Family

FAMILY

The family is one of the primary building blocks of society and many, if not most, social ailments could be traced back to a broken family situation. County Corrections Gospel Mission meets up continuously with the results of broken families, within communities and within the walls of correctional institutions. Family Wellness has consequently became one of our top priorities. Wellness include promoting the ideal: a core family as an intact unit comprising of a father and mother who are married, loyal to each other and who are positive role models to their offspring.

County Corrections Gospel Mission focuses much of its energy and resources to serve and educate the men, women and youth of the communities surrounding the Chester County Prison.

GROUND ZERO LEADERSHIP

The Ground Zero Leadership© program was designed to develop local leadership within the communities that County Corrections Gospel Mission serve.

Many government reports and statistics substantiate the notion that the protective walls and pillars of culture, religion and justice around local communities have failed, perhaps fallen. High levels of crime and recidivism, juvenile delinquency, substance abuse, sexually transmitted diseases are but a few of the multiple indicators of local communities in ruins.

This situation calls for value-based leadership in the homes, street blocks, neighborhoods, housing developments, townships and counties surrounding local prisons and it takes a very special type of leader to step into the rubble and point the way towards recovery and wellness.

MEN

It is evident through our experience in prisons and communities over a few decades that men constitute the majority of the inmate population in correctional institutions, that they are generally physically absent from their homes and more often emotionally detached from their families, whether they’re in prison or not.

County Corrections Gospel Mission aims to assist men to once again take responsibility for their families and to be respected fathers and husbands in society. Through our Reentry Initiatives we focus our efforts on incarcerated men before and after their release while the Ground Zero Leadership program provides leadership training to men irrespective of their criminal and incarceration records.

WOMEN

It was in the late 70’s and 80’s that the ‘City of Coatesville’s’ Oak Street Housing Project was the subject of many front page articles in the county’s newspapers. Too often, it was notorious for its reputation for violence, drugs and families-in-crisis. Our ‘Kids Bible Clubs’ had already commenced on the other side of ‘south-hill’ in the Parkway Housing Project. Children from both sides of the ‘hill’ would converge on our bus and vans to participate in our weekly outings and time in God’s Word. Many of the mothers of these same children approached my husband, Jack, and me with the plea: “Where and when will you have a Bible Study for us?” So, at the request of these very precious women who desired the encouragement from God’s Word, the ‘Mom’s Bible Club’ was born. Before the blessed acquisition of the Camp at Old Mill, we would meet in an empty apartment within the project, satisfied to serve a few hotdogs or share a pizza or two together. By 1993, we were able to begin taking the women to our maturing ministry base at the camp and had the honor and privilege of embracing each one of them in the midst of situations due to poverty, health, and loved ones already in the clutches of criminal justice system.

Today, we are still gathering at the Camp at Old Mill each Thursday with approximately 20 women. Several of the original women have gone home to be with the Lord while many still remain active from the earliest days of the Oak Street outreach. God has been so gracious to us all. We have seen the tangible, spiritual maturing in many of these wonderful, faithful moms, aunts and grandmothers. Our studies have been very extensive in the experience of God’s Word in most practical ways. Our studies have included: “Foundations of Faith” (New Tribes Mission) to the most recent teachings concerning “Fruit of the Holy Spirit.”(Beth Moore)

The ‘moms,’ like all of us, still struggle with many challenges in their own lives and in the lives of their extended families. But, by the strength of God the Holy Spirit they have learned to face their situations head-on and are willing to allow God to manifest His unending, gracious work in their lives.

In the kitchen at the Camp at Old Mill we prepare scrumptious meals for each Thursday’s Bible Study. In addition, we provide child-care and intercessory prayer on behalf of each household represented in our clubs. If you’d like to help us in meal preparation, child care or just want to come for the fellowship, please feel free to contact us.

YOUTH

County Corrections Gospel Mission invests much of its resources and time to reach the youth within the areas that we serve. We accomplish this with the strategic assistance of partners, including local churches. Kids Club, the Wilderness Adventure summer camps and the ThreeSixteen Skateboard Ministry all take place at Camp at Old Mill while several activities are presented at the Bridge Academy and Community Center (BACC) in Coatesville.

Our methods include recreation, evangelism, mentoring, counseling and benevolence, all intended to prepare the young people to become positive role models as well as healthy and productive members of their communities.

KID’S CLUB

County Corrections Gospel Mission’s Kids Bible Club is an after-school Bible club held at the Camp at Old Mill reaching kids from the City of Coatesville from ages 4-14. Kids Club is every Thursday from 4:30 – 5:45pm during the school year. It is a volunteer-based program.

Our volunteers come from local churches and colleges and help as leaders and teachers ministering to about 125 kids each week. While at the camp, Kids head to classrooms for a Bible lesson, craft or activity, a snack and recreation. It is a wonderful time and tremendous opportunity to pour in their lives.

Kids Club 2015 – 2016 starts in September 2015 for children while all interested volunteers will be invited to a training and prayer meeting in September at Camp at Old Mill.

SUMMER CAMPS

Wilderness Adventure

Wilderness Adventure is the pinnacle of Kid’s Bible Club. Kids who have shown faithfulness throughout the year get an opportunity to have a weeklong camp experience. They get to enjoy daily activities such as canoeing, arts and crafts, sports, and many others.

Each night there is a chapel service where kids sing songs, participate in skits and hear teaching from God’s Word. These weeks of camp are totally led by counselors who have raised support as missionaries to come and minister to a group of campers.

Day Camps

County Corrections Gospel Mission’s day camps are a great summer “missions’ trip” opportunity for churches. Volunteers get exposed to working with inner-city, at-risk kids and really get a taste of cross-cultural ministry. Our day camps last for 8 weeks from July to August.

Each week the camp staff hosts a missions group, from high school to adults, coming from churches in the area. They live at the camp while serving and participating in a summer camp program with kids from the city of Coatesville, and have the opportunity to grow in a deeper walk with Christ. It takes those that are flexible, teachable, servant-hearted, and devoted, but is an amazing ministry opportunity that has impacted so many lives over the years.

RESOURCES FOR YOUTHS

It is essential for our youth and young adults to become healthy and productive members of their families, their community, their country and in the Kingdom of God.

Below is a collection of resources which they and their support teams can explore to help avoid or solve problems they may encounter on their journey into the adult life.

Disclaimer: Listing these resources do not imply we necessarily endorse or claim to know each of them or agree with their philosophies and/or methods.

Resource Lists & Centers
  1. Chester County Community Resource Guide May 2019
  2. Online Resources for Information
Education

Christian Education Series

Christian College Accreditation Guide 

Christian College Fundamentals

Bible College Essentials

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County Corrections Gospel Mission exists to biblically and effectively address the spiritual crisis as reflected through the urgencies and heart-cries of the Criminal Justice System.