CHRISTIAN CARING CENTER
20 YEARS OF GOD'S HISTORY
MAY 18, 2003
The Ministry of the Christian Caring Center began as a result of needy people coming for help for food, rental assistance and utility assistance at the parsonage door of Rev. Peter Ammerman and Susan Ammerman. The Lord gave the vision to Susan and she went to her husband who immediately agreed with her and they began to pray together. Rev. Ammerman went to his small congregation of about 100 people and they all agreed and began to pray what God would have them to do. The congregation held a USDA Government Surplus distribution in their parking lot and over 63 families came that day for food.
"They began to share the love of God to struggling people..."
They began to pray again. On April 23, 1983 the small congregation from St. Mark Lutheran Church open the doors of the Christian Caring Center in a 20 X 40 Ft. cabin with no heat, no running water, no visible means of support. Just a vision from God, a few hearts filled with the love of Jesus, a desire to be a servant and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. They gave out a 3-day emergency supply of food on Saturdays from 9am-12pm. It was apparent to the congregation and to the volunteers that these people coming needed help physically, spiritually and emotionally. They began accepting clothing to give to the people along with their food at no cost. They began to share the love of God to struggling people and then they began to pray again this time directly with the people as they came. One by one the people began to surrender to Jesus and except His love, His help and His salvation for eternal life and their lives began to change.
Shortly after opening and due to a serious illness of Karl Tussing's father, the Center's first Director resigned to spend time ministering to his father in the last few month s of his life. Mickey Roy the Assistant Director took leadership with Karl's help as he continued to volunteer. After one year of operation, Madelyn Mears Sheldon became the first paid Director. Madelyn was hired with 10 weeks of salary in reserves and was told... At the end of 10 weeks WHEN God provides, you will continue to have a job. There were 12 regular monthly givers at that time and special gifts on occasion from area churches. There were a few times when there was no money to go and buy any food to give out. In Faith, we said we would open like we had promised for the people and give out whatever we had and we began to pray! The Lord would always provide. Some Saturdays, we thought we only had clothing and prayer. We would open up and a car would pull up with a food drive from an area church, another car would pull up with bread and before the end of the morning someone would hand us a check for the following week- Praise God!
We began a monthly newsletter and began sharing the ministry with area churches and groups like the Rotary Clubs and really any one who would listen. God began to work in the hearts of His believers and we started getting support with finances, prayer, and volunteers. One by one clients began to surrender to the Holy Spirit and gave their lives to Jesus. We stayed in our little cabin for 9 years. During that time we began to expand our programs. We became a Salvation Army Service Unit, we became a S.H.A.R.E. Host Agency, USDA Commodity Distribution Agency for the Township of Pemberton, We increased our days of operation to Saturdays & Thursdays. We were asked to serve on many different boards in the community like, Emergency Management Team for Pemberton Township, Affordable Housing Coalition of Burlington County, Salt & Light, CEAS Provider, Pemberton Township Taskforce for the Homeless, FEMA Allocation Brd., Community Development Allocation Brd., Board of Social Services Homeless Strategy Coalition, etc. Our Support continued to grow like, Operation Blessing-700 Club, Churches through out the County, We began to get grants from FEMA, Social Services for the Homeless, but our largest base of support was still the individuals & Church donations. In Aug.1988, we also incorporated under NJ State laws and Federal Tax exemption laws.
"We were literally bursting at the seams and needed a larger building."
Simultaneously, our people were getting to minister more too. More numbers of families were being served 200-250 families per month. In the three hours, which always extended to be at least four, we would minister to 50 families. We would have 6 interviewers standing interviewing and praying with people in a corner of our 20 X 40 ft. building with lines our people waiting outside sometimes for over an hour for help in all kinds of weather. We began to distribute USDA Commodities in Township Recreation Buildings in conjunction with the Township Government. We began to distribute Holiday Baskets at Thanksgiving & Christmas and Back to School. We distributed S.H.A.R.E. food packages once a month in St.Mark's Lutheran Church and then moved to the Township Municipal Building Parking Lot. We began to conduct in-home visits to clients, started taking them to church on Sundays. And then a ministry that would change my life forever, a Bus Ministry. We would pick up a few parents, but mostly children and take them to church and Sunday School. We also applied for a grant to purchase a Victorian apartment building and start the housing program of the ministry. We received $80,000 to purchase Life Lodge, at 11 Clubhouse Rd., Browns Mills. However, due to our Spiritual Outreach and commitment to always having Jesus our first and main purpose, we could not secure the matching additional funds needed to purchase the building. We had to give the grant back, knowing that God would honor and be faithful when the ministry was faithful to the calling and purpose to which He first called us.
