”

To Be Encouraged with Bishop Julius C. Trimble is to be published weekly and is available at www.tobeencouraged.com and all the podcast directories.

https://www.inumc.org/bishop/office-of-the-bishop/

• Episode 067: ""The Role of Churches in Addressing Urban Violence with Rev. Charles Harrison"

Introduction:

In a episode 067 of the "To Be Encouraged" podcast, Reverend Dr. Brad Miller had the privilege of hosting Reverend Charles Harrison from the Barnes United Methodist Church and the Indianapolis 10-point coalition. This powerful conversation shed light on the pressing issue of urban violence, particularly among young men of color. Here are three key takeaway points from this thought-provoking episode.

1. Urban Violence: A Health Epidemic We Must Address:

One disturbing statistic shared by Rev. Charles Harrison is that half of the deaths of black males between the ages of 12 and 24 are due to homicide. Urban violence is not just a criminal issue; it is a public health crisis. Homicide remains the leading cause of death for black males between the ages of 1 and 44. Recognizing the urgency of this situation, Rev. Harrison emphasizes the need to address urban violence as a health epidemic rather than solely as a law enforcement matter.

2. The Crucial Role of Faith-Based Communities:

Faith-based communities, specifically churches, have a vital role to play in tackling urban violence. The Indianapolis 10-point coalition, an inspiring faith-based group led by Rev. Harrison, aims to address the immediate imbalance on the streets while also targeting the root causes of violence. By utilizing the resources and ministries within churches, such as mental health counselors and peace initiatives, the coalition provides holistic support to individuals and families affected by violence.

One unique aspect of their work is the involvement of former gang members, referred to as OGs (original gangsters), who have transformed their lives. These individuals now advocate for peace within their community. Rev. Harrison highlights the importance of supporting these individuals who have turned to Jesus Christ and are dedicated to making amends for their past actions. Their firsthand experiences and redemption stories play a crucial role in bridging the gap between the faith-based community and those affected by violence.

3. Collaboration and Partnerships as Catalysts for Change:

Addressing urban violence requires collaboration between various stakeholders, including government, law enforcement, organizations, and communities. Rev. Charles Harrison emphasizes the importance of building relationships and effective communication to bring about lasting change. The Indianapolis 10-point coalition has successfully reduced murders 20 times since implementing its strategies in 2016. Their partnership-based approach involves engaging with individuals involved in gangs or drug activities, providing alternatives, and resolving conflicts without violence.

Furthermore, the significance of addressing mental health within communities cannot be understated. Rev. Harrison suggests that churches should have mental health counselors to provide support and counseling to individuals and families affected by violence. By viewing mental health as a vital aspect of overall well-being, churches can address the underlying issues that contribute to urban violence. This approach is transferable, adaptable, and can be applied in various settings, including suburban, small town, and rural areas.

Conclusion:

The conversation between Rev. Dr. Brad Miller and Rev. Charles Harrison at the Annual Conference sheds light on the critical issue of urban violence and offers hope for change. By viewing urban violence as a health epidemic, involving faith-based communities, and fostering collaboration and partnerships, we can work towards reducing violence, creating safer communities, and providing support to those affected. As we address this pressing issue, let us remember that change begins with each one of us, taking small but meaningful steps towards a brighter future.

To Contact Rev. Charles Harrison

Barnes United Methodist-Indianapolis IN

RevHarrison@aol.com

good. Okay. Cool. Cool. Cool. Cool. Alright. We'll just jump into

this, and we'll just free will it. Okay? Okay. Sounds good. Alright. This is

reverend Doctor Brad Miller coming to you on the lives stream

from the Indiana conference of the United Methodist Church.

Tremendous turnout 1200 delegates devoted laypersons

and clergy from all around Indiana who are here

to celebrate and pray things forward No turning back is the theme of the

conference. But, also, here particularly on this day,

as we come together, many people were wearing orange shirts and or

buttons that indicate the fight

against gun violence. And we have with us now as our guest.

