South Side Mission Blog

Ministry By the Numbers - September 2011

2011-10-12T08:59:00.000-07:00

That's our new flagpole garden in memory of Franklin & Virginia Flaherty. It was put together as a senior class project by the Tri-County Enrichment Homeschool Co-Op. Thank you friends!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SEPTEMBER 2011

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
332

Average number of homeless women & children housed nightly
37

Mothers of our kids enrolled in Mothers Day Out
30

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
545

Attendance in our Laramie Street Sunday School, weekly
21

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
5

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
51

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
3

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
19

Children enrolled in After-School Tutoring
84

Number of people completing a discipleship course this month
18

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
27

Children attending Older Boys Club
22

Attendance at our Heartland Apartments Bible Study
10

Children attending Younger Girls Club
45

Churches that have Adopted Blocks in 61605
21

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
699

Children attending Younger Boys Club
43

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
8

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
63

Children attending Older Girls Club
11

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Studies (2)
13

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
36

Volunteer hours, as a ministry
3,422

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
311

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
10

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
40

Attendance at our Hurlburt House Bible Study
5

Hot meals to the poor
7,125

FINANCIALS FROM SEPTEMBER 2011

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$248,579/$250,575

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$295,667/$274,024

Positive or Negative on the Month
- $47,088

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$2,105,298/$1,846,267

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$2,538,255/$2,644,474

Positive or Negative on the Year
- $432,958

How we’re doing versus budget + $365,250

Indicated Decisions for Christ 322
The Holy Spirit continues to have a field day in 61605. Of the 322 decisions for Christ we saw in September, Robin Winfrey was particularly excited about the five senior citizens who made a decision for Christ at her Harvesters’ discipleship and fellowship group as well as the seven seniors who said YES to Jesus at her annual Senior Fair, held in September. Robin sums it up by saying “the fields are white unto harvest for our white-haired friends!”

Those Completing a Discipleship Course 18

Eight people finished the Alpha discipleship course, two completed the Four Spiritual Laws discipleship course and eight completed Minister Armosha Sturdivant’s discipleship course.

Financials

What a wonderful year the Lord is giving us at SSM. He has us over budget on revenues on the year and under budget on expenses on the year—right where we want to be. Praise God.

What’s New

In September, South Side Mission received its second Peoria City Beautiful Award. This time for the landscaping at our Benevolence Center. We attended a nice hors doevres ceremony at Luthy Botanical Garden and got our pictures taken. We won our first Peoria City Beautiful Award for our landscaping at the Laramie Street headquarters.

Speaking of beautiful, check out our new perennial garden around the flagpole out in front of our Laramie Street headquarters! The Tri-County Enrichment Homeschool Co-Op took on the flower garden as a senior class project. They raised the dollars to put in a beautiful brick edging and selection of perennials that matches the look of the landscaping just to the north of it next to our building. The garden originally was put in to honor Dr. Pat’s parents. We sent Dr. Pat a photo of the garden’s facelift. I hope he is pleased.

We have a new Adoptablock church this month. St. Paul Baptist Church, where Deveraux Hubbard is pastor, became our 21st church to join the effort.

God Sightings

Hope Builders completed 55 “big ticket” home repair projects in 2011…roofs, windows, siding, rebuilding bathrooms, etc. That’s 10 more than last year! We added many new volunteers this year and sources of donated materials. God is good!

Northwoods Community Church completed its annual food drive and raised more than 35 tons of food. Yes that’s tons. Their food drive filled up two semi trucks and four box trucks of nonperishable food for our Benevolence Center, Harrison Homes and RiverWest food pantries. If this is anything like years past, the food should last us deep into next summer. The north suburban church of more than 4,000 people dismisses its attenders early from service with the direction to go to Walmart Allen Road or Kroger North Knoxville and arms them with a grocery list. The attenders, in turn, show up in droves to these grocery stores and shop with their families. There is a great spirit of camaraderie and volunteerism from this church. By 5 pm on Sunday, the food is all unloaded at our three pantries and we bask in the glow of what God did.

Staff did 4 days of recruiting at Manual Academy High School in the lunchroom. What a wonderful time we had! We must have seen close to 1,000 students! A least it seem like it! At Manual the students were as glad to see us as we were to see them. They rushed the table we were at and greeted us! Right away the youth and the staff were requesting prayer for family and friends! They gave us summer updates of their lives. We had some old friends and met many new friends! We prayed with students and a staff members at their request! They are really open to receive Christ this year as their family troubles have escalated!

Did You Know?

We currently have student nurses from Bradley, OSF and Methodist College of Nursing servicing the needs of our people. It is a great comfort to see all of these health care helpers around SSM working with our homeless residents and our Lighthouse Diner patrons.

Stories of People You Have Helped

[from Director of Discipleship Minister Armosha Sturdivant’s report]

Markus Stogner, a graduate of our Hotel & Housekeeping Training School is on work release from the Peoria County Jail. This has not stopped him from improving his life. Amazingly, this “inmate” is thriving. He takes classes at Robert Morris College and recently showed us his report card (4 a's and one B!). He also just got promoted in his job at Stoney Creek Inn. As God was with Joseph while he was in jail, God is with Markus.

[from Director of the New Promise Center and Chaplain Rev. Linda Butler’s report]

Last month we received a vehicle and there were three people who qualified to be chosen to receive it. One of the residents who did not receive the car was very disappointed. While we were making our decision she was making plans for her new vehicle. She has started classes at ICC as a full time student and really thought her need for the vehicle was great. We tried comforting her and challenged her to trust and wait upon the Lord. She accepted the challenge as way to deepen her relationship with God. Within 30 days God provided another vehicle. It was exciting to watch her praise God as she danced around her vehicle.

This month we have been surprised and happy that the children who live here really hate to leave. SSM is a safe and comfortable place for them. The children bonded with their mothers more than they ever had. One of our young boys is moving soon. He does not to leave. He has grown to be a responsible young man. He has the garbage chores, where picks up all the trash daily and then take it to the dumpster. He loves his chore and the responsibility that comes with it. He loves helping the RA’s and he will miss them and what he does. We are happy that his short time with us has meant a lot to him. He is also very spiritual. He loves going to church and Sunday School. He has a sweet and gentle spirit. We have been blessed by his presence and he has given us a change to show him God’s love and he truly has God in his life and in his heart.

[from Assistant Executive Director, External Ministries Rev. Craig Williams’ report]
We were able to help a mother and daughter that were displaced because of the bedbugs at the Salvation Army. She received an apartment at Harrison Homes. We were called by the Head Start program to see if we could help this family. The family was able to benefit from our Harrison Homes food pantry and Minister Rush was able to give her other community referrals to assist her and her child.

God has really blessed us to begin the school ministry in all 5 schools in 61605. Even with the many changes that District 150 has this year, God has smiled on us! God has given us wonderful favor with teachers and staff. I was out at a store and I heard someone say my name. I turned around and it was the mom of a BTS Warriors from one of our schools. She said my daughter just has to say hi! Mom and dad were thanking us so much for the ministry at Pleasant Hill School. They said their daughter wakes up early on Friday morning so she won’t be late for school ministry. Right after that in the very same store a teen came up to me and said I remember you from Ting School. She said I still remember the scripture you taught us! She went on to quote Phil. 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthen me! Her mother was just standing there watching her; I could tell she was so proud of her daughter! Proverb 22:6 Train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old they won’t depart from it.

[from Director of Elderly Services, Robin Winfrey RN’s report]

I have been taking a senior to church that has had a drug dependency for a number of years. A heroin addicted baby, she was raised in foster care and ran away from an abusive situation at the age of 15. Her story is tragic, BUT GOD. This client has been a faithful member of the Heartland bible study and has been an encouragement to all. She has been a believer and just needed encouragement. She called a local church she calls her home church and was told no one could come to pick her up for service. I am working on getting her a faithful ride until then she goes with me. The change in her countenance is visible to all.

[from Associate Executive Director, Youth Services, Sheree Lyles’ report]

A boy had to write a bio of his life for school. He shared info regarding his likes and dislikes. He shared info about the sports that he enjoys, talked about his friends and family, Most importantly he share about his relationship with “Christ. He also shared about receiving Christ at South Side Mission. What a witness!

[From Director of External Ministries Minister Bessie Rush’s report]

We have been praying for a lady in Harrison Homes that attends the food pantry that desperately needed a job. She was so desponded because like many others she could not find a job. We teach at the pantry that God rewards those who diligently seek him. Last week she came to the pantry all smiles and excited because God had blessed her to get a job! To God belongs the glory! Our God keeps his word!
2 Peter 3:9 (a) “The Lord is not slack concerning his promises. He is a keeper of his word!

Ministry By the Numbers - August 2011

2011-09-13T14:21:00.000-07:00

The entrance of our main headquarters, "the Lighthouse on Laramie." It's important that the poor be treated with dignity. Show them that they are important and they might just listen to you about your God. This landscaping, courtesy of Hoerr Nursery, KullScapes, and Dutch Landscaper, earned the Mission a Peoria City Beautiful award a couple years ago. We won our second just this week for our garden on Garden Street, the Benevolence Center.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM AUGUST 2011

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
308

Avg. Nightly Census in our New Promise Center shelter
38

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
480

Attendance in our Laramie Street Sunday School, weekly
21

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
7

Attendees for the Heartland Apartments Bible Study
10

NPC Residents connected to a local church so far in 2011
11

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
56

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
3

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
28

Number of people completing a discipleship course this month
14

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
23

Churches that have Adopted Blocks in 61605
20

Families enrolled to be mentored in our Family Mentoring Program
5

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
712

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
8

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
67

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
36

Volunteer hours, as a ministry
5,328

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
298

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
10

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
57

Attendance at our Hurlburt House Bible Study
8

Hot meals to the poor
8,038

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Studies
21

FINANCIALS FROM AUGUST 2011

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$260,990/$300,575

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$287,872/$297,500

Positive or Negative on the Month
- $26,882

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$1,856,718/$1,616,600

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$2,242,588/$2,370,450

Positive or Negative on the year
- $385,870

How we’re doing versus budget
+ $367,980

The Lord Reserves the Right to Not Participate in a Recession

On the year, we remain better than budget on the year on both revenues and expenses.

Our Hotel Housekeeping Training School has expanded again. We have 10 hotels involved as well as Methodist Hospital. Now the Peoria Civic Center wants our students, too. We may need to change the name of the school as we place people in the custodial industry, not just the hotel industry!

Otis, a man to whom I [Sean Allen] have been ministering for some time broke curfew on a Saturday afternoon and in an effort to get back to the White Oaks Rehab facility, he had called me and another friend. Both of us were unavailable, but as he walked along, one of his former drug dealers happened to see him. He told Otis that he had heard he was trying to get his life straight. He then extended an unexpected offer to take Otis back to White Oaks. Otis accepted and was back where he needed to be. Otis later shared that the man never once offered him drugs and that only God would send a drug dealer to pick up a recovering addict to take him back to rehab! The next day (Sunday), Otis was cleared to go to church with us on the bus. He was quite depressed by his actions and falling short, but I encouraged him to stay strong in Jesus and accept His mercy and grace as new every day. “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing!” (Isaiah 43:18) I then asked Otis if he would pray over those on the bus when we arrived at church. He nodded, and when we arrived, he stood and shared one of the most powerful prayers… everyone looked in amazement and many thanked him for his prayer! As I’ve indicated many times, God has a mighty plan for this man, and it’s exciting to actually see it unfolding day by day!

Ministry By the Numbers - July 2011

2011-08-11T09:15:00.000-07:00

A couple of strong Men of God apply a roof to the home (at no cost) of a low-income south sider as part of South Side Mission's Hope Builders Showcase Week in July. Thanks to Pastor Sunny and Pastor Joe!

Hello from the Lighthouse on Laramie!

You are among our most trusted of supporters so we share with you each month a little more information. Please take time to pray with us over concerns, rejoice with us over victories, and share with us your time, talent, and treasure as the Lord directs.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM JULY 2011

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
256

Avg. Nightly Census in our New Promise Center shelter
43

Graduates of the summer class of the Hotel/Hospitality Training School
6

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
396

Attendance in our Laramie Street Sunday School, weekly
23

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
8

Attendees for the Heartland Apartments Bible Study
5

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
59

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
2

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
19

Kids spending at least one day at Camp Kearney and hearing the Gospel
880

Ladies in the New Promise Center who have established a church home
7

Number of people completing a discipleship course this month
27

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
28

Churches that have Adopted Blocks in 61605
20

Families enrolled to be mentored in our Family Mentoring Program
5

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
687

Churches involved with Hope Builder Showcase Week
19

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
9

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
57

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
46

Volunteer hours, as a ministry
8,585

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
270

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
10

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
51

Attendance at our Hurlburt House Bible Study
8

Kids enrolled in our Day Camp
125

Hot meals to the poor
11,700

Mother’s of Kids in the Youth Department Meeting
30

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Studies
8

FINANCIALS FROM JULY 2011

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$228,461/$170,675

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$274,235/$301,496

Positive or Negative on the Month
- $45,775

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$1,595,692/$1,316,025

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$1,955,539/$2,072,950

Positive or Negative on the year
- $359,847

How we’re doing versus budget
+ $397,078

The Lord Reserves the Right to Not Participate in a Recession

I am amazed, but not surprised, that the Lord has ensured our revenues outpaced budget every month this year so far. Expenses have been consistently under budget this year, too.

We opened a new Senior Center Bible Study in July. We are now in (all in 61605):
Hurlburt House, B’Nai B’Rith, South Side Manor and The Heartland Apartments (new).

The Lord allowed the chance to share the Gospel with 1,005 kids this summer through Camp Kearney (380), our Day Camp (125) and guests from other day camps (500) that came out for a day or two to Camp Kearney. Whew! That’s a lot of kids.

Our Hope Builders Showcase Week was a triumph with 18 low-income or elderly homeowners getting a new roof or another big ticket home repair the week of July 25th!

One evening at Camp Kearney, after the counselor read a Bible story, Travon asked if anyone could read from the Bible or could only counselors use it? Travon shared that he had never read from a Bible before. When the counselor asked if he would like to read, Travon responded with an enthusiastic “YES”! As Travon began to read out loud it was obvious that Travon was not a very good reader. One of the other boys “Juan”, rather than make fun of Travon, went over and sat next to him and began to help him with the more challenging words. Together they read from the Bible for more than twenty minutes. The others in the cabin listened quietly as God’s word was coming to them through two young boys, one who could barely read, and a second who saw someone who needed help and then reached out to that person.

Ministry By the Numbers - June 2011

2011-07-14T05:45:00.000-07:00

The annual Hope Builders Showcase Week is coming July 25-29th. We'll be partnering with the Metro Peoria Baptist Association and a number of other churches to fix up the homes of 20 low-income homeowners on the south side. Still time to sign up to volunteer. Please email Minister Bessie Rush at bessier@southsidemission.org to get started!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM JUNE 2011

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
228

Avg. Nightly Census in our New Promise Center shelter
36

June graduates of the Hotel/Hospitality Training School
6

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
515

Attendance in our Laramie Street Sunday School, weekly
17

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
6

Children enrolled in our Kings Kids Christian Day Care
25

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
55

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
2

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
22

June attenders of Camp Kearney
174

Ladies in the New Promise Center who have established a church home
5

June Graduates of the Culinary Arts Training School
8

Number of people completing a discipleship course this month
22

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
28

Churches that have Adopted Blocks in 61605
20

Families enrolled to be mentored in our Family Mentoring Program
5

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
728

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
8

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
71

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
35

Volunteer hours, as a ministry
4,424

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
310

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
10

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
56

Attendance at our Hurlburt House Bible Study
8

Kids enrolled in our Day Camp
125

Hot meals to the poor
10,222

Mother’s of Kids in the Youth Department Meeting
30

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Studies
10

FINANCIALS FROM JUNE 2011

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$191,670/$170,725

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$375,584/$390,531

Positive or Negative on the Month
- $183,915

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$1,367,112/$1,145,350

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$1,681,760/$1,771,454

Positive or Negative on the year
- $314,648

How we’re doing versus budget
+ $311,456

Indicated Decisions for Christ 228
The Holy Spirit orchestrated one of those phenomenal months in which every department saw a decision for Christ, including Chapel, New Promise Center, Kings Kids, Day Camp, Camp Kearney, Elderly Services, Benevolence Center, Mission at Prayer, the Hotel/Hospitality Training School, Discipleship, External Ministries, Satellite Offices, and both Craig Williams and I had decisions when we preached in churches in June.

Persons completing a discipleship course this month 22

A healthy month for discipleship with persons completing structured discipleship courses in a variety of ministries here.

Persons receiving baptism this month 0

Financials

The Lord Reserves the Right to Not Participate in a Recession

We really feel great about this year from a financial standpoint so far. Each month this year, the Lord has brought in more than budgeted and our expenses have been under budget significantly. Put them together and you’ll see we’re $311,456 better than budget on the year. Praise the Lord. What a testimony to a watching world.

June was a three payroll month (one of two on the year, with December being the other). That accounts for the bump in expenses, but again, not as much as we expected. One reason we continue to be under on expenses is that we have been very aggressive in moving to energy-efficiencies. For example, Ameren paid us more than $1,000 in rebates for putting in energy efficient lighting. This has paid off handsomely over time with smaller energy costs. Our next frontier is HVAC efficiencies.

Meg Newell did an excellent job raising more than $5,000 to purchase bikes and make site improvements for our new Mountain Biking Program at Camp Kearney!

The four Mission Mart stores made goal this month and made 5% more than last June.

Church donations are up 8% on the year.

What’s New

The Lord continues to expand the original vision of the Hotel Housekeeping Training School. Originally, we were going to take unemployed ladies with felonies and place them with area hotels. Now the vision has expanded to:
· men and women
· either with felonies, without felonies or even still in the prison system on work release
· working at area hotels, hospitals, senior citizens’ long term care facilities and now even retail stores. JC Penney at Northwoods Mall just signed on to work with us.

Adopt A Block is going well. Pastor Chris Duncan and Lily of the Valley Ministries has joined the AAB team as our newest church.

NPC Case Manager Elizabeth Diviney has a baby boy. Mother and son are doing well.

The LWML Convention was held in Peoria and we were the recipient of their service project along with 4 other Peoria ministries. (This we knew.) What we did NOT know was that it will fill a truck and a half! Towels/toiletries/underwear/coloring books/lotions…the south side of Peoria will smell NICE for MONTHS!

God Sightings:

Our Urban Gardening Program continues to “grow” as this year we have four vegetable gardens planted. We’ve harvested collard greens, mustard greens, spinach, lettuce, and onions as well as many herbs. The fresh vegetables and herbs are shared with the poo through our Benevolence Center food pantry and our Laramie Street Kitchens. We have many other crops that will ripen and fruit soon! God is good. Our Day Camp volunteers have been using the gardens as object lessons for Bible stories like the parable of the sower.

Did You Know?

Hope Builders completed 5 projects this month. Our volunteers were outstanding this month with 869 hours of support for SSM External Ministries! They consist of a youth group from O’Fallon IL, Workforce Network, Youth Build, Laramie Baptist Church, Northwoods Church, Park Avenue Baptist Church, and Harold Booze of Woodland Baptist Church, Larry Pope of New Life Community Church, supporters from Harrison Home Discipleship group and Hal & Gary of Northwoods. I thank God for each and every one of them!

Stories of People You Have Helped

[from Assistant Executive Director Minister Craig Williams’ monthly report]

This involves 2 people that we started in our Harrison Home Discipleship class over a year ago. It started with a gentleman named Tommy and him coming to the food pantry where he gave his heart to the Lord. Tommy has been engaged every since then. Tommy comes on most Sundays from 9:30-10:30 to the Harrison Homes discipleship class. He has now completed one discipleship class already. He has now enrolled in a GED class as well. Tommy now has his electric and water bills in his own name where before he could not because of outstanding bills he owed. His faithfulness and the support of SSM have really paid off! Tommy has just moved into a brand new PHA housing!

Here is another story:
It is amazing how God touches the hearts of his people. I was blessed to know that one of our newest churches Pentecostals of Peoria came out with over 40 people for their prayer walk on their new blocks. I was pleasantly surprised when I said to them ‘so this is your prayer walk group? They replied “No this is the regular group that will go out and some of them are not here today. This group has been consistent every since then! WOW” What a mighty God we serve!

[from Director of External Ministries Minister Bessie Rush’s report]
I often pray with a 50 year old resident in River West. This dear sister needs a heart transplant. She currently lives on an electrical machine connected to her heart to keep it pumping. The doctors have told her that she can only live on this machine about six years. The machine also runs on charged batteries but only allows her 3 hours to be away from home. Other than praying for a medical miracle we prayed that God would do something that would allow her to go outside more other than to doctor's visits or rushing to fix her schedule so she does not run out of battery time! She dreams of going to the park or to the movies and a dinner with her teenage children. I told her prayer changes things and we would pray about it. Recently she was informed that a new machine was developed and that she was one of the first to get one! Her new machine would allow her to be out for 12 hours! She was so excited! She was fitted with the machine and as soon as she was able her first trip was to the park just sit on a bench and soak up the sun. She is so grateful to God for moving in her life! She used to be so pale because she hardly spent more time outside now she looks so much better and her mood has improved as a result of the SON and the sun.

[from Camp Director Paul Mulholland’s report]

Many of the campers who attend Camp Kearney are returning campers from previous years. One particular camper during our second week of camp was a young man named “Jamar”. This year was Jamar’s fifth year attending Camp Kearney. The first two years Jamar attended Camp Kearney he was sent home on the first day due to behavior issues. Three summers ago I met Jamar for the first time and he proudly proclaimed to me on the first day during lunch that he’d been sent home quickly the previous two summers. When I asked why he’d been sent home he said, “because I stood up for my cousin.” I quickly responded jokingly, “Wow! They must have been really strict here if they sent you home just for standing up!” Not realizing I was teasing, Jamar tried to explain that he meant that he was sent home for fighting in defense of his cousin. Continuing my playful banter I assured Jamar that we did not have a strict policy on standing or sitting and that violation of either offense would not get him sent home. Jamar, finally realizing I was joking with him, laughed and smiled and said, “I think I like this camp now!” Jamar stayed the entire week that summer as well as last summer. Through these three years I’ve gotten to know Jamar quite well. In addition I’ve learned a lot about his home life and some of the difficulties that have left Jamar in an almost constant state of acting out. Knowing these things about Jamar, we purposefully placed Jamar in a cabin with one of our strongest male counselors this year. Though there were many challenges and struggles with Jamar’s behavior we did manage to get him through the week. On more than one occasion I had to deal with Jamar due to behavior issues. On Wednesday I was called out to the Caboose field because Jamar had gotten into an argument with another camper and was becoming very disruptive to the mountain biking class. As I spoke with Jamar about his behavior, he broke down into tears and shared with me that “his life sucked” and that he “hated himself.” When I began to share with Jamar about Jesus he angrily responded, “What has Jesus ever done for me?” My heart aches when I know that these children are facing very difficult trials at home. Trying to show them Jesus is very challenging when all they’ve ever experienced is hate, disappointment, abuse, and tragedy. Even though I tried to assure Jamar that Jesus loves him and has a wonderful plan for his life, Jamar was still somewhat unresponsive to this message. During our early Thursday morning staff meeting we prayed for Jamar. His counselor shared that even though Jamar puts on a tough exterior that it seemed that he was opening up some and that he was beginning to ask some questions during bible studies and cabin time. During our Thursday evening commitment service, Jamar prayed to accept Jesus into his heart for the first time. PRAISE GOD! Jamar will still have a tough journey ahead of him and I know his situation at home will probably not improve but I hold out hope that the prayer Jamar prayed is only the beginning of God’s work in his life. Five summers! Jamar attended camp for five summers before asking God to be a part of his life. It would have been easy to give up on Jamar. I am thankful that we did not give up on him and I know that God never did and never will. Jamar is now a child of the King!!!!

