To The Editor:

What has our community become? It is shameful to walk through Roxbury, Dorchester and Mattapan and see many of our neighborhood streets flooded with teddy bears, candles and the letters "R.I.P.".

The story of the Boston Miracle is yesterday's news. The Boston miracle only came about because pastors and ministers from the community laid down their weaponry of denominationalism, turf battles, and power to come together to bring peace to the city as well as to the neighborhoods of Boston. Once upon a time, we fought this battle united - we saved our youth. Today, we are competing for grants to save "our" programs. Many people have enhanced their personal bank accounts and received national notoriety over teen violence in the city of Boston. Politicians have waged their political campaigns leading with the public safety issues. But what has really changed?

While our soldiers fight a global war on terrorism, we too need to wage a war on the troubled streets of our city by gearing up for a new battle against illegal guns coming into our neighborhoods.

We have gotten too complacent! It is time to start camping out on the street corners to support community residents who are afraid to go outside of their doors. It is time to march to the gang-infested strongholds and take the corners back from teens who are in control of certain sections of the community. We did it before, and we should and can do it again!

Let me ask this question: Is Boston any better off because of the millions of dollars that have poured into this city in the name of fighting crime? Are our streets any safer because we as ministers have our names in the headlines and can command the politicians in this town to attend our meetings?

Last week a 23-year-old man died four days before Father's Day. He was sitting in a yard and after six gunshots rang out, he fell dead in his yard. A month ago a teenager from our congregation was robbed at gunpoint a few blocks from the doorsteps of our church in Codman Square. It seems that there's a resurgence of our crime problems of the past. Where is the Boston Miracle? Where are the religious leaders who once sat together, and with police and other government and private stakeholders, planned the winning strategies to take back the streets of Boston from the criminal element?

The unity that was once brokered by the pastors is in shambles. The millions of dollars that poured into the city is being controlled by whoever can spin the right story and convincingly assert they are running the best community-based program. The youth are seeing through the disingenuous religious rhetoric. They know that we are making money off of their street wars. Many of us are awarded grants while they cannot find a job.

Many religious and community leaders are in a cycle of planning the next fundraiser and powerpoint presentation to secure another grant, to plan another program, to hire another staff person to write another grant, rather than making an effective and substantive change in the lives of our young people and the community.

Last Sunday I asked the members of my church to put their money where their faith should be and to raise an offering to pay for a four-week summer program for children in our neighborhood. I am tired of competing for grants, as well as selling my programs and myself to funders.

I accept responsibility for not socializing and partnering with those who are the new brokers in the city and in control of all the money. The church and religious leaders must return to doing those things that truly change the heart of a youngster who wants to turn his or her life around.

Brothers and Sisters, let's purchase the teddy bears for their intended purpose. Teddy bears are an expression of love for the living. A lit candle should symbolize hope, not commemorate the untimely death of our children in our neighborhoods.

Why are we giving birth to our children if we are not going to honestly and sacrificially protect them? All men and women of faith need to provide their prayerful presence on the most troubled streets in our city.

Let's stop competing for grants and start doing the work to save the lives of youth who are looking to men and women who believe in hope rather than the next program that we can dream up.

Bruce H. Wall is the Senior Pastor of Global Ministries Christian Church.