Crofton Cleric Takes Small Group Approach to Healing Community

“People want to talk. They’re hurting. The recent crime incidents have many people on edge,” said regarding the number of car thefts and violent acts making headlines in Crofton.  

“The kids are acting out, teens are acting out and the parents want to talk,” she added. The Philadelphia native moved to Crofton when her husband accepted a youth pastor position in Bowie. 

“When we moved here we quickly noticed that Crofton is a Mecca for families,” said Rev. Jegede. “It is, but it’s tough to get people to talk about their feelings.”

She said neighbors should to feel open to express how they feel about crime, job security and other hardships facing the community.

“This recession burst the façade that America is impenetrable,” said Jegede. “When people started loosing their jobs and the housing market burst, everyone thought, ‘now what?’ People are coming to a breaking point,” said Jegede.

The newcomer to the area she noticed neighbors operate on a surface level.

“It’s not about living ‘In the Triangle.’ It’s about living as a community as a whole,” said Jegede.

“Crofton is like a fishbowl. People feel that because it’s so small and intimate they have to hide what’s going on inside their lives,” Pastor Jegede said. She wanted to provide a way for people to focus on how faith fuels their lives to help push them through tough times.

“We wanted to establish a ministry that would allow people to be people. Provide ways that people could provide support and community,” she said.

Jegede launched Crofton-Gambrills’ Power of One Ministry summer 2011 with table sittings, vacation bible school and the All Pro Dads program.

“We knew people are not very open. We need to be open to interacting with one another but not relating to another,” said Jegede.

Power of One held its at Sept. 11. Since then Jegede said the ministry has grown to target intimate small groups to create a safe place.

“We sat down and we said we don’t want people to just do ‘face value.’ We’re not going to meet every Sunday.” Instead the ministry focuses on small group settings with its “Meet Me at the Table” meet ups.

On the first of each month the ministry has a meal at Crofton-Gambrills eateries to talk about community issues and how faith can help.

“We’re going to start gathering in homes and share in smaller groups,” she added. “It gets them where life happens, in the homes.”

Jegede said this helps neighbors open up about “real issues” and work though the problems together using faith.

“They feel pressure with work, the economy and looking at how a relationship with Christ has an impact with that.”

“The Servant Heart life group focuses on what would Christ do to serve people. It’s a place where neighbors share how they want to serve,” Jegede said. She added the meetings serve as a community support for people going through stressful situations.

“Humans were never meant to be self-absorbed. We are [meant] to be community oriented and supporting others,” she said.  The ministry plans to branch out to those with military family members serving overseas in foreign wars.

“People just want someone to care,” Jegede said. “We want to be there to let them know we do.”