HOPEFUL SIGNS OF NEWARK'S ONGOING TRANSFORMATION
When God's power and presence is invited into a community, many aspects become transformed. Below is a sample of the recent happenings that highlight the increasing grace of God on the city of Newark, New Jersey since people began praying in earnest and adopting its streets in late 2007:
1) Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg chose Newark over all other cities to invest $100 Million in transforming its underperforming school system. Zuckerberg makes the statement that the Newark team (Mayor Cory Booker and NJ Governor Chris Christie) is the best to get the job done, and that when this school system is overhauled, that it will be easy to roll the model out to other cities across the U.S. Zuckerberg believes it has the potential to change urban education in the U.S. "for decades to come".
http://gothamist.com/2010/09/26/zuckerbergs_social_call_facebook_fo.php
2) Newark Mayor Cory Booker and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie were on the cover of Time Magazine as two of the "100 most influential people in the world". Booker was the only U.S. Mayor, and Christie the only U.S. Governor, to make the list. In another publication, bothBooker and Christie stated that they are willing to put their reputations on the line in order to see transformationof the public school system today that costs $24,000 per student but has barely half the students achieving at grade level.
3) Panasonic Corporation recently announced that they are relocating their U.S. headquarters to downtown Newark. This will bring an estimated 800 jobs and $220 million of tax revenues into the city over the next 10 years, as well as serving as an anchor for other new businesses in the city. During the competitive bidding process, Panasonic selected Newark over alternative sites in Brooklyn, Atlanta, Chicago, and California.
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/04/mayor_cory_booker_confirms_pan.html
4) The Regional Planning Association Proposes $15 Billion expansion for Newark and New York Airports-Proposal that they believe will save 130,000 jobs in the region.
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/01/planning_group_calls_for_15_bi.html
5) On January 21st, the Federal Government Announced the largest mob roundup in U.S. History -125 arrested in multi-state sweep. Operations in Port Newark are included in these arrests.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/21/nyregion/21mob.html?_r=1
6) U.S. Secretary of Education says the eyes of America are on Newark's school reform (4/3/11)-U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan states that Newark occupies center stage in the national education reform movement and can set a national standard for excellence.
http://blog.nj.com/perspective/2011/04/a_qa_with_arne_duncan_the_eyes.html
7)Bayonne Bridge Expansion to expand capacity for Port Authority of NY and NJ. A plan to raise the height of the Bayonne Bridge to accommodate larger shipping vessels will preserve 269,000 existing jobs and add even more in the future. http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/01/plan_to_raise_roadbed_of_bayon.html and http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/07/28/new-jersey-gov-chris-christie-announces-expansion-of-port-newark/
8) New construction projects provide evidence of revitalization in Newark
- More than $700 million in new construction projects are under way
this year, providing an estimated 2,500 on-site jobs, and city officials
say that figure could reach $1 billion next year. Supporters point to
this as evidence that Newark, a city once synonymous with urban decay,
high crime and rampant corruption, has turned a corner.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/06/realestate/commercial/newark-is-building-with-help-from-others.html
These headlines amplify the major trend - the transformation of Newark is accelerating across business, education, and government sectors. Despite the national economic recession, the news media are noticing positive signs of change in Newark since 2007, when ministry to the city and the street adoption initiative began. Challenges remain (there is a major budget deficit that resulted in 167 police being laid-off and crime was up in the first half of 2011 after reaching record lows in 2010) but Newark is a city whose history is changing before our eyes because God's power and presence are being invited into it. Much prayer is still needed, but the best is yet to come!
To join in adopting a Newark street in prayer, please click here.
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