Congratulations Pam T.

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

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

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

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

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.