A diverse group of 2,000 evangelical Christian community activists from different denominations and political parties will meet in Miami this week to discuss ways to combat poverty and empower the disenfranchised.

The three-day conference of the largest Christian community development organization in the country comes on the eve of a presidential election that likely will be decided by the economic issues that are an integral part of the group's faith-based mission.

Titled ''Seeking the Shalom of the City,'' the 19th annual Christian Community Development Association conference, which opens Wednesday at the James L. Knight Center, will offer more than 120 workshops tackling a variety of issues, from gentrification to grant-writing to encouraging women in the ministry.

Each day's sessions will revolve around the theme of peace: personal and family shalom on Thursday; community, organizational and church shalom on Friday; and national and global shalom on Saturday.

''This is a refreshment, a rejuvenation and a reconnection for our people,'' says Juanita Irizarry, the association's institute director. ``It's an inspiration to see other people working at the same things.''

Speakers will include John Perkins, association founder; Soong Chan Rah, theologian and expert on the emerging Asian-American church; and Phil Jackson, director of the National Student Leadership Intensive.

For the first time, the conference will include both workshops in Spanish and simultaneous translation of English-language sessions -- a nod to the growing U.S. Hispanic population as well as to Miami as a Hispanic community. In fact, Miami was chosen as host city because of its diversity and its image as a gateway to the south.

Local conference host, Family and Children Faith Coalition, has taken advantage of Miami's appeal to organize bus tours to some of South Florida's most ethnic, and often poorer, communities, including Little Haiti. Usually conferees visit only Christian ministries in the host city.

''We thought long and hard on how we could make this conference uniquely Miami,'' says Yvonne Sawyer, a member of the local host committee. ``We know that the bus tours as well as the art show (with a theme of peace) can do that. The degree of diversity here is what the rest of the United States will look like not so far in the future.''

Noel Castellanos, CEO of the association, points out that most conferees will be ''the more progressive Christians, a strong political mix. You won't find so much of the older one-issue'' evangelicals. In attendance will be both Democrats and Republicans who are united by the core issue of fighting poverty.

''What you'll hear,'' Castellanos says, ``is a willingness to work with both parties, to challenge both parties, to listen to the ideas of both parties.''

For more information on workshops and evening sessions open to the public, visit www.ccda.org.

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