By Patty Talahongva

    Even with a recent city of Phoenix zoning ruling, the Saturday morning service and breakfast for the homeless is still at an impasse for CrossRoads United Methodist Church and Prodigal’s Home.

  Church leaders have decided to appeal the decision to the city’s Board of Adjustment. *That hearing will take place 12 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 7, 2010, in the Phoenix City Council Chambers, 200 W. Jefferson St.* The city has said the church may continue its homeless breakfast service in the interim.

    In the meantime, the city has said the church may continue its homeless breakfast service.

 

In the meantime, the city has said the church may continue its homeless breakfast service.

    The initial public hearing on the zoning issue was held Oct. 22, presided over by retired justice Robert Corcoran, who released his ruling a few weeks later on Nov. 9. Corcoran determined that the Saturday morning service and breakfast for the homeless community that CrossRoads offered was like a charity dining operation and violated the zoning ordinance.

    The story of neighborhood zoning and rights versus a church’s stated ministry has gained attention worldwide; Mike Ricker, pastor of Prodigal’s Home, says they have received e-mails and phone calls from concerned people everywhere. There has even been an offer from the ACLU to assist them in the legal process. Right now church officials have not made a decision to accept any outside legal service.

       The neighbors, in the meantime, feel that they have been vilified by those who support the church service, pointing out that all they are trying to do is protect their homes and their families and keep non-residents from loitering in the neighborhood. These type of large-scale meals for the homeless are allowed in industrial-zoned areas specifically to protect residential neighborhoods, they point out.

    In the event the Board of Adjustment does not rule in favor of the church, Ricker says his group and CrossRoads officials still have other options to appeal.

    “The leadership of the church, the pastor, district superintendent and Bishop will make the decision on how to proceed from there,” he said.