[from Robin Winfrey RN, Director of Elderly Services' report]
Jim H. and I were running late on afternoon but I just felt a strong leading to visit a senior I haven’t seen for several months. When we knocked on her door she said, “You know just when to come, my only brother just died today, he is finally out of pain, but I don’t know if he knew the Lord. I have nothing to wear to his funeral.” Then the tears came flowing. We had a chance to sit and “BE” with her for a while as she talked about her brother and better days. We left a bag of groceries we had collected for another person not found at home and promised to bring several items by the next day that might work out for her to wear to the funeral. We found shoes and beautiful things that were “just right”. She knows God Cares!!!

[from Assistant Executive Director Rev. Frank Winfrey’s report]

God provided a fantastic visit with a long time soup kitchen attendee. “Jay” has struggled with drug issues throughout his life. He says that often the soup kitchen meal is the only one he eats each day. He does know the Lord, but is very honest about the fact that he knows he needs to take the next step in obedience. I am concerned because he just battles with the weight of the world on his shoulders. God prompted me to take some time out to be with him because I wanted him to know that God cares and loves him. He is not forgotten and even though he has failed in his sobriety thus far, it does not have to continue. He talked a lot about his financial struggles, most of them due to poor discipline. Trust he will soon turn a corner. Please pray for Jay as the Lord brings him to your mind.

Phyllis Jordan praises God for allowing her client Paula to complete 18 months of the Drug Court Program. She managed to maintain her sobriety and find full time employment. Paula's felony charge and two misdemeanor charges have been taken off her criminal record. She can now apply for State and Federal funded jobs and not get turned down because of her criminal background. Paula is grateful for the encouragement and support she received from SSM. She is happy about the car that was donated to her from SSM. She is thankful God allowed her another change to get her life on track.

A former resident, who attributes her new life to SSM, graduated from Midstate College with an Associates Degree in Business Administration.

New Mountain Biking Program at Camp Kearney

2011-06-17T05:46:00.000-07:00

Camp Kearney's back 40 is a mix of challenging hills and deep valleys making up the reclaimed strip mine land that it is. A couple years ago, we looked at its topography and thought, Mountain Biking!

At South Side Mission's Camp Kearney, we love to give inner-city and rural poor kids a fun experience that they do not often get in their everyday lives...a zip line...a chance to catch a largemouth bass...and now Mountain Biking! We use all of these fun activities as a way to show kids how very important they are to us and to God.

So thanks to many generous donors (thank you Peoria Area Mountain Biking Association and the Illinois Valley Wheelmen!) and a great deal from Russell's Cycle and Fitness, we now have a dozen rugged and brand-new mountain bikes. We also have helmets and other safety equipment to make sure we keep the kids in one piece when they're out rolling over obstacles. By the way, that's Kyle, our Mountain Biking Host at Camp Kearney showing off one of the new models.

Mountain Biking! Just one more way we're "Loving Kids to Christ" at Camp Kearney!

Ministry By the Numbers - May 2011

2011-06-14T11:45:00.000-07:00

Pretty curtains for the newly refurbished Kearney Cabin at South Side Mission's Camp Kearney await those looking for a quiet and homey spot to spend an afternoon or a night. Email Camp Director Paul Mulholland at paulm@southsidemission.org to book the cabin.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM MAY 2011

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
144

Avg. Nightly Census in our New Promise Center shelter
39

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
501

Attendance in our Laramie Street Sunday School, weekly
21

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
5

Children enrolled in our Kings Kids Christian Day Care
39

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
49

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
4

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
18

Ladies in the New Promise Center who have established a church home
5

Boys Club attendance
50

Number of people completing a discipleship course this month
168

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
20

Average attendance at Roosevelt Magnet School before-school Bible study
81

Girls Club attendance
55

Churches that have Adopted Blocks in 61605
20

Attendance at our Trewyn Middle School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
18

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
504

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
8

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
62

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
44

Attendance at our Harrison Primary School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
37

Volunteer hours, as a ministry
2871

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
44

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
11

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
41

Attendance at our Hurlburt House Bible Study
8

Attendance at our Manual High School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
14

Hot meals to the poor
6719

Mother’s of Kids in the Youth Department Meeting
30

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Studies
17

Kids enrolled in After-School Tutoring
75

Attendance at our Pleasant Hill School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
19

FINANCIALS FROM MAY 2011

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$249,254/$191,725

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$283,805/$276,629

Positive or Negative on the Month
- $34,551

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$1,175,442/$974,625

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$1,306,267/$1,380,923

Positive or Negative on the year
- $130,825

How we’re doing versus budget
+ $275,473

The Lord Reserves the Right to Not Participate in a Recession

For the first time in my tenure here, we had more people complete a discipleship course than make a decision for Christ in a month – 168 to 144. Isn’t that awesome?

Minister Armosha Sturdivant, Director of Discipleship and Dean of the Hospitality Training School has expanded our original vision by spurring her students on to higher educational achievements. Three of her students are going on to college and two of them will attain their GEDs.

Julius will be the Valedictorian of the second class of the Hospitality Training School. He has been a model student, has aced every exam and has trained well in the hotels with whom we’ve worked. Like all five of the participants in the current class, Julius already has a job waiting for him. Here’s the twist, though. Julius is in the Department of Corrections’ Work Release Program. If he keeps on his current path, he will be done soon and launch into a successful parole program. Julius is more proof that God “redeems our life from the pit and crowns us with love and compassion” (psalm 103).

We have expanded our Urban Gardening Program this year to include three large outdoor gardens. We are partnering with Master Gardeners of Peoria (U of I Extensions Program) to expand our BC garden and establish a Chef’s garden… together being called Victory Gardens! The gardens have already produced an abundant crop of mustard greens and various types of lettuce!

Margaret Kearney's Legacy

2011-06-03T06:45:00.001-07:00

That's a great Woman of God, right there. That's Margaret Kearney, God rest her soul. Margaret was the right hand lady of South Side Mission founder Helen Haien. The two of them ministered together for the better part of 60 years. In the photo, Margaret stands in the foreground of our "new" headquarters, "The Lighthouse on Laramie" circa 1990.

Helen Haien and Margaret Kearney cared deeply for poor kids. Helen built the Sunday School that continues today. Margaret built the camp that endures and bears her name. In fact, Margaret lived on-site in a cabin we built for her, even before the camp was named for her.

Well, Margaret Kearney's old cabin in the woods got a facelift this year. We remodeled outside and inside, adding fancy paneling, new windows and treatments, tile and will soon add a deck out back. It's suitable for taking a weekend prayer retreat, a rustic night with the family or just a day to hear from the Lord. It can be reserved by calling Camp Director Paul Mulholland at (309) 645-9607. Thanks Margaret!

The Garden on Garden Street

2011-05-24T06:40:00.000-07:00

Fresh salad anyone?

We just made our first of many cuttings of salad greens for the poor from one of our three large vegetable gardens. A couple years back we decided to supplement the food baskets we were giving out with home-grown vegetables. We planted tomatoes, peppers, green beans, okra, onions, carrots, beets, mustard greens, collard greens, and the several kinds of lettuce you see pictured.

Each month, we give out an average of 500 food baskets to the poor. They receive fresh veggies, five pounds of meat, bread, dairy products, and nonperishable food. Food baskets are available Monday through Friday at 12:30 p.m. at our Benevolence Center 2919 W. Garden in Peoria.

We also receive much in the way of fresh vegetables, which we give out in our food baskets. For example, every year, farmers give us a lot of sweet corn, which is gratefully-received by the people we serve.

The Mission also serves hot meals to the poor through our New Promise Center homeless shelter and Lighthouse Diner soup kitchen. Last year, we served more than 87,000 meals, in fact. The fresh vegetables we grow also find their way to the tables at the Mission, too!

Scripture says "one planted, one watered, but it was God who gave the increase." Thank you God for giving the increase to our vegetable gardens!

Ministry By the Numbers - April 2011

2011-05-12T04:30:00.000-07:00

That's Dee Dee, a graduate of our Hotel Housekeeping Training School! She has "a future and a hope" in the words of Jeremiah 29:11.

Hello from the Lighthouse on Laramie!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM APRIL 2011

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
142

Avg. Nightly Census in our New Promise Center shelter
44

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
345

Attendance in our Laramie Street Sunday School, weekly
24

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
4

Children enrolled in our Kings Kids Christian Day Care
39

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
57

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
3

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
11

Ladies in the New Promise Center who have established a church home
6

Boys Club attendance
50

Number of people completing a discipleship course this month
19

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
15

Average attendance at Roosevelt Magnet School before-school Bible study
81

Girls Club attendance
55

Churches that have Adopted Blocks in 61605
21

Attendance at our Trewyn Middle School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
18

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
517

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
9

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
36

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
48

Attendance at our Harrison Primary School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
35

Volunteer hours, as a ministry
3,025

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
215

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
12

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
40

Attendance at our Hurlburt House Bible Study
8

Attendance at our Manual High School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
9

Hot meals to the poor
6,508

Mother’s of Kids in the Youth Department Meeting
30

Kids enrolled in After-School Tutoring
75

Attendance at our Pleasant Hill School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
19

FINANCIALS FROM APRIL 2011

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$303,284/$230,725

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$264,394/$297,239

Positive or Negative on the Month
+ $38,890

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$926,162/$782,900

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$1,022,462/$1,104,294

Positive or Negative on the year
- $96,299

How we’re doing versus budget
+ $225,095

The Lord Reserves the Right to Not Participate in a Recession

Our freezers at the Benevolence Center were empty and we needed one pound ground beef packages. We were all set to buy from our supplier at $2.50 a pound. But then the Lord intervened and we got a call from the food bank asking us to come down right away. We encountered a bonanza from the Lord and purchased over a thousand pounds of ground beef in our favorite one pound packs for just twenty-five cents per pound. You know how I always say that the Lord does not have to participate in a recession? He doesn’t have to participate in inflation either.

All four Hotel Housekeeping Training School students from this class have been hired by area hotels. God is good. Armosha Sturdivant has successfully placed all six of her grads this year so far.

The Lord has carved out a neat ministry as a subsidiary of our Elderly Services Ministry—a ministry to medically-fragile individuals. God continually sends medical equipment and adaptive supplies to us, like walkers and accessible toilet seats. We have reached out to nursing homes and other sources in order to give these items away to indigent people. The Marts have gotten into the action, too, with one store last month giving a nurse from nursing home clothes for a patient who had little. Not all the individuals we help are elderly, but all have a significant need.

Michael Ordaz, a graduate of our Culinary Arts Training School got a job at swanky Peoria Heights restaurant 309. This is a great gig!

Thanks for reading this report and Praise the Lord for all He is doing here! Please find me on Facebook or visit our blog www.southsidemission.blogspot.com, visit the website at www.southsidemission.org, pray for us and support us as you feel led.

Ministry By the Numbers - March 2011

2011-04-11T06:07:00.000-07:00

CEO of ElderSource Ministries, Rev. Stan Means, (that's him on the left talking with Meg Newell's hubby Dean) was recently in the house. ElderSource, a national ministry out of South Carolina, is beginning a national program to train chaplains to minister to the elderly. Stan chose South Side Mission to launch his important new initiative in March!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM MARCH 2011

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
106

Avg. Nightly Census in our New Promise Center shelter
34

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
420

Attendance in our Laramie Street Sunday School, weekly
19

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
2

Children enrolled in our Kings Kids Christian Day Care
40

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
45

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
0

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
9

Ladies in the New Promise Center who have established a church home
5

Boys Club attendance
45

Number of people completing a discipleship course this month
12

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
12

Average attendance at Roosevelt Magnet School before-school Bible study
80

Girls Club attendance
55

Churches that have Adopted Blocks in 61605
19

Attendance at our Trewyn Middle School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
18

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
458

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
8

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
37

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
37

Attendance at our Harrison Primary School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
32

Volunteer hours, as a ministry
3,564

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
219

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
12

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
25

Attendance at our Hurlburt House Bible Study
8

Attendance at our Manual High School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
8

Hot meals to the poor
6,307

Mother’s of Kids in the Youth Department Meeting
30

Kids enrolled in After-School Tutoring
89

Attendance at our Pleasant Hill School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
20

FINANCIALS FROM MARCH 2011

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$267,365/$215,725

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$281,897/$274,164

Positive or Negative on the Month
- $14,532

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$622,878/$552,175

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$758,069/$807,055

Positive or Negative on the year
- $135,191

How we’re doing versus budget
+ $119,689

THE LORD RESERVES THE RIGHT TO NOT PARTICIPATE IN A RECESSION

On the year, we are doing great and getting even better! We are now $119,689 better than budgeted on the year, thank you Lord. We are over budget on revenues on the year and under budget on expenses on the year. ALL FOUR Mission Mart stores made their goals in March. We set an ALL TIME RECORD for one month of Mission Mart sales with $69,269. How about THEM apples?

The Hotel Housekeeping Training School graduated its first class and 100% of the graduates got jobs. The program has expanded for the next class to include Methodist Hospital as a place to learn the housekeeping trade.

We have a nice problem at our before-school Bible Study and prayer meeting at Roosevelt Magnet School. We had 85 kids show up for Bible Study on one day there. That exceeds the fire marshal limit for their library. We may have to expand into the gym! Speaking of Roosevelt, there is a bright little 10 year old girl that comes regularly to before school ministry. Her name is Alicia. She just got out of the hospital, not for a physical ailment but for a mental condition. She was suspended from school a lot before she started coming to school ministry. We have been working with her on her behavior. She has to be redirected more than other children, but she is a really sweet girl. Patience makes the difference in how you minister to a child like Alicia. Others may have given up on her by now but not SSM. Jesus did not give up on us and we will not give up on her!

We are in need of two more male counselors at Camp Kearney this summer.

Thanks for reading this month's update. For more information on South Side Mission, visit our website www.southsidemission.org, fan South Side Mission on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter!

Ministry By the Numbers - February 2011

2011-03-09T08:52:00.000-08:00

Thanks to volunteer Jay Pearson for his great work renovating the New Promise Center rooms with the assistance of a grant from the FCAI Finishing Contractors Association of Illinois!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM FEBRUARY 2011

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
198

Avg. Nightly Census in our New Promise Center shelter
34

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
389

Attendance in our Laramie Street Sunday School, weekly
21

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
4

Children enrolled in our Kings Kids Christian Day Care
39

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
59

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
2

College Club attendance
25

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
11

Ladies in the New Promise Center who have established a church home
5

Boys Club attendance
60

Number of people completing a discipleship course this month
12

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
11

Average attendance at Roosevelt Magnet School before-school Bible study
72

Girls Club attendance
55

Churches that have Adopted Blocks in 61605
20

Attendance at our Trewyn Middle School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
15

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
355

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
7

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
26

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
37

Attendance at our Harrison Primary School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
26

Volunteer hours, as a ministry
3,119

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
186

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
11

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
34

Attendance at our Hurlburt House Bible Study
8

Attendance at our Manual High School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
7

Hot meals to the poor
6,736

Mother’s of Kids in the Youth Department Meeting
30

Kids enrolled in After-School Tutoring
75

Attendance at our Pleasant Hill School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
15

FINANCIALS FROM FEBRUARY 2011

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$182,995/$165,725

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$245,575/$262,674

Positive or Negative on the Month
- $62,580

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$355,514/$336,450

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$476,716/$532,890

Positive or Negative on the year
- $121,202

How we’re doing versus budget
+ $75,238

The Lord Reserves the Right to Not Participate in a Recession

SPIRITUAL

Indicated Decisions for Christ 198

Persons completing a discipleship course this month 12

Also, on the Spiritual side, there were five ladies from our shelter who established a church home this month and five from our External Ministries who were baptized in February!

The Lord is enlarging the territory of Laura Toles. She is an SSM Culinary Arts Training School grad who is employed at Apple’s Bakery helping owner Mary Ardapple begin their Gluten Free Bakery. Well, it has gone so well that QVC, the shopping channel on cable, picked up Apple’s Bakery Gluten Free products to sell to the world. How about that? Now Mary Ardapple wants to hire more of our people to work on the operation. As Joseph found out, when God blesses one of His people, often that person’s employer also gets blessed!

The week of February 15-18th, 2011 our before-school Bible Studies and Prayer Meetings at 5 public schools in 61605 were able to be a blessing to 177 students with hot sausage biscuits for breakfast thanks to McDonalds. That may explain so many students that week! :) The children were so happy to see hot sandwiches as many don’t get a hot breakfast before school. Can you believe that 177 children heard the gospel in school because of South Side Mission? Yes you can! To God belongs the glory!

[from Assistant Executive Director, Benevolence, Steve Dunn’s report]
The Lord provided yet another miraculous healing at the Benevolence Center in February. Our God sighting this month is about a lady (Betty Lundgren), one of our regulars who came here & told me that she was diagnosed with stage 3 kidney disease & asked for prayer (which we did). Today she came back all excited to report that the Doc.
could not find any signs of the disease with no explanation. Dr. Denish Agarwal
from Heartland Healthcare asked Betty if she had any ideas why this happened. She
told her that she had been down to the South Side Mission Benevolence Center & many
were praying for her. The Dr. asked if she could send other patients down here for
prayer.

[from Director of External Ministries Rev. Bessie Rush’s report]
I don’t know what it is; maybe I just look like I need a hug on some days! Every Thursday since we started this year’s school ministry a little girl about 6 years old rush up to me and gives me a big or should I say tiny bear hug! We often talk about the fact that her brother walks her 2 plus miles to Roosevelt Magnet School then continues on to Manual High School where he attends school. Her working mother can’t afford for them to ride the bus because the distance that they live requires them to pay for riding the bus. When she arrives she is tired and cold but her attitude is always upbeat, she really loves the school ministry and we really love her too. She is always willing to help us set up, if she can. Because of this little girl I think I will give out more hugs. Have you had a hug today? It really is great therapy for both parties!

[from Chef Chris Franzoni’s monthly report]
Felicia was a spring 2010 Culinary Arts Training School graduate and recently received
a promotion at Proctor Endowment Home. She was very nervous about her new job duties and came to us for a visit. After visiting with everyone here she left with a full tank of confidence and ready to take on her new job.

Cassaundra and Molly are two recent graduates of CATS and both struggled with personal issues during their entire 12 weeks with us. One was dealing with health issues and the other with housing / family issues. We were able to shower them in prayers and this was a great comfort to both. Both are doing great and on their way to great things I truly believe.

CATS graduated Daurice Figgers is now the Breakfast Supervisor at Embassy Suites and supervises a staff of five. Daurice came to the recent graduation of the Culinary Arts Training School and recruited workers on the spot!

Joseph is a new graduate and with a background that is challenging when trying to place someone. He loves soul food and can fry a mean chicken. The day after graduation I received a call that JJ's fish and chicken needed 2 cooks. I instructed him to apply and
Lord willing he will soon be gainfully employed. David and Dustin both graduated from CATS in the spring of 2010 class.

Dustin is graduate of CATS and just got hired on to be the cook at Neighborhood House, replacing another CATS graduate who went on to a bigger job.

Our Hotel Housekeeping Training School is also providing some inroads to the kitchens in the hotels with whom we work. Our own “dean of the hotel school” Armosha Sturdivant recently met with representatives at the Holiday Inn and they informed her that they had several opportunities in the kitchen. Armosha let Chris know right away and he sent CATS grads Renae and Cassaundra down to apply.

The Power of Tulips

2011-03-01T07:58:00.000-08:00

Hope springs eternal. Today's photo from the Mission's main cafeteria.

Some lovely soul forced a bunch of tulip bulbs and blessed us with the blooms. So, today our homeless ladies at the Mission will find fresh flowers at their tables in the Mission's cafeteria.

This simple blessing is another example of our ethic to "treat the poor with dignity." If you show someone that they're important, they begin to believe it themselves. They begin to walk with their heads held a little higher, their shoulders back a little further, eye contact and a smile becomes a part of their countenance. Confidence returns to their bearing.

And they begin to listen to us about our God. A God who loved them so much that He sent His one and only Son to die on the cross, to rise again, to pay the penalty for their sin, and to give them hope for a new life.

Tulips can be powerful, don't you think?

Ministry By the Numbers - January 2011

2011-02-09T07:30:00.000-08:00

South Side Mission Senior Pastor and Assistant Executive Director leads the group in prayer as a nervous-looking preacher at his left (SSM Executive Director Phil Newton) prepares to bring the message.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM JANUARY 2011

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
321

Avg. Nightly Census in our New Promise Center shelter
34

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
428

Attendance in our Laramie Street Sunday School, weekly
26

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
3

Children enrolled in our Kings Kids Christian Day Care
39

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
54

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
0

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
11

Boys Club attendance
43

Number of people completing a discipleship course this month
4

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
11

Average attendance at Roosevelt Magnet School before-school Bible study
72

Girls Club attendance
40

Churches that have Adopted Blocks in 61605
20

Attendance at our Trewyn Middle School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
12

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
553

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
6

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
49

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
36

Attendance at our Harrison Primary School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
17

Volunteer hours, as a ministry
2,848

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
245

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
12

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
31

Attendance at our Hurlburt House Bible Study
8

Attendance at our Manual High School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
6

Hot meals to the poor
5,890

Mother’s of Kids in the Youth Department Meeting
30

Kids enrolled in After-School Tutoring
75

Attendance at our Pleasant Hill School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
16

FINANCIALS FROM JANUARY 2011

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$173,024/$170,725

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$230,869/$270,216

Positive or Negative on the Month
- $57,845

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$173,024/$170,725

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$230,869/$270,216

Positive or Negative on the year
- $57,845

How we’re doing versus budget
+ $41,646

The Lord Reserves the Right to Not Participate in a Recession

Praise God, we’re off to a good start. January revenues were over budget. January expenses were under budget. That’s where we want to be.

The Lord has allowed us to achieve a major goal of the ministry—each public school in zip code 61605 has a before or after school Bible study & prayer meeting happening. God is good. Pleasant Hill, Roosevelt, Manual, Trewyn, Harrison and Garfield all have an evangelical witness now! When we launched the goal in 2002, there were no public schools in the zip code with a Christian club meeting there. Roosevelt Magnet School was the last piece of the puzzle. Since re-starting the ministry there, we have seen up to 75 kids coming for the Bible study.

The Stoney Creek Inn and Holiday Inn Express have signed on to work with us to accommodate students for the next class of the Hotel Housekeeping Training School!

New Life in Morton is our 20th Adoptablock church! They just signed up to work the vicinity of Garden and Krause.

Daurice Figgers is a Spring 09 graduate of our culinary program, works full time at Embassy Suites in East Peoria, and recently was promoted to complimentary breakfast supervisor. Daurice now oversees a staff of five and is responsible for staffing in her area. Guess where she came to look for prospects? That’s right. The Culinary Arts Training School of South Side Mission!

Ministry By the Numbers - December 2010

2011-01-12T08:07:00.000-08:00

Laura Toles (left) helps with the ribbon cutting for Apple's Bakery's new Gluten-Free Bakery Items. A graduate of South Side Mission's Culinary Arts Training School, Laura has become a key employee in the gluten-free enterprise at Apple's (see more on Laura below).

Hello from the Lighthouse on Laramie!

