For many of us, the Christmas story is so familiar, that if we aren’t careful, we might overlook how marvelously shocking it all is. Think about it--
Viewing entries by
Doug Wagner
On January 1, 2015, Jeff Tucker assumed the reins as Chair of Fellowship House of South Camden’s Board of Trustees. Jeff has already shared with the board his bold vision to secure a sustainable future for Fellowship House. His goals include raising the ministry’s profile in the community, and attracting new financial partners and talented individuals willing to invest their energy and passion in serving the children of South Camden.
Written by Doug Wagner | Executive Director
What’s New at Fellowship House?
Quite a lot actually!! Over the last couple of months, our facility has been re-organized, spruced up and readied for the new school year. Since our closing exercises in May for the 2013-2014 year, we have:
- Replaced the 3 year old wood mulch around the playground equipment with recycled rubber mulch (with a gift from the Camden Home for Children)
- Carpeted the gym floor (with help from the Rotary Club of Haddonfield)
- Repaired the gym roof leak
- Secured the parking lot by installing a fence with a rolling gate (with a gift from South Jersey Charitable Foundation)
- Organized the children’s reading library
- Converted the old clothing room to a comfortable space for quiet activities
- Installed pews in front of the stage in the gym to provide more secure seating
- Painted a very popular chalkboard wall in the gym
- Hung corkboards in all the classrooms
- Repaired emergency lighting and emergency doors
- Acquired a 2014 model year 15-passenger van to safely transport the children
I wish you could have been here to see the children light up the first time they experienced the bouncy rubber mulch, or their newly carpeted gym or their new chalkboard wall. I wish you could have heard the pride in our teens’ voices on their first ride in the new van!
Thank you for your support, which enables us to delight our children in these ways. The way we address facility issues reflects our concern to maintain the quality and appearance of Fellowship House—a missions upon which God has shown his favor for nearly 50 years. Renovated facilities and new vehicles aren’t the most important thing, but they do influence the attitudes of the children, the teens, the parents and the volunteers. They provide the backdrop against which the hidden work in the lives of our precious children is accomplished. That is the most important thing!
Written by Doug Wagner | Executive Director
Would kids from the inner city, struggling with their own context of poverty and violence, be interested in the needs of kids in similar circumstances in another land? Don’t they have enough trouble without hearing about the troubles of others?
That was the question the staff at Fellowship House asked when a couple, recently returned from a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, volunteered to bring a program about their trip to the children at Fellowship House. To the staff’s surprise and delight, the kids loved it, couldn’t get enough of it, asked all kinds of questions the most important of which was, “How can we help?”
Our Summer Interns say they were blown away by the compassion and generosity of these third and fourth grade kids. One of their Bible lessons was on the Parable of the Good Samaritan--that God expects us to be generous givers--and they responded in kind.
The next week, one of the girls was carrying around a clear plastic bag full of clothing. When asked why, she said she was going to give them to a child who she knew needed this extra clothing from her own closet. When asked how she was going to get them to the Dominican Republic, she said the girl who she knew needed clothes was one of the kids at Fellowship House.
One of the activities this summer was a carnival in which the kids could win prizes. One intern saw a child carrying a pair of shoes she had won, intending to give them to another girl who missed the carnival. She knew how much that child wanted to be there so the shoes were for her friend. Soon this same child had a whole arm full of prizes she had collected at the carnival. Asked what she is going to do with them, she says she is going to give them to other kids in the program who are needy.
There is a lovely poem, in which a famous English poet tells of a mystical experience he had. Seated at a sidewalk table, sipping his tea and considering his life, he says that he suddenly was struck by a wonderful sense of well-being--that he was blessed and equipped to bless others. Those who know the Good News can smile and affirm that experience. We are teaching these kids that God loves them and every other soul on earth, and that when we trust God, we will have what we need and more. We are blessed and we too can bless, and in doing so we know the joy of having God’s grace flow through our lives into the lives of others.
You have known that feeling when you chose to send a gift to support the work of Fellowship House. Thank you for sharing your own blessedness by giving to help these kids. It is unlikely that any of us will match the compassion and generosity they were demonstrating this summer, but let’s try.
Written by Doug Wagner | Executive Director
In the 1960s, children walked to Fellowship House. Fifty years later, the world has changed. Today, neither parents or guardians nor our staff would feel that it is safe to let the children walk the streets alone. We pick up every child from the public schools and transport them to Fellowship House. When the after-school program is over, those who live close by are escorted home by a pair of street leaders. In inclement weather we drive them in vans. Some children live as far as 2 miles away, and must be transported every day in one of our two vans. At every stop, we wait to make sure the disembarking child is safely in his/her home, before continuing on.
A major concern coming into the 2014-2015 school year, was that our only available options for daily transport of our children were a 1995 van that sounds like it’s running on 1 cylinder and half of its seat belts are inoperable and a 2003 van that is beat from years of use as a cargo van. This situation was unsafe and unacceptable. We had little choice, but to take a step in faith for the sake of the children. Beyond safety, the reliability of the vehicles is critical. Without the vans, we can’t have a children’s program.
Our plan to address this situation is twofold. First, last month, we purchased a model year 2014, 15-passenger van on a payment plan we can live with. Next, we are conducting a capital campaign to purchase a second similar vehicle. One of our faithful supporters, Haddonfield United Methodist Church, has issued a challenge grant—if we can raise $15,000, they will match it dollar for dollar! That would enable us to purchase the second van outright!
You can help! We’re looking for one-time gifts of all sizes to help us earn the matching grant and purchase this second vehicle to insure our children’s safety today and for years to come. The challenge grant is good through year-end. Thank you in advance for considering helping in this concrete and very important way!
$7,400 raised of $15K goal