We were literally bursting at the seams and needed a larger building. In 1993 we moved to 328 Lakehurst Rd., Browns Mills. We were able to expand our hours of operation to 5 days per week and eventually in one year to 6 days and two evenings per week. We also began to reach out to a population that we only heard about, the people who lived in the woods. In two years, we started our Rural Homeless Program. After meeting with the Mayor and Police Chief, we went out down the street and had lunch twice a week with addicted, alcoholic men, women and sometimes teens. We tail-gated lunch and shared Jesus and really had church in a parking lot. We never imagined it would be such a life and death situation for these people who were out there, but God was there and His saving Mercy every Wednesday and Friday.
In 1996 we had to close our Center at 328 Lakehurst Rd. due to budget constraints. With a drastic increase in overhead expenses, we were over $13,000 in debt. However, in the miracle power of the most High God, we were able to purchase our current center at 378 Lakehurst Rd., Browns Mills. We had to lay off both staff members and renovate the building. We renovated the building with volunteers in 7 months and continued to serve the people with Emergency Food packages, Rural Homeless, Salvation Army, Networking and serving on various Boards in the community.
In 1996, we opened our doors for total operation in October 1996, debt-free and were able to expand to a Community Lunch Program 3 days per week. Within two years, we were able to open our Men's Emergency Shelter, named after one of the men in the woods who accepted Jesus as personal Lord and Savior - Jack Stelle. Jack went to be with the Lord two months before the shelter opened, but his testimony lives on in the lives of the men who come to the Lord at the shelter. In the year 2000, we began an official Job Training Program and putting people to work. The Governor's Faith-Based Initiative Grant funded us. We now have a staff of 4 people, 10 programs and thousands of people who have been ministered to and introduced to the gospel message, with hundreds of them excepting Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior! Praise the Lord!
In the 20 years of ministry, I can honestly testify that GOD IS FAITHFUL TO HIS WORD! He has sustained us; He has provided for us and poured down His anointing on us-all to reach the one lost sinner. Glory be to His Name!
CHRISTIAN CARING CENTER
20 YEARS OF GOD'S HISTORY
MAY 18, 2003
The Ministry of the Christian Caring Center began as a result of needy people coming for help for food, rental assistance and utility assistance at the parsonage door of Rev. Peter Ammerman and Susan Ammerman. The Lord gave the vision to Susan and she went to her husband who immediately agreed with her and they began to pray together. Rev. Ammerman went to his small congregation of about 100 people and they all agreed and began to pray what God would have them to do. The congregation held a USDA Government Surplus distribution in their parking lot and over 63 families came that day for food.
They began to pray again. On April 23, 1983 the small congregation from St. Mark Lutheran Church open the doors of the Christian Caring Center in a 20 X 40 Ft. cabin with no heat, no running water, no visible means of support. Just a vision from God, a few hearts filled with the love of Jesus, a desire to be a servant and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. They gave out a 3-day emergency supply of food on Saturdays from 9am-12pm. It was apparent to the congregation and to the volunteers that these people coming needed help physically, spiritually and emotionally. They began excepting clothing and giving to the people along with their food at no cost. They began to share the love of God to struggling people and then they began to pray again this time directly with the people as they came. One by one the people began to surrender to Jesus and except His love, His help and His salvation for eternal life and their lives began to change.
Shortly after opening and due to a serious illness of Karl Tussing's father, the Center's first Director resigned to spend time ministering to his father in the last few month s of his life. Mickey Roy the Assistant Director took leadership with Karl's help as he continued to volunteer. After one year of operation, Madelyn Mears Sheldon became the first paid Director. Madelyn was hired with 10 weeks of salary in reserves and was told... At the end of 10 weeks WHEN God provides, you will continue to have a job. There were 12 regular monthly givers at that time and special gifts on occasion from area churches. There were a few times when there was no money to go and buy any food to give out. In Faith, we said we would open like we had promised for the people and give out whatever we had and we began to pray! The Lord would always provide. Some Saturdays, we thought we only had clothing and prayer. We would open up and a car would pull up with a food drive from an area church, another car would pull up with bread and before the end of the morning someone would hand us a check for the following week- Praise God!