You are among our most trusted of supporters so we share with you each month a little more information. Please take time to pray with us over concerns, rejoice with us over victories, and share with us your time, talent, and treasure as the Lord directs.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM DECEMBER 2010

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
272

Avg. Nightly Census in our New Promise Center shelter
30

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
452

Attendance in our Laramie Street Sunday School, weekly
46

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
4

Children enrolled in our Kings Kids Christian Day Care
39

Christmas meals delivered to the needy
1,651

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
62

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
4

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
13

Boys Club attendance
45

Number of people completing a discipleship course this month
4

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
14

Girls Club attendance
45

Churches that have Adopted Blocks in 61605
19

Attendance at our Trewyn Middle School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
13

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
572

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
7

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
38

Families given Christmas gifts for the entire family
45

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
37

Attendance at our Harrison Primary School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
20

Volunteer hours, as a ministry
2,756

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
256

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
12

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
49

Attendance at our Hurlburt House Bible Study
5

Attendance at our Manual High School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
10

Hot meals to the poor
8,071

Mother’s of Kids in the Youth Department Meeting
30

Kids enrolled in After-School Tutoring
75

Attendance at our Pleasant Hill School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
20

FINANCIALS FROM DECEMBER 2010

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$753,808/$565,280

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$440,560/$328,559

Positive or Negative on the Month
+ $313,248

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$3,368,966/$3,278,320

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$3,402,305/$3,278,321

Positive or Negative on the Year
-$33,339

How we’re doing versus budget
- $33,339

Indicated Decisions for Christ 272
The Holy Spirit’s power and diversity was on display in December. We saw decisions in many departments. Here are the numbers…Kings Kids had 1 decision, the Breakout Youth Center 1, Benevolence Center 244, Elderly Services 2, South Side Manor Bible Study 3, Mission at Prayer 3, the Riverwest Housing Project Satellite Office of SSM 1, Harrison School before-school Bible Study & Prayer Meeting 1, The Harrison Homes Housing Project Satellite Office of SSM 3, Laramie Street Chapel 7, Lighthouse Diner 1, Hotel Housekeeping Training School 1, and the New Promise Center 5.

Financials

“All’s well that ends well.” Given all the sound and fury that accompanied our financials this year, to end the year within one percent of budget and with $528,507 in the bank is cause for celebration. Once again, God swooped in at the last minute and made everything OK.

The Lord Reserves the Right to Not Participate in a Recession

· We did not have to draw on a line of credit this year and have not since 2005.
· We finished with $528,507 in the bank.
· The Lord now has us at a $3.4 million budget after being just a $1.6 million organization in 2002. This kind of growth within the financially-dicey last 8 years is a testament of the Lord’s amazing power.

God Sightings

The Lord allowed South Side Mission to bless many at Christmastime.

· On Christmas Day, volunteers cooked and delivered 1,651 meals to the elderly, the poor, the shut-in and the handicapped. Despite nasty weather on Christmas Eve, all the volunteers who had signed up to come help did so. Wild horses couldn’t drag them away.
· Over in the Youth Department, they tell me, there were 19 Christmas parties for the kids in our programs. Merry Christmas indeed!
· Also in the Youth Department, 45 whole families were adopted with Christmas gifts by generous people.

Did You Know?

You’ll notice that our shelter number was just 30 for an average in December. That’s quite a bit lower than what our average has been. However, we have graduated 9 ladies and their children in the past two months to an income and an apartment. Our census should rise back up to traditional numbers soon.

Reverend Frank Winfrey, Assistant Executive Director and Senior Pastor of South Side Mission is working on his Doctorate from Northern Seminary.

Stories of People You Have Helped

[from Associate Executive Director, Connections, Sean Allen’s report]

Our Northwoods Adoptablock team had an awesome month serving on the south side! Through coordination with the NWs Photography Team, we provided more than 20 families (AAB and NPC) with 4x6 Christmas photos and 10 postcards. We then delivered 60 Christmas baskets (including Wal_mart gift cards) to our friends on Malone Street! Finally, we celebrated Christmas together with dinner and lots of games at Jillians at the Shoppes of Grande Prairie!

[from the External Ministries department]

The Christmas Party for River West was on December 5, 2010 at 5:30-8:00 pm at the Frank Campbell Center in River West. It was a wonderful fellowship! The attendance of about 200! The dinner was catered from Famous Dave’s Restaurant. Each family received 2 gift baskets. One basket was filled and overflowing with household products, the other basket was filled with family friendly games. The parents were so overwhelmed by the gifts they received that they wanted to do something to show their appreciation, so they cleaned up afterwards and gave the cleaning crew the day off. Once again Imago Dei & our River West volunteers did a wonderful job!

[from the New Promise Center shelter for homeless women & their children]

The Tuesday night service on 12/28/10 was a powerful one. The Spirit of the Lord moved and invited people to come to Christ. One of our residents, SB was in the service. She is on my caseload and she has not been very cooperative in attending services, MAP, Life Skills classes or the addiction recovery classes. She attends, but reluctantly. She does her chores, she’s employed. She will only do what is asked of her, nothing more. On this night she wrote me a note stating t hat she had some questions about God. I dropped everything and went to her. I took her into the chapel and the first thing she told me was that she did not want to go to hell. She said she was raised Catholic, but since she has been at SSM, it was as if every sermon was being told directly to her. She said she was really confused about Christ because she knew she could not be perfect. That was my opening. I did not preach to her because I am not a preacher. I did tell her about what salvation really is- admitting you are a sinner and the only way to God is through Jesus. She accepted Christ right then and there. I prayed with her and she is now on her way. Praise God!

[from Associate Executive Director, Youth Services, Shereee Lyles’ report]

We were blessed with donors who chartered two 45 passenger buses for the day and paid for entrance to Shedd Aquarium in Chicago for ninety children and 10 adults. We all absolutely enjoyed ourselves with seeing the underwater sights. After which they attended a Christmas party where children received several gifts from Santa, also decorated ginger bread men and received beautiful face paintings. Topped off with an excellent lunch, after which we toured Michigan Avenue.

One of the mothers in our Ladies Day Out group lived with family members who are using drugs. She has been down in the dumps because she has tried to find affordable housing. She has two children who she has attempted to shelter from the drug use as much as possible. She was encouraged to contact housing. She was blessed with an apartment in the Harrison homes but did not have the deposit. With the assistance of staff and a friend we were able to come up with the necessary money. She was handed the keys the same day.

[from Associate Executive Director, Development, Meg Newell’s report]

Laura Toles is a graduate of our Culinary Arts Training School and has quickly become an invaluable part of owner Mary Ardapple’s Apple’s Bakery. Mary is developing, with the aid of employee Laura, Apple’s Gluten Free Bakery. It has caught on and now Mary will be doing mail order gluten-free items. Laura’s career is taking off! Best of all, she recently moved up from Harrison Homes to her new apartment out in the community!

Thanks for reading this report and Praise the Lord for all He is doing here! Please find me on Facebook or visit our blog www.southsidemission.blogspot.com, visit the website at www.southsidemission.org, pray for us and support us as you feel led.

In Christ,

Phil Newton, Executive Director

Ministry By the Numbers - November 2010

2010-12-10T06:09:00.000-08:00

Chef Chris Franzoni (right) and Larry Thomas share great food and lots of love at the Mission's Volunteer Appreciation Banquet.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM NOVEMBER 2010

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
299

Avg. Nightly Census in our New Promise Center shelter
45

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
548

Attendance in our Laramie Street Sunday School, weekly
34

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
7

Children enrolled in our Kings Kids Christian Day Care
35

Thanksgiving meals delivered to the needy
2,075

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
64

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
5

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
25

Boys Club attendance
48

Number of people completing a discipleship course this month
4

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
17

Girls Club attendance
45

Churches that have Adopted Blocks in 61605
19

Attendance at our Trewyn Middle School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
9

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
1,210*

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
9

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
50

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Studies (2)
17

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
45

Attendance at our Harrison Primary School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
16

Volunteer hours, as a ministry
4,301

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
312

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
8

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
40

Attendance at our Hurlburt House Bible Study
5

Attendance at our Manual High School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
5

Hot meals to the poor
9,615

Mother’s of Kids in the Youth Department Meeting
30

Kids enrolled in After-School Tutoring
75

Attendance at our Pleasant Hill School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
17

*This number includes turkey giveaway recipients.
FINANCIALS FROM NOVEMBER 2010

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$397,361/$465,280

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$307,292/$249,163

Positive or Negative on the Month
+ $90,069

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$2,615,158/$2,713,040

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$2,962,801/$2,949,762

Positive or Negative on the Year
-$347,643

How we’re doing versus budget
- $110,921

November was an ugly month, financially for the Mission. We were supposed to make $216,117 this month. We only made $90,069. Ouch. Contributions, while more than last year, fell $87,146 short of budget. I believe the economy finally caught up to us.
Please do pray that the Mission will have a December that is far better than budget. Please also consider making a special gift at year’s end to help us narrow the gap.

The Hotel Housekeeping Training School officially began on Monday, November 29th. I am looking forward to giving you updates on this exciting new initiative.

We had a couple tie the knot and get married in our chapel at the Benevolence Center.!

The Great Turkey Donation of 2010 was a true Act of God. In all, we received 1,420 turkeys in two days, many financial donations related to the event, and local, national, and international publicity for the Mission. I wish I could say we planned it that way, but we didn’t have much to do with it. God added another chapter to His glorious story.

The Northwoods Community Church food drive, which annually is our largest, raised 72,000 pounds of food – 36 TONS ! This is enough canned/nonperishable food to last 6 months or more. God is good!

Since we had all those turkeys, Thanksgiving should have been a snap! And, Praise God, it was. Volunteers helped us deliver and serve 2,075 meals to the needy!

One of our high school-age residents in the New Promise Center shelter made the honor roll at Limestone High School! This is a testimony to the young lady’s perseverance and drive, especially while living in a shelter.

Thanks for reading this report and Praise the Lord for all He is doing here! Please find me on Facebook or visit our blog www.southsidemission.blogspot.com, visit the website at www.southsidemission.org, pray for us and support us as you feel led.

The Addict's Psalm - Psalm 41

2010-11-23T10:42:00.000-08:00

Lean on the Word.

As everyone who struggles with addiction knows, the holidays are a minefield.

Got an overeating addiction? Well, here comes Thanksgiving, a day which the world tries to tell you to "pig out!" If you get past turkey day, all of those plates of Christmas cookies are coming.

Are you a recovering alcoholic? The holidays are fraught with peril. Having to deal with relatives who have overstayed their welcome or family members who have hurt you can trigger the urge to drink. And then of course there's New Year's Eve.

Well, hang on. I want to share a lifeline with you, Psalm 41, the Addict's Psalm.

I believe in praying scripture. God's Word is a powerful weapon against the things that bind us. Jesus, the Word made flesh, is the ultimate bondage breaker. We know that the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God is the weapon in the full armor of God. The other elements are defensive, but not the Word.

As you strive to stay strong in these upcoming 6 weeks or so, pray through Psalm 41 each day, to the One who "has regard for the weak" who "delivers him in time of trouble."

Ministry By the Numbers - October 2010

2010-11-08T09:13:00.000-08:00

Our "pretty as a picture" Upper Room at the Harrison Homes Satellite Office of South Side Mission, suitable for Bible Study, tutoring or just reading a book.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM OCTOBER 2010

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
300

Number of Homeless Ladies and their Children housed at the time of this writing
43

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
542

Attendance in our Laramie Street Sunday School, weekly
28

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
4

Children enrolled in our Kings Kids Christian Day Care
25

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
65

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
0

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
15

Boys Club attendance
58

Number of people completing a discipleship course this month
10

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
28

Girls Club attendance
38

Churches that have Adopted Blocks in 61605
17

Attendance at our Trewyn Middle School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
9

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
610

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
9

College Club kids enrolled in College
5

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
58

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Studies (2)
15

Daytime In-School Suspension ministry
12

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
38

Attendance at our Harrison Primary School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
16

Volunteer hours, as a ministry
3,301*

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
288

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
8

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
53

Attendance at our Hurlburt House Bible Study
5

Attendance at our Manual High School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
5

Hot meals to the poor
8,354

Mother’s of Kids in the Youth Department Meeting
25

Kids enrolled in After-School Tutoring
75

Attendance at our Pleasant Hill School Bible Study & Prayer Meeting
17

FINANCIALS FROM OCTOBER 2010

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$302,881/$365,276

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$267,752/$253,088

Positive or Negative on the Month
+ $35,129

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$2,203,576/$2,247,760

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$2,662,787/$2,700,610

Positive or Negative on the Year
$459,211

How we’re doing versus budget
- $6,361

Through October, we are just about where we thought we would be on the year. Thanks God. We are just one one third of one percent off budget ($6,361). We are just a shade under budget on expenses and a little under budget on revenues. Cash flow has been very squeaky, but we are grateful.

Hope Builders has a new high water mark for number of projects in a year. Minister Craig Williams says they’ve completed 47 projects on the year, at the time of this writing. I believe their goal this year was 37. God is good. Thank you Harold Booze and all our other excellent volunteers!

Vagabond Tours conducts a semi-annual Culinary Tour of area fine restaurants and last month, they included our Chef School on their tour. This was a nice feather in our cap.

[from Director of External Ministries Rev. Bessie Rush’s report] Recently I had the opportunity to talk one on one with one of the students at Manual High School. With tears streaming down her face she open her heart and told me that she was a 16 year old single mother in foster care. Because she was so wayward, she was not sure who her baby’s father was. She went on to say she often sold her body for money to purchase toiletries! Her outlook on life was so dismal that she though there was no hope for her. However after accepting Christ she has learned that God is a God of a second chance! With renewed hope in Christ she now sings praises to God during our chapel service!

Thanks for reading this report and Praise the Lord for all He is doing here! Please find me on Facebook or visit our blog www.southsidemission.blogspot.com, visit the website at www.southsidemission.org, pray for us and support us as you feel led.

SSM Culinary Arts Hall of Fame

2010-10-18T12:55:00.001-07:00

We were recently asked by Jennifer Zammuto of Caterpillar, Inc., "Who are some of South Side Mission's Culinary Arts Training School graduates who have gone on to bigger and better things?"

I am grateful to say that many of the grads have! Particularly noteworthy are the ones who have attained a level of leadership in their particular kitchens, as of the time of this writing, including:

Chef Bert Gates of Cafe 101. Chef Bert is the first SSM CATS grad to open a restaurant. His bistro on Prospect, just north of Forrest Hill in Peoria is great for a light, bright lunch. For more on Bert and Cafe 101, click here

Scott Willis is the Head Chef at Basta in Morton, moderately-priced and family friendly.

David Schneider is the Saucier at Embassy Suites in East Peoria. The Saucier is among the top positions in a gourmet kitchen and specializes in soups & sauces.

Paul Sutton, pictured above, is the Executive Chef, second shift, in the Executive Dining Room at Caterpillar in Morton.

LaAngela Pointer is the Head Chef at Bickford House, one of the nicer senior living facilities in the area.

Jerome Howell is the Head Chef at Bickford House in Bloomington.
Laura Toles runs the Gluten-free operation at Apple's Bakery in north Peoria. For more on Laura, click here.

Ministry By the Numbers - September 2010

2010-10-15T07:10:00.000-07:00

Mission Mart Morton, in the Field Shopping Center. Visit soon!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SEPTEMBER 2010

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
129

Average number of homeless women & children housed nightly
20

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
531

Attendance in our Laramie Street Sunday School, weekly
24

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
3

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
30

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
5

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
13

Boys Club attendance
37

Number of people completing a discipleship course this month
3

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
25

Girls Club attendance
60

Churches that have Adopted Blocks in 61605
18

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
547

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
8

College Club kids enrolled in College
5

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
50

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Studies (2)
38

Daytime In-School Suspension ministry
18

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
38

Volunteer hours, as a ministry
1,585

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
269

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
8

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
44

Attendance at our Hurlburt House Bible Study
6

Hot meals to the poor
5,750

Mother’s of Kids in the Youth Department Meeting
18

Kids enrolled in After-School Tutoring
53

FINANCIALS FROM SEPTEMBER 2010

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$190,776/$265,276

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$274,369/$237,382

Positive or Negative on the Month
- $83,592

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$1,901,074/$1,882,484

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$2,395,041/$2,447,522

Positive or Negative on the Year
$- 493,967

How we’re doing versus budget
+ $71,071

How Can the Mission Feel OK About Losing $493,000 on the year so far?

South Side Mission takes in a surplus of dollars during the Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. It loses money during the other times of year, with some exceptions. This is not uncommon for Missions. However, the surplus we receive during the Holidays is usually so large that it offsets the loss and we finish at break-even on the year. This makes cash flow an issue, but the Mission has reserves that help. This will begin turning around in October and will even out at year’s end.

One of our former residents called to say that she is grateful for what she received from South Side Mission. She has been sober now for five years. She received encouragement and support from the staff. She is graduating from college in May 2011 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Management. She has been working at Catepillar for five years. Her oldest daughter is in college and her youngest son is now in Jr. High School. She would not have been able to talk about her success if it had not been for the mission. She believes in Jesus and knows that he is the reason for her accomplishments.

I am a big believer in what Rev. Henry Blackaby says “find out where God is working and join Him there.” Well, I think we may see God working in an additional way in our Youth Ministry. Over at the Breakout Youth Center, we do a lot of ministry after school, but we don’t do all that much during the school day. So twice this young school year already, we have been contacted to do some tutoring and ministry with at-risk kids who have been kicked out of school—effectively, these kids would serve out in-school suspensions at the Mission. The advantage is we can extend our ministry day and number of kids served and most importantly share the Gospel with them.

Out at Camp Kearney, we have added a great new feature—a boardwalk through the marsh on the north side of the main lake. This gives a quicker way around the lake and does so in a scenic, fun way.

76 Miles Per Gallon?

2010-10-01T07:40:00.000-07:00

Reverend OJ Nicholas' car gets 76 Miles per gallon? You may get even better than that if your errand has eternal implications.

The family of Art Wheeler showed up at our Benevolence Center on Garden Street and had a poignant request.

"Can you come with us to visit our Dad, Art Wheeler? He's on his deathbed with spinal cancer and can't leave his room. He wants to be saved." The look on the family members' faces told us that there was no time to waste.

Seldom does a minister get such a ready-made Salvation opportunity. So Reverend OJ Nicholas, a part-time staffer for South Side Mission, jumped in his car and followed the Wheeler family back to their house.

Halfway to the other side of Brimfield, IL, where the Wheeler family live, Reverend OJ realized that his gas tank was on empty and he had only a dollar in his pocket. OJ knew that his errand was critical, but did not know what to do. At that moment, God put in OJ's spirit a peace that said, "it will be enough gas." Sure enough, the needle did not move any further toward E, and OJ pulled into the Wheeler family's driveway.

Inside, OJ met other family members and exchanged pleasantries. But he knew that he was here on the Lord's errand, so he quickly excused himself to go in to talk to Art. God has given OJ much experience ministering at the sickbeds of those in need. He listened to Art as the sick man shared with OJ his life and the state of his disease. OJ shared some scriptures and led Art in the prayer of Salvation.

As Art finished his heartfelt prayer and experienced the "peace that passeth all understanding," he asked another request. "Would it be too much trouble to baptize me?" So, while Art was too infirm to undergo a full-fledged dunking, Reverend OJ, with the help of family members, was able to fortify Art's bed with a few towels. OJ filled a pitcher with water and baptized Art a few minutes later.

Driving his car the 38 miles back to our Benevolence Center on the South Side of Peoria, OJ felt that same peace that flooded Art Wheeler an hour earlier. And yes, the gas tank needle on OJ's car never moved.

Ministry By the Numbers - August 2010

2010-09-10T13:24:00.001-07:00

Dinosaurs invaded South Side Mission's Summer Day Camp! How do you explain to your insurance carrier that two kids from the Day Camp were eaten by a T-Rex?

HIGHLIGHTS FROM AUGUST 2010

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
275

Average number of homeless women & children housed nightly
23

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
492

Attendance in our Laramie Street Sunday School, weekly
28

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
5

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
63

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
3

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
13

Number of people completing a discipleship course this month
8

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
27

Churches that have Adopted Blocks in 61605
17

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
642

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
8

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
72

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Studies (2)
14

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
44

Volunteer hours, as a ministry
3,020

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
283

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
8

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
39

Attendance at our Hurlburt House Bible Study
6

Hot meals to the poor
6,390

FINANCIALS FROM AUGUST 2010

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$216,817/$244,276

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$289,953/288,693

Positive or Negative on the Month
- $73,136

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$1,710,622/1,617,208

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$2,120,868/2,210,140

Positive or Negative on the Year
- $410,246

How we’re doing versus budget
+ $182,686

How Can the Mission Feel OK About Losing $410,000 on the year?

South Side Mission takes in a surplus of dollars during the Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. It loses money during the other times of year, with some exceptions. This is not uncommon for Missions. However, the surplus we receive during the Holidays is usually so large that it offsets the loss and we finish at break-even on the year. This sometimes makes cash flow an issue, but the Mission has reserves that help make up shortfalls.

In addition to our overnight campers at Camp Kearney, we have a strong number (600+) of day campers who will use Camp over the summer. For example, on August 3rd, 4th, & 5th we welcomed 320 children from Camp of Champions day camp to Camp Kearney for three full days. They enjoyed swimming at our pool, boating at our lake, hiking on our trails, and worshipping in our chapel. Bringing in day campers helps us expand our ministry to kids at Camp beyond just overnight camping.

We have a new all-time record for number of people served in one day at the Lighthouse Diner lunch program—70 people on 8/25/10. The Culinary Arts Training School treated them to Chicken en Croute. That’s a chicken breast in a brown sauce with chopped asparagus baked inside a puff pastry shell. What a cool day that ended up being!

Adoptablock churches were active with additional ministry to the blocks in August, including Northwoods Community Church held a family picnic for the residents on their blocks; Word of Faith held a health Fair and transport residents to the fair; and Laramie Baptist Church held a neighborhood picnic as well.

Our two large vegetable gardens at the Benevolence Center not only provided fresh produce for the poor folks who came to the BC for food this summer, but Robin Winfrey always took a basket of veggies to deliver to her senior citizens to whom she ministers. Many of these people grew gardens when they were homeowners and miss the taste of a garden tomato. You can do a lot of ministry with a garden!

We added another element to our High Ropes Course at Camp Kearney with a new climbing apparatus on the north side of our tower. Not for the faint of heart.

God Sightings

Our Hope Builders Showcase Week is always a God sighting. The Lord has us on pace to reach the goal of 40 families helped with “big ticket” home improvements in 2010. Our volunteers do these projects throughout the year, but have a big push during one week in August in which we do 15-20 projects in one week. SSM Assistant Executive Director, External Ministries, Rev. Craig Williams and his crew of volunteers, led by SSM Board Member Harold Booze worked on houses throughout the zip code 61605, concentrating in our adoptablock areas. Craig and Harold will be sharing the story of one homeowner on Smith Street and her challenging property at the next Board meeting. This year’s Hope Builders Showcase Week was really blessed by God with good media from all the outlets and great involvement from the homeowners. Several of them helped the volunteers complete the work. Hope Builders was a little more expensive this year as several of the usual donors of materials couldn’t do as much this year for us. But the Lord provided.

Hike for Hunger 2010 was definitely a God sighting. He allowed us to set an all time record for the event this year, with $46,667. We had excellent corporate sponsorship, great publicity (thanks Meg), and a strong walkup of hikers. The Lord provided perfect weather yet again for the event. Thanks also to a nice group of Board members who came out for the morning event. Mark your calendars for the third Saturday in August 2011 to join us for next year.

On August 19, 2010, Imago Dei Church, one of our partner churches at the SSM Riverwest Housing Project satellite office, supplied 75 children with back packs filled with school supplies, 1 school uniform, a hygiene kit and a discount coupon for shoes! 175 people were in attendance at the River West “Back to School” function. Parents were the only ones that could pick up the school supplies for their children. These were some very grateful parents and children that day!

