Spring 2012 Fostering Hope Newsletter - COBYS Family Services

Plain & Fancy Custom Cabinetry;
John Byler; Roger & Marjorie
Gerhart; Roger & Carolyn North,
North Group Consultants; Sight &
Sound Ministries, Inc.; the
Wenger Family, Wengers of
Myerstown; and other
anonymous contributors.
The Wenger Foundation, Inc.,
was established in 1996 as the
charitable giving arm of the
Wenger Family of Companies.
Since then, the Foundation has
awarded nearly $2 million to a
variety of Christian and
community ministries, including
$242,306 to COBYS, which first
became a beneficiary of the
Praise Dinner in 1999.
Last year’s Praise Dinner
attracted 800 people and raised
nearly $90,000, including
$16,940 for COBYS.
Invitations to the event will be
mailed in March. For more
information, please contact the
Wenger Foundation at 717-866-
2130 or rwalmer@wengers.com.
You on Facebook? If you are, why not sign up to follow COBYS? We’re up
to 128 fans, to date, and our Facebook page is becoming a great
source for inspiration and information. Here are a couple recent posts:
A six-year-old counseling client was asked by his mother what adoption
means. His response was quick: “Adoption is when you’re stuck with the
same family.” Out of the mouths of babes...
“We have to learn to make room for
God—to give God ‘elbow room.’ We
calculate and estimate, and say that this
and that will happen, and we forget to make room for God to come in
as He chooses.” —Oswald Chambers
We were blessed by several churches and church groups who gave in
special ways during the Christmas season. Manor Church, Ridgeway
Community COB, and Wyomissing COB donated offerings from special
services; volunteers from Lancaster Evangelical Free Church provided
wrapped Christmas presents for children and teens in our Permanency
program; and Myerstown COB Women’s Fellowship donated gift cards to
benefit various parts of our ministry. We are grateful for all the support
we received during December from individuals, businesses, churches,
and others. We were reminded again of how generous people can be!
A Place Called Home
My expectations are so high
But all I gotta’ do is try
I just want my kids to feel stable
To sit and eat dinner at the table
To have a big happy family
Or just the kids and me
Going on family trips
Or to the pool for a quick dip
Playing board games
Loving each other all the same
I’m tired of living like a mouse
I just want to give my kids a house
We’ve gone from place to place
Moving like we’re in a race
I just want them to have a place to call home
Not one they built as a kid outta’ foam
I’m talking four brick walls. . . and halls
For more than a decade COBYS
Family Services has provided intensive
parenting training through the Family
Nurturing Education and Support
Program. Family Nurturing is approved
by the Lancaster County Children &
Youth Social Service Agency and often
serves parents who are seeking to
make a fresh start. A participant in the
program, who recently had been
released from prison, shared her
aspirations for a stable home life in
the form of a prayer.
I’m not too picky as long as it’s clean
You couldn’t imagine some of the places I’ve seen
We don’t need diamonds or furs
I just want to offer them structure
Is that too much to ask? What do ya’ say?
Father God, I pray. . .
Please give us all this blessing
So our hearts will forever sing
Amen
Fostering Hope 7