A look on the ‘inside’ when ministering to hundreds of men daily

In the men’s ministries here at City Union Mission we are blessed with the golden opportunity to discuss the very essence of life with our guests.  Remarkable things happen daily and testimonies come in with men telling of transformations in their lives.

Once men get on with life as a disciple of Christ we then attempt to help them become productive citizens in their chosen churches and places of employment.  The many churches that volunteer to present Christ here at the Mission often receive the men back into their fellowships.  That is about as healthy a transfer as is possible. 

They also need to work their way back into providing for their needs and preparing to help others who can’t help themselves (Ephesians 4:28).  To help with this we have two full time and one part time staff members whose administrative purpose is to lead clients into the working world.  They use the typical tools of resume writing, internet search engines to locate openings, interviewing skills etc., but the real key they provide lies is at a different level. 

They must understand that all of life works out right when Christ is the center of their lives.  If that is right, the world, including their work-world, works out right.  God is God and He is faithful and true.  Second, they must create a real workable job search plan and stick with it.  Third, they must maintain sobriety. 

There are lots of employment tools, but none so potent as applying the Word of Truth which the Holy Spirit will use in their lives. 

(Post submitted by Gary Mountz, Director of Men's Ministries at City Union Mission)

Thank You!

The Mission is appreciative of friends like the Frontier Trails Middle School K-Club who recently held a Toilet Paper Drive to benefit the Misison.  The school collected 673 rolls of toilet paper!

Also, the Junior Youth Group, from Hope Lutheran Church in Shawnee, sponsored a  Food Drive for the Mission collecting 900 pounds of various food items! Pamela Webb, the Jr. Youth Leader, said that the group will also be collecting towels, washcloths and twin size sheets after Christmas to give to the Mission.

We appreciate groups such as these that demonstrate a giving spirit in partnering with the Mission to provide for those that stay at our shelters.  Thank you for having a Heart for the Homeless!

The Irony of the Christian Life Program

The irony of a Christian recovery program is that it exists for men who have been living unmanaged and uncontrolled lives, driven primarily by selfish, destructive choices and addictive behaviors. Within 6 hours of their walking into the Christian Life Center for their 12-14 month long program, they are asked to live unselfishly in Christian community with other men like themselves – 40 to 80 uncontrolled and unmanaged men – treating God and each other according to the biblical commands “Love God” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” That is irony – an outcome contrary to what you would expect to happen.

Thinking that a man is going to make those radical changes and choices instantly is a real stretch . . . a tall order. But guess what? That is what Jesus calls us to believe . . . that He is capable of bringing about those kinds of miraculous changes and transformations. Jesus may choose to do it instantly, quickly, or over time. Either way, the change is miraculous.

Do rules and self-discipline bring about those changes? Absolutely not. But beneficial rules and self-discipline create an environment of mutual respect where a self-centered man can begin to see how much he resents having to be subject to the control of others. When a man begins to acknowledge he hates the control of others in his life, but also admits neither can he control himself to do the right thing, that puts him in a great place to learn . . . . humbling. And humbling brings grace.

Freedom is not the absence of constraints. A person will always be controlled by somebody. Freedom is the choice to determine who he will allow to control him. Jesus promises He is a good and benevolent King, and that He will come and live in the inner being of the unmanaged man who is seeking self-control . . . inner governing and constraints. Why not choose to let Jesus bring the internal, self-governing that the unmanaged, uncontrolled man has been looking for?

Sometimes it’s fun and adventurous to be a part of something ironic!

(Contributed by Bret Kroh - Assistant Administrator to our Christian Life Program)

Volunteer Opportunities

With the holidays just on the horizon, our need for volunteers increases. Our Family Center is in need of volunteers to help schedule appointments for the Christmas Store, as well as doing some follow-up data entry. These volunteers will need to be available Mon-Fri, 9am - 4pm and beginning November 28th.

Each year we have a Live Nativity that runs the week before Christmas, however, this year the animals are not available. We are in need of individuals to put together the nativity set, as well as volunteers who can donate plywood that will be cut and painted as the animal shapes.

 

We receive donations of many vacuum cleaners through our thrift stores, however often times they are not in good working order.  We are in need of a volunteer who can look these over and make repairs as required.

 

If you can assist with any of these important volunteer opportunities, please contact Tammy at 816-329-1487. Thank you for your care and concern of those we serve!

Community Assistance - Holiday assistance will be available soon!

The Mission's Community Assistance group continues to be busy helping families with clothing, household needs, food, and furniture.  Beginning in  November, Women and families may apply for Thanksgiving food baskets. 

In addition, women and families who are seeking Christmas assistance may pick up an inquiry form for Christmas Store assistance NOW! 

The inquiry forms are available at Community Assistance at the Family Center at 1310 Wabash, during the Community Assistance hours of 1pm to 3pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons.

Christian Life Program News

A few weeks ago, 13 men from our city-side Christian Life Program (CLP) traveled to the Opportunity Farm CLP program near Warsaw, Missouri for a 2-1/2 day retreat with staff and clients from both programs.

The retreat was an opportunity for the men to take a break from their normal routines and to enjoy the beauty of the country setting. There was time for hiking, fishing, games and recreation, team building activities, spiritual encouragement and fellowship.

Program staff led discussions on the topic of God's standards for sexuality, explaining what God expects of a man who claims to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Many of the men expressed appreciation for the chance to talk about this topic in a godly and safe context. Biblical sexuality should always be understood in the context of God's unselfish and unconditional love, a lifestyle that rises far above the portrayal of sexuality by society and the media.

Stories from Family Shelter Staff

There was a young lady who came into our Family Shelter because of a unique situation.  She attends college in Chicago, but was in town visiting family.  While she was here the family member she had come to visit had a death in the family. She came to the our shelter because she had run out of family members she could stay with while waiting to go back to school. She stayed for two weeks then went back to school to finish her education to become a doctor.  Each situation is different and not always what most people expect of those we serve.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

I was reminded this month how important it is to catch a client when they relapse. When a pattern of failure, dysfunction, or addiction has been the rule, it generally is not reversed in just 30 days, so it seems best to not be surprised by failure. Providing the opportunity to feel the weight of the sin is important. However, being willing to not let the client completely shipwreck also is important. "K" is feeling the consequences of heavy sin, but is being offered grace by her parole officer and her mission family as she is paying the price for her behavior. God calls His rescuers to live like the Great Rescuer.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

At times, we ourselves need encouragement. One day I came into work, and I was pretty down. I was struggling with something in my own life that was discouraging me. Later that day I was speaking with one of the clients, and she reminded me of the same verses I had shared with her when she was struggling with a similar problem. I'm glad to see some things I have told to clients is sticking. Not only was she able to recall the encouragement I gave her, but she encouraged me when I was not doing well myself.