SSM Board Member Tony Berry occasionally mentions that in years past that South Side Mission used to be a missionary-sending organization, launching people into mission fields throughout the world. Well, we are going to send a missionary to the Dominican Republic sometime soon. Beth’s goal is to begin a Bed and Breakfast ministry in the DR and reach out to poor women on the island of Hispaniola. She is taking culinary classes with us to prepare her for this role. Pretty neat, huh?

Did You Know?

We have six high school students living in our shelter now. This is extremely rare for us. Usually, high school students will do anything to avoid living in a shelter because of the social stigma attached. However, these six young ladies are all high school seniors and attend Manual and Limestone high schools.

We partner with a ministry called Sidewalk Sunday School each summer as they literally conduct Bible-based outreach on the sidewalks and lawns of poor neighborhoods with the use of volunteers. They use our Harrison Homes satellite office as a base of operations in August. Many kids came to know Christ through their outreach. We’re glad to help.

Stories of People You Have Helped

[from Case Manager Elizabeth Diviney’s report]

Donna arrived at mission on July of 2009 to escape from a domestic violence situation. After she settled in to the mission she then began to deal with the severity of the situation that she endured. She was provided with spiritual care, psychological care, and she was also involved with the Center for Prevention of Abuse which specializes in domestic violent situations. Donna stayed here one year and two months, and she realized within that time that there was a very different way to live her life. She felt safe, valued and loved. She learned about the Lord and that she too deserved to be happy in life. She was baptized during the time she was residing here and found a home church to belong to. Donna realized that she could be self-sufficient and she is now moving into house where she can adequately afford the rent. Praise the Lord!!!!!!!!!

[from Director of Kings Kids and Kindergarten Teacher Sue Murphy’s report]

We had one little boy who came the first day of school without a book bag. Both he and Dad said they forgot it at home. On the second day of school, I overheard Dad say, "I'll go buy you a book bag today." It was our special opportunity to take him to the Youth Department and let him pick out a book bag. He is sooooo totally proud of it, and has
said each day, "Look there is My book bag."

[from Associate Executive Director, Development, Meg Newell’s report]

A family with 5 foster kids showed up at the Hike for Hunger with no money to pay for registration, but asked if they could still hike. We responded YES! And before the end of the day, they had t-shirts, breakfast and had enjoyed hiking, bouncing, and general merriment at God’s Hike for Hunger.

[from Director of Elderly Services Robin Winfrey RN’s report]

God blessed a gentleman with new air-conditioning in his home and he in turn blessed us with four nearly new window air-conditioners. Jim Hutchinson and I went to visit a senior with heart problems and were able to pass on a much needed air-conditioner. The air-conditioner will be a great help during these humid months.

Adopt-A-Block gave the name of a disabled woman to assess. Barbara is not able to ambulate in her home due to extreme weakness and arthritis. Earlier in the year I was given a children’s wheel chair I did not know what to do with. I felt led to put it in the New promise Center nurses station rather than the BC and you guessed it …that w/c is perfect for Barbara and easy to manipulate. Barbara is now a believer, by the way! Our next challenge with Barbara is to rid her house of roaches.

[from Assistant Executive Director, External Ministries, Rev. Craig Williams’ report]

I received a call from Ms. Williams, a city worker who explain to me that she was approached by a lady that thanks her for helping her mom. The city worker asked “who is your mother?” The lady replied with tears in her eyes that her mother was Mrs. Helen Thomas, the 85 years old widow who had received a new roof, new windows and new siding from Hope Builders. She told Ms. Williams that her mother would have died if she would have had to move from her home to a nursing home. The city was ready to condemn her home of 50 years but because of Hope Builders she properly will live out her days in the home she loves! Praise the name of the Lord!

Here is another story from Ms. Riley on Smith Street. She said she prayed to God for help when she moved into her house. She asked God to fix up her house so that others on the block would be inspired to fix up their homes and keep their property up too. She mentioned at one point she became discouraged because she did not have money or resources to fix her house up and then here comes Fresh Fire Ministries! Fresh Fire adopted her block, then she became encouraged to have a bible study in her home and the rest is history! Get it? His Story! God sent the help that she needed to get her house sided, new kitchen cabinets, a new tiled kitchen floor. It does not take much for her to testify about the goodness of the Lord!

[from Director of External Ministries Reverend Bessie Rush’s report]

A young lady (maybe 22 or 23 years old) came to the Harrison food pantry with a pantry volunteer, at first glance she appeared to be mad at something or someone. Before the pantry started the pantry volunteer asked if I would pray for this young lady. Because the room was filling up with residents, for a bit of privacy I took her by the hand and we went outside. I asked what I should pray for. She began to tell me about her one year old son that was hospitalized and how he had been diagnosed with cancer at 6 months old! As we begin to pray the power of God moved on her and she cried out to God! I was so moved with compassion for her. We both wept as our fervent partition went up to God. After the prayer I looked at her again and she looked like a different person! God had lifted her burdens as she cried out to God. I was later told that when she got to the hospital that day that the doctors gave her good news and the baby came home the next day!

Thanks for reading this report and Praise the Lord for all He is doing here! Please find me on Facebook or visit our blog www.southsidemission.blogspot.com, visit the website at www.southsidemission.org, pray for us and support us as you feel led.

In Christ,

Phil Newton, Executive Director

All-Time Record Hike for Hunger in 2010 !

2010-08-25T11:54:00.000-07:00

The sponsorship banner says it all ! We could not have done it without them !

This year's David Vaughan Investments Hike for Hunger to benefit South Side Mission raised $46,665 (and counting) for the Mission's programs that fight hunger in the Peoria-area.

- New Promise Center shelter for homeless women and their children, serving three meals 365 days a year.

- Lighthouse Diner soup kitchen serving the poor with a gourmet lunch five days a week.

- After-School tutoring and clubs with a light meal each day of the school year.

- Thanksgiving and Christmas Day meals for the elderly, shut-in, handicapped and the poor.

- Hot lunches each summer weekday for kids in our Day Camp and Camp Kearney programs.

We will serve more than 100,000 meals in 2010.

Thanks again to the 251 hikers who participated and our awesome sponsors.

God is good!

Ministry By the Numbers - July 2010

2010-08-12T06:48:00.000-07:00

We're bringing the garden back to Garden Street. Thanks to a grant by Apostolic Christian World Relief, our Benevolence Center on Garden Street is in full bloom.

Hello from the Lighthouse on Laramie!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM JULY 2010

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
312

Kids enrolled at Camp Kearney
119

Average number of homeless women & children housed nightly
24

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
702

Attendance in our Laramie Street Sunday School, weekly
28

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
10

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
66

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
2

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
17

Number of people completing a discipleship course this month
20

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
19

Churches that have Adopted Blocks in 61605
17

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
605

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
7

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
55

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Studies (2)
14

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
34

Volunteer hours, as a ministry
1,820

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
34

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
10

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
48

Attendance at our Hurlburt House Bible Study
6

Children enrolled in Summer Day Camp in the BYC
125

Hot meals to the poor
11,217

FINANCIALS FROM JULY 2010

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$176,527/$189,276

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$261,796/$289,768

Positive or Negative on the Month
- $85,270

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$1,493,805/$1,372,932

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$1,831,050/$1,921,447

Positive or Negative on the Year
- $337,245

How we’re doing versus budget
+ $211,270

Cafe 101, operated by Chef Bert Gates, a graduate of South Side Mission’s Culinary Arts Training School has opened on Prospect Avenue, just north of Forrest Hill Avenue in Peoria. The menu is eclectic and fun and perfect for a summer lunch. I mean where else can you get a Tilapia burger or Caprese tomato flatbread pizza and wash it down with a speckled lemonade? The prices are reasonable - a half-pound angus burger with all the trimmings and a heap of fries or slaw will set you back just $5.50. Cafe 101 resides in the former Maria's Tea Room, which enjoyed a good run in this location until recently. Their hours are Monday through Saturday from 6 am to 8 pm

Seldom have I been as proud of the ministry of South Side Mission as I was when staff ministered to a pitiful soul named George. Our ministry to George started when the Harrison Homes housing project called us and told us that George needed to be evicted and asked if we could help George. Assistant Executive Director, External Ministries Rev. Craig Williams and Director of Elderly Services Robin Winfrey, R.N. visited George and determined that this senior citizen is nearly blind and that his apartment was overrun with a variety of vermin. The conditions were so bad that everything that George had, including clothing, furniture, etc., would need to be burned. He literally had to start all over. In working with the Peoria Housing Authortity, George was able to be placed in Sterling Towers for his next apartment. Our maintenance staff displayed their servant’s hearts by removing all of George’s stuff from his Harrison Homes apartment and burning it. Our Benevolence Center staff then furnished George’s new place in Sterling Towers with the clothing, housewares and furniture that he needed. Lastly, Robin is working with George to get him some more assistance in housekeeping, so that he won’t end up in this situation again. Robin will continue to meet with George to monitor his physical and spiritual well-being. I love it when so many departments love on a precious guy like George.

Our Mission Mart managers have had a fruitful month, doing ministry with shoppers:

East Peoria Mission Mart Manager Mandi Chester reports: I would also like to add that Ann and I laid hands on a lady named Karen Carothers. She was in fear for her health and was afraid that her cancer may have returned. On Saturday she came in and let me know that everything checked out okay. Her cancer was not back and she is doing well. She was glowing and all I could say was “Praise God!” Wow is He good!”
Thanks for reading this report and Praise the Lord for all He is doing here! Please find me on Facebook or visit our blog www.southsidemission.blogspot.com, visit the website at www.southsidemission.org, pray for us and support us as you feel led.

New Restaurant Opened by SSM Culinary School Grad

2010-08-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

Cafe 101, operated by Chef Bert Gates, a graduate of the South Side Mission Culinary Arts Training School has opened on Prospect Avenue, just north of Forrest Hill Avenue in Peoria.

The menu is eclectic and fun and perfect for a summer lunch. I mean where else can you get a Tilapia burger or Caprese tomato flatbread pizza and wash it down with a speckled lemonade?

The prices are reasonable - a half-pound angus burger with all the trimmings and a heap of fries or slaw will set you back just $5.50.

Cafe 101 resides in the former Maria's Tea Room, which enjoyed a good run in this location until recently. Their hours are Monday through Saturday from 6 am to 8 pm

Stop by and say hey to Bert!

Ministry By the Numbers - June 2010

2010-07-09T09:43:00.000-07:00

South Side Mission Youth Worker Larry Thomas shares a laugh with kids in our Summer Day Camp. We have 125 young people enrolled this summer.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM JUNE 2010

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
337

Kids enrolled at Camp Kearney
177

Average number of homeless women & children housed nightly
39

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
579

Attendance in our Laramie Street Sunday School, weekly
47

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
4

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
67

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
2

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
8

Number of people completing a discipleship course this month
8

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
22

Churches that have Adopted Blocks in 61605
18

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
628

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
7

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
66

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Studies (2)
13

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
39

Volunteer hours, as a ministry
2,135

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
402

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
9

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
63

Attendance at our Hurlburt House Bible Study
6

Children enrolled in Summer Day Camp in the BYC
125

Hot meals to the poor
9,240

FINANCIALS FROM JUNE 2010

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$201,629/$176,276

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$354,197/$358,720

Positive or Negative on the Month
- $152,569

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$1,317,279/$1,183,656

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$1,569,302/$1,631,679

Positive or Negative on the Year
- $252,023

How we’re doing versus budget
+ $196,000

Indicated decisions for Christ 337
The Holy Spirit continues to bring many souls to Christ here on the south side of Peoria. This is one of those fun months in which just about every department at South Side Mission sees a decision for Christ. Mission Mart even saw one this month! Here’s how the rest came across the line of faith; three in Mission at Prayer, 11 at RiverWest, three in the shelter, 234 at the Benevolence Center, five in chapel at Laramie Street, five in Kings Kids, 19 in Day Camp, 52 at Camp Kearney, one in Elderly Services, and three at Harrison Homes.

Financials

The Lord is giving us an amazing financial year in 2010.

On the year:

· Over budget on revenues
· Under budget on expenses
· $196,000 better than expected

On the month of June:
· Over budget on revenues
· Under budget on expenses
· The four Mission Marts combined to hit 99.9% of their monthly revenue goal.

God reserves the right to not participate in a recession

Inside the numbers:

It may seem shocking that we could feel as positive as we do about losing $250,000 on the year so far. It’s because our fundraising year sees us lose money all the way until October and then year end is a bonanza for us and we finish in the black on the year. To lose $250K thus far this year is actually nearly $200,000 better than where we thought we would be.

God Sightings

Rev. Craig Williams reports that two new Hope Builders projects were completed in June; a couple of senior citizens homes.

· One received a new floor in her bathroom, this work was much needed. The floor was so sunken due to water damage and a leak which was also repaired. She received a new faucet and vanity donated from her church.

· We started another project on a senior’s home that had been cited by the city due to the shingles blowing off her roof and carport falling down. She will also receive a new roof on her carport as well, this will also serve as a roof for her front porch, she also received a porch railing, she is recovering from a stroke and is making frequent doctor visits.

South Side Mission celebrated the 3rd year of partnership with Peoria Housing Authority and the opening of the satellite office at River West. There were 250 people in attendance. What a great day we had as we gave honor to God for opening the doors to meet the needs of the residents in River West. There was free food, lots of water and punch to keep us hydrate in the 94 degree weather! Residents selected free clothing and shoes, many brand new with the tags still attached and let’s not forget the favorite of the children; the bike give away! Imago Dei sponsored the giant inflatable slide that the children enjoyed tremendously. Yolanda & Destiny Rush (mother & daughter praise dance team) were so precious! Yolanda gave her testimony of how doctors said she could not have children and God bless her with 2 children! And now her first born, 5 year old Destiny dances in praise unto the Lord! Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

[from Associate Executive Director, Youth Ministries, Sheree Lyles’ report]

An 8 year old boy fell in mud while working in the garden, We came into the building to find clothes for him. We were having a difficult time finding a pair of shorts. We asked God to help us find what we needed for him. In a box in the storage room was one pair of shorts in his size. The boy looked up and said “Wow God is always listening”. What a way to share Jesus with a child. He was so excited he said that the South Side Mission has the best program. He said that his school would have made his mom leave work and lose money What a way to share Jesus with a child. . God is so good.

[from Associate Executive Director, Benevolence, Steve Dunn’s report]

The B.C. has been getting a lot of calls for prayer. Many people are without jobs and insurance. I let people know that they may not have medical insurance, but they have assurance in Christ Jesus! He always is so faithful. One of our volunteers, Bonnie, asked for prayer for a little boy named Noah. Noah was having problems with severely clogged ears that made him so he could not hear. We lifted up Noah to the Lord in prayer, and the next day Noah was completely healed. Another lady named Joann called distraught. Her husband was in jail and she was praying that he would receive grace and mercy. After we prayed for her, she called back later saying he was released from jail.

The Lord has been sending some amazing donations to the Benevolence Center. Several area plant nurseries have donated more than 100 flats of veggies and flowers. Some we kept for the gardens, but most we gave away. Receiving flowers to grow really brightened the faces of those we served at the BC. We also received a donation of 4000 pounds of fries from Peru, IL. This donation came at exactly the right time because what better food could be donated during camp and day camp time. The B.C. was blessed with a $4000 Craftsman tractor, a leaf blower, trimmer, and even oil and a filter. All of these were given to Adopt-A-Block. Craig Williams was smiling from ear to ear. We gave an air conditioner to Elderly Services. Another donation of $400 worth of light bulbs came in, and was donated to Paul at camp. We received five pallets of food from the new Hy-Vee store. We gave Kings Kids 15 cases of juice and apples. We blessed the youth department with prizes and gifts. We gave out six wheel chairs and five shower chairs. Isn’t God good?

Did You Know?

At the end of June, we had 98 employees on the payroll (some are Camp Kearney counselors who are temporary employees).

[from Associate Executive Director, Benevolence, Steve Dunn’s report]

As part of our urban gardening program, our two large vegetable gardens at the BC are producing like gangbusters. We harvested 2,400 onions, 3 cuttings of mustard greens, 3 cuttings of collard greens, countless numbers of green tomatoes and cucumbers, and we have harvested the second batch of green beans. This garden would not have been possible if it were not for the countless hours of many people working together for a common goal. The neighbors of the B.C. have taken to the monitoring of the garden so that it does not get destroyed. I have made plans to till and replant more vegetables the first week of July. God has even supplied the rain to water the garden. We have only watered the garden once, and that was yesterday. We plan on replanting three dozen pepper plants and one dozen eggplants in July.

According to her autobiography, Margaret Kearney, South Side Mission founder Helen Haien’s right hand lady, was always torn about choosing to serve at the Mission rather than to accept a missionary slot with a group that was ministering at an Indian Reservation out west. Well, Margaret would smile if she knew that in June, the B.C. donated 22,000 pounds of clothes to an Indian Reservation in Mexico. This is not the first time we have done this sort of thing. Last year, we partnered with Marvin and Chrisanne Burr to send some things with them on their yearly trip to minister to the Native Americans on the Navaho Nation Indian Reservation (http://southsidemission.blogspot.com/2009/06/your-generosity-extends-long-way.html).

We added two more Adoptablock churches this month, Bethel United Methodist Church & Cross Roads Church. That brings the total of churches to 18.

Our Summer Day Camp in our Breakout Youth Center has been blessed by many volunteers from Child Evangelism Fellowship and Awana Clubs from local churches. They were instrumental in leading 19 kids to Christ in Day Camp in June.

Stories of People You Have Helped

[From Associate Executive Director, Youth Ministries, Sheree Lyles’ report]

As part of our discipleship focus, we decided to pilot a group of 12-13 year olds since there is such a need for services for teens. They are being discipled as well as serving in the day camp as peer leaders. ‘These are youth who attended day camp for 4 years. A requirement of this program was that the group would also provide some community service. It has been a joy working with this group. I look forward to continuing a program for teens in the future. I Thank God for the vision.

This group went on a journey to the Benevolence Center. They sang songs, performed a skit, and devotion. Afterwards we noticed a lady sitting in the back of the chapel crying. The 12-13 year old children approached her and asked if they could pray for her since she was so broken. She commented that these children were amazing. The children are the same age as her own. John a 12 year old began to pray. He stated that the Holy Spirit worked through him as they ministered to a mom that was really broken. We took her address, the children said that they would like to follow up with her.

I selected a senior on Howett St, who needed some yard work done. The 12-13 year old group went over pulled weeds, cut grass, and planted flowers. Mrs. C. came outside and became overwhelmed. She could not believe how nice that her yard looked. The children will maintain her yard for the summer.

[from Director of the NPC shelter and Chaplain Rev. Linda Butler’s report]

This is a portion of a letter received this month from a former resident attending Midstate College soon to graduate with an Associate Degree in Business Administration, “I made the Dean's List in February with a grade point of 3.75 and again in May with grade point of 3.65. I've gotten my felony sealed and in the process of getting the rest of my criminal record sealed. I just recently joined the usher board (at her local church) and in the process of becoming a greeter. My goal is to graduate January 2011. I want to thank you for all you and your staff helped with to put my life back together. Another letter came in from a nearby prison: I've read your brochure and I want to be admitted to your shelter program. I completely understand that is based on Christian principles. I also understand that the shelter program is a personal growth program that demands structure and discipline in a communal environment. I look forward in participating in your New Promise Center. I am very excited about Making a Change, Living the Change, and Securing the Change.

[from Director of External Ministries Minister Bessie Rush’s report]

One of our school ministry students from our Manual High school group stopped by to see us. He informed me that he was having issues with his family and was now living with his grandmother. We encouraged him to remember that God would help him in his time of need. We also encouraged him to get involve with the SSM Youth programs. It is such a blessing that this young man considers us as part of his support system. It’s only because of Christ that we have made an impact on the lives of these.

[from Associate Executive Director, Benevolence, Steve Dunn’s report]

Not only do we thank God for the obvious victories at the B.C., but we also thank God for the unforeseen victories as well. Man looks at the outward appearance, and God looks at the heart. A lady came in yelling and screaming. I felt moved with compassion from the Lord, and I gave her a hug. The lady broke down in tears. She started confessing all of the pain and heartache she has had in her life. Years of abuse, years of alcoholism, and years of a lifestyle filled with pain. She said she was ready for a change in her life. We gathered around her and began to pray for her. When that woman left the B.C. it was obvious that the Lord had changed her from the inside out.

[from Camp Director Paul Mulholland’s report]

Campers often show up at camp needing things. During our first week of camp one young boywe’ll call him Jared) showed up with shoes with large holes in the bottom of them. As it was very rainy the first day of camp the water and mud from the trails easily filled his shoes and ruined the only pair of socks he brought with him. We always remind our counselors to inform us if they have a camper with physical needs. Jared’s counselor immediately recognized his need for new shoes and socks and even gave Jared two pairs of his own socks. When his counselor told me of the need, I placed a call to Sheree Lyles and she went out that evening a purchased Jared a brand new pair of shoes. The next morning it was my pleasure to present Jared with his new shoes and several pairs of new socks. Jared was very surprised, grateful, and thankful and mentioned his appreciation almost every time I saw him during the rest of the week. Jared wasn’t the only camper to be on the receiving end of those needing items. Here is a partial list of items we gave to campers during June: Shoes, socks, pajamas, shorts, shirts, towels, luggage, sheets, sleeping bags, toothbrushes, toothpaste, sun tan lotion, and bug spray. We will continue to try and meet the needs of our campers and will always be on the lookout for opportunities to change lives by meeting physical needs.

During our first Monday registration at SSM we had a grandmother show up with a child expecting to send her to camp (we’ll call her Jessica). When we checked our registration roster we had Jessica listed as being on our waiting list. Since the camp was full we had to tell her grandmother that we did not have room to take Jessica. The grandmother was very upset since she was under the impression that Jessica was registered for camp (even though we had send a letter informing the Jessica’s mother that she was on the waiting list and unless a spot opened up she would not be able to attend. The mother had not passed this information on to the grandmother). Jessica was in tears since several of her friends were already checked in and would be attending camp this week. Since sometimes we do have registered campers who do not show up I kindly asked the grandmother to wait around to see if we had any no-shows. I was secretly hoping we’d have at least one no-show because my heart hurt for this girl and I really wanted to see her get to go to camp. Even though there were others on the waiting list ahead of Jessica, I told her that since they were already there that I would give her the first spot if one should come available. A few minutes before closing registration we did have one registered camper that had yet to show. I then decided we would let Jessica have that spot. When I informed them that we could take her, Jessica was overjoyed and the tears quickly turned to smiles. As we were checking her in, the grandmother completely changed her mood and was very thankful that we were able to get her granddaughter in. I teased with Jessica that God must really want her at camp since he opened up a spot just for her. On Thursday night during our campfire service at the nature chapel Jessica was one of four children to make first time decisions for Christ. I always tell the children that the reason they are at camp is because God wanted them there for a reason. There is no better example of this than Jessica. Though I have seen his mighty hand at work many times, I am still amazed at some of the ways He works.

[from Associate Executive Director, Facilities, Steve Suttor’s report]

God’s work continues in many lives, even those who haven’t yet turned to the Lord. While working outside on the pavilion one day early in the month, I was approached by a friend who comes regularly to the Diner. He went quickly to the heart of the matter, telling me just what he agreed with, and what he didn’t agree with. In particular, he challenged the idea that Jesus was God, dying on the cross, forsaken by His father. These are serious issues, and we had a long good talk. He wanted to know what “I” thought, and not just quote Bible verses. This is how I really enjoy sharing the Gospel. I was able to point to the passage in Phillipians 2 (my favorite), and throw back some questions to him. Others listened in. May God use His Word to reveal Himself and draw these guys to the Beautiful Son of God!

