Here's what greets you when you come into South Side Mission. The quote in Old English script is our answer to the infamous sign over the gates of hell in Dante's Inferno. South Side Mission is a place of hope. You help it stay that way.HIGHLIGHTS FROM MARCH 2010
Decisions to follow Christ for the month
380
Average number of homeless women & children housed nightly
27
Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
593
Avg. Attendance at Roosevelt Magnet School before school Bible study
52
Attendance in our Laramie Street Sunday School, weekly
39
Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
2
Avg. Attendance at Trewyn Middle School before school Bible study
15
Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
64
Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
3
Avg. Attendance at Harrison Primary School before school Bible study
23
Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
10
Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
16
Avg. Attendance at Manual High School before school Bible study
9
Kids enrolled in after-school tutoring
45
Churches that have Adopted Blocks in 61605
16
Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
376
Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
8
College Club kids enrolled in college
7
Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
51
Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Studies (2)
21
Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
31
Volunteer hours, as a ministry
1,307
Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
242
Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
9
Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
40
Attendance at our Hurlburt House Bible Study
9
Hot meals to the poor
5,385
FINANCIALS FROM FEBRUARY 2010
Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$294,120/$365,276
Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$243,889/$243,058
Positive or Negative on the Month
+ $50,231
Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$660,588/$615,828
Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$743,857/$746,475
Positive or Negative on the Year
- $83,269
How we’re doing versus budget
+ $47,378
Indicated decisions for Christ 380
The Holy Spirit continues to make 61605 his playground. Here’s how the decisions broke out in March 2010:
One in the Harrison Homes Housing Project Satellite Office of South Side Mission, one at our Manual High School before-school Bible study and prayer meeting, one at our Upper Room drug & alcohol counseling group at Harrison Homes, nine at the Roosevelt Magnet School’s before-school Bible study and prayer meeting, five in Mission at Prayer, one on Adoptablock, one in the Breakout Youth Center, two in Kings Kids, two in Elderly services, five in the chapel at Laramie Street, four in the New Promise Center shelter for homeless women & their children, one in the RiverWest Housing Project Satellite Office of South Side Mission and a mind-boggling 347 at our Benevolence Center. As Craig Williams would say “look at God!”
Financials
It’s hard to find fault with a month in which you make money, but March was not the greatest for us—under budget on revenues, over budget on expenses. On the year, we are still doing well—over budget on expenses and under on revenues. God is good!
God Sightings
Each year for the past three, we have been blessed to host a group of around 50 high-schoolers and chaperones from Mountain Lake Christian School in Mountain Lake, MN. The Minnesota group LOVES coming here and they think they are in Fort Lauderdale, wearing shorts every day and traipsing around like they are on spring break. I guess it’s all a matter of perspective. The group volunteers in the Breakout Youth Center, Kings Kids, Camp Kearney, the Benevolence Center, and other ministries. They get their hands dirty and complete valuable projects for us. They built a beautiful new bridge connecting the lake island and the mainland, for example. And to top it all off, they write the Mission a nice check each year, too. What a blessing they are to us. SSM Director of the Breakout Youth Center, Larry Thomas, puts it this way:
“ The arrival of the Minnesota Youth Group was a major God sighting. Everyone genuinely appreciated the enthusiasm and patients they displayed during the week undertaking and completing several projects with eagerness and a timely manner! The group interacted wonderfully with the after school programs and evening clubs, they shared fun and laughter throughout the week. Many friendships were made, many pictures were taken, and many memories were created. Most of all, they shared the word and the spirit of God with the children and staff, which was blessedly received.”
[from Director of the New Promise Center and Chaplain Linda Butler’s report]
It is really awesome how God sends special people to SSM to help do good things for the residents in the shelter. A young lady from the Chicago area came to Peoria to give a baby shower to our pregnant residents in the shelter. We only had one pregnant resident at this time. Just a couple of months ago we had four. The young lady was happy to bless our one resident with love and many gifts. This young lady brought her pregnant sister and two of her friends from Chicago to help encourage our resident and to give hope during this time. In addition to our Chicago quests, the young lady brought her mother along who is a resident of Peoria. The GED instruction and her mother also attended the shower. It was great fun. The young lady and her sister plan to keep in touch with our resident and plan to have a play date for the babies in the future. There are good people in this world ready to give a helping hand when asked and even when the help is not requested. God touched this young lady’s heart to help someone. She obeyed and she was blessed by the fellowship and the new friends she met.
