Numbers are up…

Last season, during the entire time we were sheltering, we served 133 people from various backgrounds, who needed to come in from the cold. This shelter season had brought us a sharp increase in those numbers. This past season brought us well over 200, and I was fielding, on average, around 5 or 6 phone calls each day. Needless to say, we were exhausted by the time May came around. Unfortunately since we began our summer hiatus, I am still receiving phone calls each day from folks needing shelter. The need has not decreased in our absence, only our options, forcing us to be creative from time-to-time.

Suffering loss…

The 2010/2011 shelter season had brought us the loss of a faithful friend and co-worker, Gary Allan and one of our guests who we grew to love, Shawn. Although Gary left us at the end of November (due to health difficulties) in many ways it was like losing an anchor—someone who you simply assumed would always be there. We find ourselves missing his sense of humor, as well as his awkward social skills that he loved to flaunt—to our (and his) amusement.  We said goodbye to him, but are awaiting a glorious reunion. His departure left us wrestling with how to continue our work, when God stepped in…

Who can run a Shelter?

We try to live by, what we believe to be God’s trajectory of kingdom living. That is to say, that old, or new, the testaments (testimony) of God’s journey with mankind is one where fairness and greater care is, in fact, given to those who are the weakest—those marginalized, and without a voice. From the beginning, God’s story carried a code of decency toward the least, that was the barometer of how much they cared for God; whether it involved the re-zeroing of the books during Jubilee, the storehouse for the poor, gleaning principles of providing noble work for those without fields, to the doctrines of only taking what you need for the day so that there would be enough for all. I cannot read a page of scripture (at this point) without noticing that this is God’s desire for mankind—particularly to be modeled through His representatives in the earth.  The perspective is equity among people and people groups—the economics of “enough” whether it is monetary, stuff, or position.  God reminded me of this in our time of greatest need; even my own misunderstanding of holding some people groups in a particular esteem, and others a little lower—my confession—I was being taught who  really needs who.  

So, who is qualified to do the work of caring…?

Only today, I received a phone call from someone who wanted to donate baby items to the shelter. We could not use their particular items since they were perishable (and we do not reopen until November), so I referred them to a women’s shelter in Norristown (the County Seat). To my surprise she wanted assurances from me that Norristown would be safe for her to enter.  (Yup, you read that correctly. The statement confused me too.)  They immediately became combative, letting me know that part of their Master’s Thesis was on statistical violence in Philly suburbs.  This person, through the course of our dialog, had vilified an entire city based on homeless persons and the shelters found there.

We see this kind of veiled bigotry every day, and still when confronted with it, we are shocked. But what about when we subtly discount folks from service simply because they have nowhere to live? Rabbis keep their eyes open for those young boys who had the “right stuff” to become a Rabbi. When they would see evidence of what comes naturally to a specific child, the qualities needed for rabbinic work, they would recruit them to apprentice as students, learning the particulars of the work, realizing that they are already qualified by who they have been created to be, need discipleship in the actual work of the order. It is in agreement with God that they were predestined to be Rabbis.

So, who understands the heartbreak of someone entering the shelter for the first time, wide-eyed, unsure and nervous? Who understands that certain fear of “what’s going to happen to me—will I survive this?” Who has been uniquely formed by God to apprentice folks through the nightmare of homelessness? I hope you see my point…  we opened our eyes to see those who were already doing God’s work of caring among our homeless friends.

So we were blessed (although some do not appreciate this perspective), to release those special shelter guests, whom we’ve seen genuinely caring for folks, into the work of caring for their neighbors in Christ’s service (worship). They were the answers to our prayers, but we needed to wake from our sleep to see them.

If given the choice between those who are “academically prepared” (possessing their Masters, or M.Div.), or those who have been schooled through service to Christ in this way—I’d need to ask, “who did Jesus himself choose to model his kingdom, even to the religious professionals?”

It was a long, heartbreaking, but glorious season as we saw our scriptures breathe into our lives—his will being done “on earth, as in heaven!” I wish you could all experience this life!

Posted 9/5/11

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Summer 2009 News

A Difficult Summer…

We have been very active in preparing for our 2009/2010 Shelter Season.  We found ourselves needing to address different challenges in how to better care for our guests, care for our hosts, spread the word, fund the ministry, and hone policy issues. Meanwhile, we have been recovering from last season’s activities, from laundry to ongoing struggles to keep our friends safe during our hiatus; all very challenging.

No Longer a Code Blue Shelter

Code Blue is an emergency plan during periods of extreme, life-threatening weather, defined as a wind-chill factor of 20°F or below. There are many public agencies and private health/social organizations that offer expanded services for those without adequate shelter, including the chronically homeless and homeless families with children during Code Blue. The goal of the Code Blue plan is to provide access to temporary shelter, food and clothing to those in need, when temperatures dip below freezing.

The MAIN St Shelter accepts those who come to us without exception whether it is Code Blue or not. As a Church Ministry, we welcome the stranger, the foreigner and the poor, as a normal part of our ministry, throughout the shelter season.  But, out of a growing feeling of responsibility to our guests and the host churches, we have changed some things to consider the occasional individual that might make it unsafe for the other guests. As a Code Blue Shelter (and without funding to augment the shelter’s staffing needs during these times), we will be sending those individuals to the appropriate agencies that are qualified and funded to help this minority of Pottstown’s homeless population.

