The mission of the Center for Urban Education Ministries is to connect and equip leaders of Lutheran congregations, schools and agencies with resources to help them provide effective educational opportunities for children, youth and families who live in urban environments.

The Center Advisory board has been working diligently over the past year to identify and implement ways to fulfill that mission. The major initiative in which the Center has been involved in, in consultation with Criterion Ventures, is "The Charlie Project." It is our hope that the project will result in a cadre of strong, excellent, flourishing schools, built from the dedicated work of Lutheran school leaders over the years and ensuring that future generations of urban children and their families have access to faith-based education that strengthens their lives and prepares them for their futures. The three major goals of The Charlie Project are:

1. Developing a Christ-centered educational model that serves urban children well. This Phase of the project has been accomplished with a model focused on service learning and vocation.
   
   
2. Defining a financial model that creates a viable school — and adhering to it.
   
   
3. Recruiting and retaining the leadership (board, pastoral, principals, educators, parents) to accomplish the implementation of this model.

The four-phase project is currently operating in Phase II, which is identifying the communities in which Charlie schools will be piloted. A summary of the findings from Phase I and a slide presentation outlining Phase II can be found as resources on this website.

The Center has also reinstated the Kieschnick lecture series in honor of Dr. Melvin Kieschnick, longtime supporter and practitioner of Lutheran education. The lecture entitled, Christ with the Children in the Metropolis, delivered by the Rev. Dr. Stephen Bouman in October 2008, can be found here. In his lecture, Pastor Bouman connects the Bible to the practical demands of providing strong Christian education on a national and global level. The next lecture will be held in New Orleans, Louisiana, on February 19, 2010 in conjunction with the Lutheran Education Association Conference for Administrators. Dr. Vernard Gant, Director for Urban School Services for the Association of Christian Schools International, will lecture on "Christian Education and Christians Educating." The lecture will be available on the website following the event. If you are interested in attending this event, please contact us for details.

The Center continues to grow and evolve and we welcome and encourage your input as we move forward. If you have questions regarding The Charlie Project, the Kieschnick Lecture Series or other work involving urban education, please feel free to contact me at marlene@wheatridge.org or by phone at 212.665.4356. We look forward to serving the children and families in urban settings who are touched with the healing love of Jesus Christ through the efforts of Lutheran congregations and agencies.

Ms. Marlene Lund
Executive Director
Center for Urban Education Ministries

Learn more about the Center for Urban Education Ministries (CUEM)

Summary of Charlie Project Phase I Findings

Charlie Project Phase II Slide Show Presentation

Read the current CUEM article on issues in education

Learn more about Ms. Marlene Lund, Executive Director of the Center for Urban Education Ministries

Learn more about the first "Flock of Eagles" Gathering

Learn more about and view the Kieschnick Lecture Series

Make a donation to the Center for Urban Education Ministries

View other Helpful Resources