News of IUGM & It's Member Missions
September 1997

  • TISDALE IS "GOIN' TO KANSAS CITY" - