Making Strangers Neighbors

Relationships are key to effective and sustainable community engagement. When everything is designed to keep us separated by caste and class, how can we cross barriers to build new and impactful communities?

Part 1- Proximity in becoming a Neighbor

Part 2- Overcoming Barriers of Race, Class and Caste

Part 3- Lessons from Jesus's Boundary Crossing Ministry

Cohort facilitated by Mr. DeMarco Davidson, MDiv.

 

Mr. DeMarco K. Davidson has spent most of his adult life in education, engineering, youth development, and community organizing. He has worked as a teacher in the Hazelwood School District, an After-School Director with Providence Counseling, a Youth Advisor for Kappa League, a Project Manager in the Greater Chicago Area, a Field Organizer for political campaigns, and a mentor to many youth. After founding the Michael Brown Jr. Memorial Fund in August 2014, he volunteered for the Michael Brown Sr. Chosen For Change Foundation as the Executive Director from 2015 until 2022.

While DeMarco was running for US Congress in 2017-2018, he received his Masters in Divinity from Eden Theological Seminary in 2018 w/ an emphasis in Liberation Theology & Faith-Based Community Organizing. Since then, he has worked in several winning campaigns including Prosecutor Attorney Wesley Bell, the CLEAN Initiative, Raise Up Minimum Wage, Medicaid Expansion, and over $500 million for community development.

As the Executive Director for Metropolitan Congregations United, DeMarco's goal is to organize people of faith & voters in St. Louis to develop policy towards breaking the school-to-prison pipeline and unifying the Urban & Rural citizens of Missouri.

He believes that congregations can & should be a galvanizing force to building powerful, self-sustaining communities.

Cohort content created by Rev. Dr. Dietra Wise Baker, Assistant Professor of Community Leadership and Director of Walker Leadership Institute at Eden.

 

Dr. Wise Baker is certified anti-racism trainer for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and a trainer of faith-based community organizing in the Gamaliel network. Dr. Dietra teaches Church Planting, Youth Ministry, Preaching, Faith Community Organizing, Anti-Racism/Anti-Caste, Vocational Resilience and Formation. Dr. Wise Baker is a respected trainer and community leader who often consults and collaborates around her sustained work in community organizing, youth justice, detention/prison/jail, and faith justice movements. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C.; a Master of Divinity degree from Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis, MO; and her Doctorate of Ministry in Preaching degree from Aquinas Institute of Theology St. Louis, MO.

Dates: 6:30-8pm CT, January 15, February 19, March 19, and April 16, 2026

all cohort meetings will be online

Ministry Cohorts

Ministry Cohorts allow you to sample many theological themes, offering peer learning with your ministry context in mind. Scholars have chosen a specific lens on a particular topic and share their expertise through digital content you watch on your own time. Four monthly online meetings are interspersed, where you and your Cohort members gather for facilitated discussion with an experienced church leader.

Cohorts support lifelong learning and are for anyone- authorized clergy, chaplains, Christian educators, lay leaders and anyone interested in the topic. UCC members will recognize the Marks for Ministry woven throughout the cohorts, though anyone from any denomination, or no denomination, is welcome to attend.

Completion of this Ministry Cohort provides 9 contact hours of continuing education, subject to approval by the participant's credentialing body.