Contents
GREAT THANKSGIVING
BANQUET UPDATE
After much planning and anticipation, The Great
Thanksgiving Banquet is upon us. As we go to print, 161 member missions have signed on
to participate in the national event. GTB banners, hats, aprons and T-shirts are on their
way to help promote the national aspect of each local mission celebration. This is the
first time our member missions have participated in a national event of this size. From
the estimates of our members, we anticipate that IUGM member ministries will provide more
than 175,000 Thanksgiving meals this year.
Thanksgiving week will kick-off with our Great Thanksgiving
Banquet national press conference at New York City Rescue Mission on November 22. Miss America 2000, Heather Renee French, the GTB Honorary
Chairwoman, will be there to help shine the national spotlight on the work of rescue
missions.
Participating missions are coming up with creative ways to
encourage community involvement in the event. Springfield (MO) Victory Mission used the
GTB logo to sponsor a coloring contest for local children. Contest entries will be used to
decorate the banquet facility. Participating missions in Western Michigan have joined
together secure the Grand Center in Grand Rapids for the banquet. This will help
demonstrate the cooperation of local missions in the event. Salt Lake City Mission is
holding their banquet at the Delta Center, with members of the Utah Jazz on hand to
help serve.
Across the country mayors, members of Congress, Senators,
Governors, and other local dignitaries are lending their support to the Great Thanksgiving
Banquet as local honorary chairpersons. The momentum of the event is building. We
anticipate a tremendous report from our participating rescue missions across the country
who are hosting the initial Great Thanksgiving Banquet.
IUGM Regional Conferences
IUGM Regional Conferences became a reality in 1999! For the
first time, there has been a coordinated effort to bring quality training on a
"regional" basis throughout North America. The intent of the conferences is to
offer quality training, opportunities for networking, and fellowship at a cost designed to
allow for maximum involvement of mission staff. Historically, theWest Coast Training
School and the Tri-District Conference in the northeast part of the country have paved the
way for the Regionals. The concepts developed through these meetings will be used as we
plan for the next round in the fall of 2000.
One of our goals is to use the Regional Conferences for the
training of all levels of mission staff. Many missions would like to send the people
involved in "front line" ministry to the annual IUGM Convention, but are not
able because of budget restrictions. Cost of Regional Conferences is about one-third that
of the Convention. Ideally, missions will be able to send staff members to regional
meetings that might never make it to an annual Convention.
- The 1999 West Coast Training School (WCTS) was held
September 16 - 19. Jeff Gilman, the Dean of the WCTS, and his committee planned this
event, which was hosted by Herb Pfiffner and the Union Gospel Mission, Seattle. 240 people
were in attendance.
- In Atlanta, the Southern Region Training Conference was held
on September 23 _ 26. David Coleman and the Atlanta Union Mission acted as host for the
conference with 120 registrants attending.
- The Central Region Conference was in Kansas City. 104 people
attended during the weekend. City Union Mission of Kansas City worked closely with staff
at the IUGM office to provide services and resources for attendees.
- The East Region Conference was held at Schroon Lake, NY with
160 people in attendance. Overall, 600 people took advantage of regional training events,
representing 135 organizations throughout the United States and Canada.
This year's seminars were set in tracks determined by the
WCTS, which included Shelter Ministries, Development, Outreach Ministries, Human
Resources, and Strategic Planning. As Regional Conferences continue to be developed, one
goal is to have similar workshops between each Region. This will allow training to be
presented in a "standardized" format each year. It will also encourage those who
may not be able to attend within their own Region to go to another Region's Conference. In
all, 75 seminars were presented this year by over 60 individuals.
General session speakers included everything from
nationally known speakers and authors to individuals from the IUGM family:
- IUGM President, Malcolm Lee, spoke in Seattle, Kansas City,
and Schroon Lake on "The Miracle of Rescue."
- Steve Burger, Executive Director of the IUGM, spoke on
"The Future of Rescue" in Seattle, Atlanta, and Kansas City.
- Raymond Causey, Chairman of the Urban Family Conference
(Atlanta)
- Jorge Valdes, former drug lord, now an adjunct professor at
Wheaton College and author (Atlanta)
- Dr. Grace Ketterman, Christian author and Psychiatrist
(Kansas City)
- George Bittner, Vice President of The Greater Kansas City
Community Foundation
- Chasz Parker, Executive Director of the Rescue Mission
Alliance of Syracuse, NY
- Dick McMillen, member of the IUGM Board of Trustees and
Executive Director of the Water Street Rescue Mission in Lancaster, PA;
- Rev. Ken Mullis of Birmingham, England. Music and praise was
a significant part of each conference.
Singing was led by Gary Fast and Michael Irving in Seattle,
Frank Jacobs in Atlanta, Phil Rydman in Kansas City, and Joe and Margaret Sweigard at
Schroon Lake.
Fun events were also a part of each conference. Union
Gospel Mission in Seattle invited everyone to beautiful Safeco Field to watch the Seattle
Mariners play baseball. On the final day of the conference, tours were conducted of the
different Mission centers. The day ended with a performance by Taproot Theatre. Conference
attendees in Atlanta spent the afternoon at World of Coca Cola and Underground Atlanta,
followed by a tour of Atlanta Union Mission's Carpenter House, a great
"Southern" banquet (sponsored by the Mission), and a general session with Jorge
Valdes. The Central Regional Conference ended with a visit to Missouri Town, 1855 Crafts
Festival and a Kansas City barbecue. The East Region enjoyed a beautiful afternoon in the
Adirondacks, with many availing themselves of a boat tour of Schroon Lake.
