Group hits the streets in attempt to gauge city’s ideas on community in ‘Love Walk&#8217

By Dave Thompson

Published: July 26, 2008

Despite temperatures in the high 80s, hours walking inner-city streets, and the general awkwardness of going door-to-door asking for opinions on community problems, participants in Lynchburg’s first “Love Walk” made the impact they hoped for.

The walk’s goal, said the Rev. James Coleman, with Churches United for Service, was to begin solving community violence and drug problems by establishing relationships between area churches and community residents.

Coleman, chairman of the organization’s social justice committee, said the reception the group received Saturday was very positive.

“We found a fully supportive, cooperative group of persons,” Coleman said.

From about 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., with the exception of a lunch break, about 200 individuals pounded pavement in Lynchburg’s inner city areas, including the James Crossing area, the White Rock area and Rivermont Avenue.

Participants approached residents, asking mainly two questions: “If there is one thing that the faith community could do for you, what would it be?” and “What do you think is the greatest need in the

community?”

Responses, Coleman said, ranged from concerns about care for children to job availability and church involvement in the neighborhoods.

The concept for the walk emerged from a series of meetings Coleman held

following the death of 22-year-old Harold Harris, whose body was discovered in the College Hill Recreation Center in May.

Police ruled his death a suicide.

At 9 a.m., upward of 70 people,

ministers and laypeople, adults and children, gathered under the picnic shelter at Miller Park, helping Coleman achieve the first step of his plan.

Nato Tunu, who heads up the street evangelism ministry at Tree of Life Ministries, said he realized the importance of investing in the community through personal outreaches.

“It’s not a one-time event when a problem happens,” he said.

“You’re supposed to build relationships before anything … so when anything happens, you’ve already established a relationship.”

Some Lynchburg city leaders showed up to the event — newly-appointed assistant to the city manager Leslie King, Ward II City Councilman Ceasor Johnson, and Acting Police Chief Maj. Parks Snead — all giving some motivational words before the walk began.

Snead, who walked with the activists all morning and later in the evening, said he didn’t underestimate the importance of a “grassroots effort” like that spearheaded by Coleman.

“A big key to a big part of our community is involvement by ministers and their churches,” Snead said, “because they’re so much a part of the community that when they take on that role of stepping out, it’s significant. It’s a great thing.”

He said he apprised the officers who regularly patrol the area, and let them know it was okay to step in stride with the walkers and offer them any help they needed. The event culminated in an hour-long prayer vigil at Eighth Street Baptist Church, where Coleman said about 75 people ended their day, some having spent the whole day walking the streets.

“The people were so excited about the connection that took place today between the church and the community,” Coleman said.

“We talked with young people, old people, they said they needed prayer, they needed us to come in and help clean up the community. It was just a wonderful, wonderful day.”

“Love Walk II,” Coleman said, is set to begin in Miller Park at 9 a.m. on August 16.