SUMMER OF SERVICE Good Neighbors is holding our 15th annual Home Repair Work Camp for high school youth during the week of July 20. We are thrilled to have nearly 60 youth and youth leaders from six different youth groups including: • Avondale Presbyterian Church (also our host church for the week) • Episcopal Church of the Advent, Kennett Square • Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Newark • The Garage Youth Center (Kennett Square and West Grove locations) • Grace Fellowship Church, Unionville • Presbyterian Church of Kennett Square These incredible teens dedicate a week of their summer to serve the Lord and their community by volunteering their time to help make homes warmer, safer and drier for residents in need. This year the five homes chosen will surely keep our teens and adult volunteers busy throughout the week. The theme this year, “For to me to live is Christ,” (Philippians 1:21) is one that was carefully chosen to reflect the work, effort and dedication to service shown by our volunteers. Simply put, to live in Christ means that while we are here and alive on earth, we pursue the Lord with a passion
and serve him (and others) because of our relationship with him. Every area of our lives is directly influenced by the relationship we have with Christ—our volunteers are shining examples of this commitment to serve in the name of the Lord. Joshua Knott, Associate Pastor of Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Newark and Chaplain of Good Neighbors will be leading the evening programming. Veronica Young, a member of Hockessin Baptist Church, will once again lead our kitchen volunteers. Fred Bruns, Board Chairman for Good Neighbors will be taking over as Camp Director for Bob Johnson who served in that role for the first 14 youth camps. Bob set the bar high for Fred as year after year under his leadership our volunteers’ dedication and hard labor has strengthened our cause. We look forward to reporting to you in the fall on another successful annual Home Repair Work Camp. In the meantime please continue to check the website http://www.goodneighborshomerepair.org and our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/goodneighbors1 for pictures and updates throughout the summer!
Building on the Rock Staunch Perseverance By Tonia Kulp, Newsletter Editor
THIS NEWSLETTER IS GRACIOUSLY UNDERWRITTEN BY
205 E. State Street Kennett Square, PA 19348 Office: 610-444-1860 Fax: 610-444-1961 Info@goodneighborshomerepair.org www.goodneighborshomerepair.org
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works… encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24-25) It’s this kind of advice that guides Good Neighbors’ as we help make homes warmer, safer, drier and healthier for needy families here in southern Chester County. Melissa and her children are one such family. This sweet mom is also a model of staunch perseverance in the face of hardship. Her amazing story brings life to our goal of “Repairing Homes and Restoring Hope.” Melissa is mom to 10 children, age 3 to 17, whom she homeschools with excellence. Sadly, when her husband became critically ill, the family lost Dad, and their only source of income. Family and friends stepped to help meet food and clothing needs, but nothing was left over for home maintenance or repairs. Slowly, inevitably, the home began to deteriorate. When Melissa noticed mold in the attic, she knew it was time to seek help. Melissa had noticed GN working on a nearby home and stopped to ask how she
could get help with her home’s mold problem. Our staff intuitively knew that, in addition to mold, a host of other repairs were probably needed… and they were right. A wet basement, chimney deterioration, missing insulation, plumbing and electrical issues, structural damage – all cried out for help. Thankfully GN has an army of willing and capable volunteers. Already multiple teams have started working on Melissa’s home, including a large crew from Vineyard Christian Fellowship and another from Assumption BVM (in West Grove). Plus, as our volunteers worked alongside GN Project Managers they inevitably started bonding with Melissa and her sweet children. Repairs on her home are still ongoing and Melissa struggles to fully express her gratitude and newfound hope. But please know, dear reader, we could not exist apart from the time, talent and treasure donated by folks like you. You are the reason Melissa’s home is safer, and her family’s hope is being restored. Thank you!
