Norristown church members hit streets in antiviolence effort

On one of the hottest nights of the year and amid a chilling two weeks of violence, a group of Norristown church members walked the streets of the community with a simple intent: to be seen.

Two young people had been shot and killed in Norristown within nine days. The 20 men and women walked in an effort to curb the violence, but not by overt preaching from the good book.

"As members of churches, we tend to turn the city over and not be out at night," Ralph Gordon said Friday as he stood on the corner of Marshall and George Streets, with the temperature over 90 degrees. "This is an effort to go out and see what's happening and engage the youth, instead of always saying, 'You need to be in church.' "

The Friday and Saturday night walks, from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m., are part of an antiviolence initiative called Seasons of Peace. The effort began in June, when the Greater Norristown Area Ministerium organized a weekend antiviolence event.

The centerpiece was a workshop led by the Rev. Jeffrey Brown, founder of the Boston TenPoint Coalition, a faith-based nonprofit whose plan to help at-risk youth has been adopted in other cities.

The plan, which has a strong antiviolence component, includes the nighttime walks, mentoring, and building partnerships with government and social agencies.

The walks are a way of talking with young people and asking them about their lives, Brown said. It helps to overcome the perception that the church ignores and abandons many in the community.

"We've been there in our own way - aiding the families affected [by violence]," said Bishop Richard McCray, president of the ministerium, "but we need to go out and be there when they're there."

So, on June 25, McCray and Councilman Marlon Millner, also a minister, led the first walk with a small group that hit the streets at 11 p.m.

Organizers plan to expand their efforts and are looking at youth programs and mentoring.

Norristown police plan to work with the group in developing workshops and programming.

"They are reaching out in the community, and that's where the issues are going to be solved," said Lt. Mark Shannon, who is on the Police Department's Norristown Community and Cops Coalition Building Team.

Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman called the ministerium's efforts important and said her office may work with the group.

"How else will we help kids get on the right path without adults to lead them," Ferman said.