Middleton Outreach Ministry (MOM) - Middleton, Wisconsin

Building 'on', 'with', 'up', and 'for' the future

Middleton Times Tribune - July 13, 2006
by Dietrich Gruen, Middleton Outreach Ministry

The Bible reminds us that “Unless the Lord builds the house,... and watches over the city, we labor in vain” (Psalm 127:1). We are further reminded that unless we build on the Rock, which is Christ, our labor may well be washed out by the next storm (Matthew 7:24-27)—flattened, just like some of those homes we’ve all witnessed in New Orleans.

Still, we at MOM reach out to those who have suffered devastating losses in our own community. Each crisis I witness, here and abroad, causes me to rededicate myself and MOM. We are the hands and feet and compassion of Christ, extending into our community. And we extend that into the future, a future that is in God’s hands. As I press on to that future, I celebrate the past year.

An eventful 2005 and 2006 (so far): Building with others on the previous 25 years

Event of the Year: Twelve months ago, Joan Deming led us in our first-ever fund-raising banquet, and Mike Davis and Connie Ott led other special 25th Anniversary events—all to celebrate the first 25 years of MOM and anticipate the next 25.
Church of the Year: In August of 2005, St. Martin’s Lutheran Church of Cross Plains became MOM’s 13th core supporting church.
Revenue of the Year: Reversing a downward trend of 2004, MOM finished 2005 with our largest cash reserves and assets on hand, ever.
Purchase of the Year: In March of 2006, using reserve funds and culminating a 5-month process, we bought the building at 7432 Hubbard Ave from Paul Gruber. Like 99% of our clients, we had been renters.
New Staff of the Year: We lost two and gained two in Spring of 2006. Carole Klopp has replaced Sarah Mackesey as Coordinator of Volunteer Services. Kim Grafenauer has replaced Rick Moore as Manager of the DC and Food Pantry.
Sabbatical of the Year: From Feb 12—May 12, 2006, I took the first sabbatical (a leave for rest, study, renewal, and alternate service) ever granted by the MOM Board. On leave, I came to understand the housing crises and economic ruin inflicted by hurricanes and other natural disasters in the Gulf and Nicaragua, AND I delight to see volunteers and donors give generously to help disaster victims, here as well as there.
Mission of the Year: We stabilize families in crisis with housing grants and Good Samaritan aid. We foster independence and spiritual growth for low-income and over-65 clients, building them up through caring relationships. Such local efforts in the Middleton and West Madison area, headed up by MOM churches, delights me to no end!

Building up clients to break the cycle of poverty

As we press on to the future, I envision more mentors or companions matched with MOM clients—not only financial mentors under Craig Waggoner, or Stephen Ministers under Dietrich and Sue Gruen, or POP volunteers under Claudia Miska, or Adopt-A-Family donors under Ellen Carlson. I envision volunteers going deeper and being more intentional in offering help and hope and extending relational mercy, not only commodity-based mercy.

Your involvement will extend the care given by MOM programs and staff and build up our clients with a hope and a future. In addition to the programs cited on page 3, MOM offers Stephen Ministry, which is the place where we do the ministry of “after-care”—after the funeral, after the hospital stay, after the bread-winner is deported or taken to jail on a parole violation, after the pink slip, after the spouse dies, after the partner leaves—after hope runs out.

While more volunteers and spiritual resources are necessary to build up and sustain our many client families, presently, anyone looking for more help and hope than MOM can offer by itself, we will connect with a nearby church of their choice. As living stones, we are being built, upon the Rock, into a spiritual house. And we take care how we build on the foundation.

MOM continues to make good use of physical and financial resources, as well. For example, from January to May of 2006, MOM gave rental assistance to 50% more clients than in the same period in 2005.

Scripture reminds us that “building for the future” will have its reward (1 Corinthians 3:13-14)—IF we build up others, using the right stuff. And what of MOM’s long-term future?

To best steward all our resources and better serve all our clients, we still hope to consolidate our MOM Office and Distribution Center by moving into a one-stop-shop service center on a bus line. That could mean a 7,000 sq ft complex—or a larger space, IF other nonprofits co-locate with us.

But that’s a building project and capital campaign for another year. Meanwhile, I draw inspiration for “building a new MOM” from Jim Wallis at Pentecost 2006 in his “Covenant for a New America” (see sidebar).

Until then...I’d love to visit with you about any of this. Contact me at 826-3408, dietrich@mompop.org.

This article is a preview of the Executive Director’s page in MOM’s 12-page 2005 Annual Report, to be released at the end of the month. For your copy, contact MOM at 836-7338 or www.mompop.org.

We need a new moral logic that merges personal and social responsibility—a more honest assessment of both the individual decisions and social systems that trap people in poverty. That is the aim of our “Covenant for a New America.”

We covenant together before God and our neighbors, to work and pray for America:

An America where everyone able to work is working and able to support a family.
An America where those who are unable to work are compassionately supported.
An America where no child lives in poverty and goes to bed at night hungry.
An America where everyone has a roof over their head.
An America that opens its heart and its budget to our neighbors around the world.
A new America—where all of God’s children have the life and dignity they deserve.

—Jim Wallis, founder of Sojourners, author of God’s Politics, and keynote speaker at Pentecost 2006, from which this quote is taken.

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