MAIN St Intake Center

We have been working to create a central Intake Center at St John’s Parish House, 75 E MAIN St, in N Coventry, for processing new guests out side of the host churches.  Doing “off-site” intakes will assist us in being attentive to those coming into MAIN St for the first time, giving them bedding, doing interviews and paperwork, and slowly acclimating them to our shelter. We hope this also helps us to attend more fully, to the guests as they come in nightly; to feed them, and settle them for an evening’s rest.

We will not be allowing guests to “store” anything at the host churches through the day, as well as throughout the evenings.  The only storage will be mattresses and one bedding bag per guest.

During the days, we hope to encourage people to connect with case workers, look for employment opportunities, keep medical appointments, etc., without the need to return to the host churches since they will not have anything stored there.  

The Bigger Picture

Sometimes people just need to be told that they are allowed.  It’s true within Christ’s Church too.

[Christ] handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts, filled earth with his gifts. He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teachers to train Christ's followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ's body, the church, until we're all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God's Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ. Eph. 4 .11-13

Our work together has been noticed outside of our area. There are a number of churches, from Bucks County, PA, to Washington DC, to Nairobi Kenya, that our work is seen as a gift, and the cooperative sheltering model is beginning in other places. It is the Church of Pottstown that is truly calling to the world with a Reformation of Christ’s Care and Ongoing Ministry in the world.

Fundraising, Laundry & Webtools

We are actively engaging our community, inviting them into caring for our least, through fundraising opportunities, raffles, and Ministry representatives at local events.

We are slowly finishing our laundry duties and finishing work on the Intake Center, but we could use help this month as a final push through to the 2009/2010 season.

You can help with new guest intake through our new Referral WebTool. You can confidentially sign people up for shelter at MAIN St through your PC. Visit www.MinistriesAtMainStreet.org and click on the “MAIN St Online Intake Form” link.

January 15, 2009

Homelessness Looms as Potential Outcome of Recession

Recessions mean more homelessness. Increasing numbers of unemployed people are unable to afford rent, and charities and local governments are unable to keep up. Based on estimates of the depth likely to be reached by the current recession, 1.5 million additional Americans are likely to experience homelessness over the next two years, over and above the number who usually become homeless. However, the worst increases in homelessness can be prevented by providing emergency assistance to help stabilize or rehouse people experiencing a housing crisis.

The National Aliance to End Homelessness has issued this important summary.

January 2008

Here is the latest from the Township Supervisors’ lawyer…

The short version is that they want to force us to subdivide the church property into two different parcels. Afterward, the church building would stay an assembly for church activities, and the parish house would be a boarding house.  This would make the church landlords.  The parish house would cease to be a place for ministry and worship, affectively becoming a residence.

This is simply unacceptable.

Please contact the North Coventry Township Supervisors Board, voicing your concern, and urging them to do what is right for those who have the least among us.  It is sad enough that these folks have nowhere to sleep, without dashing all of their hope for the smallest amount of dignity.  It is also a shame that our local leaders seek the lowest politically expedient levels of catering to a very few, rather than finding righteous paths to care for the least.  It is a shame that “politics as usual” can shelf the good works of the Church, forcing us to focus on this kind of stuff, rather than the good work of the ministry.

Please pray for this effort with an open ear.  God usually answers our prayers by using us on His behalf.  A humble servant who serves on behalf of the least, responds to God’s grace with “Here I am LORD… send me…”

Here is the applicable contact information for the “powers” that currently hinder our work, and/or could ultimately help us…

Please Contact the North Coventry Supervisors:

Township Office Building  610-323-1694

Kevin Hennessey, Township Manager 610-323-1694  twpmgr@northcoventry.us

Andrew J. Paravis, Chairman 610-327-8508  aparavis@northcoventry.us

Erwin B. Jenschke, Jr (Bud), Vice Chairman 610-469-3819  budjens@northcoventry.us

E. Kent High

Harvey F. Greenawalt, Jr.  hgreenawalt@northcoventry.us

Jim Marks 610-705-4014  jimmarks@northcoventry.us

Deborah Russo,  Code Enforcement Office  610-323-1694  drusso@northcoventry.us

Ron Comtois, Fire Marshall  610-323-8360  fm17@northcoventry.us

Please Consider Contacting our State Representatives:

State Senator 6th District Jim Gerlach  610-458-8010

State Senator 44th District John Rafferty 610-469-8390

State Rep. 26th District Tim Hennessey  610-326-2626

“Ministries at Main Street” calls the church to BE THE CHURCH, caring for the poor as Jesus Christ has instructed us.  We the “Ministries at Main Street,” have been called and sent to be the light of the world on behalf of Jesus Christ.  We shine that light in the direction of all who are without permanent places to live, inviting them to come and be fed and offered a bed.

Questions asked of us by our neighbors in and around Main Street, along with our responses:

Points of Concern and Questions

Journaling the Ride...

There has been a lot of help getting this far, from our township, to local businesses, to local churches.

Thank you for your help!!

We would like to acknowledge the helpful congregations from St John's UCC on Price St for all of their help this winter and for the ongoing dialog in partnering as we move forward, and to our friends from First Presbyterian Church, on North Evens St, for their generosity in helping us to provide a shower facility for our guests.

Thanks You!!

Also, The Pottstown HOME DEPOT has blessed us with tons of paint and landscaping for our Home Base of Operations, and sleeping quarters for our guests when hosting.

Thank You TEAM DEPOT!!

And certainly a huge Thank You to the many selfless individuals who help in preparing for winter!! (Please check out the pictures below.)

THANK YOU!!!

Blessings to all of you,

The Ministries at MAIN Street