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Community-minded Pastor Redefines Expectations

And other items of interest from ministry and culture.

When you mention "pastor" and "election" in the same breath, many people react negatively. But for Don Coleman, a minister in Richmond, Virginia's East End, the two go hand in hand.

An active minister in his struggling neighborhood, Coleman decided he could make a difference for the community by running for the local school board. On the third try, he got elected, and since has worked tirelessly both as a minister and on behalf of parents. His efforts have not gone?unnoticed.

"People appreciate the fact that I'm not just on the school board. That, as a minister, I'm investing here in the community … people see that as somebody who authentically cares and wants to see things get better here. … As a believer, I see public service as part of our DNA."

Sometimes, redefining expectations looks like local politics, like long board meetings, like neighborhood playgrounds slowly starting to fill up again.—From Christianity ...

March
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