May 02, 2008 11:07 am
—
Nancy Morton makes no bones about it. She does not want a shelter for the homeless in her neighborhood.
The outspoken member of Joplin’s First Baptist Church made her opinion crystal clear in a story published April 27 concerning the possible sale of the congregation’s former church building at 633 S. Pearl Ave. to the City of Refuge, one of the Joplin ministries that provide food and shelter to Joplin’s homeless population.
For almost two months, Dan Anderson, the pastor in charge of City of Refuge, has been faced with building maintenance and zoning issues that have made it necessary to move his shelter. Anderson has been in the market for a new location since the Joplin City Council voted against a zoning change that would have allowed his ministry to remain in operation in a warehouse at 502 E. Seventh St.
One possible location being considered by Anderson is the building that formerly was home to Morton’s church. Morton believes that the sale of the church building to the ministry will damage property values in her neighborhood and lead to an increase in criminal activity. Morton said that she will encourage her church’s board of trustees to put the decision on hold. Since the story outlining Morton’s position was published, comments highly critical of Morton’s stance have been stacking up in the story comments section at joplinglobe.com.
“Ms. Morton. To be a member of a church, you have a very un-Christian-like attitude. Jesus was homeless. Also, ‘what you do unto the least of these you do unto me’ is a direct quote from the Bible. I pray that you always are able to have a roof over your head. Some people are not homeless by choice.”
— Cheryl
“Mrs. Morton: Thank you for sharing your Christianity with your community! What a sad example you are for the rest of us!”
— CJ
“To Nancy Morton: I agree with you, Nancy; property values are by far the most important thing to consider. I think I read that somewhere in the Bible. Or maybe it was in the “Fame to Riches” book. I can’t remember. Stick to your great values, accumulate a lot of material things, and your track will leave its mark here when you’re gone.”
— Farmer Ted
‘How clueless are you?’
“I live in that neighborhood also, Nancy. I DO NOT want the City of Refuge to buy the church. These homeless people already have Soul’s Harbor. We do not need another homeless shelter for these people to hang out at and lower our already depreciating home values. I will try and fight this from happening as hard as I can.”
— Rich
“Rich, just how clueless are you? Soul’s Harbor can only sleep so many a night. There is a need for more shelters than there already are in the Joplin area. Why do think that there is a tent city? Why do you think that Salvation Army, Watered Gardens, and City of Refuge are here? To look good? I think not.”
— Give ’em a break
“I personally work with the homeless people of Joplin every day of the week. Ninety-seven percent are just down on their luck from bad decisions, the current economy, or just trying to get a better start in life. I agree that neighbors of the new building have a right to ask questions, but please be open-minded about it. We are just asking for a chance to help these people. They need it.”
— Give them a break
‘Snobs and hypocrites’
On Tuesday morning, a group of about 25 downtown Joplin business owners and downtown residents met to discuss the homeless problem and the possible sale of the church building to the Refuge. Many of the Main Street Joplin members present at the meeting expressed concern that the building is not a suitable location for a shelter due to its proximity to a middle school and the possible negative economic impact it would have on downtown redevelopment. The group decided to circulate a petition opposing the sale in hopes it would convince First Baptist Church elders to abandon the sale. Soon after the news of the petition was posted online, dozens of viewers expressed their outrage, and the repeated threat of a downtown business boycott surfaced.
“What a bunch of snobs and hypocrites. I hope these people never get down on their luck and have to depend on the helping hand and kindness of others. All city funding should be cut off for the downtown redevelopment immediately.”
— Former Joplinite
“I think that a boycott is in order for all downtown Joplin businesses involved if this atrocity. Pass the word on! Maybe they will have a change of heart if the playing field between the businesses and the less fortunate is leveled.”
— We the people
“Each member of Main Street Joplin opposing the City of Refuge purchase should ‘adopt’ two homeless people, train them for work, and then the homeless problem would be solved. ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’”
— Truth
‘A nun’s words’
“I expect there are people in our area who are just a couple of paychecks away from being homeless. And, as prices for gas/groceries rise, their numbers may increase. The right thing to do is to provide help for them. Perhaps those who are concerned should consider getting involved with the shelter. If they get to know the people, perhaps they will feel more comfortable with the shelter being in their neighborhood.”
— judy
“Don’t worry, Joplin, I am confident that our community will not let this happen. I for one will fight it. If they persist in putting a homeless shelter somewhere where the entire community objects for it to be, how long do you think it will last before an ordinance is put in place to force it out of business?”
— Confident
“A nun I had in second grade gave our class wisdom which, I for one, have valued and used throughout the years. Take care of the homeless, the sick and the infirmed, because Jesus may at one time come down to Earth to test us on what kind of persons we are. One will never know whether or not the person to whom one gives a helping hand is Jesus or not. So give the hand and you may be helping Christ. If you don’t, you are turning your back on Christ. This philosophy I use to this day, and it has greatly enriched my life in all ways.”
— A Nun’s Words
Dave Woods is new media editor for The Joplin Globe.
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