Mecklenburg Ministries delivered a powerful, practical message Tuesday (June 9): The faith community might not be able to cure this troubled economy, but it can surely comfort those caught in the storm.

At a rare gathering of 140 clergy and laity from more than 80 congregations and ministries, a consensus came quickly, followed by a wealth of ideas to bring that conviction to life. In a time when so many people are out of work, houses of worship have more opportunities than perhaps they know to help the unemployed through job support groups, counseling and more. This can be “an individualistic, climb-the-ladder-by-yourself sort of world,” our Rev. George Ragsdale told the gathering. But it must also be a world, he said, in which the faith community reaches down to help the fallen get on their feet.

Mecklenburg Ministries, the interfaith coalition to which our church belongs, sponsored the lunch to more aggressively share nuts-and-bolts ideas on what congregations can do. Look to www.meckmin.org for all the ideas, including a list of faith-based job support groups. And remember, the Career Connection at Myers Park meets at 10:00 a.m. every other Wednesday. Contact Rev. George Ragsdale at 704-295-4840 or george@mpumc.org for help.

At the luncheon at Park Road Baptist Church, Ragsdale shared our Career Connection, which draws 25 or so to its meetings for prayer and practical advice. It’s that blend – reading from Scripture, then introducing a speaker on writing resumes or doing interviews – that speaks to people.

The Rev. Lib McGregor Simmons said Davidson College Presbyterian Church pairs a church member with a participant in its job support group – a one-on-one way to offer a listening ear. She had other suggestions: Offer child care during job support meetings, reach out to spouses and children of those out of work, make sure there’s financial help for those needing counseling.

Dana McDonald of University Park Baptist Church said her church offers a job networking group to exchange leads, and a Career Night to learn more about professions and industries.

This was faith in the real world – participants taking notes, and taking nitty-gritty ideas back to their houses of worship:

Make sure your job support group is open to the congregation and community. Signs in the yard will make sure passersby get the word. Use Facebook and Linked In to help spread that word. Another way to spread the word: Through The Charlotte Observer’s events planner found at charlotte.com. One participant said his church started a “working man’s” Website as another platform from which to communicate and connect. Start an accountability group – a No BS group, one man called it – to make sure people are making the calls and doing the networking they pledged to make. A key: Keep people from slipping into isolation, and dejection. Host a Volunteer Job Fair so folks know how they can feel useful during their down time. Open up your house of worship for people to come and make calls, work on their laptop (offer free Internet access) and get away from the commotion at home. Give them free coffee and pastry while they’re at it. Offer free credit and money-management counseling. Learn more about job-related Websites (government, nonprofits and others), then share that knowledge with individuals.

Sharing.

Responding to the needs of the day.

Doing it because we are driven by the faith we follow to act, to love, to love again and again. No matter what we believe, the words from Isaiah that opened the meeting come from the heart of us all:

Build up, build, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people’s way.