We have Reverend Charles Harrison from Indianapolis, Indiana,

and you're very involved with this. But Charles, first of all, tell us your your

name of the church you're from, and little bit about the context you you that

you serve in. Yes. My name is Charles Harrison, and I

am the Pastra Barnes United Methodist Church in Indianapolis. On the

west side in the end. I am also the

board president of the board of directors of the

Indianapolis 10 point coalition, which is a faith based group

that addresses the issue of urban violence as

it impacts young men of color between the

ages of twenty four and down to twelve

years old. So we we focus on that group

because half the deaths of black males between the

ages of twelve and twenty four years old is homicide.

So it is really You know, one of the things

that that really concerns us, you know, is

is the impact of urban violence among

young man. And and and and even though we focus on

12 24, we even deal with

with people younger too because from the age

of one years old to forty four, homicide is the leading

cause of death of black males this country. It is really in a

way, it's an epidemic, isn't it terrible? It is it is epidemic. It is

epidemic. It is a health epidemic. that we must

address, and we we cannot ignore it. And and that's where the

churches came in, the faith based community. We felt like

that we could have an impact on urban

violence as we came together to address

both the media balance on the street, and

then the underlying root causes a balance. And and we really

wanted to focus on what we felt were root causes and

use the the resources and the ministries that churches already

have in place to try to address those causes, but

then send individuals like myself

and and OGs, which is a term that use

for original gangsters or individuals who at

one time were the problem in the seventies, eighties, nineties. Many

of them have went to prison, came out of prison, turned their life

around, turned their lives, you know,

into being advocates for for peace in the

community. And I really like it because Lalim gave their life to Jesus Christ.

They were sitting in our churches, and they wanted to help clean up what they

have once messed up. Of cleanup, what they once messed up. So let's

talk about kinda how that's working, how that going, how's it being

Implemented, you said you've got the OGs here. You've got the program's faith based

community. Tell me about how it's being implemented, like, on the street.

how what are people doing? And how how effective is

Well, Indi Ten Point has 6, what we call, hotspot

areas in the city of Indianapolis, and most of

those hot spot areas have been designated by the city

as areas that we we have seen a lot of

non fatal shootings homicides,

murders, and other criminal activity,

burglary, card jacking and those things. So we

focus at, you know, 29th in MLK. That's one

area. The Butler talking to neighborhood,

Crown Hill, we we divided in 2 sections, Highland

vicinity, and then we're on the far east side because we have a 10

point there from Thirty Eighth Street TO 42nd Street

Between Mid Hoffer And German Church Road. And what our

oldies do is they engage in the schedules on the streets

who may be in gangs or neighborhood clicks, maybe selling

drugs, or they just may be involved in some kind of criminal

activity that typically leads to gun

violence, and they engage them on the streets,

trying to provide alternatives for them, trying them to put down the

package, to put down the gun, and also talking to

them about ways to resolve conflicts that

does not result into violence. So we spend a lot of time,

you know, dealing with these these gains, these clicks,

drug dealers in these neighborhoods, who normally are gonna be

the victims or the perpetrators of violent crime providing for

them some kind of alternative to the life that they're living.

And and and and the effect of it is since 2016,

You know, we have implemented this new strategy in those in in

about eight areas total because there are some

areas that we're not doing today that we were doing, you know,

almost 8 years ago. Twenty times, we have seen

a 100% reduction in murders. It's 20 times.

We just completed a year in in our six

areas, and 5 of our six areas had a 100%

reduction in murders, and that's the effectiveness of it. It is astounding.

Yeah. We we cannot stop at all, but what our goal is

how do we reduce the frequency of violence in those

areas, and and that's our goal each year. Yeah. He talked to the kind of

the point of contact that, you know, all the streets production of murder

and reduction. That's great success. Thank you for sharing that.

But systematically, we still have issues. Right. Government,

policing, social morays,

you know, the availability of guns. because there are any ways

that 10 point coalition or the churches can work with the

societal structures to help make

an impact there. Well, well, certainly, in in the area of of

police in particularly communities of color.

