From the first outdoor children’s
service to forty children in 1993 The Urban Restoration has
been focused on meeting the needs of Urban Charlotte. The
Urban Restoration is committed to restoring the people of
Charlotte’s inner city to the plan that God has for
their lives, through Jesus Christ, by ministering to their
physical, social, and spiritual needs. As the ministry continues
to expand, The Urban Restoration remains committed to the
children and families of Charlotte’s inner city.
SPRING 1993
Outreach Revival Church, a small storefront
church off South Blvd., is burdened by seeing the spiral of
poverty, fatherlessness, prison, and substance abuse. Through
prayer they were inspired to forsake churchism and pursue
ministry. The Lord directed them to focus on prevention by
getting the Word of God into the hearts of inner city children.
In the spring of 1993 ORC, now called Outreach Kid’s
Club, held their first outdoor children’s service to
40 children in Bent Oaks Apartments. Shortly after embarking
on this calling Outreach Revival Church lost most of their
adult membership.
1994
Outreach Revival Church becomes affiliated
with The Assemblies of God as a Home Missions work. This opens
the door for Assemblies of God financial support and volunteers
from area Assembly of God churches. The 1st of several buses
is donated to ORC for the purpose of expanding the children’s
program. ORC holds outdoor children services every Saturday
throughout the year, rain or shine, to a growing crowd of
children and adults. In December of 2004 ORC holds its 1st
Christmas Stocking Program for 200 inner city children.
1995
In March of 1995 with $97 in the bank and
a congregation of almost a dozen, ORC is directed by the Lord
to pursue purchase of the Pnuemafil training center at 2128
Remount Rd. This location in the heart of Charlotte’s
West-side community is the perfect location to make an impact
on urban Charlotte. After many phone calls the owner reluctantly
agrees to sell the building for $275,000 if ORC can put a
down payment of $10,000 within 30 days and arrange financing.
Through a miracle of the Lord, on the 27th day a women’s
group out of Eastern Carolina calls the Pastor to let him
know that they had collected money over 5 years prior to go
toward an inner city work that never happened; they believed
that this money should go to ORC for such a time as this.
With the $10,000 down payment and financing from the North
Carolina Assemblies of God, ORC purchased this facility.
Work crews from throughout North Carolina
begin the long process of renovation, starting with the auditorium.
Due to a lack of finances the founders give up their apartment
and move into the building, with no heat, air, or hot water.
Assembly of God churches ban together to provide seats for
the auditorium. Outreach Kid’s Club holds Saturday services
in the building averaging 100 children in attendance.
1996 / 1997
ORC hosts a week-long outreach to the inner
city called “A Sound in the City”, over 800 inner
city residents made decisions for Christ that week. ORC expands
ministry to include programs for youth and homeless. Volunteers
from churches throughout Charlotte begin helping out. Outreach
Kid’s Club continues to expand reaching over 300 children
at the annual Christmas program.
1998
After several years of ministry it becomes
apparent that the ministry needs of Charlotte’s inner
city were much greater than one church or one denomination
could handle. The Urban Restoration is formed to serve as
an umbrella organization to support the efforts of ORC and
related ministries. The Urban Restoration was established
as a non-denominational, 501 C3 non-profit organization. A
board of Directors from Charlotte area churches came together
to assist with Urban Restoration’s mission – to
restore the people of Charlotte’s inner city to the
plan God has for their lives, through Jesus Christ, by ministering
to their physical, social, and spiritual needs.
The volunteer base of the ministry grows
to over 100. United Faith Assembly of God, being made aware
that the founders were living in the building, takes up an
offering of over $10,000 to go toward the purchase of a home
nearby. Carmel Baptist gets involved in providing board members
and volunteering at the ministry. Outreach Kid’s Club
ministers to over 600 at the Christmas program.
1999 / 2000
Plans begin to develop a pre-school and
after-school program in order to get deeper in the lives of
the children and families ORC was reaching. Architect Reg
Narmour begins designing the renovation required to get the
facility up to code. An annual operating budget of $120,000
is established to support the existing ministries of The Urban
Restoration.
In the summer of 2000 the Assemblies of
God agrees to sell the building to The Urban Restoration for
the purpose of gaining additional support for the renovation
project. Carmel Baptist church pledges $50,000 to go toward
Phase 1 renovation. Ministry continues to expand, Playbook
for Life joins the team reaching over 300 children in the
1st annual Westside Olympics. Over 800 children attend the
annual Christmas program.
2001
In the beginning of 2001 with $70,000 in
the bank the ministry begins the $90,000+ Phase 1 renovation
required to open the after-school program. In the spring of
2001, the leadership of the Urban Restoration changed; five
suburban board members and Peggy Chisholm, founder Outreach
Revival Church, were given responsibility for the ministry.
