Annual Conference

Chris and I attended our last Annual Conference of the North Indiana Church at Purdue. For 24 years we would trek to Purdue for the Conference. This year the North and South Conference voted to unify. Now we are one. Next year's Conference will be held at Ball State in Muncie. The highlight of this year's conference was when our great volunteer Jim Williams received the bread and basin award for all of his work in his church and the outreach. In other business Oakwood Park will be sold for the second time, Epworth Forest will be remodeled for about 20 million dollars and we voted to have every North Indiana Conference Church start a new faith community. Not sure how that will work since NIC is now gone.

Oakbrook and Parr

Parr UMC is getting ready to do cook-outs for the neighbors around their church. Parr is a small church with few resources. They needed help. Meanwhile Oakbrook Community Church(mega-church located just out of town) called me as asked how they could help in the city. I suggested they partner with Parr they are with the first cookout days away we shall see how it goes.

Cowboy Church

I spoke at "Cowboy Church" this week. Cowboy Church is held at Fairview Baptist Church once a month in two services. It is a service of bluegrass, country and comedy. Sort of a Christian Hee-Haw. Good clean fun. The offering went to the outreach and about 1400.00 was raised.

Yea-Haw

Thanks Pastor Steve Sherwood!!!!!

Food Back Packs

We are beginning to deliver backpacks full of food to 230 students at a local elementary school. The backpacks are delivered on Friday and returned on Monday and refilled on Friday. It takes a great deal of volunteers and a lot of food. We secured another location to do the pilot program which will be the last four weeks of school.

Crisis Child Care Center

This week Renee Roberts became our interim director of the Crisis Child Care Center. We welcome Renee as we figure out what our next step is in this outreach.

OH MY I am very sorry

I thought I have been publishing posts all year long. I just realized I was saving posts but not publishing them. It appears I have been silent for a long time. Sorry about that. I think I have everything published now. Thanks Jeff

more speaking engagements

This week I spoke at the Sunday night service at the Free Methodist Church. I have never seen a crowd that large on a Sunday night. I had a great time preaching about Outreach. Today I was invited to share with the Carver Center Board of Directors. For those of you who are not from Kokomo, Carver Center was started during the time of segregation. Black folks were not allowed in the Y. Carver Center is like the Y in many regards, however, in recent years many white kids have played in the basketball leagues and of course the Y welcomes all people. Both black and white kids go to school together and young adults have little prejudice, thus producing may bi-racial children. Finally, it appears that in Kokomo race is mattering less and less. The only place that is really racially divided in town is our churches and that is sad :( . I know there is hope and I believe that KUO and Carver Center will be able to partner in various projects to create a better community.

Tomorrow I speak to a rural church in Tipton County. I will update that later. thanks Jeff

Whew!! I am tired.

This was Spring Break week. In order to provide relief of the food problem in the area, we provided lunches at two locations each day of Spring break. We served about 150 mostly kids each day. We also provided 250 breakfast bags. We had great volunteers, again, Chapel Hill came through in big ways. It was funny, we had the 1000 pounds of potatoes and I had 4 or 5 retired guys break down the large bags and make smaller bags(about 7 pounds). It usually takes two people about 2 hours. It took them about 15 minutes. Wow!!!!

Potato Drop

One thousand pounds of potatoes were dropped off today. The United Methodist Men of the Kokomo District picked-up and delivered the potatoes. They are greatly needed. God is providing food everyday. We have never helped so many nor have we ever had so much food. Thanks for the prayers.....Jeff

Hunger

Today we had our last Saturday of the month breakfast we usually serve about 30 today, when I couldn't be there nearly 100 was served. It appears that people all over are losing food stamps, medicad and welfare due to privatization. There no longer is a welfare office in Kokomo, to apply and reapply you must go to Marion(35 miles away), phone, go on-line or fax. Few of those in poverty have those resources. We are working to help. Grace UMC purchased a fax machine so that we can help neighbors re-apply. We helped nearly 200 families in food pantry this month, usually we help about 60. Things are looking dire. But God is bigger. I hope we can help. Keep us in your prayers. Jeff

Leadership Kokomo Part 2

I meet with a team from leadership Kokomo, last year's team provided us with a trailer for the cookouts. This year's team is providing us with laptops. In a recent study, preschoolers that do not have a computer in their home are behind when they get to school. Leadership Kokomo will provide computers, curriculum and training so we can teach pre-school computer classes. Wow!!!

