Urban Light partnership enhances fatherhood perspective in ECC ministry

By Kermit Rowe
Encompass Relationship Facilitator

The latest statistics are sobering but point to a largely unrecognized and unaddressed problem plaguing American families for decades. Fatherless homes are a contributing factor to 63% of teen suicides, 71% of high school dropouts, 83% of children with significant behavior issues, 85% of youth in jails/detention, and 90% of homeless and runaway children. 
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Clearly, there is a fathering crisis in our country … and it didn’t crop up overnight. Worse yet, it is growing larger by the year. The goal of the ministry of Encompass Connection Center (and Marriage Resource Center before it, from 2004-2018) is “Family Trees Forever Changed.” That just can’t be done without critical contributions from a Dad in the home, which is why the ECC and Urban Light Ministries have been connected since our humble beginnings. ​

Eli Williams, Urban Light’s only CEO and co-founder with his wife Judy, jumped feet first and has been connected ever since. 

“I signed the Community Marriage Covenant at the very beginning, on behalf of Urban Light Ministries and my church,” he said. “My wife and I attended a RINGS class. We have since maintained an informal referral relationship.” 

Eli remembered when Urban Light and ECC collaborated on the On My Shoulders curriculum over a decade ago, taking the relationship truths ECC teaches to couples and presenting them on a platform that relates directly to fathers and men. It is still being used in partnership with McKinley Hall and the Department of Job and Family Services. 

“A colleague co-wrote the curriculum, so ULM hosted a training conference in Springfield that was the first in Ohio,” he said. “I encouraged the Marriage Resource Center to register. Also, I recommended our volunteers, and they became valued team members of MRC for many years.” 

The partnership lasted through the years for obvious reasons. 

“We are dedicated to strengthening families for the sake of children, with a focus on encouraging and building the parenting skills of fathers,” Eli said. “Many of the fathers we target are not married or cohabiting, and some are estranged from the mothers of their children. Those who are married or are cohabiting can benefit from healthy relationship education in addition to father-focused resources. 

“Both ministries are about healthy relationships ... between the parents and fathers and their children,” he added. 

Eli feels there are “potential synergies” that could be developed that would bring even more partnership opportunities in the future. 
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“As ULM fully develops our comprehensive Church-Based Fatherhood Ministry framework, I envision a collaborative effort whereby ECC offers marriage enrichment resources to our client congregations that wish to incorporate them,” he said. 

If you want to learn more about Urban Light Ministries, visit their website or click here to learn more about their Fathering Strong resources (written by Bruce Stapleton).

Reach out to Encompass today to learn more about our programs for couples, parents, and individuals designed to help you have healthy relationships with the loved ones in your life.

Let's continue to fight the issue of fatherlessness together and see family trees forever changed in our community and beyond.