River of Refuge newsletter, February 2024
Special Cupcakes from Area Church Sweeten Holidays at River of Refuge
The Messiah Church of the Brethren in Kansas City, Missouri, has a small congregation with an artistic flair and a soft spot for kids.
Combine that with a penchant for baking (including one member who is a frosting whiz), and the church’s creatively topped cupcakes are popular items with families when members bring them by for holiday gatherings at River of Refuge.
The latest delivery came for last week’s Valentine’s Day party via member Beth Gahm.
Volunteers provide critical assistance to nonprofits, and Messiah Church of the Brethren is one of River of Refuge’s stalwart organizational supporters (along with individuals like Grace Arnone). The dozen church members range in age from 17 to 83.
In addition to Valentine’s Day, the church brings treats and small gifts for children at Easter, the Fourth of July, Halloween, and Christmas.
A couple of the college-aged members have art-focused majors, and their skills have produced Halloween cupcakes featuring mummies and spiderwebs
“When you’ve got that kind of talent,” Gahm said, “it just kind of flows out on the cupcakes.”
The church’s pastor is also an artist.
The church also provides goodie bags to the children for Easter. The bags usually include a pencil, a small pencil sharpener, and a notepad.
“Every little kid wants his own little notebook to doodle in,” said Gahm, a retired grade school teacher. The congregation also includes a retired kindergarten teacher and a younger member who works in daycare.
Gahm got started on the Easter bags right after delivering the Valentine’s cupcakes. She found a nice sewing pattern, so this year the church is going to switch from a bunny to a chicken.
“Kids are really important to us,” Gahm said, “and so when we can do something for children, it gives us great joy.”
Church members also appreciate that River of Refuge’s program helps “people get a new start and the people are willing to accept the new start” for themselves and their children, Gahm said.
Messiah Church of the Brethren is part of an international church that traces its roots to Germany in the early 1700s. The church website said the faith focuses on a “simple obedience” to Christ through principles of peace and reconciliation, simple living, integrity of speech, and service to neighbors near and far.
Church members emigrated to the United States not long after its founding, gaining a foothold in Pennsylvania and gradually moving westward.
The Raytown-area Messiah Church of the Brethren is one of 12 such congregations in Missouri, Gahm said. The Kansas City, Missouri, church at one time had its own building at 19th Street and Hardesty Avenue. Diminishing numbers led it to become a home-based church.
Other local congregations include ones in Olathe and Kansas City, Kansas.
Valentine’s Day Party
River of Refuge staff and families enjoyed a Valentine’s Day party, complete with Messiah Church of the Brethren cupcakes and a craft opportunity to make Valentine’s boxes.
FROM THE DIRECTOR
Community … What does it mean at River of Refuge?
As families move into their fully furnished apartments, their main focus is working to get their lives back on track. But these personal journeys often blossom into an incredible informal system of mutual support among the many families living at ROR.
What do I mean?
A single mom moved into the program with her five children just before Christmas last year. Her world fell apart a week later when the Department of Family Services took all the children into its custody while the mother was at work.
When she shared the news in an on-site support group a few days later, the ROR “community” leaped in with encouraging words and stories of similar experiences. It was like she had an entire care team on top of the support she received from ROR staff!
Wanting to renew her connection to church, the single mom mustered the courage to knock on the door of a second-floor resident known as the “Church Lady,” who welcomes such inquiries via a hand-written note (pictured below) she has on the door to her apartment.
The mom learned that other moms had the same yearning, so they all began worshipping at the Church Lady’s congregation. They also gather for tea in the Church Lady’s apartment when they have downtime.
But that is just one example of the camaraderie that has developed among our current residents.
For instance, another mom with a special needs child has befriended a mom who has challenges of her own. The moms frequently visit each other’s apartments and talk while their two children of similar age are on the playground.
We also had another recent instance where our families rallied around a mom who lost her mother suddenly.
Stories like these are frequent at River of Refuge and they continue to warm our hearts. The lesson for me is to accept comfort from others who have walked in your shoes. You never know when those experiences will turn into lifelong friendships!
And, in one postscript, I’m happy to report that the mom who had her children removed by DSF has reunited with the two youngest — 18-month-old twins. She is also working hard to regain custody of the other three.
Until Next Time,
Pamela Seymour, Executive Director