making an impact

BY KEVIN KING 

I went to court the other day to support a parent whose incarcerated son stood before the judge to be sentenced. After the sentencing they marched in about 15 young men who would also learn their fate. I thought of the last letter that I received from this young man vowing to not neglect to come around the men who were once involved in his life. Regrettably, he stated that if he had remained around Common Ground Montgomery he knows he would not have made the poor choices that landed him in the county jail.  

I then remembered the funeral I attended the other week of a young man and remembered the times that I visited him on the drug-infested street where he would hang out. I always asked if he was staying out of trouble and consistently tried to get time with him.

I think of others who have made poor choices only to face the consequences of their actions. I sometimes get discouraged when thinking what if I would’ve had more of an active presence in some of their lives -  would the outcome have been favorable?

Other times I remember the warnings I’ve given in the past to those making destructive decisions literally weeks before they ultimately made a decision that would remove them from society.

Last week a young man sat on my couch depressed by a string of misfortunes encountered by his family. As we sat and talked about how his older brother had been in prison the entire eight years I’ve known him. His second to the oldest brother has been in and out of jail since I’ve known him and has done other things that he hasn’t been caught for yet. Thankfully this high school senior whom I met when he was in the 5th grade has never come close to committing an act that would jeopardize his life.

It dawned on me that he has broken a generational pattern in his household. This young man actually loves the Lord and often looks forward to  our small group as well as worshipping in his own personal time with the Lord. And he is also one of the guys that his peers would consider ‘cool’. He often speaks of marrying his girlfriend one day and having a family together.

One day he placed his hand on my shoulder in one of my irritated moments and assured me that my investment in him and others wasn’t in vain because the Lord was consistently working through me to reach them. He told me that he personally was fruit of my labor!

I learned so much from this 17 year-old that night. His mother often thanks us and tells us what a wonderful job we’ve done with him in partnering with her.

Reasons like this are why I’m so passionate about the new direction of the mentoring program that is coming together at CGM. Consistency in the life of a child who often doesn’t feel hopeful about life is sadly the norm. When we as parents have the support of a friend who undergirds parents by helping to guide a child it lessens the chance of that child being involved in a destructive lifestyle.

We need mentors all over to serve families by advocating for our youth. If every child had a Godly mentor I know it would affect our neighborhood, city, education system, and fill the body of Christ with new believers and overall advance the Kingdom of God. 

Please pray for our mentor program and lasting, impactful relationships with the kids in our community.

meet mrs. patti!

BY AVA CONLEY

I know I say this all the time, but we honestly could not do what we do at Common Ground Montgomery without our incredible volunteers! I can genuinely say that the Lord has brought some really amazingly gifted individuals to our team. I have been constantly blown away this semester by the faithfulness, selflessness, and love for our kids that the volunteers have shown. I'm starting a segment where we take a moment to recognize one of our awesome volunteers!

"Mrs. Patti" has been volunteering with CGM for close to 4 years. We absolutely LOVE her and are so thankful for the impact that she has made at CGM!

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Q: Why do you volunteer with CGM? 

First, the kids; they are bright and beautiful and full of life. Second, I believe CGM is making a difference in the community.        

Q: What is your favorite area to volunteer in?

Academics and tutoring.

Q: Who is your favorite staff person?

That’s a hard one.  I love Kevin’s passion, Chaquana’s heart, and Ava’s tattoos.

Q: How has volunteering at CGM impacted you? 

I love kids. I love to watch them learn and grow. I love their energy and honesty; it’s my remedy for empty nest syndrome.

Q: What is one of the most impactful moments / conversations / interactions you’ve had while volunteering? 

Every time I come to CGM something meaningful happens. It’s why I keep coming back. But this summer I got to read with one of the 2nd graders. He was unmotivated to even try but we kept at it. When academics started back this fall, he had lost ground so we got after it again and he improved. Today, he gets his homework done quickly so that we have time to read together. 

Q: Describe a funny story or interaction that you have had with one of the kids. 

Last year, I had another 2nd grader who was a terrible procrastinator. Took him forever to get his homework done. One day I decided I was going to make him get his work done in the first 20 minutes of academics. I had to really push him to make him stay focused and he did it. Then he promptly disrupted the entire class for the rest of academics because he didn’t have anything to do. We didn’t make that mistake again. 

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Thank you for all you do, Mrs. Patti! 

If you would like more information about becoming a volunteer, please contact Ava Conley by using the CONTACT FORM.

the lord provides

BY SUMMER WILLIAMS

As the grant writer and a fundraiser, I often find myself sitting in front of a blank screen thinking of what I could write for these blog posts. I've never experienced writer's block in the past so why now? I guess I always assume that people don't want to know what it was like getting the end of year mailing together or how long it took to write my most recent grant or how many envelopes with financial statements I stuffed today. And I'm fairly certain y'all will be thankful that I am NOT writing about any of that today.

However, wrapping up 2014 and going into 2015, I think I have a lot to write about. I have been a fundraiser for almost 15 years now. I have worked at an inner city nonprofit, United Way, and Piedmont Park Conservancy in Atlanta. They were all great organizations and it was an honor to help raise money for such worthy causes. In my experience, I have seen detailed and thoughtful fundraising plans and donor approaches laid out for million dollar campaigns. And many times they worked. The strategic planning paid off in the long run. There were no prayers or reliance on a higher power to meet the monetary goals of those organizations; just hard, solid facts of what would work.