[from Assistant Executive Director, External Ministries, Rev. Craig Williams’ report]

While Rev. Craig Williams was speaking on WVEL-AM a young man from Manual High School Chapel was listening to the broadcast and was very moved by what he heard concerning the various ministries of South Side Mission and our goals to minister in 61605. This young man walked over to the Mission to speak with the Minister he had heard on the broadcast. He had experienced some problems with drugs such as Crack Cocaine and had a desire to stop using (which he did) because he wanted to get his life together and his desire also was to get his relationship with his Mom intact. He wanted someone to talk to that could help guide him in this area. Praise God for our ministry in the schools.

Two sisters; one a senior citizen, came by the Mission after calling to get help because the Cilco was shut off due to a bad storm that damaged the wires connected to her house. Cilco had to shut her off for safety reasons and could not restore her services until she gets a permit for the proper work that was needed. She had no way of getting the permit. These ladies sat at the Mission until I arrived that morning, they were in tears as they
explained their situation. Afterwards we prayed with them and assured them that we would at least come by and see if we could find someone to assist them. Well, God not only connected us with an electrician that took out the time to go by to see he could do to help, but God moved on his heart to pull the permit and to complete all the work free of charge. LOOK AT GOD!

[from Director of Elderly Services Robin Winfrey’s report]

Driving away from the Hurlburt House Bible Study I noticed two elderly women on their front porches. I stopped to introduce myself and as we got to know each other I learned one of them had almost no food in her home. I was able to supply her with a food basket and tell her about the BC. She has children in town and they will be able to take her to collect food in the future. My prayer is that in asking them for transportation her family will take up the slack and begin making sure mom has food.
Gloria had the indwelling foley catheter removed this week. She has had it for over 10 years. This is HUGE for her. We are praying it can stay out. Now I believe she will finally trust God to take away her cigarette addiction. She is digging into His Word and sharing with others in the apartments.

[from Associate Executive Director, Development, Meg Newell’s report]

Last year, we invited some friends from an area hotel to sample our Culinary Arts Training School. In a few conversations since then, I’ve enjoyed the Human Resources Director, but never saw her again. In May, I got a call from her. She shared with me that she was worried about her son (who is the same age as my son Dylan), who was making new friends that may be leading him down a wrong path, and she just didn’t know what to do. I talked with her and suggested that she sign him up for Camp Kearney and Boy Scouts. Here is the note that I received after camp:

Thank you South Side Mission for offering Camp Kearney. My son is 12 years old and was really struggling with some new friendships that he made. The new friends didn’t go to church, used bad language, had no respect for parents and one of the friends parents is using drugs. No matter what I said to my son, he rebelled. This is when I signed him up for camp. However, he did not want to go and argued with me about going right up to the time he was dropped off.
When I picked him up on Friday, all he could talk about was his camp counselor Zach and the cool stories he told them about God and his faith. Sam has dedicated himself to wanting to go to Sunday school and church to learn more about God and has even pulled out his Bible to read as his counselor encouraged them all to do to learn more about the Lord.
I am so thankful for the experience Camp Kearney offered my son and am so impressed on the quality of counselors that they choose to be a part of their camp. Zach was a wonderful role model for my son and someone that he will never forget. Thank you so much for the experience.

At YOUR service and His,

Philip W. Newton, Executive Director

Skyrocketing Need

2010-06-29T16:06:00.000-07:00

This photo, from our Benevolence Center chapel illustrates that Jesus stands at the door and knocks, wanting to come into our hearts and lives.

In preparing a grant proposal recently, I crunched some numbers and was struck by the skyrocketing need on the south side.

Since 2006, at South Side Mission, we have seen:

Hot meals for the poor increase 25%
Food baskets for the poor increase 41%
Families helped with free clothing increase 25%
Thanksgiving meals for the poor increase 29%

Additionally, at the Mission, we have witnessed:

Free home repairs for the poor increase 50% in just one year.
Elderly assistance visits increase 23% in just one year.
Record numbers of applications for our Culinary Arts Training School. Each trimester, we enroll 9 students. We already have taken in more than 50 applicants for 9 slots this August.
Our New Promise Center shelter for homeless women and their children has been full (with few exceptions) since September of 2008.

Please do pray for the precious, hurting people who whom the Lord allows us to minister. We are grateful for a chance to meet so many more people these days than we normally would. We are grateful that to date, God has us ahead of budget on the year. He does not have to participate in a recession. We are also grateful for a chance to share Christ with so many these days. God is there with them in their struggle, comforting them and bringing many to a Saving Knowledge of Jesus Christ through their time of need.

Ministry By the Numbers - May 2010

2010-06-14T12:46:00.000-07:00

HIGHLIGHTS FROM MAY 2010

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
215

Average number of homeless women & children housed nightly
42

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
509

Avg. Attendance at Roosevelt Magnet School before school Bible study
65

Attendance in our Laramie Street Sunday School, weekly
32

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
10

Avg. Attendance at Trewyn Middle School before school Bible study
21

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
52

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
1

Avg. Attendance at Harrison Primary School before school Bible study
18

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
16

Number of people completing a discipleship course this month
0

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
18

Avg. Attendance at Manual High School before school Bible study
9

Kids enrolled in after-school tutoring
50

Churches that have Adopted Blocks in 61605
18

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
418

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
7

College Club kids enrolled in college
8

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
52

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Studies (2)
24

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
37

Volunteer hours, as a ministry
1,396

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
231

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
10

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
45

Attendance at our Hurlburt House Bible Study
6

Children enrolled in our Kings Kids Child Care
36

Hot meals to the poor
6,048

FINANCIALS FROM MAY 2010

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$200,720/$211,276

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$257,698/$272,607

Positive or Negative on the Month
- $56,978

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$1,115,650/$1,007,380

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$1,215,124/$1,272,959

Positive or Negative on the Year
- $99,474

How we’re doing versus budget
+ $166,105

The Lord reserves the right to not participate in a recession

Indicated decisions for Christ
The Holy Spirit is no respecter of persons and led a diverse group of folks across the line of faith in May. There were seven at our Annual Celebration Banquet, five at our before-school Bible Study and Prayer Meeting at Trewyn Middle School, three in Mission at Prayer, one in Kings Kids, one in the Culinary Arts Training School, 10 at our before-school Bible Study and Prayer Meeting at Roosevelt Magnet School, one at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office, four in the Breakout Youth Center, two at our before-school
Bible Study and Prayer Meeting at Harrison School, one on Adopt-a-block, two in External Ministries, eight at our Laramie Street chapel, three in Elderly Services, and an amazing 173 at the Benevolence Center. Praise to the Lord the Almighty and King of Creation!

We have a new discipleship and training program for adolescents, through our Breakout Youth Center. For years, we have been doing a training program at Camp Kearney, over three weeks, called the SMT program. In this program, we sow extra into young adults, training up future counselors. We are now planning to do this for our Day Camp too. Our teen leadership group is on its way this summer. We have selected 10 teens to be a part of this group. Each teen will be assigned a mentor that will spend 2-4 hours a week here on site with them learning a new skill.

Fish week at the Culinary Arts Training School of South Side Mission was in May and the Lord showed up. And even though it's been more than 2,000 years since the Lord caused a tax coin to be found in a finny friend's mouth or nets to be filled to overflowing by disbelieving disciples, Jesus is still doing miraculous things with fish. First, Chef Chris received a donation of a whole lot of crab boil mix recently, which he put aside for just the right opportunity. Well, on Monday, an anonymous donor showed up with three large styrofoam coolers full of live and large Louisiana crawfish. CATS students boiled up the mix of seasoning, potatoes, corn on the cob, onions and finally crawfish in big pots and as they say on the bayou--voila! Second, thanks to our generous friends at Dixon's we received a great donation of sashimi-grade yellowfin tuna, which the Culinary Arts Training School turned into sushi, complete with Wasabi vinegar sauce! The students rolled the tuna in sesame seeds before lightly searing it in sesame oil. And like all of our Culinary Arts Training School entrees, these were fed to poor people who come for our gourmet soup kitchen--the Lighthouse Diner. It may be a far cry and two millenia removed from the two fish that Jesus stretched to feed a multitude, but our Lord still likes to surprise people with blessings from the sea.

In our ongoing efforts to expand our ability to grow our own fresh vegetables, we have doubled our vegetable garden at the Benevolence Center. It is amazing how the Lord has provided. He provided all the plants we needed all through donations. He provided many truckloads of compost, a tiller, and fertilizer at no cost. At the time of this writing, we had mustard greens, collard greens, herbs, and onions ready to pick already. Many of the people we serve are picking their own from our garden!

We Care Jesus Ministries on Western Avenue is a small, but vital South Side ministry. We partner with them as often as we can. Sadly, much of their building burned in May. We have offered them our facilities to use for ministry while they are rebuilding.

[from Associate Executive Director, Youth Ministries, Sheree Lyles’ report]

Recently, in a Girls Club, we did an exercise in which the girls invited Jesus to a party. Here are excerpts from their invitations to Jesus:

Dear Jesus,
I want to yield myself to you in any way you want me to.

Dear Jesus,
I just want you to know that I Love You with all of my heart. I want to invite you into my heart. I would like to invite you to a party of mine. We will have a blast having you as my special guest. Love
You!

Dear Jesus
You are invited to a party because you are special to me. My special gift you will be receiving all of my days will be my heart.

Vagabond Tours in May did its annual Culinary Tour of Peoria and visited noteworthy Peoria restaurants. This year, they made the Culinary Arts Training School of South Side Mission one of their stops. It’s nice for Chef Chris and his students to get that feather in their cap!

Noted Christian industrialist RG LeTourneau was a very cool footnote in an old binder I dusted off at the Mission recently. The binder contained Board minutes from the 1940s.
RG spent a few years in Peoria, innovating in the field of earth-moving equipment. In the process, he became very successful. Believing that one cannot outgive God, RG decided to keep 10% and give 90%. His enterprises were very successful from his industrial processes to beginning the Christian Businessmen's Committee (CBMC). The Lord honored him in life and after, when LeTourneau Christian University was founded. His factory eventually sold out and became WABCO and then Komatsu. As it turns out, to no one's surprise and to my total joy, RG was a major donor to South Side Mission in 1945. Thanks RG for investing some of that 90% here. Incidentally, there's a statue of RG LeTourneau in Glen Oak Park, over by the tennis courts!

We have two new Adoptablock churches; Bethel United Methodist and Cross
Roads United Methodist.

[from Associate Executive Director, Connections, Sean Allen’s report]
On Memorial Day, my family and I had just finished dinner at my mother-in-law’s house in North Peoria when we heard a slight knock at the door. My mother-in-law immediately jumped up to see who it was. When she returned, she said there was a lady crying in distress who needed to use the phone. The lady was far from home and had no ride. When my mother-in-law went back to the door, the lady then mentioned that she lived on the south side… to which my mother-in-law responded, “Well, my son-in-law actually works at South Side Mission!” Surprised, the lady asked the name… and when my mother-in-law said “Sean Allen,” the lady said “Oh my!” and broke down crying even harder. Of course, hearing the mention of my name, I had hurried to the door… and standing right there on my mother-in-law’s door-step was Grandma Victoria! (Victoria just happens to be on my Adopt-A-Block, and she and her grandchildren are the only guests who have joined us each and every week on our Northwoods bus!)

Anyway, I hugged Victoria, prayed with her, and took her home… encouraging and affirming God’s love for her the entire way! And although I still wonder, “What are the chances?” I realize it was a 1-in-1 chance because God had orchestrated the whole thing!!! Grandma Victoria shared with me that she was praying for a hedge of protection as she walked alone and that she had asked God to send her help! And then there I was! A modern day miracle! By the way, I was so exhausted from a long weekend of ball games and hot sun that I had jokingly asked my wife if there was any way we could just skip dinner and relax at home! Obviously, God needed me and I’m so glad I was right where I was supposed to be! “God, you are AWESOME!”

[from Chef Chris Franzoni’s monthly report]

We had one recommitment in the culinary school this month. Marvin was a student in our program and arrived one morning very distraught. I sat with him and he broke and shared that he was wracked with guilt over the fact that he felt he had dishonored his mother over the years with his attitude and actions. He was worried that their relationship had been permanently damaged. He could not get past the guilt. When asked he shared that he accepted Christ when he was 9. I asked if he fully understood what that meant at the time and he was unsure. Pastor Craig happened to stop by and with his help Marvin is now sure of his future. His mother was very proud of her son on graduation day.

[from Director over External Ministries, Minister Bessie Rush’s report]

At RiverWest a former crack addict, who gave her heart to the Lord was starting over from scratch. Because of her addiction she was alienated from her family and feeling alone. We have prayed and cried with her many days as she shared her burdens with us in her quest for continued sobriety. At the food pantry we became her extended family and support system. We made referral to community resource for her and she recently finished a computer class and her self esteem is soaring! God touched the heart of her estranged family and after seeing that she has changed her life, her family recently sent her a round trip ticket to come and visit with the family! This time her tears are tears of joy! Psalm 30:5 “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”
that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.”

[from Director of the New Promise Center shelter and Chaplain Rev. Linda Butler’s report]

Pam Therell is the former NPC resident who had gone on to nursing school and graduated who was featured in the Journal Star article that got picked up by the Associated press nationwide. The latest chapter in her story is that she passed her board test and is newly employed at a nursing facility in Pekin. She has relocated from subsidize housing to general rental. In all ways she is self sufficient, but quick to give the credit to God.

Thanks for reading this report and 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.

In Christ,

Phil Newton, Executive Director

Worship at Camp Kearney

2010-06-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

Here is Jordan from Peoria Prayer Center leading worship at Camp Kearney on 06/13/10. Our Sunday School met in the Berry Family Chapel for the service that morning as part of our Sunday School picnic. Later in the video you can see some of the kids and ladies we serve at the Mission enjoying the worship with us.

Top 10 Volunteer Needs at South Side Mission

2010-05-28T08:46:00.000-07:00

Hal "the Handyman" Lundstrom volunteers for South Side Mission in our Hope Builders program which provides large and small repair jobs for south side homeowners.

Have some time on your hands that you'd like to dedicate to the Lord's work? We can help with that! South Side Mission's Associate Executive Director, Connections, Sean Allen shares the latest top 10 most-needed volunteer jobs at SSM:

Elderly Services - visits, transportation (groceries, doctors), and
communications (letters, birthday cards, phone calls)

Elderly Services - counselors (financial, grief)

Elderly Services - nurses (home/health assessments)

Benevolence Center - gardeners and medical closet coordinator
(organize/clean)

Mission Marts - sorting, folding, stocking, cleaning, helping
customers

Youth - after-school tutors

Youth - boys/girls club mentors

NPC - weekend meal preparation and serving (small groups)

NPC - bible study leaders and life skill mentors

King's Kids - toy sanitizers

To begin your volunteering journey at South Side Mission, please call (309) 676-4604 and ask for Sean or email him at seana@southsidemission.org

The Lord Loves to Impress with Fish

2010-05-26T12:18:00.000-07:00

It's fish week at the Culinary Arts Training School of South Side Mission.

And even though it's been more than 2,000 years since the Lord caused a tax coin to be found in a finny friend's mouth or nets to be filled to overflowing by disbelieving disciples, Jesus is still doing miraculous things with fish.

First, Chef Chris received a donation of a whole lot of crab boil mix recently, which he put aside for just the right opportunity. Well, on Monday, an anonymous donor showed up with three large styrofoam coolers full of live and large Louisiana crawfish. CATS students boiled up the mix of seasoning, potatoes, corn on the cob, onions and finally crawfish in big pots and as they say on the bayou--voila! You can see the result in the photo!

Second, thanks to our generous friends at Dixon's we received a great donation of sashimi-grade yellowfin tuna, which the Culinary Arts Training School turned into sushi, complete with Wasabi vinegar sauce! In the photo you can see how the students rolled the tuna in sesame seeds before lightly searing it.

And like all of our Culinary Arts Training School entrees, these were fed to poor people who come for our gourmet soup kitchen--the Lighthouse Diner.

It may be a far cry and two millenia removed from the two fish that Jesus stretched to feed a multitude, but our Lord still likes to surprise people with blessings from the sea.

RG LeTourneau, Friend of South Side Mission

2010-05-25T17:57:00.000-07:00

RG LeTourneau yes THAT RG LeTourneau was a very cool footnote in an old binder I dusted off a the Mission recently.

RG spend a few years in Peoria, innovating in the field of earth-moving equipment. In the process, he became very successful. Believing that one cannot outgive God, RG decided to keep 10% and give 90%. His enterprises were very successful from his industrial processes to beginning the Christian Businessmen's Committee (CBMC). The Lord honored him in life and after, when LeTourneau Christian University was founded.

As it turns out, to no one's surprise and to my total joy, RG was a major donor to South Side Mission in 1945. Thanks RG for investing some of that 90% here.

Incidentally, there's a statue of RG LeTourneau in Glen Oak Park, over by the tennis courts!

Ministry By the Numbers - April 2010

2010-05-11T16:29:00.001-07:00

The outstanding External Ministries team at South Side Mission, from left, Director of Elderly Services Robin Winfrey RN, Assistant Executive Director over External Ministries Rev. Craig Williams, and Director of External Ministries Rev. Bessie Rush pose in front of our Board room mural.

Decisions to follow Christ for the month

293

Average number of homeless women & children housed nightly

40

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares

557

Avg. Attendance at Roosevelt Magnet School before school Bible study

40

Attendance in our Laramie Street Sunday School, weekly

41

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study

6

Avg. Attendance at Trewyn Middle School before school Bible study

18

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits

48

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully

0

Avg. Attendance at Harrison Primary School before school Bible study

46

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office

11

Number of people completing a discipleship course this month

6

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner

22

Avg. Attendance at Manual High School before school Bible study

5

Kids enrolled in after-school tutoring

50

Churches that have Adopted Blocks in 61605

17

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center

456

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study

7

College Club kids enrolled in college

8

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office

48

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Studies (2)

6

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly

40

Volunteer hours, as a ministry

1,477

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly

253

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study

10

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)

54

Attendance at our Hurlburt House Bible Study

7

Hot meals to the poor

6,215

Financials from April 2010

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted

$254,342/$180,276

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted

$251,206/$253,877

Positive or Negative on the Month

+ $3,136

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted

$914,930/$796,104

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted

$957,426/$1,000,352

Positive or Negative on the Year

- $42,495

How we’re doing versus budget

+ $161,753

god reserves the right to not participate in a recession

What a joy it was for our pastoral care team to be able to sit down with Ed and share the gospel with him after a crew of Hope Builders workers redid his bathroom. It was literally falling into the basement due to water damage rotting his floor as well as floor beams. We had an excellent discussion with him. He had moved away from the Lord but certainly knew of his need to get closer with the Lord. He was very open to spiritual things and welcomed the discussion; no doubt the countless hours of work on his home by volunteers at no cost had visibly softened his heart. He is seeking to re-establish his relationship with the Lord and does read his Bible daily. He simply needs to be helped to get back into an environment of spiritual encouragement.

One of our past residents will be graduating from ICC in May. She started college while she was a resident here at SSM. Wendy was a poor, homeless, recovering addict who came to SSM for help. These barriers were overwhelming to her. She had no confidence or self-esteem. Wendy put her faith in Christ and took big steps to secure her future. God helped Wendy to overcome her obstacles and make them more manageable. Wendy became focused on having a career in accounting and she was able to find a temporary job. With each semester, she became more confident and she received encouragement from the staff along the way. Wendy moved out after completing Level III. She had a nice savings and she was able to move into a nice apartment. This was no easy task for her but she overcame her fear. Wendy was offered a full time position at the company she worked for as a Temp. She is an accounts receivable clerk. Wendy is happy in her new career and is grateful for the time she spent at SSM.

The Newtons adopted little Esther Anina Newton on April 16th! It has been a long and torturous four and a half years, but God is faithful. Thank you for your prayers!

Thanks for reading this 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.

In Christ,

Phil Newton, Executive Director

Please thank our Banquet sponsors !

2010-04-27T12:16:00.001-07:00

These wonderful businesses have agreed to sponsor the 2010 South Side Mission Celebration Banquet, to be held Monday, May 3rd at 6 pm at the Holiday Inn City Centre.

Last year's banquet brought in more than $98,000 as we partner together to help Peoria's poorest.

Please do what you can to support them!

Illinois Mutual Life Insurance Co., Greg Guard, M.D.

Drs. Edward Luan & Jill Birkholz, German-Bliss Equipment, Mangold Ford, Otto Baum Company, South Side Bank, Risinger Bros. Transfer

American Pest Control, Attorney Thomas M. Henry, Designer Concepts Landscaping, First United Methodist Church of Peoria, Heinold-Banwart, Heritage Bank, Hoerr Machinery, Lingenfelter Insurance, N. Zobrist Construction, Nickerson Insurance Agency, Peoria Charter Coach Co., WeaverRidge Golf Club
Thank you!

Ministry By the Numbers - March 2010

2010-04-12T15:00:00.000-07:00

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.

You Are Not Forsaken

2010-04-01T07:46:00.001-07:00

The Lord threw me a curveball at a recent before-school Bible study and prayer meeting at Trewyn Middle School.

I was all set to share Psalm 103 with the kids and the staff who come to the 6:45 a.m. time in the Library. But this time, a Trewyn staffer came in and shared how she was very worried about proposed cuts in the staff that the District might have to make. She was very concerned for her job.

So the Lord brought to mind Psalm 37:25, which reads "I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor their children begging bread." I shared the truths from this scripture and the staffer seemed to have her spirits lifted. Thank you Lord that your Word gives life.

Are YOU worried about your ability to provide for your family? Take strength from Psalm 37:25 and realize that God is our provider and He has not only made promises; he has made provision.

You Are Invited to a Party

2010-03-21T05:11:00.000-07:00

Nini and a friend are out delivering invitations...

She wanted me to give this one to you:

Adoption Reception

Friday, April 16, 2010
6 to 9 pm
At South Side Mission 1127 S. Laramie Peoria IL 61605
We will be partying in the gymnasium, the Chef School kitchen, and the board rooms
This is a dessert reception. Come after supper and have a cup of coffee while dipping strawberries in the chocolate fountain.
No gifts, please. Your presence is your present. : D
Kids can play in the gymn as they run off all that dessert. There will be a quieter place to talk in the board room.
Park in the back lot

Please RSVP if you are coming, to pandjnewton@yahoo.com. We will need a head count for the caterer.

If you prayed, you're invited. We'd love to see you and praise the Lord together. Come and meet Esther Anina Newton.

"The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy."

-psalm 126

How to Take Someone to Church with You

2010-03-15T12:35:00.000-07:00

This smiling volunteer painted Ella's fence back in 2007, beginning a servant-evangelism story that culminated with Ella coming to church yesterday.

Ella went to church on Sunday.

So what's the big deal, you say? A lot of people went to church on Sunday. What's so special about that?

Well Ella went to church on Sunday. That's a big deal if you know Ella like we do.

You see, about five years ago, we started working with Ella on one of South Side Mission and Northwoods Community Church's adopted blocks. Faithfully twice a month, we would knock on Ella's door, trying to get a chance to meet her. We had our banana bread ready to bless her with and to pray with her. We would hear her shuffle her feet behind the door. We figured that she was peering through the peephole trying to determine who these smiling folks were who showed up two Saturday mornings a month at around 9:30. For a year, we knocked. The door never budged open.

We knocked on the 20 degree days, to say hello as we shoveled the snow off her porch and sidewalk. We knocked on the 90 degree days, ready with an inexpensive electric fan to give her some relief from the heat. We knocked on rainy days and pleasant ones too. Another year went by with no word from Ella.