We began a monthly newsletter and began sharing the ministry with area churches and groups like the Rotary Clubs and really any one who would listen. God began to work in the hearts of His believers and we started getting support with finances, prayer, and volunteers. One by one clients began to surrender to the Holy Spirit and gave their lives to Jesus. We stayed in our little cabin for 9 years. During that time we began to expand our programs. We became a Salvation Army Service Unit, we became a S.H.A.R.E. Host Agency, USDA Commodity Distribution Agency for the Township of Pemberton, We increased our days of operation to Saturdays & Thursdays. We were asked to serve on many different boards in the community like, Emergency Management Team for Pemberton Township, Affordable Housing Coalition of Burlington County, Salt & Light, CEAS Provider, Pemberton Township Taskforce for the Homeless, FEMA Allocation Brd., Community Development Allocation Brd., Board of Social Services Homeless Strategy Coalition, etc. Our Support continued to grow like, Operation Blessing-700 Club, Churches through out the County, We began to get grants from FEMA, Social Services for the Homeless, but our largest base of support was still the individuals & Church donations. In Aug.1988, we also incorporated under NJ State laws and Federal Tax exemption laws.
Simultaneously, our people were getting to minister more too. More numbers of families were being served 200-250 families per month. In the three hours, which always extended to be at least four, we would minister to 50 families. We would have 6 interviewers standing interviewing and praying with people in a corner of our 20 X 40 ft. building with lines our people waiting outside sometimes for over an hour for help in all kinds of weather. We began to distribute USDA Commodities in Township Recreation Buildings in conjunction with the Township Government. We began to distribute Holiday Baskets at Thanksgiving & Christmas and Back to School. We distributed S.H.A.R.E. food packages once a month in St.Mark's Lutheran Church and then moved to the Township Municipal Building Parking Lot. We began to conduct in-home visits to clients, started taking them to church on Sundays. And then a ministry that would change my life forever, a Bus Ministry. We would pick up a few parents, but mostly children and take them to church and Sunday School. We also applied for a grant to purchase a Victorian apartment building and start the housing program of the ministry. We received $80,000 to purchase Life Lodge, at 11 Clubhouse Rd., Browns Mills. However, due to our Spiritual Outreach and commitment to always having Jesus our first and main purpose, we could not secure the matching additional funds needed to purchase the building. We had to give the grant back, knowing that God would honor and be faithful when the ministry was faithful to the calling and purpose to which He first called us.
We were literally bursting at the seams and needed a larger building. In 1993 we moved to 328 Lakehurst Rd., Browns Mills. We were able to expand our hours of operation to 5 days per week and eventually in one year to 6 days and two evenings per week. We also began to reach out to a population that we only heard about, the people who lived in the woods. In two years, we started our Rural Homeless Program. After meeting with the Mayor and Police Chief, we went out down the street and had lunch twice a week with addicted, alcoholic men, women and sometimes teens. We tail-gated lunch and shared Jesus and really had church in a parking lot. We never imagined it would be such a life and death situation for these people who were out there, but God was there and His saving Mercy every Wednesday and Friday.
In 1996 we had to close our Center at 328 Lakehurst Rd. due to budget constraints. With a drastic increase in overhead expenses, we were over $13,000 in debt. However, in the miracle power of the most High God, we were able to purchase our current center at 378 Lakehurst Rd., Browns Mills. We had to lay off both staff members and renovate the building. We renovated the building with volunteers in 7 months and continued to serve the people with Emergency Food packages, Rural Homeless, Salvation Army, Networking and serving on various Boards in the community.
In 1996, we opened our doors for total operation in October 1996, debt-free and were able to expand to a Community Lunch Program 3 days per week. Within two years, we were able to open our Men's Emergency Shelter, named after one of the men in the woods who accepted Jesus as personal Lord and Savior - Jack Stelle. Jack went to be with the Lord two months before the shelter opened, but his testimony lives on in the lives of the men who come to the Lord at the shelter. In the year 2000, we began an official Job Training Program and putting people to work. The Governor's Faith-Based Initiative Grant funded us. We now have a staff of 4 people, 10 programs and thousands of people who have been ministered to and introduced to the gospel message, with hundreds of them excepting Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior! Praise the Lord!
In the 20 years of ministry, I can honestly testify that GOD IS FAITHFUL TO HIS WORD! He has sustained us; He has provided for us and poured down His anointing on us-all to reach the one lost sinner. Glory be to His Name!
