We lost another Saint here in Rockford

The Reverend E. Maynard Beal passed into the loving arms of God last week. He was my mentor for this job as director of Rockford Urban Ministries (“RUM” as it is affectionately known).

Maynard was appointed executive director of RUM from June 1972 to June 1981. He volunteered for the position, coming from a suburban church to downtown Rockford IL. Back then it was exclusively United Methodists who ran the organization, but they worked with all those concerned about the city.

The concerns on his agenda: community organization (especially west side churches and homeowners), race relations, school desegregation, and enabling United Methodist laity to do more in the ministry.

Under his leadership RUM brought suite against the Rockford School Board, accusing them of segregation. This was the first desegregation case that forced the School Board to alleviate the problems (i.e., inadequate textbooks and teachers, antiquated schoolrooms). If the School Board had followed through on those promises, they would not have been sued again in the 1990s.

Maynard Beal also led a controversial action against local banks and their “red-lining” practices. He was instrumental in passing legislation that allowed more loans to go to west side Rockford. Out of this action, the West End Revitalization Corporation was founded.

Support was given for the Spanish-speaking ministry through the 4-S Center, which went on to work with La Voz Latino.

Other activities under Rev. Beal included involvement in public education, housing, and equality of opportunity, economic development, and helping to establish a local hospice.

After serving RUM for nine years he was then appointed to the United Methodist Church in Oregon IL.

After retirement, Maynard returned to live in Rockford (OK, as a snow bird, but he and his lovely wife Jean came back to town!). He was a regular at RUM’s monthly executive meeting.

I met Maynard Beal as RUM was taking on the “red-lining” issue. That was in the mid 1970s. Back then I was a hippie and Maynard welcomed me with open arms. Rockford banks were “drawing a red line” around neighborhoods where they did not want to loan money for home improvements (hint: it was usually south and west of the Rock River). I helped research loans & mortgages, trying to prove that local banks were denying west siders cash to fix up their houses. Out of that grew the WESCO, a Saul Alinsky style organization, and I got my first community organizing training.
Maynard said he remembered me as a Rock Valley College student coming to United Way and asking for support for the first local food pantry. They turned me down back then (in 1975), saying the need was not there. Maynard, who was on the United Way board, put me in touch with social service workers who admitted having pantries in their office closets, and “if there was a real food pantry” the agencies would use it. Out of that school project grew the Rock River Valley Food Pantry.
RUM also hired an attorney who took the Rockford School Board to task for segregating and demeaning the education on the west side of town. This was way before People Who Care. In fact, the agreement that was finally reached would have prevented the later, more expensive lawsuit. RUM’s attorney did not think to pass the costs on to the School Board, and they reneged on the agreement once RUM let the attorney go.
I am the present RUM director, the first non-clergy hired in 1985, and I received a lot of support from Jean & Maynard Beal. His education about the judicatory maze, politics of the church and the ways of the spirit in urban ministries was most helpful to this generic lay Christian. He will be sorely missed.A celebration of his life is this Saturday, August 16, 2008, starting with visitation at 9:45, and then an 11 am service at Centennial United Methodist Church, 219 South Second Street, Rockford. Gifts can be sent to Rockford Urban Ministries and/or the General Board of Global Ministries, United Methodist Church.