During this time, the ministry’s darkest hour, the Lord
gave Peggy a powerful sense of His presence. The Lord instructed
her to keep ministering to the children no matter what. That
same week, during a plane delay in California, the Lord made
clear to Bill Paquette, Chairman of the Board, that this was
God’s ministry and that God would raise up His people
for His ministry.
In the summer of 2001, through no recruiting
or efforts on the part of the board, the Lord brought Rev.
Paxton Reed to lead the Urban Restoration as Executive Director.
In the Fall of 2001 the Reeds launched The Community Church
to provide discipleship for the people being saved through
the ministry. Evangelist John Dorsey joins the team to open
an Emergency Food Pantry and develop Community Outreach efforts.
Central Church of God gives $20,000 and a precious friend
of the ministry gives $30,000 to rescue Phase One renovation
that had gone woefully over budget.
2002
Johnny D joins the team to help lead Outreach
Kid’s Club and develop Second Chance youth ministry.
Darlene Pitts joins the team to house the Blessing Boutique
and coordinate volunteers. The Urban Restoration now has seven
ministry partners and a budget of $220,000 annually. Brookstone
Schools comes to visit the facility, to explore the possibility
of a ministry partnership.
All seven ministries operate out of the
side entrance and auditorium since the remainder of the building
had not been renovated. Due to building code issues the renovation
is stalled until a break-thru in September of 2002. Champions
for Christ After-school is finally permitted to open in the
facility.
Throughout 2002 more ministry is taking
place at the center than ever before. Each month the ministry
is able to supply modest financial support to each of the
ministry partners. Over 4,000 bags of groceries are distributed,
five community outreaches take place, a youth group is formed,
and over 800 inner city residents make decisions for Christ
in 2002.
2003
On January 16, 2003 the Boards of The Urban
Restoration and Brookstone Schools roll out plans to renovate
the rest of the building to meet requirements to house an
elementary school. The renovation cost is estimated at $650,000.
With barely $1,000 in the bank the board of The Urban Restoration
recommends that the plans be prayed over, since our track
record of raising support was abysmal and it would take another
God sized miracle to make this happen. Within five days of
the prayer the Lord brought Central Church of God over to
witness the Tuesday night food ministry. Within three weeks
the Pastor of Central Church of God met all of the ministry
partners and pledged significant support to help the ministry.
By March of 2003 Central Church of God decided to take on
the project completely, from the kitchen, to the computers,
from the paint to the furnishings. Central did not require
anything of The Urban Restoration in return, except that we
continue winning souls to Christ.
Buoyed be the overwhelming support of churches
throughout Charlotte, The Urban Restoration ministered to
over 17,000 people in 2003. Within the first week of the building’s
completion in December of 2003, nine urban ministries were
based at the center, with ministry taking place day and night
seven days a week, and people being added to God’s kingdom
daily. Over 1400 children attended the Christmas program in
the brand new building.
2004
The ministry continues to expand reaching
over 20,000 inner city residents a year. New ministry partners
join the team including Stepping Stone Counseling Services
and The Transformation Job Training Program. In the fall of
2004 Patsy Pressley joined as Development Director. Through
Patsy’s work doors begin to open to expand the social
ministry.
In December 2004, The Urban Restoration
is awarded a three year grant to operate the Family Restoration
Program. Long time board members Bruce Bodman and Dorothy
Davis leave their jobs to join the ministry team to manage
the Family Restoration Program. A budget of over $550,000
is set for 2005.
2005
Things really begin to accelerate as each
ministry partner focuses on their role at Urban. Thousands
of people attend six community outreaches throughout the year.
Over 2,000 people make decisions for Christ. Discipleship
of the new converts is managed through the network of ministry
partners.
In the spring of 2005 the Lord impresses
upon the leadership team that He is about to open additional
doors for ministry. With twelve ministry partners and hundreds
of clients coming to the center each week the facility is
over capacity. The Lord opens the door for Urban Restoration
to become the managing partner at Arbor Glen Gym. In addition
doors open for Urban to join forces with EPIC International
in East Charlotte. Urban will now replicate ministry in the
Eastside of Charlotte. In the Fall of 2005 Strongarm Ministries
joins the team to head up Kid’s Club and Youth Group
in East Charlotte. God’s Outreach and The Blessing Boutique
begin Wednesday night ministry at EPIC Center. Urban Restoration
is awarded a grant from the FourSquare Foundation to underwrite
the Eastside Ministry for 2006.
In the summer of 2005, Executive Director,
Paxton Reed begins to sense that his time at Urban is closing
and that the Lord is calling him to pioneer a new church in
North Charlotte. Longtime board member, Colin Pinkney feels
impressed by the Lord to leave the business world and join
the ministry full time. Colin assumes Paxton’s role
bringing a wealth of management experience to his new role
of Executive Director of The Urban Restoration.
