Memory from Pam Grohman First Staff Member

One of the first times I met Jeff Newton was at a Mission’s Sunday sponsored by St. Luke’s UMC.  He shared his vision for Kokomo Urban Outreach.  He presented the idea of Sidewalk Sunday School, taking ministry to people and the message of HOPE.  Not just meeting them where they are located, but where they are spiritually.  Not only did he help to meet the spiritual needs of the people around him; but he helped with their physically needs as well.  On that Sunday morning he shared stories that I will remember for the rest of my life!  The story of the “Hot dog”, “toilet paper”, “napkin”, “baby shower”, etc.  He had enough stories to fill a book!  For many the first introduction to KUO was reading his book entitled “Life on the Porch”, the same stories that he shared at St. Luke’s UMC. These stories reached the hearts of individuals, including myself.  Volunteers began showing up, which meant we needed a volunteer database! More individuals, churches, businesses and organizations began to give, which meant expanding the record keeping.  Increased donations of food, household items, and clothing meant that an organized way of recording and recognizing gifts in kind needed to be developed; along with a fair way of distributing these items to folks who needed them.  As the Outreach grew, the ministry and its programs expanded to meet those needs.  My responsibilities also expanded!  My faith grew!  I saw answers to prayer; prayers for a copier, prayers for an air conditioner; prayers for refrigerators, prayers for a truck, prayers for volunteers and donors, prayers for the neighbors; the list went on!  The focus on what KUO is doing – even though the programs may have changed — is the same; it is all according to God’s will for the people of Kokomo!  KUO is about HOPE and Jeff Newton is the “Hope Peddler”, and I was the “Keeper of all Knowledge”.