Finally, after two years, in 2007, Ella finally opened the door to us. She greeted us pleasantly and said something akin to "I guess you're not going to go away." We introduced ourselves and offered our services. We told her about South Side Mission's Hope Builders program that helps south side homeowners with free "big ticket" home repairs. We asked her if she had any prayer requests and if we could pray with her. She was interested in the home repairs and had several projects for us, including painting her picket fence out front and the wrought iron porch rail. Also there was the cracked window and a little work on a bathroom inside her home. It was a great visit. Ella did not want to talk to us about spiritual issues, though, and we left the door open to bring it up at a further date.

Well, from there, Ella had all kinds of projects. In 2008, Hope Builders volunteers painted the large privacy fence that she enjoys in her backyard. In 2009, volunteers painted the exterior trim on Ella's home as well as her porch swing. We would always look for an opportunity to speak into Ella's life the life-giving message of Jesus Christ. Ella, was always a bit hesitant each time we would bring it up.

So when Northwoods Community Church and its adoptablock partners South Side Mission launched a bus ministry to take folks from Ella's block to church and sent out invitations, we were floored when we received an RSVP from a classy and very private lady whom we all loved--Ella.

Ella did go to church at Northwoods on Sunday. She enjoyed riding the bus each way and was blessed by the service. We hope and pray that Ella will come to know the Lord and grow in a relationship with Him. We sure have enjoyed growing in our relationship with Ella. She is precious.

And that's why it's a big deal.

Ministry By the Numbers - February 2010

2010-03-09T14:28:00.000-08:00

HIGHLIGHTS FROM FEBRUARY 2010

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
280

Average number of homeless women & children housed nightly
23

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
414

Avg. Attendance at Roosevelt Magnet School before school Bible study
50

Attendance in our Laramie Street Sunday School, weekly
37

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
3

Avg. Attendance at Trewyn Middle School before school Bible study
15

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
58

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
2

Avg. Attendance at Harrison Primary School before school Bible study
20

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
13

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
16

Avg. Attendance at Manual High School before school Bible study
12

Kids enrolled in after-school tutoring
62

Churches that have Adopted Blocks in 61605
15

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
305

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
9

College Club kids enrolled in college
14

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
40

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Studies (2)
18

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
45

Volunteer hours, as a ministry
1,578

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
179

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
11

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
62

Attendance at our Hurlburt House Bible Study
10

Hot meals to the poor
4,895

FINANCIALS FROM FEBRUARY 2010

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$174,331/$125,276

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$243,688/$254,713

Positive or Negative on the Month
- $69,356

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$366,468/$250,552

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$499,854/$505,417

Positive or Negative on the Year
- $133,386

How we’re doing versus budget
+ $121,479

Indicated decisions for Christ 280 February 2010 was one of those blessed months when it seems like every department at South Side Mission gets into the act on evangelism. The Holy Spirit is not a respecter of persons and brought folks of all shapes, sizes, colors, and ages to a Saving Knowledge of Jesus Christ in February. Here’s how the numbers shook out: there were three in Mission at Prayer, 13 in the Breakout Youth Center, one in Kings Kids, 15 kids at our before-school prayer meeting and Bible Study at Roosevelt Magnet School, six kids at our before-school prayer meeting and Bible Study at Harrison Primary School, six at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office, two at our RiverWest Satellite Office, two at our Seniors Bible Study at Hurlburt House, one on the Adopted Block of El Vista Baptist Church, eight in chapel at Laramie Street, one in Mission Mart!, one in Elderly Services, and an amazing 221 at Benevolence Center!

We have a new Bible Study going on in the Harrison Homes Satellite Office of South Side Mission. The Discipleship Bible Study meets on Sunday mornings.

Verla who showed up for some clothing at our Benevolence Center. She went to chapel and finished shopping around 10 am. She came back in less than an hour, crying and very upset, and asked if she could speak to someone. She needed someone to talk to and Mike and Steven went to the office to listen. Verla went on to share how her boyfriend got in a wreck and left her in the car with three children. He never returned. She was crying uncontrollably and she began to share she was 13 weeks pregnant and was thought about having an abortion. The baby’s daddy gave her direction to abort this baby and this feeling she could not describe was tormenting her. Verla said that she was a Christian and she knew she had made mistake .Her feelings she was having were real to her and she could not erase them from her mind. We prayed and talked for over an hour and we surrounded her with Pastors phone numbers and the team at the mission followed up with her. The last report we received was a good one from one of our pastoral team. Verla has been going to church and the baby’s daddy decided not to abort the baby.

Thanks for all you do to help those we serve. Drop me a line anytime to tell me what you think of this report. If you’d ever like a VIP tour of our ministry, let me know. Thanks!

In Christ,

Phil Newton, Executive Director

When Brethren Dwell Together in Unity

2010-03-02T08:16:00.001-08:00

Pastor Jeremie Davis of Laramie Street Baptist Church prays with South Side Mission Assistant Executive Director, External Ministries, Rev. Craig Williams and representatives from 20 area churches at an Adoptablock Summit, held at South Side Mission February 27th, 2010.

There is great power when God's people come together for a common cause. We saw that first hand on Saturday, February 27th at South Side Mission.

Every so often, we convene churches that have signed up to do Adoptablock with South Side Mission in zip code 61605 and those that are interested in joining the team. We praised the Lord together, celebrated the Lord we share in common and compared best practices and stories of lives touched through the ministry of Adoptablock.

Churches represented were:

Northwoods Community Church
St. Jude Catholic Church
City on a Hill Church of Christ
New Life Church, Morton
Imago Dei
Richwoods Christian Church
Maranatha Fellowship
We Care Ministries
New Jerusalem Baptist Church
Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptist Church
Laramie Street Baptist Church
New Beginnings
Woodland Baptist Church
Christ Lutheran, Peoria
Word of Faith
Fresh Fire, Canton
New Hope International Ministries
Abundant Hope
City of Refuge Worship Center
United Fellowship

These churches share in the vision to see all 310 blocks in zip code 61605 won for Christ, discipled and plugged into local, Bible-believing churches through servant-based, door-to-door evangelism and ministry. That's what Adoptablock is all about.

We at South Side Mission are grateful to Dream Center Peoria for introducing us to this vital ministry back in 2002. DCP operates its own Adoptablock program in Taft Homes. Our dream is to someday meet the folks at DCP over by the baseball stadium, declare each of our areas completed and start on the next zip code!

For more information on Adoptablock at South Side Mission, please call Reverend Craig Williams at (309) 676-4604 or email Craig at craigw@southsidemission.org

A Smoldering Wick

2010-02-24T05:48:00.000-08:00

Matthew 12:20 says:

"A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out, till He leads justice to victory."

Do you have a situation in your life that has you feeling like smoldering wick--just about totally burnt out--with little hope for the future?

Take heart, my friend. The latter part of Matthew 12:20 has a promise for you. It says "till he leads justice to victory." I have often thought that the promises from God's word don't feel like promises until we are in a position to take him up on them. Are you needing victory after a long and painful battle? Take God up on the promise of Matthew 12:20.

It has been my experience (and the experience of many saints before me) that God swoops in at the last possible moment, just before that reed would break or that wick loses the last of its warmth, to provide victory in our battle. In doing so, the Lord adds another chapter to His legend and gains even more glory. He gets the victory, but we get to share in it. Thanks be to God for causing us to triumph.

What Happens When the Lighthouse Meets Soveriegn Grace

2010-02-22T06:03:00.000-08:00

[top photo - SSM Assistant Executive Director, External Ministries Reverend Craig Williams, left, checks in with volunteer Joe Forbis and Deacon Phil of Sovereign Grace, right]

What happens when the Lighthouse meets Sovereign Grace?

Somebody ends up getting blessed--that's what happens!

The Lord gave us a vision, several years ago to see South Side Mission, or a satellite office of the Mission located on the north, south, east, and west sides of zip code 61605. This way, people in need in our beloved 61605 can be within walking distance of the Mission or one of our ministry sites. We want to eliminate transportation as a barrier to the Gospel and to getting something like a food basket or a warm coat.

Our latest satellite office will be at the corner of DuSable and Martin on the north side of the South Side, if that makes sense to you. It will be inside the new Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptist Church. Our friends at Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptist will be renovating the old Lee Auditorium and were kind enough to reserve a spot for a South Side Mission satellite office in the rear of the church.

We returned the favor by applying our Hope Builders resources to their project, providing much skilled labor at no cost to the church and, in the process, helping to carve out what will be a beautiful new sanctuary. God is good!

Satellite Offices of South Side Mission can be found in the Harrison Homes and RiverWest housing projects and offer free food baskets, clothing, after-school tutoring, substance abuse support groups, Bible studies, community outreach picnics and more.

Rise Up in the Presence of the Aged

2010-02-19T12:41:00.000-08:00

Gloria (left), a great friend of ours who lives at the senior citizens complex South Side Manor and South Side Mission's Director of Elderly Services Robin Winfrey, RN pal around before a recent Bible Study at South Side Manor.

Meet Gloria. She is one of our faithful attenders of the Seniors Bible Study at South Side Manor housing complex. Gloria loves the Lord and enjoys opening the Word with us. We are grateful to have a faithful group that comes to study the Bible the first and third Thursdays of the month at 1:30 p.m. South Side Manor is at 915 S. Helen in Peoria.

We have two other Seniors Bible Studies that happen regularly. The Hurlburt House study is the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at 1:30 p.m. Hurlburt House is at 818 W. Hurlburt in Peoria. The B'Nai B'Rith study meets every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m at 215 Sam J. Stone in Peoria.

It's our goal to set up Seniors Bible Studies at each seniors housing facility in zip code 61605. I have had the privilege of attending, though I am not yet a senior and let me tell you those seniors have some great wisdom from the Word and from their life experiences. Pastor Gene Hooker leads the studies and conducts a lively course.

If you'd like to attend any of these studies, feel free to come by and join in!

Ministry By the Numbers - January 2010

2010-02-08T07:08:00.000-08:00

Great things are happening in Sandra's kitchen!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM JANUARY 2010

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
205

Average number of homeless women & children housed nightly
40

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
549

Avg. Attendance at Roosevelt Magnet School before school Bible study
40

Attendance in our Sunday School, weekly
42

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
18

Avg. Attendance at Trewyn Middle School before school Bible study
12

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
69

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
3

Avg. Attendance at Harrison Primary School before school Bible study
25

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
18

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
16

Avg. Attendance at Manual High School before school Bible study
5

Kids enrolled in after-school tutoring
70

Churches involved with Adoptablock
16

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
561

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
6

College Club kids enrolled at ICC
14

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
48

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Study
6

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
39

Volunteer hours, as a ministry
1,191

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
277

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
10

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
43

Attendance at our Hurlburt House Bible Study
7

Hot meals to the poor
6540

FINANCIALS FROM JANUARY 2010

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$192,137/$125,276

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$256,167/$250,704

Positive or Negative on the Month
- $64,030

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$192,137/$125,276

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$256,167/$250,704

Positive or Negative on the Year
- $64,030

How we’re doing versus budget
+ $61,398

Chris volunteers in Sandra’s kitchen every Wednesday. He and his wife are expecting and received some disturbing news in regards to the baby. A tumor had been discovered on the baby’s brain. He shared this with Sandra and asked for everyone’s prayers. He later reported that at their last doctor’s appointment that the tumor had disappeared and that they could expect a normal delivery – God is awesome!

We have another new Bible Study going on. This one is at Hurlburt House, a low-income apartment complex on the south side that has quite a few senior citizens living there. This makes the third Bible Study that Elderly Services has started in senior citizens living areas on the south side. The first was at B’nai B’rith and the second was at South Side Manor. Praise God. His word does not return void.

We believe God for healing and are no afraid to ask him to heal even those things that seem too tough to heal. One of our regulars at the Benevolence Center, Debra, is a lady who is waiting to receive a heart transplant because of Cardio-Myopothy, a condition in which a heart is dying. After praying with her many times for the Lord to heal her heart, He delivered. When she went to the heart doctor in St. Louis for a follow up, the doctor confirmed that she would be taken off the heart transplant list because her heart is beginning to heal itself. This is impossible without God.

Sarah arrived at the New Promise Center in July of 2009. She enrolled in GED classes almost immediately and has been attending them faithfully, and she will be taking the GED test in February. Sarah also has been enrolled in job partnership class and will be graduating soon. She explains that she really had learned important skills and could implement those skills to be successful in a job. Last week she went to an interview and was hired. Sarah will be moving out soon because she recently obtained an apartment at Sterling Towers. Praise The Lord!

Ministry By the Numbers - December 2009

2010-01-11T10:00:00.000-08:00

Some wonderful friends of South Side Mission knitted these handmade scarves and mittens, which were given out as surprise Christmas gifts at our Mission at Prayer meeting for the ladies in our homeless shelter. Thanks to Bridget Nelan and her small group!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM DECEMBER 2009

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
269

Average number of homeless women & children housed nightly
49

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
509

Attendance in our Sunday School, weekly
51

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
6

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
63

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
4

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
18

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
18

Kids enrolled in after-school tutoring
70

Churches involved with Adoptablock
16

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
565

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
7

College Club kids enrolled at ICC
14

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
41

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Study
12

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
42

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
268

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
11

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
37

Hot meals to the poor
10,175

FINANCIALS FROM DECEMBER 2009

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$670,083/$513,851

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$346,616/$310,778

Positive or Negative on the Month
+ $323,467

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$3,204,215/$3,016,212

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$3,036,719/$3,001,345

Positive or Negative on the Year
+ $167,495
The Lord smiled upon South Side Mission in so many ways in 2009—spiritually, programmatically, and yes, financially. It boggles the mind to see how good He is to us. One of the Father’s Hebrew names is Jehovah Jireh, which means, the LORD our provider. He was certainly that again this year. We are grateful.

[from Associate Executive Director, Church Relations, Larry McMillan’s report]
We took 79 people from Malone Street to Northwoods’ Christmas production and we were very happy to see that 25 Yes packets were taken by our Adopt A Block families, indicating a decision for Christ. We are in discussion with Northwoods about beginning a bus ministry to bring people from their adopted blocks out to church.

On Christmas Day, the Mission and its volunteers delivered and served 1,630 meals. We were so grateful that the Lord kept the bad weather at bay until all the meals got delivered. Funny how that happens, isn’t it?

A new outreach through Elderly Services, Stockings for Seniors, provided 47 needy souls with meaningful Christmas gifts. This outreach was suggested to us through ElderSource ministries out of North Carolina. Incidentally, ElderSource’s CEO, Stan Means is our 2010 speaker for the South Side Mission Annual Celebration Banquet.

The Associated Press picked up the excellent Peoria Journal Star story on one of our graduates, Pam Therell. The story was picked up in newspapers across the country from the Chicago Tribune to newspapers in Oregon, Pennsylvania, and even the USA Today’s online edition. God is enlarging our territory. Be sure to pray for Pam who will be taking her nursing board test this month.

Through 12/0/09, the Benevolence Center of South Side Mission had recycled 382,124 lbs. of clothing, metals, glass, and other recyclables and had brought in $19,106 in return on the year? Praise God!

Thanks for all you do to help those we serve. Drop me a line anytime to tell me what you think of this report. If you’d ever like a VIP tour of our ministry, let me know. Thanks!

In Christ,

Phil Newton, Executive Director

Congratulations Pam T.

2009-12-24T09:52:00.000-08:00

Who says there's no good news in the paper these days !?!

Our very own Pam T., a graduate of South Side Mission's New Promise Center shelter for homeless women and their children just attained her nursing degree. She is a living example of Jeremiah 29:11, which says "I know the plans I have for you, sayeth the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a future and a hope."

The Peoria Journal Star thought so too.

Church Windows Recipe

2009-12-19T18:09:00.000-08:00

Church Windows are sliced, laterally, from the log, into "windows."

Okay, so I posted on Facebook that my family was baking Christmas cookies and that we were making Church Windows. My friend Sue Herman wanted to know what Church Windows were. Because there isn't enough room on Facebook to put the recipe, I am putting it here on the Mission's blog. Enjoy!

This is from my grandma, Agnes Masat, God rest her soul.

12 ounces chocolate chips

4 Tb margarine

2 eggs

6 cups colored small marshmallows

1 cup chopped walnuts

Wax paper

Under low heat, melt margarine and chocolate chips together. Once melted completely, continuing under low heat, mix in two beaten eggs. Stir constantly for three minutes. Remove from heat. Let cool for a minute. While cooling, tear off six 12" pieces of wax paper and set aside. Quickly mix in walnuts and marshmallows. Mix well. Dollop equal portions of the mixture onto the waxed paper sheets. Form into logs and wrap up in the wax paper. Put in freezer overnight. Next morning, slice logs into quarter inch thick "windows."

South Side Mission radio program podcast

2009-12-17T06:41:00.000-08:00

Our friend will be excited to know that there's a pair of shoes just like that one on the shelf!

Searching for something inspirational for your IPod? Well, you found it.

Download a podcast of South Side Mission's Open Door radio program on WPEO AM 1020 right here.

Breaking the Bondage at Christmas

2009-12-15T15:54:00.000-08:00

This lesson was taught to the ladies in our Mission at Prayer meeting 12/14 and the devotions in the Culinary Arts Training School 12/15. I hope it blesses you, too.

In the book of Genesis, the first book of the Old Testament, we see that God's people are enslaved in Egypt and endure a period of 400 years in bondage. 400 years without hearing from God. In bondage. Then God sends a deliverer--Moses. God uses Moses to deliver His people from bondage and usher in a period of freedom.

In the book of Matthew, the first book of the New Testament, we see that God's people are again in bondage. This time at the hands of the Romans, living in an occupied Israel. For 400 years between Malachi and the beginning of Matthew, there has not been a prophet. 400 years without hearing from God. In bondage. Then God sends a deliverer--Jesus, the Son of God. Only this time, the deliverer offers freedom from other kinds of bondage. The bondage of trying to keep the law, the bondage of sin, the bondage of addictions and behaviors, the bondage of putting a ten cent value on our own worth.

At Christmas, why not let the deliverer, the Savior, Jesus Christ, help you break the bondage in your own life.

Ministry By the Numbers - November 2009

2009-12-07T08:05:00.000-08:00

Members of the Adoptablock Team from Richwoods Christian Church and Maranatha Fellowship.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM NOVEMBER 2009

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
349

Average number of homeless women & children housed nightly
53

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
589

Attendance in our Sunday School, weekly
44

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
10

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
58

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
1

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
17

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
19

Kids enrolled in after-school tutoring
55

Churches involved with Adoptablock
15

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
573

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
8

College Club kids enrolled at ICC
15

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
52

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Study
12

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
44

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
290

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
8

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
43

Hot meals to the poor
11,173

FINANCIALS FROM NOVEMBER 2009

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$367,984/$363,851

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$243,062/$247,764

Positive or Negative on the Month
+ $124,923

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$2,534,132/$2,502,361

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$2,690,103/$2,690,567

Positive or Negative on the Year
- $155,971

How we’re doing versus budget
+ $32,235

The Holy Spirit continues to have a field day here in 61605. The 349 decisions in November 2009 break down as follows…15 in Sunday School, 8 at our before-school Bible study and prayer meeting at Manual High School, 1 at Roosevelt Magnet School, 1 at RiverWest, 2 in Elderly Services, 11 in the Youth Department, 3 in the Lighthouse Diner, 8 in the Laramie Street chapel, 5 in the New Promise Center and 295 over at the Benevolence Center. Thank you God!

On the year, we are $32,235 better than expected! Praise God! When you consider all the external factors, it’s amazing that we are having as good a year as we are. But, that’s God. He gives exceedingly, abundantly above all we could ask for and he reserves the right to not participate in a recession.

The Lord outdid Himself on Thanksgiving at South Side Mission. He provided a new record 2,724 hot meals for the bellies of those in need on “turkey day” at the Mission. He also provided great weather. At 5 am that day, I was gazing at the Doppler radar, which showed a large cloud of ice, snow, and sleet bearing down on Peoria. Mercifully all that bad weather stayed in the clouds that day. Thank you Father! And thank you to all the great volunteers we had that day.

One goal of our Elderly Services department is to begin a home-winterization program for seniors on the south side. Well, our friends at WCIC jumped in to help, sending more than 100 volunteers on Saturday, November 21st and winterizing the homes of 50 south side senior citizens. We are hoping that WCIC will do this annually with us.

Before the snow gets too thick, pop by the Mission’s Benevolence Center at 2919 W. Garden and check out our nifty new linear perennial garden—it’s beautiful, even in winter. Provided by a grant from Apostolic Christian World Relief, the garden brings beauty back to a blighted area and helps bring the garden back to Garden Street. It features neatly-hemmed brick edging that goes on for at least 100 yards, expertly chosen and planted perennials, and designed/completed by Hoerr Nursery. It’s goregeous.

[from Assistant Director of External Ministries Minister Bessie Rush’s report]
There is a senior gentleman that attends the Harrison Bible Food Pantry quite often; most times you can smell the alcohol on his breath. Last week we were amazed that he was not only sober, but dressed the best he could for a church visit! He looked like a different man! Psalm 119:9 says “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.” Just by sitting under the word of God this gentleman life is taking a change! Glory belongs to God.

God has taken a hostile family member and turned him into a friend. Elmira’s son who resented my interference in his mom’s care has called for advice several times this month and still keeps in touch now that Elmira is living at Belwood Nursing Home. Elmira is adjusting to her new surroundings and smiles when she sees Elderly Services visit. She needs our prayers. She has had many losses in a short time: her independence, her home, moving into then out of her son’s home, Belwood placement and a brother passed away this past month.

[from Assistant Executive Director and Senior Pastor Frank Winfrey’s report]
I spoke to you last month about a very powerful time in MAP when the ladies shared openly about the changes that they have seen in the lives of their friends. On the heels of this I challenged the ladies to go out with me and be involved in following up some of those who expressed a need on our comment cards.

I have had four ladies go out thus far with me into the community and they have been encouraged to share their testimony and give words of encouragement to those we meet. There is more growth that is needed in their live but I so appreciate their willingness to be vocal about their faith. They are stepping out of their comfort zone and I am so encouraged by them.

At one of the houses we visited a young woman opened up to us about her alcohol addiction and her recent commitment to walk away from this. One of the ladies had been an addict and she was able to speak into her life. Keep praying for the ladies as they move forward in this that the doing will not be the emphasis but rather the overflow of the heart.

[from Director of the New Promise Center and Chaplain Linda Butler}
Midstate College representatives came for their quarterly presentation on career opportunities. Two weeks later NPC took 10 residents for a tour of the campus.
Five of the residents began admission counseling. Two residents are scheduled begin classes in February 2010.

Elizabeth Diviney Reports: In late December of last year I received a call from a mother with four children on a daily basis. I told her day after day that we did not have any space available however, she kept calling. At the beginning of February we had a family move out and Sarah and her four children moved in. She began to make progress as soon as she moved into the New Promise Center. Sarah found a safe and secure place for her family and because her basic needs were taken care of she began to be able to recommit her life to Christ. Sarah then began to search for a job and apply for housing. She found a part time job and even though it was not what she was looking for and it was not enough hours to support her children she took the job anyway. Sarah kept looking for another job that would offer her full time hours. She then succeeded in finding a full time job and is now working with the Developmentally Disabled population as a nursing assistant. However transportation because her job was not directly on a bus route and was limited on the weekends and the cost taxi service was almost financially counter productive. Shortly after getting the job NPC provided her with a donated vehicle. Sarah will be receiving a house soon through Public Housing Authority and therefore her time at the mission will be ending. The one thing that I can say I will miss most about Sarah is her sense of humor and that she always was smiling no matter what the circumstances were. From her time at the mission she was able to save money, gain a job, obtain a house and a car, and renew her faith in Jesus Christ!