Wouldn't it be cool if we could take the class to other under- served neighborhoods in some fashion?

I can see it now. The Computer-mobile :) Thanks for the prayers

Good Friday

Participated with 6 other pastors in a Good Friday Service from 11:00 AM-1:00 PM. Each of us had ten minutes to expound upon the last seven words of Jesus. This service is one I will not soon forget as it was mostly African-Americans. The service was very emotional and intense. There was a great deal of shouting and encouragement from other pastors. It was a very, very good service and one that I will not soon forget.

Easter Basket Workshop

Today was our Easter Basket workshop our third. On Tuesday St. Luke's UM youth carried from the third floor to the basement, hundreds of pound of candy, 600 baskets, grass, toys, animal etc. On Wednesday the Prime Timers from Chapel Hill Christian Church set it up. On Thursday they returned and passed it out. Thank you Chapel Hill and St. Luke's . It was great time for all. At night was our Maundy Thursday Service, we moved through the church remembering the last week of Jesus' life. It sure is tiring to come back from vacation on Holy Week :).

Returning from Vacation

Just returned yesterday from a week long cruise. We went to Mexico, Belize and the Bahamas. We enjoyed the food, hospitality and had a great time. One of the highlights was seeing a Mayan Temple in Belize. Chris and I climbed to the top---breath taking. We also enjoyed the towel animals each night. This vacation was a first---first with no children along, first cruise, first vacation since returning to Kokomo. We were celebrating 30 years of marriage, my 50th birthday, and a successful raising of three boys to adulthood. Here are some pictures of the ship, our room, the ruins, and the towel animal.

Serving with Cassville

Cassville serves lunch at the Rescue Mission on the first and third Wednesday of the month. I have been there nearly a year and had no idea they did that. I went today and helped serve lunch. I had a great time. I really enjoy serving in the community with the church I pastor. Cassville also has a dinner after church every third Sunday, other church folk attend. This little church provides the Outreach with a great deal of food for the pantry and is willing to provide whatever we need. Thanks Cassville!

Last Night

Led a workshop at Sunnycrest United Methodist Church in Marion. The church wanted to come to the Saturday workshop I lead earlier in the month but could not. The discussion was lively and people were attentive. One thing they did some years ago was to build a gym hoping to attract young people. It didn't work. Many churches added family life centers or gyms in the 90's to attract folk. Some work better than others. We focused on how to go out. They came up with some ideas. I hope they are able to move from a more attractional mindset to a missional mindset. Keep all of us in your prayers. Thanks Jeff

Lent

We are in the season of Lent. Several churches in the outlying areas are have a combined Sunday Night Lenten Service, all the offerings collected with go to KUO. Unfortunately, it is difficult for me to attend the services as they start at 6:30 PM and I really do not finish until 6:15 PM. I will try to make it to the ones that are nearby.

Speaking

I had two speaking engagements this week. The first was with the United Methodist Men of Greentown(although there were several women there). I was able to share about neighborhood outreach. They shared of the wonderful things they were doing in a mobile home park in Greentown. At the end of the presentation I was asked, how could they help us in Kokomo, I encouraged them to focus on Greentown and to get other churches involved in what they are already doing.

I also spoke to the Kokomo Ministerial Association at the Kokomo Rescue Mission. Things went well there and I have been invited to speak in a couple of churches. Thanks for the prayers.

Workshop

Had a great day today leading a workshop entitled, "becoming a Missional Church". There were folks from Hammond, South Bend, and Kokomo. We talked about the life-cycle of a church, how to reach into the community, Sidewalk Sunday School and reaching people living in poverty. The day ended with particpants delivering cookies door to door in the apartment complex, showing God's love in a real way.

