Imani Fellowship
Imani Community Development
The Imani Center
Seeking the Best Good for Children and Their Families
Mission Priority
What is Imani?
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
- Matthew 19:14
If God’s Kingdom belongs to the little children, then highlighting the principal interests of children is probably a good place to start in ministry. Prioritizing children includes developing safe environments for them to learn, grow, and play, creative programs that help to form their hearts, minds, and souls, and vital relationships that represent a village suited to walk with them into their destinies. To further these priorities, vital child-centered ministry must ensure families, communities, and institutions align with and work toward what is best for children and their families.
Worship
Service
Fellowship
Reflection
Action
Our "New Wineskins" approach is community-based and relies on the gifts residing in Camden’s people. Of course, others will partner with such efforts but committing to the priority of conferring upon Camden’s people the work of taking primary leadership in shaping a beloved local community is vital. New Wineskins can neither emerge within the context of codependence nor independence, they must be shaped in an atmosphere of interdependence.
Creating a community where the needs of children are the penultimate priority involves establishing a transformative social infrastructure. In Camden, where the menaces of alienation, isolation, and disenfranchisement continue to negatively impact families and individuals, building an infrastructure founded on increasing levels of community Dignity, Sustainability, and Agency is essential. Working together to establish this dynamic framework represents our last best hope for creating a community that equips children to develop in a supportive environment filled with encouragement, affirmation, and love.