Family Promise

I have been preaching these days on the weekend through the letter of the Apostle Paul to the church at Ephesus. I have called the series, “Don’t just go to church, but be the church!” Christians are at their best when they do more walking than talking! Unfortunately, more often than not, we church people are guilty of keeping all the blessings selfishly to ourselves! Jesus challenged his flock to go out into the world so that everyone everywhere could get a taste of how good God is. This is no time to sit around and wonder why nobody is doing anything constructive when we aren’t leading the way.
There is a movement within Cape May County that is actually making a difference in the lives of those who have found themselves with no place to lay their head. Much like Mary and Joseph when they were wandering Bethlehem seeking shelter to birth the baby Jesus, this organization is doing lots more than just shouting out, “No room at the inn!” I also love the fact of how Family Promise is bringing the churches together to serve the Lord with a capital C so we bear the image of the true Church!
Family Promise of Cape May County equips Christians through the vehicle of their local places of worship to help families with children who are experiencing homelessness. They exemplify networking and unity at its very best. In our little neck of the Jersey Shore, 1,000 volunteers have committed themselves to provide temporary housing and meals for up to four families at a time (maximum 14 people).
Family Promise only accepts families with children. They do their homework carefully and do not enable dysfunction by offering help that eventually hurts. A normal intake period takes anywhere from three to five days. Included in this process, potential families are screened for drug and alcohol addictions. This requirement assures that the family is a good match and committed to doing whatever is necessary to turn their story around.
As a Christian centered ministry, they operate solely by donations and refuse government money that many times comes with its own restrictive strings in matters of the faith. This non-attachment to Uncle Sam allows them to design their own strict guidelines for the safety of their families and their volunteers.
While the families are officially in the program, they receive full-time case management to assist with overcoming the causes that led to their homelessness. Under proper counsel and supervision, the families establish goals for employment, housing, education and child care. Through a safe, nurturing environment families can work on these goals to lead them to permanent housing and future success. The hospitality provided by the large support system of volunteers and the acquisition of new life skills enable 75 percent of families to move to and maintain permanent housing.
Family Promise operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They are also unique in their philosophy, which chooses to not split up families during their time of need. Why put more stress in an already overwhelming situation? Family Promise makes this happen by operating in partnership with the local congregations within our community.
We here at The Lighthouse Church love working with Laurie Johnson who is the Family Promise Director and Kathleen O’Neill who is the Family Advocate and I love bantering with Leif Johnson who is the official Family Promise van driver. We recruit our own volunteers from our church family about four times a year for one week at a time to put the “hospitality” into “the Interfaith Hospitality Network.”
The Lighthouse building becomes a temporary home and as the host congregation we cook, serve meals, socialize and hang out with our guests, help the parents and give them accommodations overnight from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily.
It has also been our privilege here at The Lighthouse Church to have the honor to dedicate one of the babies born while a precious family was staying with us last Christmas time. It was the Gospel come alive and love personified. Even a wordy person like me could never find the right sentences to truly articulate the raw joy that was pumping through my heart!
The reason I am bringing Family Promise of Cape May County into the light is because I don’t want this organization to remain the best kept secret in town. I want every church to know about it so that every church can participate together!
If you would like more information, please do not hesitate to call Laurie Johnson at 846-7832 or 846-7868 or you may email them at familypromisecmc@yahoo.com.
If Jesus came to your door, would you turn him away? If God gave you a chance to demonstrate the biblical doctrine practically, wouldn’t you want to step forward and do it? Thanks Laurie and company for staying faithful. I pray that your best days are still to come!