[from Associate Executive Director, Benevolence Steve Dunn’s report]

The B.C. has been ministering to a lady that we call Maggie. She was addicted to crack cocaine and had all of her children taken away from her. The day that she accepted Christ as her personal Lord and savior she gave up the drugs and started getting her children back. Currently, she has gotten all four of her children back and their all in school. Maggie is real proud of her kids because some of them are even on the honor roll. We are so proud of this mother. When she gets her children ready in the morning for school, she says, “God is good,” and her children say, “All the time.” The B.C. has been able to give all four of these children coats for the winter.

Richwoods Christian Church and Maranatha Fellowship partner together on an Adoptablock effort for us. The partnership has been very fruitful over the couple years they have been doing this. A recent outreach was their Thanksgiving luncheon held at Trewyn Middle School, which drew 200 people, mostly from their adopted blocks. Our own Minister Craig Williams blessed the meal.

Our buttons were bursting on November 20th as the Peoria Chamber of Commerce awarded South Side Mission its “Community Wealth Award.” Awarded annually at the group’s Community Thanksgiving Luncheon (attended by 800 this year), the honor recognizes a charity each year that makes Peoria a better place to live.

In November, out of 36 ladies using our New Promise Center shelter for homeless women and their children, we had 13 ladies who were with us fleeing domestic violence situations. People sometimes forget that the Mission is very much a domestic violence shelter, too. It is one reason our security is as strict as it is. Sadly, the Holidays can be a time in which domestic violence becomes more heated.

SSM and Imago Dei Partner in RiverWest Housing Project

2009-11-25T14:14:00.000-08:00

Our friends at Imago Dei Church partner with us at South Side Mission's RiverWest Housing Project satellite office. Imago Dei provides wonderful volunteer support and ministry to residents of RiverWest. Take a look at what they are doing in Jesus' name!

7:45 on a Saturday Morning

2009-11-21T08:22:00.000-08:00

Ashley gets ready to deliver a couple of hand-knit afgans to some chilly and low-income senior citizens.

Doesn't anyone sleep in anymore?

7:45 on a Saturday morning. More than 100 volunteers from WCIC descended upon us to winterize the homes of 50 low-income senior citizens in zip code 61605. Dozens of volunteers from Harvest Bible Chapel in Morton came down to cook a hot breakfast for the homeless women and their children in our shelter. And a strong cadre of prayer warriors came down for a 24-hour prayer meeting that began at 6 p.m. last night. What would inspire all these folks to come down and help? Why, the Lord, of course!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdPO2qfMINA

Ministry Highlights For the Month - October 2009

2009-11-09T09:04:00.000-08:00

South Side Mission's Benevolence Center helps more than 1,000 people a month with free food, clothing, furniture, housewares and appliances--all in the name of the Lord!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM OCTOBER 2009

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
362
Average number of homeless women & children housed nightly
52
Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
612
Attendance in our Sunday School, weekly
47
Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
8
Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
52
Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
2
Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
23
Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
17
Kids enrolled in after-school tutoring
55
Churches involved with Adoptablock
14
Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
603
Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
9
College Club kids enrolled at ICC
15
Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
53
Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Study
19
Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
38
Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
303
Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
8
Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
28
Hot meals to the poor
10,100

FINANCIALS FROM OCTOBER 2009
Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$265,260/$313,851
Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$280,166/$234,197
Positive or Negative on the Month
- $14,906
Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$2,166,148/$2,138,510
Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$2,447,042/$2,442,803
Positive or Negative on the Year
- $280,894
How we’re doing versus budget
+ $23,399

Indicated decisions for Christ 362
The Holy Spirit is still pouring out Himself on the South Side. There were a total of 284 cards completed indicating a decision for Christ at Benevolence Center in October, 10 in Mission at Prayer, one at the RiverWest Housing Project Satellite Office of South Side Mission, eight students at Harrison School, 13 seniors in Elderly Services, one child in Sunday School, four ladies at the Laramie Street chapel, 25 kids in the Breakout Youth Center, five in Kings Kids, five moms who came for Mother’s Day Out, and four ladies in the New Promise Center shelter for homeless women and their children.

Financials
On the year, we are $23,399 better than expected! Praise God! As we gather around our Thanksgiving tables this month, let’s take time to thank the Lord for His amazing provision at the Mission this year.
South Side Mission usually is behind on the year until close to year end. Historically, year end is spectacular for the Mission, with both November and December showing a healthy positive return. We budgeted to break even in 2010, so if things continue on as we think they will, we should see a modest positive return on the year.

God Sightings
South Side Mission saw its largest food drive, maybe ever, on Saturday and Sunday the 24th and 25th when Northwoods Community Church partnered with Walmart North Allen Road and Kroger Northpoint to drop 56,000 pounds of food on our Benevolence Center! That’s two semitrailers and a box truck worth, by the way! This should keep our BC, and the two pantries in our satellite offices stocked until May, I would guess.

While the Mission does not celebrate Halloween, staff have found a way to "flip the script" on the dark holiday by using the Jack-O-Lantern as a Gospel presentation, with surprising results. Essentially our staff present that Jesus cleans up all of the gunk inside us and puts his light in our hearts, expressing this through the carving of a pumpkin. Three different departments used this method and here’s what happened…
· 5 kids in Kings Kids made decisions for Christ
· 5 kids in After School Clubs made decisions for Christ
· 2 senior citizens at South Side Manor made decisions

What’s New
We had our first case of H1N1 Swine Flu in the New Promise Center shelter. A mom with two kids had it and we quarantined them for the duration of their being contagious. It did not spread. Mom and kids are doing just fine now and at the time of this writing are still living with us.

Minister Bessie Rush reports that two new Hope Builders projects were completed on Saturday, October 31, 2009. There were representatives from Woodland Church, Northwood, Latter Rain and Harvest Bible Chapel that worked on the projects. We are continuing to accept some projects as we prepare for next year. Applications are still being accepted for the Hope Builders 2010. What a mighty God we serve that we can partner together to show the love of Christ!

Bessie also passes on the following External Ministries updates…
· The community family/youth ministry continues to grow at RiverWest. They have tutored over seventy-five (75) children in seven weeks!
· In six weeks the SSM school ministry ministered to 147 students, 1 staff and 2 parents! One parent was from Harrison School and shared her personal life troubles and we encouraged her to trust God to keep her and her family safe. After sharing she said she felt so much better! Please keep Manual High School in your prayers. This month a 16 year old student was killed. He was not in our morning group, but many of the students that attend our morning chapel service knew him and are grieving. We ministered to a Security guard at Manual who was grieving for the lost life of this young man.
· Our Adopt A Block teams continue to be faithful. Several teams are depending less on South Side Mission and are creatively taking charge of their blocks. Richwood Christian Church and Maranatha Church are putting on a Thanksgiving dinner and the residents on their blocks are the special guest!
· It’s now official Word of Faith Christian Church has completed their AAB training. God really blessed them during the prayer walk on their blocks. Over 20 people were present to minister to the needs of the blocks. They prayed with a young man and it was evident that God ministered to him. Word of Faith has been assigned blocks on Millman and Butler! This is also the block where the 16 year old young man was lost his life.

What’s new? Our bunk beds at Camp Kearney! Thanks to volunteers from Mt. Hawley Community Church and our own hardworking Camp staff, we have built 40 new bunk beds at Camp Kearney!

Stories of People You Have Helped
[from New Promise Center Caseworker Elizabeth Diviney’s report]
Sage has resided in the mission since early July. Her previous history with the mission has been that she would come here and then either be asked to leave for her alcohol abuse or just not return. Sage has made a change in her life and recommitted her life to the Lord. She is participating in the New Promise Center Program, she enjoys going to chapel and bible study, and participates actively in the life skill classes. She recently became employed and has begun saving money. She is also currently studying for her GED with our onsite program with district 150 and is the most determined person in the class. She was also invited to do the radio station this month with Pastor Frank. In a meeting with her she stated, "You know this time is my time to succeed because for the first time in my life I have truly accepted God into my life". She felt as if that is what has been missing the entire time.

[from Director of Transportation Mark Bowden’s report]
October’s ministry included service to a large number of families where a member had moved into nursing care or were recently deceased. One such pickup had a great memory of Helen Haien. As a little girl, a house in Joyce’s Neighborhood had burnt, killing two and leaving two orphans. Miss Haien took the two children in and cared for them until other arrangements could be made. Helen left a powerful and positive impression that impacted those she served as well as those who witnessed her service, as we are called to do each day.

[from Assistant Executive Director and Senior Pastor Frank Winfrey’s report]
God allowed me to be apart of some connecting of one of our former Girls Club students with some needed help with her CILCO bill. She had been in contact with one of our area churches and this pastor knew me and asked if I could verify her need. This is the second time with this particular church I have been able to link some benevolent resources to the need. It was a little more special this time because I was able to help someone I had known for a long time.
God met with us in a powerful way in one of our mission at prayer meetings. We had sung the song "He’s Changing Me." After this I felt led of the Lord to challenge the ladies to share how they saw God changing their lives. It was encouraging to hear story after story of what God was doing for them.
Some of the messages I heard I will summarize for you:
#1- I used to think that I needed a man at my side to feel good about myself. I would try to serve them and be kind and loyal to seek to get from them the love I needed. I now know that I don’t need to seek out a man to feel good about myself. Maybe I am heavy and I have some physical handicaps but I am starting to feel good about myself. I like myself. Just recently I bought some new PJ’s . My son looked at me in those the other night and said to me, "Mom, you look cute in that!" I gave him a big hug. God has brought me here to be encouraged and I can learn something from each woman in this room.
#2 I have learned hope.
#3 This is my second time here. I went through the motions to stay legal while I was here the last time. This time I want to learn all I can.

I then had some of the ladies share where they saw growth in each other.
#1 One lady went around the room and shared what she was getting from each individual person. She had something to good to say about each one.
#2 One of the ladies laughed and began to talk about "Chrissie." She said went I first came here I stayed away from you. My first introduction to you was you running out the door cussing and screaming mad. Now I have seen you change and there really is a sweet person on the inside that I couldn’t see at first. God has definitely been changing you! (this was followed by a lot of agreeing laughter from the other ladies).
Isn’t it neat to see the Word of God, and being faithful to love people make a difference!

[from Associate Executive Director, Benevolence, Steve Dunn’s report]
I had a man run up to me while I was at the back desk, asking me to help him get saved! He had such urgency in his voice that I bowed my head and led him in the sinner’s prayer. I saw him the next day and he said he never felt so good in all of his life. To God be the Glory.

[from Kings Kids Teacher Lisa Abel’s report]
Lisa has a boy in her class who has not heard a lot of the Bible stories. He is always excited when Lisa shares stories with the children. He remembered that Noah obeyed God. This was exciting for Lisa to know that the children listen.

Et Cetera
The Board of Directors (and others) have been challenging South Side Mission to expand our discipleship programs for the community. The Lord seems to be moving us in the direction of Bible Studies. They are exploding at South Side Mission. Did you know there are 15 Bible Studies each week at South Side Mission?
· Three in the New Promise Center shelter
· Alpha
· Benevolence Center
· Harrison Primary School
· Roosevelt Magnet School
· Trewyn Middle School
· Manual High School
· Three at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
· B’Nai B’Rith Senior Citizen housing
· South Side Manor Senior Citizen housing
· River West Satellite Office

Steve Dunn reports that at our Benevolence Center this year, we have recycled 339,724 pounds of overflow as of October 31, 2009 equaling $16,986 for the year. Our Cilco bill runs $1500 a month. If we paid our Cilco bill with our recycling efforts we would have $1986 left to put into the ministry!

We welcome Peter Nevi as a part-time driver. Some of you know Peter Nevi from his amazing testimony DVD that has been circulating around. It’s nice to have him on the team.

Twenty-Five Years

2009-10-22T13:53:00.000-07:00

Janet took a walk up the Laramie Street Hill this week on one of the few sunny days we've had.

It was the first sunny day of freedom she's had in 25 years.

You see, Janet paroled to South Side Mission from Dwight Correctional Center, where she'd spent the last 25 years.

A sunny day to walk up the hill and feel the breeze on her face, the sun on her skin, the autumn scent of burning leaves. It was a rich time for Janet.

Please say a prayer for Janet as she tries to re-start a life interrupted. We'll do our best to introduce her to a friend who can guide her in this journey-- a friend who will stick closer to her than a brother--the Lord Jesus Christ.

To Comfort Those Who Mourn

2009-10-13T12:44:00.000-07:00

"My child just died at the Hospital."

The out of town mother who visited our Mission Mart on Knoxville, not far from the Hospitals, was there to buy something to bury her child in. Shell-shocked, she needed something to wear to the funeral herself.

At times like this, our store staff forgets this is a store. Mission Mart becomes a place of ministry. Staffers Julie and Karen came to the aid of this shaken woman and did what they could to "comfort those who mourn" as Isaiah 61 says. We certainly provided the clothing that was necessary and appropriate--at no cost--as we should have at a time like that, but Julie and Karen took time to pray, too.

Ministry By the Numbers - September 2009

2009-10-07T06:32:00.000-07:00

A dapper Rev. Craig Williams visits a resident of his adopted block on Starr Street, offering a food basket and an encouraging word.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SEPTEMBER 2009

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
368

Average number of homeless women & children housed nightly
46

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
525

Attendance in our Sunday School, weekly
39

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
7

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
58

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
4

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
19

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
23

Kids enrolled in after-school tutoring
55

Churches involved with Adoptablock
13

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
577

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
9

College Club kids enrolled at ICC
14

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
49

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Study
9

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
40

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
275

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
8

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
42

Hot meals to the poor
7,888

FINANCIALS FROM SEPTEMBER 2009

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$229,268/$173,851

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$276,288/$229,629

Positive or Negative on the Month
- $47,020

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$1,900,888/$1,824,659

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$2,167,118/$2,208,606

Positive or Negative on the Year
- $266,230

How we’re doing versus budget
+ $117,717

The Lord has blossomed our pastoral care ministry. In September 2009, He allowed us to conduct 100 visits—58 in Elderly Services and 42 in Pastoral Care. We really are beginning to saturate 61605 with God’s love.

Fresh Fire Church of Canton has been reaping the harvest on their adopted block on the South Side. They are now doing a home bible study with 15 people in attendance!

Jamie, a resident in the New Promise Center came here from Davenport, Iowa because she was trying to escape an abusive situation. The man that she resided with constantly abused her and caused her to be hospitalized many times for various injuries. She finally had enough of it and checked herself into the hospital for a suicide attempt. They did not have room for her so they transferred her to Singer Mental Hospital in Rockford, IL. They in turn recommended the South Side Mission as a safe place that she could restart her life. When Jamie first arrived she was in tears most of the time and very afraid. She admitted that she had been diagnosed with HIV, but had stayed with her abuser because she believed that no one else would want her. She also did not have one family member that she even talked to because of the poor choices she had made in the past. On her intake paperwork she put down her abusers mother because she did not know of anyone else that we could call in an emergency. Jamie stayed here for seven weeks and faithfully attended all classes. She recommitted her life to God and began to read her bible. She received a certificate of confirmation for completing the discipleship class. In one of the meetings that we had she even joked "I might not have anyone for you to put down on paper in case of emergency but now I do have someone on my side, I have the Lord."

Alethia is one of the very positive role models for the ladies in the shelter. She has a bright employment future because she was able to complete a very comprehensive lead and asbestos training and get licensed by the state. Alethia took a leadership role in chapel on September 20th.. She got up to share a very powerful testimony of God keeping her through intense pain. She had difficulty getting through her testimony, but she was able to share some very hurtful parts of her life and declare, "I am still here!" She challenged the ladies at the end of her testimony to give it all over to God and if they had not given their heart to Christ to do so. The altar was filled with well over a dozen ladies. They had seen the change in Alethia and they knew it was genuine. This was a first—a resident giving an altar call!

Urban Sustainable Farming - The Wave of the Future

2009-10-01T12:48:00.000-07:00

As part of our Five-Year-Strategic-Plan, we are investigating beginning an urban sustainable farming program. South Side Mission would eventually grow its own vegetables, farm its own fish, and share each with others. Will Allen, a MacArthur Genius Grant winner and his Growing Power charity in Milwaukee, WI have an outstanding enterprise going that does just that. We will be visiting Growing Power later this month to see what we can learn from them. Watch this video and let me know what you think!

Ministry By the Numbers - August 2009

2009-09-14T08:37:00.000-07:00

Father and son fun! August 15, 2009 was the annual David Vaughan Investments Hike for Hunger to benefit the food programs of South Side Mission. Held at Forest Park Nature Center, the event raised more than $37,000 !

HIGHLIGHTS FROM AUGUST 2009

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
583

Average number of homeless women & children housed nightly
46

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
601

Attendance in our Sunday School, weekly
40

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
14

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
45

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
0

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
42

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
30

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
596

College Club kids enrolled at ICC
14

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
51

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Study
12

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
47

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
299

Number of churches involved with our Adoptablock program
17

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
66

Hot meals to the poor
8,150

FINANCIALS FROM AUGUST 2009

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$269,301/$178,851

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$229,258/$240,784

Positive or Negative on the Month
+ $40,043

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$1,671,658/$1,650,808

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$1,889,166/$1,978,977

Positive or Negative on the Year
- $217,508

How we’re doing versus budget
+ $110,661

August numbers were outstanding. Last year, $72,000 in contributions came in August. This year, $185,000. There is no way to explain this other than the Lord.

The Lord allowed us to meet a major ministry goal of the last seven years! In 2002, there was not a single Christian club meeting inside any District 150 public school in zip code 61605, Peoria’s south side. We thought that was unacceptable. So representatives from Youth for Christ, the Gideons, Child Evangelism Fellowship, and SSM started praying about and investigating a ministry to Manual High School. Since then God has opened the flood gates…

2003 Manual High before-school prayer meeting starts, operated by SSM
2005 Trewyn Middle School before school prayer meeting starts, operated by SSM
2005 Garfield Primary School before school prayer meeting starts, operated by CEF
2007 Tyng Primary School before school prayer meeting starts, operated by SSM
[in 2009, the District 150 school board closed Tyng Primary School]
2008 Harrison Primary School before school prayer meeting starts, operated by SSM
2009 Roosevelt Magnet School before school prayer meeting starts, operated by SSM

God did it! That’s all of them! Praise God, who "begins a good work and is faithful to complete it!"

Hope Builders major outreach week was August 10-14th. Hope Builders is South Side Mission’s effort to provide 36 homeowners this year with free, "big ticket" home repairs like roofs, siding jobs, remodeling, etc. It started out a joint project between South Side Mission and Metro Peoria Baptist Association. This year was the fifth year for Hope Builders. Now we have representatives from other churches join us, too.

Fifteen projects were completed the week of August 10-14. Roofs continue to be the over riding need. This year had the most roofs completed of any year to date. This year was also our highest number of volunteers, 141. Those volunteers came from 15 different churches. LS Building Products continues to be the primary donor of materials.

Case Manager Phyllis Jordan writes: Yvette, a former resident has held a job for nine months. This is the longest she has ever kept a job. She has reunited with her teenage daughter and they have a home and are doing well. Her daughter is an honor student and has learned to trust her mother again. She is grateful to SSM for allowing her to return when she was really down.

Recession? No way. Expansion!

2009-09-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

Matt Sommer, the guy you see in all those Mission Mart commercials, is our Associate Executive Director, Retail. Here he is completing another happy transaction at our Sterling Avenue store.

Hey! Did you hear that South Side Mission is opening another Mission Mart thrift store? It's true! But don't take our word for it.

Here's the story WEEK News 25 ran about Mission Mart Morton.

And here's what the Morton Times-News had to say about the store.

Mission Mart Morton will open October 1, 2009 in the Field Shopping Center in Morton, 2135 South Main Street.

Mission Mart is a ministry of South Side Mission in which anyone can get low-cost clothing, furniture, housewares, and appliances, sold in a Christian atmosphere and with a smile. All donations stay local. Yearly, Mission Marts provide more than $600,000 in revenue for South Side Mission.

Victory !

2009-09-03T11:59:00.001-07:00

Youth for Christ volunteer Scott Gore prays with three young men from Manual...

In 2002, there were no Christian clubs meeting inside any public school in zip code 61605, Peoria’s south side. We thought that represented a great opportunity for our Lord. So along with representatives from Youth for Christ, the Gideons, and Child Evangelism Fellowship, we began praying for a ministry to begin at Manual High School and then every public school in zip code 61605 thereafter. For a year, we prayed about it while our phone calls to administrators went unreturned.

Then the Lord broke through.

In October, out of the blue, we got a phone call from an administrator at Manual High School requesting our help beginning a chapel program for the school. This is just what we had prayed for. From then on, every Tuesday, representatives from South Side Mission, Youth for Christ and volunteer pastors conduct before and after school Bible studies and prayer meetings for interested students and staff.

In the photo above, Manual High School students are praying to ask Jesus into their hearts and lives at a Youth for Christ event in Colorado this summer. This is a culmination of seven years of prayer and outreach. God is good!

Jesus was not finished with just Manual, though. Two years later, He opened up Trewyn Middle School. Now we conduct a Wednesday morning Bible study and prayer time there each week. Our friends at Child Evangelism Fellowship got into the act, too, opening up Garfield Primary School the same year. Now they partner with Bethany Baptist Church to conduct an after school Good News Club for participating students on Thursdays. Last year, God provided an opportunity at Harrison Primary School, where we now operate a before-school Bible study and prayer meeting on Fridays. And this fall, the Lord completed the circle of Peoria public schools in 61605 by opening up Roosevelt Magnet School with a brand-new Thursday morning prayer meeting and Bible study.

“He who began a good work in 61605 is faithful to complete it!”

Great New Video on SSM Elderly Services

2009-09-03T09:55:00.000-07:00

There's a great new video about South Side Mission's Elderly Services Ministry. You can see it here.

Thank you to Mission volunteer Rick Burdette for his great work producing and donating the video!

Building Hope

2009-08-18T13:48:00.000-07:00

Volunteers from Northwoods Community Church, Woodland Baptist Church, and South Side Mission tear the roof off a house on Tonti Circle in Peoria last week. The group then put a new one on for a low-income homeowner as part of South Side Mission's Hope Builders.

Hope Builders, a South Side Mission program that gives free large repairs for low-income homeowners in the 61605 zip code, will do over 30 projects this year.

Last week was the program's major one week push in which Hope Builders volunteers completed 20 projects, including new roofs, siding, painting, and remodeling. All at no cost to the homeowner.

More than 75 volunteers from area churches converged to complete the jobs. LS Building Supply in East Peoria donated all of the materials--a more than $50,000 in-kind donation.

Why do we do this? Because when you put a new roof on someone's house that cannot afford it, it becomes very easy to tell them about Jesus!

Here's what the Peoria Journal Star had to say about the program...

Here's what WMBD-TV 31 had to say about the program...

Ministry By the Numbers - July 2009

2009-08-07T15:08:00.000-07:00

Beautiful and not often seen Lake Helen at the back end of South Side Mission's Camp Kearney, accessible by kayak.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM JULY 2009

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
557

Average number of homeless women & children housed nightly
46

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
596

Attendance in our Sunday School, weekly
51

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
29

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
46

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
1

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
35

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
22

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
701

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
51

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Study
21

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
44

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
324

Number of churches involved with our Adoptablock program
15

Attendance at our B’Nai B’Rith Bible Study
6

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
33

Kids enrolled at Camp Kearney
152

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
10

Hot meals to the poor
9,970

FINANCIALS FROM JULY 2009

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$241,739/$183,851

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$323,809/$315,952

Positive or Negative on the Month
-$82,069

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$1,402,356/$1,471,957

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$1,660,015/$1,738,193

Positive or Negative on the Year
- $257,659

Over or under budget on the year
$8,577 better than expected

We have several new records at the Benevolence Center. The poor economy is sending people to us in droves. We have a new record for food baskets given away at Benevolence Center with 701. We have a new record for families helped with clothing/furniture with 596 and a total number of people helped in one month at the BC with 1,297. Staggering.

