An Asheville church seeks to ‘restore dignity’ in a time of fear

A produce market, block parties and legal rights events welcome Spanish-speaking neighbors in a spirit of Christian love.

This story appears in the Foundation’s newly published Annual Report …and God Does the Rest. The theme alludes to doing our part with the full assurance that faith brings.

On a windy March afternoon, a food delivery truck displays trays of tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, and potatoes in the parking lot of Asheville’s Covenant Community Church.

Some of the shoppers chat in Spanish, including Maura, a slight, dark-haired woman in jeans.

Originally from El Salvador, she has lived in North Carolina for 20 years.

“I never thought the Church would help me,” Maura said, explaining that she believes in God, but didn’t expect a religious institution to serve “la gente” — ordinary people like her. At Covenant, she discovered: “They help everyone.”

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Adapting to serve neighbors

When church leaders first received a grant last year from the Foundation’s Reynolds Ministry Fund, their goal was to strengthen relationships with Latino neighborhoods in East Asheville.

The Spanish-speaking population in this part of town is projected to grow by 10 percent in the next five years, evidence that the community is taking on a new identity, says Rev. Sam Burleson, co-pastor of the church with his wife, Rev. Erin Burleson.

Covenant has long been known for mission and outreach. The 390-member congregation once held Faith in Action Sundays, foregoing worship to spend the morning doing volunteer work. In 2020, when the pandemic prompted shutdowns and remote learning, church administrator Tracy Weinmann and a team of volunteers delivered 40 to 50 school lunches a day to Latino families.

As restrictions eased, the church welcomed neighbors with pizza, Latin American dishes, and bounce houses for the kids. Members of the Latino community helped plan these fiestas and about 200 neighbors attended each one.

It’s an ideal match for the purpose of the Reynolds Ministry Fund, which awards grants every spring for projects that make new disciples and advance God’s vision for justice and peace.

Storm reveals spirit of generosity

Then came Helene. Latino neighbors were among the first to show up as volunteers. After the church received 800 cases of water, Sam saw a woman unloading box after box in the parking lot. Her trailer had flooded, yet she chose to come to the church and serve.

When families lost work, the church hired them to clean temporary campers and sell food at the festivals. A nonprofit called Bounty & Soul partnered to make fresh produce available. The Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry supplied household items.

“We want to be a place that reduces anxiety,” Sam said. “We want to be a place that restores dignity, and we want to be a place that embraces mutuality.”

Need for ‘actual sanctuary’

The political climate adds a new dimension. After the state passed a bill requiring local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration officials, Covenant organized a community meeting with a representative from Pisgah Legal Services. The speaker urged parents, particularly single moms, to give someone the power of attorney for their children, in case the parents were deported.

Afterward, a single mother of four came forward with a question. “Would you all be a power of attorney?” she asked.

Sam wiped tears from his eyes as he recalled the moment. “There is a great need right now for actual sanctuary,” he said.

For Maura, the presence of a safe space is a gift. So are her relationships with people in the congregation. As Maura put it: “They consider us part of the family.”