But this is my first job with a ministry and I cannot begin to tell you the extraordinary things I have seen the Lord do at Common Ground Montgomery. I came in with my plans, spreadsheets, and a grant writing calender. I thought I was prepared to do my job and do it well. I learned quickly that we are fairly small with a limited number of staff, technology, and even office space. But as this past year has proved, none of that matters. The plans that God has for CGM and the people on the west side of Montgomery far surpasses our circumstances and my plans.

I am constantly in awe when the donations come in. It makes no sense! I have never seen anything like it.

Sometimes after a difficult month or unexpected expenses have occurred, I start to worry about if I have planned properly or if have enough grants submitted to hopefully make up for any shortcomings. Then a $10,000 check, or twenty $100 checks,  will come in the mail and as I'm rejoicing I am reminded of something spectacular. The Lord has gone before me and worked in the hearts of our donors. He has gone ahead of all my plans and has shown our donors that what we are doing here matters. He has not left us or abandoned us. His provision far exceeds mine and continually will.

So with all this being said, here I go in to 2015 with a new found reliance on the Lord. He is with us and desires to see His kingdom grow. This wouldn't be possible without you, our donors. I am so thankful that you listened when the Lord called you to give and I am beyond grateful that I get to directly witness the generosity of the God's people. The Lord has called you to help us with our mission in loving the Washington Park community. He has not forgotten this neighborhood and neither have you. 

the bad guy

BY CORNELIUS JACKSON

It comes as no surprise to me that most of my students do not respond well when disciplinary measures are implemented as a result of unacceptable behavior. In a moment, I can go from being inundated with hugs and hellos to being as unwelcomed in their presence as a nose pimple the day before prom — “Pastor C.J. — the bad guy!”

However, if a cold stare is my reward for my attempts to prepare my students for an even colder world that lies ahead, I’ll take it. And if I am not greeted when passed in the halls because I keep reiterating that passing grades are a by-product of doing homework, I’ll endure it.

Besides, when I was their age, I did the same thing.

But now, I labor to get them to embrace the counsel of Hebrews 12:11 which reads: “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

Because I know this passage to be true in my own life, I am unapologetically committed to the betterment of my kids—both by “love and the rod” (1 Corinthians 4:21). So when the stares are stinging and dialog dies between me and a student as a result of a necessary chastisement, I will endure being the bad guy.

Because sometimes, the bad guys can be good guys in disguise!  

a story from c.j.

Cornelius "CJ" Jackson

About three weeks ago, a “normal” day at CGM proved to be anything but normal. I was making my rounds from one class to the next when I received a text message informing me that a student had been sent out of class for being disruptive and disrespectful. I returned to the lobby to discover that it was the same student that I had threatened to suspend the day before because of his bad behavior. I was livid. He would be suspended for sure today! I gathered the proper disciplinary form and prepared to call his parents. But first, he and I would have a talk. (I will call him “Billy”).

Billy slouched haphazardly in the lobby chair—his baseball cap turned sideways; his manner suggesting that he could not care less that he would be confronted by me for the second time in two days. I approached him and stood towering over him—serious and authoritative. I let him tell his side of the story and it solidified his guilt. “You will be suspended, Billy. Wait here until I fill out your paperwork.” I stormed back into the office to write up the details. As I was writing, the front door to the lobby opened and Billy’s mom entered. She had arrived (unexpected and unscheduled) to pick him up early.

Providence! 

An impromptu meeting was arranged. I told Billy to remove his cap, grab a chair, and join me and his mother in the office. There, I told the story of bad behavior from days ago until present—the fights, the near-fights, the lack of respect, the insubordination, and more. Billy’s mother cried as she listened. She implored her son to not squander the opportunities that Common Ground afforded him. “You know that we need this program, Billy. I am working and in night school. Where will you go if you get kicked out?” I was upset with Billy. I was sad for his mom as she dabbed her eyes with a napkin, now tear saturated, that I had given her earlier. She continued her pleas. 

“What’s wrong with you? What more can I do. What more do you want from me? Tell me, Billy! What else can I give you?” 

We turned our attention to Billy as he surprised us both by answering.

“...A father!”  

No way! Did that just happen? Only at the movies do you hear lines like that. But Billy was not acting. His cap, clinched tightly in his fists, was pressed hard up against his face—a face that revealed that he was vulnerable, embarrassed, and in need. I rushed to hold him in my arms. He was crying, his mother was crying, and I was crying. Through my sobs, I heard myself assuring Billy. “I will do better, son. I can be a father figure for you. Don’t cry.” We wept together and earnestly prayed in the office that evening. The disciplinary form was too damp with tears to write on. So Billy didn't get suspended. And no, he didn't get a father. But Billy got a promise—one I intend to keep. 

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This is one of many, many stories that we find ourselves in throughout the year. It is both heart-wrenching and a great privilege to walk along and bear with those in this community. Not because we are strong while they are weak, rather perhaps, because the more easily seen cracks in the exterior reveal how desperate we all are for help from a great savior.

We used this story in our End of the Year Letter for December 2014.