On Friday, November 9^th, we said goodbye to Matt Sargent, Foundation’s Men’s Ministry director. Matt has been a staff member of the Hope Center for 9 years. During that time, Matt developed the teen ministry, Extreme Impact (now Wildside Extreme). Following his time with Extreme Impact, Matt became the director of the men’s ministry.

Matt was instrumental in establishing the residential men’s program. The program that Matt created was based on various levels of spiritual growth during the time that each resident was a part of the program. The men would work towards certain benchmarks per level. After accomplishing the level, they would move into the next which would give them extra benefits but also would be slightly tougher and require a little more discipline. This program was very successful and helped many men rebuild their lives and also helped to break the horrible addiction to cigarettes. To be able to graduate from the program, the resident is required to kick the dirty habit.

Matt understood that accomplishing these goals was extremely important to each resident but also to their families and friends. Each quarter, Matt created a graduation program for the men who successfully passed all the levels in the program. The men’s accomplishments were celebrated with a ceremony that welcomed people who were supportive of their life during this program.

On his last day at the Hope Center, Matt and the other men’s staff took the residents to Turner’s Southside Bowl for an afternoon of bowling and fun. The guys enjoyed spending their last afternoon with Matt having some friendly competition and just enjoying a fun outing.

We are very thankful for Matt’s service at the Hope Center. We wish him well as he begins a new chapter of ministry as the family and youth pastor at Antrim Brethren in Christ Church just north of Greencastle, PA.