January 2026

Ministerium Social Outreach and Planning Meeting 
January 8, 2026 
Doug Lamb Conference Room, CPOW 

Welcome: Doug Lamb 

Introductions & Prayer: Doug Lamb 

Community Updates:  

  • Mayor Phil Clark: Sworn in Dec. 30th , lived in Etown all his life. Goes to Christ Luthern. Served on borough council for 16 years, took a few years off and then decided to run, when Mayor Mummert decided to retire and not run again. Looking forward to working with the police department on building community. 

  • Pastors prayer once a month with the Borough Police Chief. 

  • Borough hired a new officer, he’s in his training period. Looking to hire a new one, as one resigned in the fall. And also looking at enlarging the force in the next couple of years. 

Introductions 

Prayer over Mayor- Don Lamb 

Informational Updates: 

  • EACTC- Gail Viscome 

  • Programs 

  • Homework Helpers/Mentors 

  • Looking for volunteers, contact Gail if you can help. Wednesdays & Thursdays 2-3pm at the middle school. 

  • Club Ophelia 

  • Looking to start a boys program 

  •  Pause and Think club 

  • Do the Right Thing 

  • Recognized 13 student for kindness and doing the right thing. 

  • Turn around Recognition Dinner in May for students who were struggling and turned their grades and life around. 

  • Working with Magistrate Ember on the Connections program to help minors who would normally be sentenced with community service. 

  • Funded by grants. Applying for opioid grant. We have had less overdose deaths this year, but overdosing is still high. 

  • UCEA Community Cupboard- Doug Lamb 

  • 2025- 1,550 households, 81,000 pounds of food donated from companies, this doesn’t include the donations from the community in the bins. 2,239 volunteer hours this year. 

  • UCEA Meals on Wheels- Doug Lamb 

  • Looking for more people to join to receive meals. 

  • UCEA- Heather Elicker 

  • Clothing Barn: Need more clients. Not accepting donations until the new year. Volunteer Hours: 114.50, Families: 39, Adults: 73, Children: 26 

  • Cupboard Bathroom Remodel Bid going out. Due March.

  • MOW- need more clients, keep an eye out for a flyer coming soon. 

  • ECHOS Winter Shelter open

  • UCEA rebranding. Look for that in the new year. Name Change: Community Place & Clothing Closet. 

  • Three big projects coming up: 

  • 53 needs a new basement header and basement steps and door replacement. The basement steps and door will be done after the header, by Lancaster County Career & Technology Center. 

  • 61, in the basement where the Cupboard is, received a grant for the bathroom remodel, in the bid phase. 

  • Safe Families for Children- Steve 

  • Carseat program available to rent car seats. If churches are looking to add this to any of their programs, contact Steve. 

  • Looking for family volunteers for children that need a temporary safe home. 

  • Love, Inc.- Jay R 

  • Hired Chad- manages the call center 

  • Served 645 people in 2025. Their service area is Lancaster County, but they focus mainly on Manheim Central, Manheim Township, and Hempfield areas. 

  • Home repair projects are coming up this summer. If churches are interested in participating in these service projects, contact Jay. 

  • Looking to do Faith & Finances again in the fall of 2026 

  • Stopped adding clients to their ride program in 2023. Not finding it to be in their scope of service anymore.  

  • Etown Ministerium 

  • Next meeting Pastors Prayer & Light Breakfast 1/22 at 9am at the Marriage Hub 

  • Pastor & Police Chief Prayer 1/21 at 6:45am at the borough station. 

  • The next Social Outreach & Planning Meeting is scheduled for February 5. 

  • Closing Prayer- Paul Swanger 

Heather Elicker