We just finished having a

conversation between residents

in in in one of the hot spot areas and law enforcement because I think

part of the issue is is getting the patrol officers

who are patrolling those neighborhoods to have conversation, particularly

with young men of color, who tend to be the

victims of police misconduct and yet

police have their own concerns in patrolling these neighborhoods

and beginning the kind of conversations between community

and law enforcement to try to build trust, to try

to build relationship and understand from

each perspective what some of the concerns are that each side

has and try to build bridges so that we could begin to

work on how do we improve the relationships

between law enforcement, reduced the level of

police brutality, police misconduct, and also on

our end, how do we address the

fears and concerns that law enforcement may have that

sometimes lead to inappropriate behavior by who

are, you know, sworn to to uphold and and and and and

and protect the residents in the areas that they patrol. It's all

you're looking more on a partnership model working together a model than kind of

a, whatever, antagonistic model or, you know, we we've

butt heads against one other. Let me ask you 1 or 2 other quick things,

and let let you go and join rejoin the conference. You

know, we've been talking mostly in the urban environment and and people of color.

But violence and gun violence is not limited to this to there. Right. It

is in the suburbs. It's in the small towns. It's in the rural areas.

What are some transferable principles that you have learned through

your work at Barnes UMC and the churches you work with at Tiv Point Coalition,

which may be transferable principles to those people who are concerned

in whatever community that they are in. Well well, one of the things that we

really focus on that that really is a big issue right now is

is understanding the whole issue of mental health and

and getting people to have conversations about this

issue of mental health. And when there are mental health

issues in families, how do we help

people get the kind of help for their loved one that is

needed so that it doesn't lead to something very tragic.

And we're really focusing on that issue.

And, you know, particularly some of our

churches have mental health counselors now the churches.

So we're trying to take, you know, counseling

in the areas of our city where we tend to have large

numbers of people who are suffering from trauma -- Yeah. -- and mental health,

and and it's becoming a focus. And and I think that will work anywhere. I

think it's almost in in in all of our families. There may be someone there

that are suffering from mental health, and we don't always know how to

get the right help as a parent. you know, as a

family member and and then some as a pastor, I certainly

have members of my congregation that come to me

not knowing what the resources are and tools that are available to

help their family member. So the mental health issue, pastors and church leaders

certainly can make themselves available -- Yes. -- and implement -- Yes. --

mental health -- Yes. -- services, ministries, and so on -- Yep. -- as a

part of dealing with Yeah. And and and partnering with hospitals

and other mental health providers in in

providing these kind of services, I I think that is very important that

the church community bills those kind of relationships so

that they have referrals that they can make to people

who are suffering mental health issues. Awesome. Awesome. Let's ask one more

thing. Okay. You're wearing the orchard, other than wearing the orchards for awareness. Yes.

And a certain good thing about be awareness But what I wanna ask you,

sir, is the theme of Bishop Triple's podcast is to be encouraged.

What are you encouraged about in this whole

conversation we've been talking about here today. Well, I I'm encouraged that we have a

whole denomination in in churches all over the state

of Indiana that are united methodists that are engaged in

this conversation. I I think it's important if we're

gonna to really address this issue of gun violence in this

country. We all have to be more engaged in having conversation

not allowing it to be so politicized that we no

longer listen to each other on each side of this whole

debate. and find ways that that we can come together

and find common ground to end this epidemic

that is crippling our country today. But, Charles, if if

anybody who's listening to our podcast in livestream today wants to know more

about the 10 point coalition or about you, there a way people can reach out

to you to find out more? Yes. Yes. You you can contact

me at the Barnes United Methodist Church

317-923-9197,

or they can email me at revharrison@aol.com.

We'll put connections to that at our website, which is tobeencouraged.com.

Our guest today on to be encouraged with Fisher Julius C

Trimble, Reverend Charles Harrison from the Barnes United Methodist

Church and the 10 point coalition, our guests here today, at

the Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. Thank you, Charles. Thank