In The Spotlight 'Character and strength': New Day pastor retires after four decades of helping local families

Jul. 3—For more than 42 years, the Rev. Jack Rupert has been working to make a positive impact in Johnstown, motivated by what he believes in most strongly.

"Faith in God and family," he said.

Rupert, 74, retired this week as executive director of New Day Inc., a nonprofit that provides youth counseling programs in Johnstown and Windber.

New Day is headquartered in Johnstown'sKernville neighborhood, where Rupert grew up.

He became executive director in 2002, succeeding New Day's founder, the Rev. Noah Martin, but Rupert began his involvement with the organization as a volunteer in 1978, when he worked in the city's steel mills.

Martin's vision for New Day was taking form then, in the wake of the 1977 Johnstown Flood that devastated the local economy.

"Right after the flood, Martin didn't see any kids, teenagers coming to church, and he felt a real passion to reach out to young people," Rupert said. "He came to a church I was going to and started talking about a Big Brother/Big Sister-type program that he was forming."

Rupert, then 33, became the first volunteer in the program.

"I was married and had a family, but I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of," he said. "The idea was to match a child with a person of faith. We were working with a lot of single-parent, low-income families in the beginning."

By 1980, Bethlehem Steel Corp. had sharply cut back jobs at its Johnstown mill, and Rupert found full-time employment at New Day's business office.

'Resource for families'

New Day's initial location was at a Mennonite church, where it hosted drop-in game nights for teenagers. New Day grew over the years to include a summer camp, after-school programs, training for foster parents in Cambria County, and programs for imprisoned parents and those whose children had died.

"It's really about trying to be a resource for families — whether they were active in church or not wasn't the point," Rupert said. "To show the love of Christ was really what was behind the whole thing."

Speaking with The Tribune-Democrat in New Day's South Street building, which opened in 2011, he reflected on the support the program has received from the community.

"The amazing thing is, we've been around for 40 years," he said. "This is not a wealthy community. We rely on free-will donations. Even to build this building, it cost $1 million to do that. So that was a small miracle in itself. It shows the community support, and God's hand must be on it for it to last this long."

He said he foresees New Day continuing its mission for a long time under his successor, Chris Valente — the organization's new executive director.

"Our work is mostly with youth and providing counseling services, and I don't expect to see that change, because I think there's a need for what we do," Rupert said. "The need is as great today as it ever was.

"Every family has problems. Maybe they are struggling with low income and things that go along with that, and the other piece of that is a spiritual need we all have."

Rupert came to his faith in adulthood, years after he returned from the Vietnam War.

"It took a long time for me to get into a church after that," he said.

But his wife, Sally, always went to church. Rupert's faith grew, and by the late '70s he was on a trajectory to become the pastor his coworkers at New Day know today.

Valente said he's been honored to learn from Rupert.

"Like many others, I have admired Pastor Jack from a distance as a spiritual leader in our community," he said. "But having had the opportunity to work under him for the past three years has been invaluable to my life and leadership. He is a man of character and strength, a true class act and a man who lives God and loves others. It was an honor to learn from Pastor Jack who is truly one of a kind. Our community is better because of him."

Rupert said one of the most rewarding parts of his career has been seeing his children grow into their faith and take roles at New Day.

"For my children to feel strongly about some of the things I feel strongly about, that is a blessing," he said.

He and his wife, Sally, who passed away eight years ago, raised three children of their own and had 12 foster children over the years.

Jack's son, Dan Rupert, is New Day's director of youth ministries.

"My dad has always been someone with an open door," Dan Rupert said. "When I talk to people whose lives he's touched, it's not about my dad, it's ultimately about Christ. They say how my dad has been influential in their walk with Christ. It's been awesome. He will be missed, but I'm glad he can enjoy some retirement."

Jack Rupert said he plans to stay on the organization's board of directors and looks forward to spending his retirement visiting his children and grandchildren, and going fishing.

"It's a gift that I've been given to be able to do this kind of work," he said.

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