Ministry By the Numbers - September 2011

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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