Locals in Gastonia, N.C., lined up at a city council meeting to make impassioned pleas on behalf of a faith-based homeless ministry, which has been hit with $60,000 in fines and a lawsuit from the city. 

“We are here today because there is a problem,” said Moses Colbert, founder of Faith, Hope, and Love Community Enrichment Ministries (FHLCEM), whose rescue mission in the suburban city near Charlotte has been cited for violating city codes. “We need to help the people who cannot help themselves.” 

The pastor was among 17 people who came to a Gastonia City Council meeting on June 20, each taking two minutes during a public comment period to defend the FHLCEM ministry. Reportedly about 100 people receive food and services at the group’s property, formerly the site of St. Paul Baptist Church. Dozens of tents used for shelter are set up behind the building. 

In May, the City of Gastonia sued the ministry, stating that the property is not zoned as a homeless shelter and two construction trailers parked outside the church lack required permits. Reportedly the ministry has not paid more than $60,000 in fines. FHLCEM was registered as a nonprofit last November, months after leaders began to serve the homeless population.

Colbert told the city council that he aims to comply with all relevant regulations. “Stop demonizing this ministry,” he said. “It looks like I’m being discriminated against, but it’s not just me that you’re hurting. These people who need your help are bearing the brunt of it.”

Several people experiencing homelessness who’ve been helped by FHLCEM addressed the council. 

Timothy Davis, who said he has received food and shelter through the ministry, spoke through tears to the city council. “You want someone to go in there and do what they’re supposed to do,” he said. “Then you hit this man with all the fines. It’s not alright to do. But I am going to pray for all of you.” 

Another man, Thomas Hill, raised his voice when addressing the possibility of having to evacuate the site. “You come to steal my church, you can drag me off or burn down that house of God around me. Because I ain’t moving,” said Hill. “I will not hit you, but you will drag me out or do whatever.” 

Then he quieted his tone. “I hope you see the improvement in my anger since the last time,” said Hill. “I am getting better at praying for my enemies and actually meaning it. And that’s thanks to Pastor Moses.” 

Significant safety concerns

The work of FHLCEM has been complicated by ongoing safety concerns. City officials state more than 300 emergency calls have originated from the rescue mission site over the past year. 

According to local news station WCNC: “The Gastonia Police Department confirmed 317 calls for service from June 1, 2022, to June 5, 2023. EMS responded 81 times, firefighters responded 50 times, and police officers responded 289 times. Most calls involved one or more agencies responding to the same call.” Reportedly at least one man died at the site earlier this year. 

But the ministry is taking steps to get up to code. On Monday afternoon, the two trailers in violation of safety ordinances were moved on to cinderblocks and secured, a first step for permits to be approved. 

Joy Smith, a local mother who said she has experienced homelessness in the past, acknowledged the concerns of some locals about FHLCEM in addressing the city council. She noted that some call the tents an eyesore and others cite sanitation issues. 

But Smith suggested removing these people “from the only safe place they have known” will result in them seeking shelter under bridges and sidewalks in front of local businesses. “How much more of a health hazard will it be for these individuals to be unsheltered and abandoned rather than allowed to be fed and inside?” she asked.

Smith also cited a recent survey which found that 54% of Americans are currently living paycheck to paycheck. “That means (more than half) of the people here in this room today are just a few unlucky happenstances away from being on the street themselves,” she said.

Faith leaders speak out

Several ministry partners joined advocates and the homeless to petition the city council last week.

Shannon Williams serves as pastor of Finish Line Christian Center in Mount Holly, which has provided tents, sleeping bags, and funding to the homeless ministry over the past year. 

Calling the work of FHLCEM a “blessing,” Williams told council members, “You cannot ignore a problem or act like it doesn’t happen, and it just go away.” 

Williams continued: “The fines that are being levied against this church and property, I find very disturbing. It doesn’t look good for the city, it looks like it is against helping people. I would like to see someone step up and say, ‘Let’s make something good happen out of this.’”

The pastor closed by reading from Romans 13, which states in part that “rulers are not a terror to good works.” 

In his remarks, Colbert said Matthew 22:39 motivated his work. “‘Love thy neighbor as thyself’—that’s a rule we all must follow,” he said. “I am just here as a voice for the voiceless.” 

Colbert then challenged city council members.

“Now it’s on you to help us to help them,” he said. “I hope you find it in your heart to do so. Some of you have stepped up, and I really appreciate you. Some of you need to step up.” 

The Gaston County Superior Court will hear the city’s case against FHLCEM on August 7, when a judge could also rule on the status of the fines against the ministry. 

Freelance journalist Josh Shepherd writes on faith, culture, and public policy for several media outlets. He and his family live in the Washington, D.C. area.