Coming Together

Thank you to all those who were able to attend our recent appreciation banquet. It was a blessing to be able to express our gratitude to our fellow rescuers and to be able to fellowship together. The food, provided by Colleen's Cuisine, was wonderful, and those guests who were able to give their testimonies did a great job. One of my personal highlights of the banquet was the Mission Choir. For the first time, we asked our program men to sing at the banquet. They were, understandably, very nervous at the prospect, but our staff was more than willing to stand up with them and sing praise to the Lord. The song itself, In Christ Alone (Townend and Getty), is very meaningful, but the choir represented more than just a singing group. Staff were able to come alongside our guests and give them support and encouragement; that's not what we do just on the night of the banquet but rather our opportunity in ministry every day of the week. The Mission is here to provide rescue, and that rescue would not be possible without staff giving support and encouragement to those we serve.

And staff would not be able to provide support and encouragement without our "fellow Rescuers" standing beside us, through prayer and donations, as we minister to our guests. It is your support that "helps us help others."

If you were unable to attend the banquet this year (we were filled to capacity this year), save the date of Thursday, October 10, 2013! We'll send out a reminder in the form of the newsletter and e-Outlook, as the date approaches! Visit the "follow" page of our website (www.BEaRESCUER.com), if you haven't signed up for those yet.

Rescue = Investing in People

Wednesday, October 10, our monthly newsletter will mail. The cover story features one of our former guests who was enthralled with the goodness of God. Looking back over her life, she admitted to making many mistakes. Many of the difficulties she faced were a result of her own bad choices. However, God had brought her to Him, and she rejoiced that God had "invested" in her.

Those words accurately reflect the purpose of this ministry of "Rescue." We invest in people. Providing for their physical needs allows them to trust us with their spiritual needs. There are times when people disappoint us. They are not grateful or they squander our help and their opportunities. However, we know that no one is a "bad investment." That's the thing about "Rescue," it's not about what we deserve. Just like Grace, it is not earned. But it must be accepted. (Ephesians 2:8)

Our guest had come to accept her own responsibility and her own opportunity to look at life from another side. To overcome despair with hope. Thank you for caring for not only her physical condition but also her spiritual one. Thank you for being a Rescuer by helping us help others!

To sign up for the Mission Outlook, a monthly newsletter of the City Rescue Mission of Lansing, click here. To receive an email version, click here.

The Threads of Our Life

When I think of Mrs. Dollarhite, I may always bring to mind an image of an elderly woman with a coronet of braids and an almost eager, expectant look on her face. What little I knew of her past didn't matter because what brought her to the Mission was very real and very present in her life: her desires to help others and to serve her Savior. Touring the men's shelter one day, her face, again with that eager expression, lit up to see the dorm. Many of the beds had quilts that she recognized for the simple reason that she had made them. She enjoyed telling us why she chose the pieces and the patterns, and it was always obvious that she put thought and love into every stitch.

The Mission, with 100 years of service to Michigan's capital area, is blessed to have so many supporters, like Mrs. Dollarhite, who care passionately about the ministry of rescue. For some, there is a legacy going back to grandparents who served in the Mission. Occasionally, we are blessed to hear from a man whose life was transformed decades ago because someone was willing to give of their money and their time to make a difference in our community.

I am often amazed at how interconnected our lives really are. Would you be surprised to learn how many of your neighbors, your fellow employees, your friends, also support the Mission? We look over our mailing list and see people who must live only a few houses away, who support the Mission on a regular basis. Do they know the connection even exists?

And that connection goes beyond supporters to those we serve. Your cashier at the grocery store, one of your child's friends at school, the young man you passed on his way to class, these could be the faces of someone whom you have helped by supporting the ministry of rescue. Throughout the community, the Mission serves as a thread, connecting us all in a pattern of hope.

Mrs. Dollarhite understood hope because hope reaches fulfillment through love, and her quilts were an expression of the overwhelming love in her heart for those in need. In September 2012, her eager eyes finally opened on the sight of hope fulfilled, as she saw her Savior face to face. Though she is now present with the Lord, the warmth of her legacy lives on through the ministry of rescue. We are grateful for those whose gifts make it possible for us to meet physical and spiritual needs, as we are grateful for those who went before us, showing us the true meaning of love, one stitch at a time.

Bless This City

CRM Centennial 3-6-5 Photo for 8/31/12

No matter how often we see God provide in miraculous ways, we are still humbled every day by the times He does "exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20). Recently, a local church decided to focus a worship service on the needs here in our community. As part of this worship event at our capitol, they felt it necessary to include an opportunity for outreach. They asked what was most needed, and we replied that summer was a time of many needs but especially food. We serve annually over 100,000 meals a year, and August is actually one of our busiest months. They responded by providing about two tons of food items. We are amazed and very grateful to see the line of men, women, and children walking from the capitol to our buildings on Michigan Avenue. The food was very welcome and will definitely make a difference, as we provided nearly 10,000 meals in August and are, so far in September, averaging more dinners than we did in August. Praise God for His supply, and thank you for being His hands, to provide rescue to those in need!

Changes to the "Face" of Homelessness

Staff stop for a quick meeting.

When I was first employed by the Mission in December of 2004, one of my fellow employees told me that the winter months were our "busy" months and summer was a slow time. In 2004, we had not yet expanded our women and children's shelter and the economy was doing well. However, over the past few years, a trend has developed where our services remain steady throughout the year and actually peak during the extreme cold and again in the late summer months. (The women and children's shelter especially sees increases in July and August.) For example, our public dining room served more lunches in July than any previous month and more lunches in August than in July. Unfortunately, while our actual services have increased and changed in the past seven years, the image of homelessness has not. Most people would assume that homelessness increases during the cold weather because the image of homelessness is a chronically homeless, aging, alcoholic male. Instead, the majority of those we shelter are women and children. And many of the men who stay at our shelter do not fit the stereotype either. The result of this change in the face of homelessness is that the Mission never really experiences a "slow time." Our resources are always being expended because there are always needs to meet. That is why we are so grateful for you, our fellow rescuers. So far this year, nearly 10,000 hours have been "given" by volunteers, and your monetary gifts help keep the lights on and the doors open to the nearly 150 women, children, and men we shelter every night. Your prayers, too, are so important in encouraging staff to continue to serve. Thank you for being what you are, compassionate rescuers! Thank you for helping us help others!

The Path to Transformation

This year, we at the City Rescue Mission were excited at the opportunity to extend our Life Transformation Program. Through the years, the Mission has seen many transformations, not just of program students, but also in how the program itself operates. The completion of our Maplewood Center allowed us to offer this one year program to women. Women seeking to overcome their addictions can meet with the program manager and begin their first steps on the path to Life Transformation. It is certainly a joy to watch these women grow, and our prayers are with them as they begin to rebuild their lives and, hopefully, their broken relationships. We also ask you to pray for us, as we seek to live a Godly example and to present the truth to them in a way that is clear and practical for their lives once they graduate from the program.

Prayers for Home

Mark, our executive director, has the opportunity of volunteering in children's chapel at our women and children's shelter. Last night, the group of four-to-eight-year-olds gathered together to pray, and the leaders asked if there were any prayer requests. The majority of the kids assembled offered the same, simple request, that their moms would get a home. What a blessing to be able to offer these moms and kids a place of safety and shelter. Please continue to pray that these families find a permanent home that would also be an environment where Truth and Love live.