What’s New
Longtime South Side Mission staffer Karen Johnson will celebrate 25 years in employment on April 19th. We will celebrate with her at the party at the Mission the evening of 4/22/10 at 5:30 in the Board room. Come and congratulate Karen!
While nearing the completion of renovation of five rooms in Phase One, representatives of the Finishing Contractors Association of Illinois visited shelter. They were very pleased with the work that had been done by the maintenance staff. The five rooms received wall repairs, new paint, new tile floors and ceilings. The storage units were re-painted and new hardware was attached and new window blinds were installed. This project was made possible through a $2000 grant from FCAI. This project will be highlighted in the association’s newsletter for the northern Illinois region.
The Baptist General State Convention of Illinois Woman’s Auxiliary held a retreat in Peoria. In support of the commitment to missions, they picked South Side Mission to Be a recipient of a variety of products to care for the shelter residents and children participating in youth services. Over 16 districts in the state provided hundreds of personal and program related items.
Out at Camp, Paul Mulholland reports the following improvements, many of which were conducted by our friends from Mountain Lake MN.
- A new walking bridge to the island at the lake.
- A new boat dock in the shape of a cross at the lake.
- Interior framing work in the Kearney Cabin.
- Clean-up & a coat of primer on all the walls in the staff house.
- Removal of brush, dead trees, and stumps on the island
- Raking of dead cattails along the shoreline of the lake.
- Making of many signs to be posted on hiking trails.
- Completion of over 6 burn piles of old wood, furniture, and debris.
- Top to Bottom cleaning of the main kitchen and dish room.
- Repair of trail steps between Cabin 2 and the Dining Hall
- Routering and Sanding of new bunkbeds.
Did You Know?
Our pastoral care staff (Robin, Frank, Craig, Linda, and Bessie) visited 104 times with people in need in March 2010. That’s a lot of ministry!
Chef Chris Franzoni shares the following nuggets:
* If I had to choose where God is most visible in our department it would have to be in the form of donations. We had a really good month in this area. John and Anna are an elderly Italian couple :) who are both in their early nineties and have been faithfully delivering leftover food from Manuel High School for at least 6 years every Friday afternoon. They are a real joy and blessing to us and have been extra busy this month with an increase in donations this month. Sandra informed meal that she has been able to create at least 3 meals a week solely with their offerings.
* The Big Cookie store has relocated and resumed the donating of her awesome cookies every week.
* We receive many cool items here but one of the coolest occurred this month with us receiving some alligator tail meat from Midwest Food Bank. The culinary students made fried alligator strips – everyone loved it. I made a small plate of the alligator and took it to Miss Sue’s kindergarten class. I ask them all to try a piece without telling them what it was. I asked them to guess what it was and they were successful after guessing fish, chicken and pork chop. They were all totally excited and proud of the fact that they had, in their own words “ate an alligator.”
* Deb is the former owner of the Confectionery in Morton. She was having trouble filling a void upon selling her business. She came down during holidays to make pies and has never left. She volunteers 2 days a week in Sandra’s kitchen and relayed to her that coming down here has been a real blessing to her.
Our shelter numbers were impacted lower because we remodeled four rooms in March.
Stories of People You Have Helped
God used External Ministries to minister to one of the families that we have been working with. This family is mentioned in our Prayer Request section. This family has suffered a tremendous loss of an adopted daughter that died in a fire as well as two family dogs. The mother suffered burns over 90% of her body trying to save the child. The mother almost died. The doctor literally gave up and said we have done all we could do, it is in the hands of God”!
They had been exploited by a scam artist (that was paid by the insurance company to repair their destroyed home), only to lose money and home repair materials on substandard work and some of the work was never done and the materials disappeared. The scam artist had to be apprehended by the police. On top of all this the husband loss his job and had been recently diagnosed as clinically depressed. The whole family was in the hand of God.
In the hands of God is where miracles take place! This mother came back from the brink of death! This mother is a living, breathing, walking miracle! She blesses the name of the Lord for her life even though she has been left terribly disfigured. Her spirit soars with the joy of the Lord.
