This article appeared in the Kokomo Tribune on Saturday. Because of this article in one day we received food to give away and a nice donation to Kokomo Urban Outreach. Tom Carey our friendly reporter, has donated what I call "agape bags" that we give out each week. He has give a bag with a can of juice, a small box of cereal and a toothbrush. He has given a bag with candy and cereal bars. One week he gave us a bag with toilet tissue and hand soap. He put together a bag with candy and candles for the children to take home to their mom on mothers day. He has also given 30 pounds of baloney, countless packs of bread. Dozens of eggs, about 100 pounds of spaghetti, and 2 dozen cans of spaghetti sauce, not to mention plastic strainers so spaghetti can be drained properly. God has been so good to us. Thanks for your support and especially the prayers. Jeff

The Church Next Door

Christ fed the multitudes with five loaves and two fishes.
The Kokomo Urban Outreach ministry
— thanks almost completely to donations
— recently fed about 40 children
grilled cheese sandwiches, chips, peaches, raw carrots and celery with ranch dressing for dipping and brownies. The total bill? About $6, or 15 cents per kid.
“Unbelievable,” said the Rev. Jeff Newton, pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church. Explaining his church houses the outreach ministry, Newton professes Trinity “is endeavoring to be more than just a Sunday Morning Church ... to be a central hub in the community. “We are becoming, ‘the church next door.’”

Bit of history

The church was started in 1925 by a committee made up of people from Grace, Main Street and Beamer Methodist churches. This was done to commence a Methodist church on the city’s south side, known then as the gateway to Kokomo. In the 1960s Trinity was remodeled and an education wing added on to hold the crowds of people attending.

Outreach explained

Kokomo Urban Outreach is an interdenominational coalition of churches, faith-based organizations and individuals who have a heart for hometown missions, Newton said earlier. He said the ministry, with support o fseveral area congregations, works to make contact with neighbors, provide afocused ministry in an already established place within a neighborhood, provide safe places where people can explore the Christian faith and organize neighbors into groups where they begin to serve their own neighborhood and reach out to under served neighborhoods in their area. Sunday nights, neighborhood youth are invited to drop by Trinity for an evening that includes free dinner and — when available — free food to take home. Newton said the outreach’s first major program is Kokomo Urban Artreach, which strives to cultivate participants’ creativity, self-esteem and self-discipline. Currently guitar, art and dance classes are offered through the church, nestled next to the south-side Garden Square apartments.

Trinity’s task

Church walls should proverbially be broken down, Newton said. He said he sees Trinity working with Outreach to use the South Locke Street house of worship, “to do what Jesus would have done — bring wholeness and healing to the community.” He said he thinks area residents feel comfortable with him as he lives adjacent to the church. As such, neighbors “see me get into my car ... I talk to people as they walk down the alley.”

Those coming to the church, whether as congregants or outreach beneficiaries, learn there are no strings attached by the church or outreach. “We take people the way they are; there’s no judging.” Attend services in jeans if you like — be assured Newton and others will strive to learn your name, discover personal likes and dislikes. He also said he’s been pleased with the community’s response to the outreach programs.

Outreach well accepted

Via Artreach, nine people are receiving guitar lessons, with eight and five receiving instruction in dance and art, respectively. About 30 recipients flock to the Sunday Night Children/Youth Outreach. On Super Bowl Sunday, Newton said, Trinity members brought in cans and cans of soup. Later, someone else brought in saltines. Cans of soup, sleeves of ers and loaves of bread were sent home with youngsters a Sunday night. Soon thereafter, the outreach, operating out of the church, received and distributed 33 dozen eggs, 24 boxes of cereal and several loaves of bread.
The community’s generosity continues, the minister said, with the outreachecently getting 250 pounds of bacon, 125 full-size bags of potato chips, lots of bread and many cans of vegetables. “Stuff on a shelf helps no one,” Newton said, explaining food is distributed as
soon as possible. The Rev. Kevin Miller, associate pastor at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church,
also is chairman of the outreach board of directors. His church is also one of many that’s supported the outreach program. Noting Trinity’s role as outreach community center, he said “it’s been very powerful to see God at work in this way. “They’ve been tremendously supportive ... opening their hearts.”

Needs noted

The pastor said the volunteer-dependent ministry needs about 25 volunteers each Sunday. Twelve table mentors eat with the children, five folks are needed in the kitchen area and more to assist as teachers. Volunteers also are needed to put together bags from food donations. But perhaps more importantly than feeding the children’s bodies is feeding their souls. “The children that are attending on Sunday night are looking for good news, and that is what we are trying to give them — good news,” Newton said.

Tom Carey may be reached
at (765) 454-8560 or via e-mail at
tom.carey@kokomotribune.com