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One of the great things about being on Twitter (@missional) is that I get to connect with some amazing, like-minded, like-”hearted” people. One such person is Wendy McCaig (@WendyMcCaig). Serving as Executive Director for Embrace Richmond, Wendy has shared life with people in her city who come from all walks of life. A passion for missional engagement in the inner city, she is a true bridge builder.
Wendy recently released her book “From the Sanctuary to the Streets: How the Dreams of One City’s Homeless Sparked a Faith Revolution That Transformed a Community”. I was excited to have the chance to ask her about the book and her ministry. People have been asking to hear from missional practitioners and this is a great example of someone who fits the bill.
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Jamie Arpin-Ricci: I read in your bio that you used to be a CPA. How does someone go from there to being the founder & director of an organization like Embrace Richmond? Briefly share that journey with us.
Wendy McCaig: I spent almost 10 years as an auditor for what was then a Big 6 accounting firm. I spent my days in the basements of businesses preparing spreadsheets and reconciling accounts so that I could write audit reports telling the company and regulatory agencies what they already knew. The reports would go into file cabinets and collect dust. I don’t think it is hard for most people to understand why I wanted to do something more meaningful with my life.
What I did not realize at the time is just how helpful the analytical skills I learned through that role would be to me in urban ministry. While I never would have imagined the wild ride that landed me working with homeless men and women in the inner city of Richmond, I think every part of my journey contributed to what I do today. My book chronicles some of the more significant twists and turns. No one can deny it had nothing to do with me. It is far too bizarre a path for me to have planned it.
JAR: Why did you decide to write this book? What do you hope readers will walk away with at the end of it?
WM: I had never really thought seriously about writing a book until I was encouraged to do so by the Valparaiso University Practicing Our Faith team and my editor Ulrike Guthrie. I received a grant from Valparaiso to write the book, which gave me the motivation I needed. On my journey from church sanctuary to the streets of inner city Richmond, I met some fascinating people and saw some interesting things. I choose to weave my personal story together with the stories of more than twenty homeless men and women and individuals who seek to assist them. Through the process of interviewing, listening, and writing, I discovered how life shapes us and how we shape one another.
My hope is that people will read the story and see how one person’s journey when joined with the vision and dreams of others can transform individual lives, how we do church, and ultimately whole communities. While the book contains a lot of information, I think it is the simplicity of how the story unfolds through small moves of the spirit that makes it powerful. I did not wake up one day and say, I think I will leave my cushy corporate job and go hang out in the inner city with homeless folks. It just unfolded little by little. I pray that after reading the story, people will look for God moving in small subtle ways in their own lives. It is those small subtle moves that make all the difference over the long haul.
JAR: The vision & mission of Embrace Richmond doesn’t take the typical “serve the poor” approach. What makes it unique & why is it important for the church to understand & embrace that difference?
WM: Embrace Richmond started because a homeless woman wanted to help others. It is this “pay it forward” philosophy that is ingrained in everything we do. We do not go into a community with a plan of how “we” will “help” that community. Instead, we enter the community looking to see where God is at work. There are saints in every community who desire to be the hands and feet of Jesus but who lack the support and resources to make those dreams come true. We simply try to gather those who want to be a blessing to their neighbors and help fuel the dreams God has given them for their community.
It is not big and flashy but slow and subtle moves. It is amazing how people come alive when they stop believing the lie that they can do nothing and start believing that together with God’s help we can do great things. When we enter the community we don’t look at all the problems but instead look at what is good in the community. There are good people with good ideas everywhere. We simply search for the buried treasure in a part of God’s kingdom where no one would expect to find it.
JAR: Some people feel that, with the busyness of a family, such missional life is not possible. Yet, you are married and mother to three girls. How do you make that work? What wisdom can you share with other couples/parents (or even singles) who are trying to make such commitment “fit” their lives?
WM: In the book I include interviews with my husband and my children. I have gotten more affirmation from those few pages than from any other part of the book. My husband sees his role as being my dream releaser. Without him, I could not help others live their dreams. He has been incredibly generous with financial resources over the years and sacrifices his time to make sure our girls are well cared for. We are a team.
My girls, who are now teens, are amazing. They see the world not through the lens of their suburban neighbors but through the lens of those they encounter in the city and the stories I share with them of a world that is very different than their own. They recognize that the world is far bigger than their immediate neighborhood and I can’t wait to see what God does with their passion for justice in the world.
I think the key is not to force anything. Chris felt called to support me and I felt called to the inner city. The girls just grew up with a missional lifestyle so it is natural for them. We started very small and committed to simply go where ever the spirit led us. If you are not called and are simply responding to someone else’s demands on your life, it will not work. This kind of commitment can actually undermine your family relationships if not everyone is on board. I never demanded that Chris go with me and he never demanded that I not go. We respected one another’s journey and trusted that God knew better than we did.
JAR: Is there anything exciting in the coming year you are especially excited about?
WM: What I am most excited about is the growing leadership base we see immerging in the public housing complexes where we work. I see people waking up, coming alive to the possibilities. Once those communities are fully awakened to the power they have together, I think we will see some amazing things happen. Of course God never really shows me more than a few steps in front of me but I am very encouraged by what I see.
I am also seeing an increase in not only interest but dedication coming from suburban faith communities. They are starting to understand it is not about them “helping” the poor, but more about fueling the dreams of the street saints God has preserved in those abandoned places of the kingdom. That is very exciting. If we ever get the resources and expertise of the suburban world together with the passion and dreams of the urban saints, I think we will begin to see heaven break through here on earth. I am extremely optimistic about this coming year.
JAR: Tell us something odd or quirky about yourself we would otherwise never know.
WM: I have a very high pitched voice. I loved the band Missing Person’s in High School because I could sing along without lowering my voice. In preaching class my professor suggested I take voice lessons. He said that people are accustomed to listening to men and that my voice is just too much of a jump for them. I have to be very intentional when I talk on voice mail systems because they often think I am a fax machine. In my speaking engagements I work hard to speak slow and low but don’t get me excited or I might burst year ear drums! I have lots of quirky odd things I could share but this is the least embarrassing.
JAR: Thanks Wendy.
Buy a copy of “From the Sanctuary to the Streets” today.
Thank you for inviting me to share with your readers a little about the book and the work we are doing here in Richmond. Like you, I am so thankful to discover others who are out there doing this kind of work. Looking forward to reading your book and sharing more about your ministry on my site.
Thanks Wendy. It was my pleasure.
Peace,
Jamie
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