Board of Directors
CONTRACTOR’S CORNER
Fred Bruns
Robbie Deike
Robert Johnson
Robert Whitlock
Neighborhood News
Pastor’s Perspective
Marc Bevis Bradley Dunn Christopher Wolfe Rob Ellis
Bill Stecher
Joshua Knott
Staff Rob Ellis
Bill Stecher
One of the many projects Good Neighbors had the pleasure of helping with this spring was at the home of Avondale resident, Joanne B----. Joanne is a remarkable elderly woman who lost her husband to throat cancer this past January following a lengthy two-year battle. With grief overshadowing daily life, how to stay warm was not at the top of Joanne’s "To Do" list. Joanne’s daughter Donna is an employee of Lowes in Avondale. Donna has seen first hand the efforts of Good Neighbors as Lowes has been a caring partner for many years. She helped organize a group of Lowes employees who worked alongside 10 volunteers from Christian Life Center, and our very own Board Member Chris Wolfe, to begin repairs on her mother’s home. Since the original work began on Saturday, April 12 we have replaced Joanne’s roof, installed gutters and downspouts, added new windows and topped it off with a new, up-to-code electrical panel. Now Joanne’s home is warmer, safer, and drier thanks to our incredible volunteers — including her own daughter!
Tom MacAulay
Phil Smith
Neill Lynch
Steve Mulrooney
In John 9:1-3 Jesus’s disciples see a man blind from birth and ask, “Who Sinned? This man or his parents?” For these men, suffering was a direct result of sinful acts. Jesus answered the disciples, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents…” In other words, they were asking the wrong question when presented with suffering. Yes, sin is man’s greatest problem. It is a problem so big that Jesus came to be the one to bear the penalty for our sin on the cross so that we might be, now and forever, restored to God and forgiven by faith in his son Jesus. Nevertheless, in this instance Jesus says “neither” and goes on to say that the blindness was so “that the works of God might be displayed in him.” When the disciples saw misery, they saw causality. When Jesus sees misery, he sees opportunity. This changes our questions when we see suffering around us, doesn’t it? Yes, sin is man’s greatest problem, but instead of asking “Who sinned?” the question Jesus’ disciples need to ask first is “Where is the opportunity for me to help.” How can I be the hands and feet of God so his works might be on display? One answer is by supporting Good Neighbors. As we embrace the work to which Jesus has called us, please continue your support - for us and for our community. As you , or , know that we are deeply appreciative, and that your generosity is helping display God’s goodness to our needy neighbors. Thank you, thank you, for your compassion and caring. Joshua Knott is Associate Pastor of EP Church of Newark, DE and serves Good Neighbors as Board Chaplain.
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR
11th Annual Fall Fundraiser
Larry Borst
Barbe Stecher
Bob Johnson
Bob Whitlock
Don Aldrich
Service Snapshot
ACTIVITY Inquiries Projects Approved Completed In Process Quick Fix People served
YTD 97 132 67 54 11 97+
September 25th at Hartefeld National Mark your calendar and plan to come to the 11th annual Fall Fundraiser on Thursday, September 25, 2014, at Hartefeld National, Avondale, PA. This once a year evening event enables us to raise the needed funds for Good Neighbors as we share stories and
information about lives changed through home repair. Invitations will be sent later this summer. If you are interested in being an event or table sponsor, please contact Robbie Deike, deikerm@comcast.net or 302-598-3802.
Repair and reconstruction to mobile homes can be a costly business. The installation and cost of custom materials required for most mobile homes had been a deterrent for Good Neighbors to enter the niche market. Last year however we were called by the Lord to begin working on mobile homes. Just two days after we made the decision to proceed we received a phone call from Rapid Repair. Mike Peterson and his wife own Rapid Repair, headquartered in Oxford. Mike is proud that the company is Christian owned and operated. As members of the CLC Church in New London he was drawn to the ministry of Good Neighbors. We knew that the Lord had answered our prayers when he sent us Mike. Utilizing the deeply discounted services of Rapid Repair we have been able to significantly expand our services. Thank you Mike and your team for the high quality of workmanship you bring to making homes warmer, safer and drier in southern Chester County.
A Member Agency of the United Way of Southern Chester County