Since the beginning of the Empowerment Network, pastors and faith leaders have been an integral part of the structure, leadership and collaborative initiatives and successes. Even before the formal Network was launched, pastors from different denominations provided insights, revelation, and priorities to help form the original covenants and strategies.
As a group, pastors and faith leaders decided to focus on 10 key strategies:
1. Relationship building (Across the city and denominations)
2. Communication (Issues, Opportunities, Resources and Work of the Church)
3. Prayer (Individual and Corporate)
4. Mobilization of Members (Support Empowerment Network community-based initiatives)
5. Raise the Vote! (Voter Education and Mobilization)
6. Adopt-A-School (Mentoring, Coordination of Services, Partnerships)
7. Adopt-A-Block (which has evolved into Village Stakeholders)
8. Adopt-A-Cell (Jail, Prison and now Detention Centers)
9. Church-based Economics (Support and Grow Businesses)
10. Active participation with other covenant areas: Education, Economics, Housing, Violence Prevention and Voter Participation.
Over time, reentry and youth-related initiatives were also added as key strategies. It’s exciting to report 10 years later, the Pastors and Faith Leaders Covenant group is continuing to grow, expand and lead significant work in the community. Over 100 ministries have participated and hundreds more are making a measurable impact in the community.
Pastors and faith-based organizations are providing leadership with voting, school partnerships, reentry programs, youth outreach activities, home ownership and partnering actively with the faith, finance, and economic development pathway. Churches are leading efforts with Omaha 360 through prayerwalks, and village stakeholders. They are actively engaged as equal partners in every collaborative of the Empowerment Network.
The pastors and faith leaders group will be even more engaged as one of the key gateways for the Village Strategy 2.0. This next phase of the Empowerment Network will feature pastors and faith leaders as one of the primary connection points for members and residents. And, pastors are positioning their ministries and organizations to help continue educating, engaging and empowering people towards financial stability and economic sufficiency.
Pastors and Faith Leaders meet the 1st Friday of each month from 8:30 am to 10:00 am.
They are also active participants at the weekly Omaha 360 meetings at the Omaha Home for Boys and Village Community meetings on the second Saturday of each month at Omaha North High School.