As we move ahead with Regional Conferences we want to make
sure that we focus on areas of concern for mission staff. If you have workshop topics that
you would like to have addressed, or if you have a workshop that you would like to
present, please let us know. A "speakers' bureau" list is one way we are using
to help develop quality programs in the Conferences. In order for these meetings to be a
success, they must have value for those who attend and for the missions that send them.
General Happenings
- John F. Kennedy Jr. loss hits close to New York City
Rescue Mission John F. Kennedy, Jr. and his wife Caroline made their home
in a converted loft building just several blocks from the NEW YORK CITY RESCUE MISSION.
John would casually stop by the mission to drop off his used business suits and other
attire to be given to the homeless. Those visits will be remembered by the staff of the
mission.
- UNION GOSPEL MISSION, Salem, OR has announced a $4 million
expansion, which will include closing the old mission and building a new one on the site
of the mission's thrift store, five blocks north of the present facility. It will also
include a two-story addition to Simonka House, the mission's facility for women with
children. That work will begin in the spring, with the new mission construction scheduled
for 2001. The mission has raised $400,000 toward the capital improvement program according
to Executive Director Tom Zobel.
- VISALIA (CA) RESCUE MISSION opened a new facility for men in
their Discipleship Re-entry Program. Named the Vogt House in honor of the donors, the
facility will be able to house 28-30 program men in 14 bedrooms.
- MERCED (CA) RESCUE MISSION is constructing a new facility
adjacent to their present 1904 building. It is 4,872 square feet, with kitchen and dining
room, and quarters for 28 men. The original building was formerly an eleven-unit apartment
house, so this new space will be of great value.
- David Treadwell, Executive Director, CENTRAL UNION MISSION,
Washington, DC is the front page "poster" fellow in the October 21, 1999 issue
of The Chronicle of Philanthropy in an article titled Moving Off the Dime.
The article points out that Americans have never given more than 2.6 percent of their
annual incomes to charity (including churches), and now give 1.6 percent. This article
shares plans on the part of President Clinton to hold a White House Conference on
Philanthropy. David Treadwell is quoted in several places in the article.
- Lorean Bradrick has moved to Roanoke, VA to "be close
to my daugther." Her new address is 101 Springbeauty Street, Apt 313, Roanoke, VA
24012. She and husband LeRoy served for many years at the DENVER (CO) RESCUE MISSION.
- Jorge Valdes, Executive Director of Coming Clean Ministries,
and former head of the Medellin drug cartel in the U.S., will be keynote speaker at the
IUGM Orlando Convention, on Saturday, May 27, 2000. Jorge, a native of Cuba, earned a
Bachelor's degree in Bible from Southeastern Bible College while serving time in federal
prison. He received his Master's degree from Wheaton College after his release, and earned
his Ph.D. in New Testament Studies from Loyola University. He served as an adjunct
professor at Wheaton before moving to Atlanta to start his new ministry. His life story,
titled Coming Clean, has just been published by WaterBrook Press, a division of
Random House.
- Legal Aid - The Pepperdine Legal Aid Clinic is
now open. This is a partnership between UNION RESCUE MISSION, Los Angeles, and Pepperdine
School of Law. The partnership has been established to offer free legal assistance to
L.A.'s homeless population. Over 80 legal aid clinic volunteers, including attorneys,
professors, students and interns, will assist mission clients. For more information about
this exciting partnership, contact Liz Mooradian at 213-347-6300.
- Many of our new missions are mailing their first acquisition
mailing this fall. Please hold them up before the Lord that their communities would open
their hearts to these new ministries and give generously.
- ALBANY, OR _ Albany Rescue Mission _ Bill Parham,
Director, was in the hospital for a week with a leg infection, but is doing well now. Bill
will be going to Bay Area Rescue Mission, Coos Bay, OR, temporarily as Interim Director.
- AUSTIN, TX _ Mission: Possible! - Tim Pinson,
Director, reports that they are considering opening a long-term recovery program at the
ranch where they run their summer camp.
- BROOKINGS, OR _ Outreach Gospel Mission _ Chuck
Fidroeff, Director, reports they are filled to the brim, sleeping thirty men and he is
excited about participating in the "Great Thanksgiving Banquet".
- TYLER, TX _ Tyler Rescue Ministries held a dedication
and open house for their new building October 17. Maurice Barnes, Director, said they had
a good turnout and that they are currently housing two families. They also received a
Community Grant for $9,400 to help with operating expenses.
- SANTA MARIA, CA _ Santa Maria Rescue Mission will
participate in the "Great Thanksgiving Banquet" and expect to serve 300 meals
this Thanksgiving. They are getting a very good response from their first acquisition
mailing.
- EMPORIA, KS _ Emporia Rescue Mission will have their
dedication and open house November 13. It has taken a little longer than planned to get
the building ready, but Kathy Currier, Director, says, "We have to trust God because
His timing is perfect."
- RIVERSIDE, CA _ Riverside City Mission (CMNI) - Mike
Fishback, Director, reports that they have started their program, have two men enrolled
and held their first chapel recently. They expect to feed 1,000 people on November 20 for
Thanksgiving and deliver 300 food boxes. Mike also reports they are starting a teen
outreach every Thursday where they will have an after-school program and provide tutoring.
From the November 1999 edition of
HAPPENINGS, monthly newsletter of the International Union of
Gospel Missions
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