NEWS
Amid threats, church keeps homeless shelter
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by Alex Brousseau
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The First United Methodist congregation voted unanimously
Tuesday to continue offering its basement as an overflow shelter for homeless
men despite threats by the owner of their parking ramp.
The church provides its basement as an overflow shelter
during the winter months for Porchlight Inc.’s Men’s Drop-In Shelter. According
to Rev. Keith Schroerlucke of First United Methodist, this cooperation has been
going on for about four years.
“We as a church believe it is our calling to do what we can
when there is a need evident to help others,” Schroerlucke said. “It’s part of
the identity of our church. It’s who we are.”
But Fred Mohs, who owns a parking ramp used by First United
Methodist members, sees the shelter as a hazard to downtown Madison.
“They may be pathetic or addicted or mentally ill, but they
will go to the best place they can find, and this is it for a lot of people,”
Mohs said. “Madison has more than it can handle, and I want someone else to
share the burden.”
Mohs said he is strongly against the overflow shelter at the
First United Methodist church as well as any other shelter near downtown
Madison. According to Mohs, some homeless people are wrecking the progress
downtown Madison has made.
“The homeless need money for their addictions, some of them,
and they engage in aggressive panhandling,” Mohs said. “That costs downtown
Madison.”
In order to sway First United Methodist into abandoning
their efforts to shelter homeless men, Mohs has temporarily revoked their use
of the ramp on Manchester Place for parking, a ramp they have used for 15
years, according to Schroerlucke.
“We have enjoyed and appreciated access to the ramp,”
Schroerlucke said. “It’s been a real blessing, and it’s going to be hard, but
the church just decided that our ministries are not going to be ruled by
someone outside the church. We determine our priorities, and in this case if it
means we won’t have access, then so be it.”
Mohs hopes to use the ramp as leverage to find other
solutions to this problem.
“I would love nothing better than to give these people their
parking again,” Mohs said. “At least I have people’s attention. Nothing was
happening otherwise — it was too comfortable. I’m not winning a popularity
contest, but I’m doing what needs to be done.”
Porchlight Inc.’s goal is to end homelessness in Madison.
The organization provides meals, shelter and other services to those in need.
Winter, with temperatures below zero, is an especially
difficult time, according to executive director of Porchlight Inc. Steve
Schooler. In response, Porchlight Inc. uses not only First United Methodist but
also St. John’s Lutheran Church as overflow shelters to help compensate for
this “urgent need.”
“We rely on [First United Methodist] very heavily, although
only during the winter months,” Schooler said. “When our numbers get up into
the hundreds, we rely on them so that we don’t have to turn people away.”
Anonymous (March 11, 2008 @ 6:45am):
Fred Mohs call the hungry, homeless men who go to the shelter pathetic or addicted or mentally ill, and thatâs bad for business downtown. I have worked at the shelter many times feeding these hungry, homeless men on a Wisconsin winter night when itâs â5 F outside, and snow and ice is piled up 2 feet deep. Fred Mohs can go home to his nice warm home, where he can eat to his fill, sleep in a nice warm bed, and get up and go to his nice warm workplace where he makes a lot of money. The homeless guys get put out onto the street for the day. And Fed doesnât like seeing these homeless guys when he goes to work. He wants to use his political and financial muscle to kick out the homeless, because the homeless are bad for business. Maybe heâs addicted to his money. Maybe Fred is pathetic or addicted or mentally ill.
Anonymous (March 11, 2008 @ 8:29am):
Another tabloid-like misleading headline from the Badger Herald. What threats? Where are your editors?
Anonymous (March 11, 2008 @ 8:57am):
Dear God, bless the good people of First UMC, who so clearly recognize and practice your ministry of love in the world, and bless their partners, Porchlight Inc. and St. John's Lutheran Church. We pray You, soften the hard heart of Mr. Mohs, that he, too, may come to see beyond commercialism to the true meaning of life, which is love and service to all. In the name of the ever-welcoming Christ, we pray, amen.
A Christian
Anonymous (March 11, 2008 @ 9:18am):
@ Anonymous (March 11, 2008 @ 8:29am)
Um the treat was to take away access to the ramp. Which he did.
A threat doesn't have to be physical violence.
Think before you type.
Anonymous (March 11, 2008 @ 10:32am):
Dear Fred Mohs, bless the good person of Fred Mohs, who so clearly recognizes and practices his ministry of Fred Mohs in the world, and bless his partner, Fred Mohs. We pray you, soften the hard heart of the First United Methodist Church, that they, too, may come to see beyond compassion and good will to the true meaning of life, which is money and service to Fred Mohs. In the name of the never-welcoming Fred Mohs, we pray, amen.
A Mohstian
Anonymous (March 12, 2008 @ 8:52am):
Homelessness, mental illnes and addiction are not issues that will go away. Who are we to judge why these men are in the place they are? Especially considering many of us have never known even a fraction of their hardships. College students are still in the process of maturing, so I understand how their limited life experiences can cause them to be skeptical of this situation, but Mr. Mohs in a man who should have seen enough of life to have a general understanding of the world outside his own. I applaud any organization that can extend a gracious helping hand to those less fortunate, no matter what the reason. If the homeless can't go to the church, they will go elsewhere where services are not provided for them,creating possible larger problems. Maybe we should send them to Mr. Mohs home.
Anonymous (March 12, 2008 @ 10:11pm):
Every once in a while a UMC congregation will do something that makes me extra proud to be a member of that demonination. It doesn't happen often, but this time it did. Thank you!
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