God also used EM to constantly go over to pray with them and take time to talk one on one with the husband who was feeling so alone. Today the family is so encourage for the help that SSM has given them. Hope Builders is not only repairing their home, but we are also helping to repair their Hope in our Lord!
Speaking of Hope Builders, recently retired District 150 school superintendent Ken Hinton and his craftsmen’s group completed the bathroom and kitchen project they had begun several weeks ago. They had to completely gut the entire the bathroom down to the studs from ceiling to floor! They also had to do extensive plumbing work in the kitchen and replace the flooring, which was severely unleveled. The home owner received a home visit and received prayer and an assessment of how EM could serve his needs. The homeowner was thankful to receive the work that was done on his home. Pastor Frank and I will do a follow-up visit with this gentleman. I believe we have earned the right to share our Lord and Savior’s plan of Salvation with this gentleman.
Ken Hinton’s group will begin another Hope Builder’s project in April along with Richwoods Christian Church, Heaven’s View Fellowship Church and Grace Apostolic Church.
[from Associate Executive Director, Facilities, Steve Suttor’s report]
§ Our year continues with lifestyles and relationships that recognize and give glory to the Lord. SSM Maintenance Worker John Phillips relates this story. He was working on a small project at the BC one day. While there he met up with a young couple who were obviously very needy. As he talked to them, he was able to share a little of his own testimony. This couple was blessed with needed things from the BC, and before they left, John invited them to his church the following Sunday. He met and picked them up on Sunday morning, and both husband and wife surrendered their lives to Christ in the church service. As a staff, we pray for people to “drop” into our lives each day, and the sensitivity to point them to Jesus.
§ He has not made a decision yet, but Craig Williams and I share a friend that comes to both the noon Diner and one of the Harrison Homes’ services. This gentleman is a Vietnam vet, suffers from PTSD, and I’ve never met him without liquor on his breath. Amazingly though, he is respectful and attentive, and has begun to look me up after noon service and lunch to talk. With this man and a number of others, I’ve had the opportunity for prayer and counsel.
[from Associate Executive Director, Benevolence, Steve Dunn’s report]
I want to thank God for allowing me to preach at the South Side Mission soup kitchen. The Lord impressed upon my heart to preach a message on anger. When the message was being presented several people got mad. One person was mad because they arrived late, another person was mad because someone was talking etc. To make a long story short, I closed the message asking if anyone needed to ask God for help with his or her anger issues. The group remained silent for a few minutes, and then we closed with the gospel. Two weeks later, a lady named Sally came up to me at the B.C. and asked if she could talk to me .I took her aside and asked how can I help you. Sally shared and said, “Steve do you remember the message you spoke at the soup kitchen on anger.” I replied, “Yes I do.” Sally said well I need help, I am very upset on the inside and I need to share with you that my x-husband has mentally, physically, and emotionally abused me. God is telling me that I need to forgive him.” I replied, “are you willing to forgive him and never bring this up again and let God have all this pain.” Sally replied,” this man is filthy rich and treats people horrible.” I repeated, “Sally are you ready to let go of these circumstances and forgive.” She replied, “ I have been carrying this unforgiveness for 35 years and I need to let go. This is what God wants me to do.” I said, “if I pray for you do you believe that God will take this hurt from you and all this pain.” She said let us pray and we prayed and she had such a wonderful peace come upon her that is indescribable. Praise God!!!
[from Associate Executive Director, Youth, Sheree Lyles' report]
A 12 year old girl who has been removed from her parents . She struggles with the idea that everything is her fault. She showed me her wrist. She has scars from where she had been cutting herself. I shared Jeremiah 29:11 with her explaining that God has plans for her life. She began to listen as we discussed the need for her to be a servant for God. She is a very intelligent girl. I had just received a copy of the Purpose Driven Life book which was lying on my desk. God laid it upon my heart to share some of the information from the book with her. I shared some of the first chapter to her. She said that it was beginning to make sense. I sent her home with a highlighter and the book; she is really enjoying the reading. She is understanding God’s unconditional Love and how God really has a plan for her life. She even shared information with her girls club about how God has a purpose for them as well. This demonstrates how God can use something as simple as a book to keep a person focused on him.
