Pastor John Delcamp
The average church in its fold gives out 60 percent of what comes in, but Shores Assembly gives out 90 percent. “When you have education down at the bottom and at the top is, ‘How can I exist?’ basically you’ve got a whole different mentality of people to work with and help.” So before the business of education, certain basic needs must be met, such as providing a hot meal, which is likely the most nutritious meal some of the kids will receive that day. The recent addition of a new 1,400-square-foot kitchen that rivals any top-flight restaurant has made this a more tenable situation for not only feeding kids during the school year, but to also bolster its summer feeding program. Getting from the infancy of the program in 2004 to today’s burgeoning operation has not been without some pitfalls. The downturn of the economy in 2007 took its toll and even interrupted operations for a spell. The problem was not necessarily a drop in tithes, but in the myriad bad checks which started coming in after parents had left their homes at the end of the 2006 school year. At that time, Delcamp said bad checks resulted in $20,000 in losses in just a 3-month span. “We had a person who was with the Department of Corrections, and he went out to houses to collect money and people weren’t there,” Delcamp said. “They had already been foreclosed on.” Adding to the injury were two grants
totaling $50,000 that fell through because “there was no money.” The delinquent checks and failed grants came after the start of declining numbers in the congregation. Delcamp says that the high-water mark of the congregation came in 2005 when there were 130 members and the number has dropped to 25. Nonetheless, Delcamp and the congregation pushed through with its mission. Repairs and cosmetic items were put on hold and Delcamp himself did not take a paycheck. “We were fortunate enough to be able to pull out of it,” Delcamp said. “We just pulled back tight. It took us over three years to make it through that tough time – we didn’t buy anything, we couldn’t do repairs.” The sunlight could be seen on the horizon in 2010 when the U.S. Assemblies of God refinanced their mortgage for $100,000. That enabled for the construction of new playgrounds and other renovations. Since then, there has been an expansion of the facility, addition of the kitchen and growth in the school, which will operate for kindergarten through second grade in the fall. Of the 17 students enrolled, all but one are on scholarship based on income. During that time, Delcamp says the smaller congregation has been as fruitful and
generous as it was during the early 2000s, despite the decline in membership. “Our congregation has developed the motivation that whatever God gives to us, we give out,” Delcamp said. “When our congregation was at 130, they weren’t giving as much money as the 25 (today) are. “We’ve taught them tithing, that the first fruits are not yours, that God gives it to you trusting that you will give it back. If you don’t give it back, you’re stealing from God.” Shores Assembly’s mission is to first meet the practical needs of citizens, mainly through the children. That comes in the form of education, food, clothing and ministry. But not every aspect of the mission is directed solely at children. There is also The Carpenter Shop, which trains adults to enter the workforce and gain employment in trades such as lawn care, carpentry and other handyman skills. Those who before were unemployable now have the dignity of a relevant job in the marketplace. Delcamp sums up the church’s mission by simply referring to the gospel of Matthew, Chapter 22. In it, Jesus says, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” “We have come to learn that whatever God gives to us, we give away,” Delcamp says. “It does not leave a lot for us to do a lot of things – you can’t make things as beautiful as we want to and in some ways it doesn’t pay to do that.” As proof, a recent study from the Assemblies of God showed that the average church in its fold gives out 60 percent of what comes in, but Shores Assembly gives out 90 percent. Taking in and giving to where it is needed most.
OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | JUL 2021 |
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