The Board of Directors, Executive Committee, voted to approve Mission Mart Morton, to be housed in the Field Shopping Center, beginning in October 2009.

As part of our major push for more discipleship opportunities this year, we have added another Bible study for the community. This one in the B’Nai B’Rith senior citizen apartments. We have another in the South Side Manor senior citizen apartments, one at Harrison Homes and one at RiverWest.

Bickford House, one of the nicest retirement homes out there, now employs LaAngela Poynter, who has assumed the Head Chef position there. She, in turn, hired Daurice Figgers and Lena Mogged. All three are alums of the Culinary Arts Training School of South Side Mission. Also, Anthony Jones, an alum of CATS who was featured in our latest SSM newsletter has hired on with Embassy Suites. Praise God!

One evening at our Sterling Ave. Mission Mart, a customer literally yelled at two of our part time gals, with such force and intimidation that our staffers had to call the police. Fortunately, the Holy Spirit took command of the situation and it defused itself. Later that week, God touched this customer’s heart, and she came back and asked for forgiveness. Excellent!

“Otis” is one of Leanne Sommer’s favorite customers at the Knoxville Ave. store. Otis usually has a smell about him and very little money. But we serve him anyway. Leanne just happens to have a half price sale-every time he is there. He is too proud to take things free. Awesome!

“Marilyn” had become addicted to crack and she wanted to be set free. So she did something radical and walked up to a police officer and handed her drugs to him. She told him she wanted to be free from the chains that bound her. The police officer did not arrest her, but instead decided to help her. He helped her find us at the Benevolence Center. Marilyn talked with us at the BC, and gave her heart to Christ. At the time of this writing, she is fourteen days clean and is in the process of getting her children back.

Thanks for all you do to help those we serve. Drop me a line anytime to tell me what you think of this report. If you’d ever like a VIP tour of our ministry, let me know. Thanks!

In Christ,

Phil Newton, Executive Director

Resource Guide for Local Community Assistance

2009-07-29T07:38:00.000-07:00

A friend helped by South Side Mission elderly services poses outside her south side home.

Are you looking for a handy guidebook that will tell you where to find local help for people who have needs like dental assistance, emergency day care, free home repairs and more?

Then be sure to check out our Community Resource Guide . This handy reference will help you find assistance for those you encounter with acute needs.

The organizations listed under each category were chosen in this manner:

They have an evangelical witness or if they are not, then
They are a Christian organization or if they are not, then
They are leaders in their respective field of expertise or if they are not, then
They are most appropriate for citizens of the south side or if they are not, then
They are appropriate for citizens in other areas.

This is a dynamic listing. If you are aware of other resources, please email us or comment in the comments section of this blog entry so that we can add them.

Special thanks to South Side Mission Associate Executive Director, Development, Meg Newell for her work on this project.

Clothing the naked

2009-07-27T14:13:00.000-07:00

The corner of Western Avenue and Martin Luther King Drive on the south side of Peoria.

South Side Mission Associate Executive Director, Youth, Sheree Lyles was driving a van full of Day Camp kids back to the Mission from a swimming outing about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. What they encountered at the corner of Western Avenue and Martin Luther King Drive shocked Sheree and filled her with pity and dismay.

There, on the sidewalk, was a woman who had just been brutally assaulted. She had been beaten up badly. The thug tradition dictates that when two women fight, the victor tries to strip the loser and leave her naked and bloodied. This poor, wretched lady bore the marks of a beating and was naked from the waist up. In broad daylight. At the corner of a busy intersection on the south side of Peoria. As Sheree rolled down her window, she could hear the jeers and wolf whistles of passers by.

Sheree knew she had to help the helpless, compromised woman there before her, but with a vanful of kids, her options were limited. Sheree immediately pulled over and asked the woman how she could help her. The police were called, help was on the way. Sheree fished around in the van to see if there were any clothing for this pitiful woman. Miraculously, there just happened to be a jacket in the van that fit our new friend well enough. Sheree was able to get the woman calmed down and to see that her injuries were not life threatening.

Isaiah 58, verses 6 through 14 is a very good picture of what goes on at South Side Mission. If you look at the ways the Lord describes "true fasting," these are the activities in which we occupy ourselves. Except we don't often have a chance to truly clothe the naked. Until last week.

Please pray for our new friend, for restoration of her health, her reputation, and her self-esteem. Most importantly for her soul. Please also pray for zip code 61605, the south side of Peoria, as together we help to push back the darkness and lead others to the Light.

Isaiah 58:6-14, from the NIV with thanks to Bible Gateway.com

6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?

7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness [a] will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
"If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,

10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.

11 The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.

12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

13 "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the LORD's holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,

14 then you will find your joy in the LORD,
and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land
and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob."
The mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Our pantry shelves are getting low!

2009-07-17T07:34:00.001-07:00

Bags of food are witnesses of God's love in several ways at South Side Mission's Benevolence Center!

Serving record numbers of poor people through our three food pantries has left our shelves bare.

At the Benevolence Center 2919 W. Garden, our Harrison Homes housing project satellite office, and our RiverWest housing project satellite office, the poor can come and get a free food basket once a month.

Food baskets are designed to help a family make it through to the next paycheck. A food basket includes at least 5 pounds of meat, a bag of nonperishable food items, fresh vegetables, dairy products, and bread.

If you'd like to donate, these items are in especially short supply...

Cans of soup
Cans of beef stew, spaghetti-os, chicken & dumplings, and other "meals in a can" products
Canned vegetables
Pasta or macaroni & cheese
One pound frozen packages of ground beef

Items can be donated at the Benevolence Center at 2919 W. Garden in Peoria, Monday through Saturday from 6:30 to 3 pm or at 1127 S. Laramie 24 hours a day.

Thanks!

Ministry By the Numbers - June 2009

2009-07-08T07:10:00.001-07:00

The Altar Call at the South Side Mission RiverWest Housing Project outreach picnic on 6/28/09. Many came to faith!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM JUNE 2009

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
551

Average number of homeless women & children housed nightly
53

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
476

Attendance in our Sunday School, weekly
44

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
24

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
67

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
6

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
25

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
23

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
449

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
41

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Study
12

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
34

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
231

Number of churches involved with our Adoptablock program
15

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
50

Kids enrolled at Camp Kearney
206

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
10

Hot meals to the poor
9,130

FINANCIALS FROM JUNE 2009

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$167,543/$183,851

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$244,258/$247,859

Positive or Negative on the Month
-$76,716

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$1,160.626/$1,288,106

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$1,337,291/$1,422,241

Positive or Negative on the Year
- $176,665

Over or under budget on the year
- $42,530

Indicated decisions for Christ 551

The Holy Spirit continues his amazing winning streak on the south side of Peoria! This is one of those months when every department sees someone come to the Lord! At our RiverWest Satellite Office community outreach picnic 45 souls came to Christ! At our Harrison Homes Satellite Office, two more stamped their ticket to heaven paid in full! Eight attenders of our Mission at Prayer meetings stepped across the line of faith! One homeowner received free home repairs and Salvation through Jesus Christ in our Hope Builders program! One person came for lunch and left with Jesus at our Lighthouse Diner soup kitchen! Ten lonely souls found their Forever Friend in our Laramie Street chapel! Two homeless ladies made reservations for their Heavenly Home in the New Promise Center shelter! One person on our adopted blocks became adopted into the Lord’s family! Two senior citizens crossed the Finish Line before they crossed the finish line! Jesus loves the little children and 183 of them made a decision at Camp Kearney in June! Lastly, over 900 people came through the doors of our Benevolence Center in June with 296 of them raising their hand to ask Jesus into their hearts and lives. Hallelujah! May the Lord be with us as we attempt to disciple all we can get to.

Camp Kearney is off to a tremendous start in 2009. Most weeks, we are already full on paper. This is a huge step for us. We are seeing numbers at camp that are unprecedented in my nearly 7 years here. Camp Director Paul Mulholland and his staff have put together a great recruitment plan and it is paying off. He is a gem!

Did you know that we now have 5 clergy at South Side Mission that make pastoral care visits? Reverends Frank Winfrey, Howard Bedell, Craig Williams, Linda Butler, and Bessie Rush all do home and hospital visits with the hurting. Additionally, Robin Winfrey does home and hospital visits with the elderly. Together, the six of them conducted 117 different visits in June. Thank you God!

You may have seen news of a fire at South Side Mission this past month. It was a small fire, but it was arson. Because it was arson, it made the papers. Vandals burned the door of one of our storage sheds. Not long after the fire started, a neighbor noticed and called the fire department. Gratefully, the security was not breached and we lost nothing inside the shed.

External Ministries received a call from a precious senior in 61605, whose husband is in a nursing home. Her request was for a wheel chair ramp so that he could come home for weekend visits. Minister Bessie Rush was able to connect her to City of Peoria and assist with filling out her application to see if she qualifies for city services. With-out the ramp he could not come home! With-in a week she was notified that she was going to receive the wheel chair ramp! Then the windows of heaven open! Not only did she receive the ramp, she received new front stairs, new sidewalks, and Hope Builders also painted the outside of her house! She is so overwhelm with joy at how everything happen so quickly. Now this family can be together! How is that for family preservation!

[from Assistant Executive Director and Senior Pastor Frank Winfrey’s report]
The Lord allowed us to experience a beautiful visitation of his spirit even in the midst of tragedy. We lost a baby born prematurely in our shelter for the second time in six weeks. God met us in a powerful way. The ladies in the shelter rallied around this mom and loved on her and cried with her. The family was impressed by the support that she received. At the funeral we were able to involve the ladies in reading Scripture and reading a poem. Most all of them added a few words of their own. God ministered through so many and we were so pleased to see God moving and helping to heal as the body had each individual doing their part. God has built a family here. PTL.

[from Director of Elderly Services Robin Winfrey’s report]
I visited an elderly gentleman in the Harrison Homes who suffered two strokes in the past. The residual effect was extreme left sided weakness. His couch was completely kaput on the left side from him using the arm of the couch to lift himself up; he was literally sitting on the floor with a few inches of couch beneath him. I told Lewis I was going to pray we get a nice couch for his home to replace the broken one. He agreed to pray with me, his daughter was also there and said she would pray too. One Friday Dorothy called me at home from the BC and said she had a beautiful, sturdy couch with a matching chair delivered that afternoon and if I could get it moved early Monday morning my gentleman could have it. I got to the BC as early as I could that next Monday but someone had already seen it and begged Dorothy to give it to her for her dad. Dorothy told her if I hadn’t moved it before chapel was out the woman could have it. I arrived and quickly moved it leaving Dorothy dreading having to tell Cecilia that it was taken while she was in chapel. Lewis was thrilled to have the new couch. He was amazed how beautiful and like new it was. I was sweeping and cleaning the floor before bringing the new couch in. Lewis said let me call my son-in-law to come over and help bring in the couch. He had to leave a message on the cell phone and when he called back I saw the caller ID showed South Side Mission BC. Lewis’s daughter was there with her husband, the very same women begging for the couch from Dorothy!!! They came right over and said we wanted the couch but had no way to get it home. God saved it for Lewis and moved it into the house for him!

I got a call from a daughter of a resident at the Heartland apartments. Her mom was renting a bed from a rent-a-center type of place on a monthly basis. The bed wasn’t very nice and her mom couldn’t afford the monthly payments. She has already called the BC the day before and we had no beds. I told her that often there won’t be an item at the BC until we know about the need. Then the Lord miraculously supplies it. I told her I would stop back at the BC to see if the Lord had come through. So I later went to the BC and reminded Steve of the earlier call and explained the need. Steve said, “Mark just brought it in, Robin.” I looked and saw a magnificent queen size bed complete with headboard, Sealy posturpedic plush pillow top mattress- frame and all. I said, “Honestly Steve that is too nice, we could get a good price for that at the Mission Mart.” Steve said, “I know, I already told Mark that but he said the Lord had told Mark that the bed was to bless someone who needed a bed. So here’s your bed.” Then he yelled to Mark who was just getting back into the truck “you’re right God wanted to bless a senior!” Jehovah Jireh!

[from External Ministries Assistant Reverend Bessie Rush’s report]

A senior citizen, Annie Hously, 80 years old (who has health problems), only had lawn chairs to sit on in her living room. External Ministries was able to get her a nice sofa and a chair for her Harrison Homes apartment. She was so grateful that we help her!

Paula's Funeral Arrangements

2009-07-06T09:21:00.000-07:00

Paula Berry passed away the morning of the fourth. Paula was the wife of South Side Mission board member Tony Berry and was a huge part of what goes on at the Mission. Please pray for Tony and the South Side Mission family. She was a strong believer, leading many kids to faith in Christ. She is receiving her substantial reward from our Savior. Well done, my friend.

Her arrangements are as follows:

On Wednesday, July 8th...

10:30 to noon Visitiation at South Side Mission chapel 1127 S. Laramie Peoria IL 61605

Noon Celebration Service at South Side Mission chapel followed by a procession to the cemetery. Then we will meet back at the Mission for lunch in the auxiliary dining room.

Help For the Poor is Growing!

2009-07-01T13:03:00.000-07:00

Our new garden on Garden Street (actually the corner of Garden and Idaho) at our Benevolence Center warehouse in Peoria.

I can't believe this didn't occur to us earlier.

After years of relying upon farmers, gardeners, and grocery stores to give us their surplus produce and being chronically short, our Benevolence Center warehouse that helps the poor became a gardener this year. This way, our own garden can begin supplementing our produce supply.

Director Steve Dunn prayed about it and the Lord sent people with plants, hoes, and know-how. The Lord supplied the water. There's a reason He is called the Lord of the Harvest!

We are having an interesting problem, though. What do we do if people in the neighborhood take the produce off the vines before we harvest them to give to these same neighborhood people? We considered a fence, but doesn't that defeat the purpose? We will just trust that the produce gets to the people it's meant to, either through the proper or improper channels!

The State Budget Crunch - How Are We Affected?

2009-06-30T12:49:00.000-07:00

Our good friend Minnie looks for a loaf of bread at South Side Mission's Benevolence Center, 2919 W. Garden Street.

South Side Mission does not accept nor do we desire government funding.

The Lord has done a great job over the years of seeing to it that He will meet all of our needs and some of our wants as well. Furthermore, government funding comes with strings that keep highly-Christian organizations from being assertive with the Gospel. As such, we want to keep being faithful to our Mission statement, which reads "to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ to the poor and in His name to love, feed, house, clothe, and teach all those He sends to us."

So, the budget crunch in the state of Illinois does not affect our funding.

However, it does affect the people that we serve. If there's less government assistance going to the poorest of the poor, the people we serve most often, we may have to step up and provide more assistance to them.

We are already serving record numbers of poor people this year. Our Benevolence Ministry, last year at this time, was helping 800 to 900 families a month with free food or housewares. Now we are serving 1,000 to 1,100. But the Lord has responded in kind. Our pantry shelves have not been empty all year. Thanks be to God.

As SSM Board Member Danny Schell says, "the Lord kept the doors open yesterday. We'll trust Him for today, too."

South Side Mission in the News - Ropes Course at Camp Kearney

2009-06-29T06:04:00.000-07:00

South Side Mission Executive Director Phil Newton holds on for dear life, 40 feet up on the new High Elements Ropes Course at South Side Mission's Camp Kearney.

We held the official "rope cutting" to dedicate our new High Elements Ropes Course at Camp Kearney, yesterday. We invited many of our closest friends, namely the kids in the Mission's Sunday School and the ladies in our shelter (and their kids) to come out for the day. They enjoyed a picnic, swimming, and a chance to climb the "rock wall" portion of the ropes course. The Lord smiled upon us with beautiful weather.

The Peoria Journal Star covered the event, but we couldn't convince a reporter to try it!

South Side Mission in the News - Satellite Office

2009-06-29T05:41:00.000-07:00

Another satisfied customer of our RiverWest housing project satellite office! Over her left shoulder, you can see Rev. Spencer Gibson's Integrity Gospel Choir performing at our outreach picnic in the housing project, held June 20th.

The local NBC station thought the event was newsworthy enough to merit coverage. Here's
WEEK-TV 25's story on our RiverWest housing project satellite office.

Great day on Adoptablock today

2009-06-27T17:23:00.000-07:00

Volunteers from Northwoods Community Church complete a Hope Builders project on Malone Street.

The Word says "How good and pleasant it is when brethren dwell together in unity."

In our chapel this morning, we had representatives from 7 churches praising God together and then rolling up their sleeves and going out to their respective, adopted blocks.

- St. Mark's
- Richwoods Christian Church
- Woodland Baptist
- New Hope International Ministries
- New Testament Fellowship
- Bethany Baptist
- Northwoods Community Church

These warriors went out in 90 plus heat to prayer walk blocks, clean up garbage, pray with residents, find out who needs furniture or food, and to be The Church.

South Side Mission Board Member and Adoptablocker Harold Booze, from Woodland Baptist tells us that someone on their adopted blocks accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior today! Hallelujah!

On Malone Street, one of the residents got some free painting done on the back of her house. On Kettelle Street, another got some work done on her house, too.

Send us more workers Lord! This harvest is plentiful!

Your Generosity Extends a Long Way

2009-06-24T06:21:00.000-07:00

Through our Benevolence Center, we are able to distribute free clothing to 500 families a month. Also, our three Mission Mart thrift stores sell clothing at low cost to help fund our programs. Even with these ways of providing clothing, we still are blessed to have left over good articles of clothing.

Because the Lord has blessed us, we, in turn, bless other ministries, sometimes in far away places. Over the years, we have sent many articles of clothing to countries in Africa and South America. Recently, we had a chance to partner with a ministry that works with the Navaho.

Missionaries Marvin & Chrisanne Burr sent us the photo you see above of kids who benefited from the clothing.

They write, "It would have warmed your hearts if you would have seen the ladies hurrying to get through and take the clothes. These economic times are hurting everyone. They are very grateful for the clothes and hope more will come in the future. Your generosity has helped us build a strong bridge with many Navaho people. We are there to encourage them. They, in turn, will minister to their own people in ways we cannot."

Thanks to the Burrs for their ministry and to you for supporting it through the Mission.

Are You Going Through a Desert?

2009-06-24T05:54:00.000-07:00

A number of you know that my wife and I have been going through a long foster care odyssey. Close to four years ago, Jilleen and I were asked to adopt a child of someone we knew of. As of the time of this writing, the adoption is still not final. We have endured a great deal of turnover in the parties in court, an appeal which started the process all over, and multiple other twists and turns in what should have been an open and shut case.

So, though this trial, I have been trying to figure out what God is up to.

Early on in the process, one of our clergy on staff mentioned to me that I appeared to be in a Moses season. So I began studying the Exodus story. I also read Henry Blackaby's Experiencing God. Through the Word and this book, I was able to see many parallels to what was going on in Jill and I's life and in the life of our foster child. But there were still some holes in my understanding.

Recently, the church I attend challenged us to take 7 weeks to dive into the story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50. I took the challenge and the Lord led me to further understanding.

I realize now that it is impossible to truly understand the Exodus story without learning the story of Jacob (Israel) and his son Joseph. The stories are intertwined.

Here's what I mean...

God did His nation-building of Israel not just in Exodus, but in the story of Joseph (and indeed Jacob, Israel's namesake).

God's people at the time of Joseph are basically one family, that of Jacob. It's hard to call one family a nation. Further, a great famine is coming, threatening to wipe out this family that could eventually become a nation. So what does God do? He brings them into captivity, which accomplishes the following...

- The family grows over the next 400 years into a nation of more than 1 million.
- The nation is fed consistently and has all its basic needs met.
- Their culture and faith has a chance to flourish.
- They eventually gain a homeland to call their own
- They emerge with a heritage and a story to tell
- They plunder Egypt on the way out

God did it in His timing, His way. While yes, the captivity was what we would consider awful, God used it as a means to an end. It's also a macro of the Joseph story. He was in captivity, but emerged with great favor, just like the Exodus story.

So as I look at Jill and I's story with our foster care odyssey, I believe the Lord is showing us something similar...

- This trial is building your family
- This trial is building your faith
- This trial is building a heritage and a story to tell in your family
- The Israelites' journey to the promised land was delayed by complaining. Don't delay your journey by doing the same.

And yes, God is doing it in His timing, His way. Yes the trial has been excruciating, but it is a means to an end. This is meaningful to me. God is showing Jilleen and I Romans 8:28 in action. All things work together for good.

I hope this helps you as well, in whatever desert your find yourself.

Ministry By the Numbers, May 2009

2009-06-10T09:44:00.001-07:00

South Side Mission Board members Reverend James Taylor (with microphone) and Reverend Bill Williams
(inred) fire up the crowd at an outreach picnic held outside the Mission's Harrison Homes Satellite Office.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM MAY 2009

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
388

Average number of homeless women & children housed nightly
48

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
461

Attendance in our Sunday School, weekly
42

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
12

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
57

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
4

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
21

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
16

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
467

College Club kids enrolled at ICC
14

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
38

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Study
10

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
47

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
232

Number of churches involved with our Adoptablock program
15

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
29

Kids enrolled in after-school tutoring
75

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
10

Hot meals to the poor
6,507

FINANCIALS FROM MAY 2009

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$215,096/$243,851

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$234,596/$248,667

Positive or Negative on the Month
-$19,500

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$993,083/$1,104,255

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$1,093,634/$1,174,382

Positive or Negative on the Year
- $100,551

Over or under budget on the year
- $30,424

The year 2009 is an odd one, financially, though not too terribly bad, praise God. We are off budget by $30,424 on the year so far, about 1%. Although revenues this year are down significantly, thankfully, Crystal and her team have done an excellent job on keeping expenses down this year as well.
Chef Chris was thrilled to see a massive donation from Dixon’s Seafood—420 pounds of Sashimi-grade Yellowfin Tuna. We’ve been enjoying Sushi here at the Lighthouse on Laramie!

Ward Chapel AME is our newest and 15th Adoptablock church!

In our New Promise Center shelter for homeless women and children this month we had 6 different ladies expecting babies. People sometimes forget that we are most certainly a crisis pregnancy shelter, too.

[from Associate Executive Director, Youth, Sheree Lyles’ monthly report]

“Marcus” was a troubled young man who attended our Older Boys Club at the Mission. At times, he would try to live his life the right way. But at other times, he would stray and get into sex and drugs. Sadly, Marcus’ dark side began winning. He recently hooked up with a gang and became a “mule” for them. A mule is someone who traffics drugs from one city to another. His friends who also attend our Older Boys Club let us know what was going on. One Thursday night last month, at Older Boys Club, Marcus let it be known that the next day he was going to be heading up to Chicago, but kept his business to himself. SSM Breakout Youth Center Director Larry Thomas knew what was going on and tried to convince Marcus not to go. Tragically, Marcus did go. He did not return from Chicago as he lost control of his vehicle on the interstate and perished. Marcus’ death, while engineered by Satan, has borne some fruit from the Lord. Life is fleeting and death is certain. Marcus’s passing got the attention of the boys in our Older Boys Club. Four young people in the Youth Department gave their hearts to Christ in May.

Jeanette moved out successfully from our shelter about a year ago and then was hit by the tragic death of her sister who was her rock. She was not able to maintain her job and her roommate situation fell through. She is one of the very positive role models for the ladies in the shelter. Jeanette just completed some training to become a lead and asbestos inspector and got licensed by the state. The Lord continues to grow her and she sees God sustaining her and giving her new blessings. Her contacts in the state office told her that she would be placed in the supervisor track for further training. She thought she would be simply working as a tech, but God had other ideas. He elevates those who are His. We are so proud of Jeanette.