Launching into the deep: Developing a deepening relationships program in an inner city church utilizing its food and clothing ministry

This thesis, "Launching into the Deep: Developing a Deepening Relationships Program in an Inner City Church Utilizing its Food and Clothing Ministry" (Project) examines a project in which members of an outreach ministry of a church engaged in a program to strengthen their relationship with persons from the neighboring community who utilize the services of the church's outreach ministry, and how their relationships were deepened by their encounters with each other. The Project was formulated to address a problem facing many outreach ministries as to how to deepen relationships with the people they serve, so that the people receiving services don't feel like they are only the recipients of a handout. The project demonstrated the value of placing community residents who frequent the church's outreach ministry, in a position of strength such that they become givers when their life stories are shared. The Project sought to give an opportunity for participants to become givers as they shared the important stories of their lives. The reciprocal exchanges were mutually rewarding for both community participants and church members. The Project was based upon the premise that everyone has gifts that can be shared for the enrichment and edification of others. By placing church members and community residents together, allowing their interactions to help them get to know each other better, and sharing their stories over a lovingly prepared meal, relationships were nurtured, developed and deepened. An important research component of the Project was the pervasiveness of racism and its effects on those frequenting outreach programs for support. The Project acknowledges and covers the historical effects of racism in Camden's economic development and housing patterns that has contributed to a concentration of poverty and the need for outreach ministries such as that of St. Augustine's Church. The Project launched the church and community participants into the deep, where amazing things happen, and even deepened relationships.