[from Director of Elderly Services Robin Winfrey RN’s report]
Elmira B. is in Belwood Nursing Home and very unhappy. I did her old neighbor Ruth’s File of Life and in talking with her I was able to ask if she would like to go the Belwood and lift Elmira’s spirits. Ruth with multiple physical limitations was pleased to go and God used her to minister to Elmira. Ruth was so pleased she visibly made a difference in Elmira’s day.
[from Assistant Executive Director and Senior Pastor Frank Winfrey’s report]
It was so cool to hear “Daphne’s” story. Here she was driving through IL doing 8 miles an hour over the speed limit and a patrolman pulled her over. The car search turned up marijuana. Her husband was transporting the drugs across state lines. He was given 6 years in prison; she was given 4. She feels that God used this big bump in the road to grab her attention and get her off her duff and back on track for Him to use her again.
In her own words here she was in shackles being placed beside other individuals in prison who needed to trust that God was still at work in their lives, that he had not forgotten them. He loved them and wanted to speak into their lives even in prison. She never lost her faith, but believed that God still had a plan and she wanted to discover what that plan was.
As she was released from prison IL would not allow her to return to PA, she was under their control until her parole was completed. God brought her she said to the SSM to learn and to have God teach her. She is so appreciative of the work that He is doing in her life and the wonderful people He has put in her life here. More is to come in this story in the coming months.
[from External Ministries Associate Minister Bessie Rush’s report]
The Adopt A Block churches continue to be creative in their efforts to reach the community.
Laramie Street Baptist Church sponsored a Community Egg Hunt at Trewyn Park (corner of Laramie & Montana) Saturday, March 27, 2010 for toddlers-6th grade. The Laramie Street Adopt A Block team went out on the morning of the event with some members from St. Jude Catholic Church to canvas the area. Most of the AAB teams shared in passing out flyers in their areas. The turnout was fantastic! There were about 200 plus children and a lot of volunteers from the neighborhood and the AAB churches. Everyone had a wonderful fellowship. We will be sure to update you on further results of this event! After the AAB Summit the teams are charged and looking forward to the spring and summer days to reach lost souls!
An 86 year old Adopt A Block senior called and requested that EM come and pray with her. She was dealing with depression. She had not been able to sleep. She lives alone and does not venture out much. Her family lives out of town and she does not trust some of the younger neighbors. She was having regrets about some things she done in her past and wondered if they would keep her out of heaven. We talked to her about the forgiveness of God and how she could trust Him to forgive her of all sins if she asked him. We prayed the prayer of Salvation with her and gave her some bible scriptures to read to assure her of the forgiveness of God.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. When we went back to see her two weeks later, she was so excited because she had been sleeping well! She expressed how she was so glad that she had South Side Mission to check on her and how she does not feel alone any more!
The beauty of all this is a year ago she would not even open her door! Adopt A Block was consistence with kindness in Jesus name. Finally we were out training a church to take on their blocks and she was racking her yard. The AAB team walked up to her and began to clean her yard! She was so amazed and appreciative of the “no strings attached” assistance that the next time we knocked on her door, she invited us into her home! All of this started because we kept knocking on the door in Jesus name!
Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me”
Openings
At press time, we have the following openings:
· One full time employee in the Breakout Youth Center, preferably male, to work with kids after-school.
· One full time employee in Kings Kids, director-qualified, to work with children in our day care.
We also have openings for children in Kings Kids. This is an exceptional opportunity for a family needing quality, very low-cost Christian day care.
We have had some vandalism issues at Camp Kearney. We have submitted two different reports to the Sheriff’s department over the last 4 weeks. Camp Director Paul Mulholland shares information about the first:
“On March13, we discovered that the camp mailbox located at the main entrance was missing. It had been pulled from the ground and the only thing remaining was the hole it used to occupy. Further investigation revealed that every mailbox located along the route to camp had either been smashed-up, yanked from the ground, or damaged. This event provided me an opportunity to speak with many of our neighbors, a couple for the first time. We were able to help one neighbor locate two missing mailboxes and a missing calf.”
Thanks for reading this long report, but Praise the Lord for all He is doing here! Please pray for concerns, rejoice with us for victories and support us as you feel led.
