Shalom Church (City of Peace) is preparing to celebrate its 20th Anniversary with events and worship services at both of its North County campuses, June 7-9. But looking back at where they started, founding pastor Rev. Freddy J. Clark remembers the residues of other, very different celebrations.
“Our first stop on this journey was some rented space at a Holiday Inn,” Pastor Clark remembered.
“We’d set up chairs on Saturday night. On Fridays they’d have parties in that same room, and people would have spilled beverages. We could smell it. But we didn’t let that deter us. We kept right on moving.”
They moved, when they ran out of space, to the gymnasium of a Catholic school, and when they outgrew that room they founded what is now known as “the Mother Church” at 6136 Garfield Ave. in Berkeley in January 1995.
The Mother Church will host services as the culminating event of the 20th Anniversary weekend at noon on Sunday, June 9, which is actually four days before the precise 20th anniversary of the first time Pastor Clark led worship at that Holiday Inn.
The newest star in the Shalom firmament, the Lindbergh Campus at 5491 N. Highway 67, was founded seven years ago on the church’s 13th anniversary. It will host 20th Anniversary services at 7:30 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. on Sunday, June 9.
Earlier that weekend, the congregation – which now numbers approximately 5,500 members – will celebrate in less sacred spaces. On Friday, June 7 there will be a group dinner at Orlando Gardens, and on Saturday, June 8 there will be a movie outing to Jamestown 14 Cine.
Pastor Clark refused to take credit for any of this planning, which he said was done by committee. Indeed, he did not seem to be feeling this anniversary as his anniversary. It is a very much a collective experience. One of the originators of the Call To Oneness movement, which mobilized more than 20,000 African-American men in 2008, he clearly sees himself as one of many.
“There has been a lot of talk about me, but it’s impossible for one person to have been able to move in the direction of the creation of Shalom Church (City of Peace),” Pastor Clark said. “I have been surrounded by some great minds.”
He named a few: Sylvester Payne, current chairman of deacons; Curtis Richardson, the first chairman of deacons; Arthur Cole, deacon; Tommy Walton, who gives leadership to Amor Bearers; Mother Occie Allen, first leader of Mothers Ministry; Nancy Harris, current leader of Mothers Ministry; and Anthony Jones, executive minister.
“There are so many many more, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t call their names,” Pastor Clark said. “They are the people who went shoulder to shoulder with me and plowed through the difficult times. I love them and respect them to the highest.”
Pastor Clark seemed genuinely stumped when asked what he wanted the public to know about the meaning of Shalom’s 20th anniversary.
“It’s amazing to me that a band of people marched off into directions unknown 20 years ago and arrived at a celebration of this magnitude,” he said, “but to be honest, I don’t know what I want people to know.”
As he spoke about how far the church and its community have come in 20 years, it became clear he wasn’t interested in past accomplishments. Mostly, he sees hard work left undone.
“Change has been slow for me. I see so many things we could be doing collectively that we’re not doing,” Pastor Clark said. “Preferably, in the next 10 to 15 years the pace of how we take care of matters in the city will pick up.”
He also has other important commitments to attend do. He is married to the former Cheryl Waller and has three adult children, all active in Shalom ministries: Terrence (Campus Ministry), Anthony (Christian Education) and Michelle (web/media consultant).
He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, which gets a healthy portion of his identity and energy. “Besides my being a Christian and a father and a husband and a pastor, it’s the great organization I am a part of on the planet,” he said.
Among other civic commitments, he serves on the Christian Hospital Board of Directors and chairs its Community Relations Committee. “I enjoy serving on the board as part of my ministry in the community,” he said. “I get to connect the two entities, the hospital with the community, and build a relationship that is lasting.”
His service to Shalom, his family, his fraternity, the hospital and the community in general keep the St. Louis native grounded and happy here, but his taste of leadership clearly has left him hungry for more.
“St. Louis is a great city, I love it, I love being here, I love the people,” he said. “But we are too gifted not to be doing more. I would love to see a coming together of the churches. I love to see a more progressive downtown. I love to see a more progressive St. Louis – period.”
One thing he would not like to see is a reality TV crew poking around his sanctuary. He has seen reality TV fever spread across St. Louis after the success of Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s and wants no part of it.
“No, sir,” he said, when asked if he had been approached by a reality TV producer. “And, please don’t. I can’t do that. No.”
Visit shalomccop.org or call 314-653-2300.