So blessed in 2007

KOKOMO URBAN OUTREACH
2007 Annual Report
By: Jeff Newton, Ex. Director

FINANCES

· 2007 General Giving was about $68,000, up $22,000 from 2006
· Designated giving was about $10,000.
· Giving entities increased from 90 in 2006 to 105 in 2007
· Giving entities included 27 churches or Sunday School Groups and 10 organizations and businesses
· Financial assistance was also received from the North Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church and the Bishop’s Christmas Children’s Offering

VOLUNTEERS

· Leadership Kokomo Team provided numerous hours of volunteer service as well as:
A trailer equipped with a table, sound system, gas grill, coolers, etc.; Shelves in the food pantry; Paper products
· A team of volunteers from Kohl’s provided service
· KUO was been blessed with a Summer Intern and a student volunteer
· Hosted numerous Adult and Church youth groups from Howard County and throughout Indiana
· First-time volunteers this year included 468 youth and adults for a total of over 800 volunteers
· Regular email newsletters are sent to 400 individuals

OFFICE and ADMINISTRATION

· Attended Community Foundation sponsored classes
· Have been working with a Consultant provided as a result of those classes
· Have made changes in the detail of the donations received
· 501(c)3 Application has been filed and accepted
· An Administrative Assistant has been working 10+ hours a week
· The Ministry of KUO has been shared at 5 church mission fairs and denominational
· Pastor Jeff and Staff has been the main speaker at 33 functions throughout the year (23 Churches, 10 Organizations)
· Sponsored the Call To Action, which has resulted in a working relationship between KUO, Bridges and the Kokomo Center School District
· Met one-on-one with 9 Pastors to discuss KUO

CRISIS CHILD CARE CENTER
· Opened the Crisis Child Care Center in July, with gifts from Grace UMC and St. Andrew’s Church
· Hired a Child Care Director
· Hours have been extended and Referral Forms revised in hopes of attracting more users

MEALS (over 15,000 meals served in 2007)
· Served an average of 215 at GS and 125 at PV at Summer Cookouts
· Served an average of 100 at GS and 80 at PV with inside Sunday evening meals
· Served Thanksgiving Dinner to appx. 185 at GS and 140 at PV
· Served Spring Break lunches to an average of 83 at GS (5 days)
· Served Summer lunches to an average of 95 at GS (17 days)

· Began serving Breakfast on the last Sat of the Month in July, to an average of 55 each month
· 400 Sack lunches were delivered on Christmas Day
· Served Christmas Break lunches to an average of 60 at PV (8 days)
· Alto UMC has assumed the responsibility for preparing the Sunday evening meals at PV

FOOD PANTRY
· Provided bags of food to all children attending Sunday evening SWSS & Cookouts each week
· Delivered 500 bags of food and 40 loaves of bread as an Outreach project
· Provided 43 breakfast bags and 25 snack bags to children during the summer
· Collected tons of food during a 4th of July food drive
· Distributed 25 lbs of green beans and 20 doz. ears of corn plus other fresh vegetables from the Community Garden
· Served an average of 35 families per month with food from the pantry (Sept—Dec)
· Distributed 600 lbs of potatoes from the Society of St. Andrews

OUTREACH

· Secret Santa Shop for children of GS and PV
· Easter Basket Workshop provided 600 baskets
· Valentines provided to all children at GS (80)
· Valentine gifts to mothers at GS (80)
· Backpacks provided to all children at GS and PV (180)
· Held a clothing give away at GS and PV
· Began weekly sewing classes
· Volunteers distributed 100's of children's books in the summer and fall
· Gave away about 60 bikes to those needing transportation to job
· Bike Repair
· Held a community concert and meal at the conclusion of VBS (325)
· Smoking Cessation classes had 10 individuals participating
· Socks were given to all who attended the Thanksgiving Meals at GS and PV
· Assisted many new families moving into GS from homelessness
· Numerous families at GS and PV were adopted at Christmas by individuals, church and scout groups
· Partnered with Kokomo Auto World who hosted a Christmas party for appx. 30 children, with each receiving a toy from their “wish list”
· Provided games to each child attending SWSS at PV
· Christmas Eve service held at the PV Community Room blessed 60 individuals

SIDEWALK SUNDAY SCHOOL

· Conducted weekly programs for an average of 40 children at GS and 20 children at PV; teaching about the Fruits of the Spirit, Easter and Advent, reaching a total of 180 children
· Held a mid-week summer class for an average of 10 children from GS and 15 from PV; teaching the Beatitudes
· Held Easter Egg Hunts, a Fall Party, Winter Carnival, and a Birthday Party for Jesus
· Partnered with Grace UMC in order to provide a week long VBS program to the children of Grace UMC and GS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

· 3 new Directors were appointed with a Board of ten members