Neighborhood pastors came together Thursday to break bread and make sure that the people in their congregations were not forgotten in the plans to revitalize the University District.About 60 campus-area church leaders, neighborhood activists, residents and OSU faculty and staff met at the King Avenue United Methodist Church to discuss how they fit into the revitalization work being proposed by Campus Partners.Many local pastors and residents at the meeting did not feel their neighborhood needed revitalization.”The word revitalization is offensive and implies that nothing is going on here,” said Richard Dunbar, associate pastor at the United Methodist Church. “This is a very vital neighborhood.”It is a neighborhood that faces problems of poverty, homelessness and crime. However, it is also a neighborhood that hasn’t given up hope.Jerry King, pastor at Living Hope Fellowship on 13th Avenue, shared his perspective at the breakfast meeting.The local area resident and father of six, told listeners of hearing gunshots from drive-by shootings, stepping over used needles to take his kids to the babysitter and of passing prostitutes on the street. Despite those problems, he and other attendees believe grassroots support is critical and shouldn’t be underestimated. “The people who live in this area aren’t only worshipers at the altar of higher education. They make choices about life rooted in a belief system,” King said. “These are real people who deal with real problems,” he said. “This isn’t a project you can accomplish from a distance.”Successful programs have strong ties to the people and communities they serve, said Lisbeth Schorr, the author of “Common Purpose: Strengthening Families and Neighborhoods to Rebuild America.” Dean Nancy Zimpher of the College of Education chaired the panel discussion which was jointly sponsored by the Campus Collaborative, Campus Partners and the Interprofessional Commission of Ohio.