Camden- backyard carnivals and cells of hope

6/1

We arrived in Camden with the trip odometer reading 1551 miles and without any other trouble apart from me noticing that my handlebars were a bit crooked (a problem that would be dealt with at a later time.)

Our hosts for the night, Nate and Jen, lived with their two children and dog Linford in Gloucester City just south of Camden, NJ. We drove down their street and found their home to be the one where all of the neighborhood kids had gathered to hand out on their stoop… a good sign!

We met the family and were immediately sent out with Nate to pick up Philly Cheesesteaks for diner… awesome!

Nate, a Taylor grad, grew up in Camden and returned to the area after college taking a youth pastor position in a church in the burbs. There he met his wife Jen and they stayed for five years before deciding to move. With little idea where they were going, God led them to GC where they became involved in a church, Circle of Hope. Nate is now a pastor of one of Circle of Hope’s three congregations.

Circle of Hope is made up of cells, house churches of sorts, spread out throughout the city. Each cell has a cell leader and an apprentice. When the cell reaches about ten members it splits and the apprentice takes a cell and finds a new apprentice. Thus, the system multiplies and grows. About 10-20 cells make up a congregation which meets once a week like a traditional church. The core of the body is the cells, though which gives the “church” organic roots.

As we finished the excellent cheesesteaks, Nate called us into the kitchen where he was standing to check out what was happening in the backyard. The urgency in his voice had me expecting to witness a crime when I looked out the window. Instead, to their and my surprise, a giant “Star Walk” was being inflated in their neighbor’s backyard covering the entirety of the small plot of fenced in grass.

In no time, we left the food for the backyard carnival. I cursed my arm for preventing me from joining in the fun. It was a great source of joy for the neighborhood.

As I listened to Nate and Jen talk about Camden, it was clear that living where they did was not an exotic experiment. It was just life in a place where God had placed them. There were fears and joys daily, but they were living in humility and obedience. I hope that I will do the same as it was a joy to be around them.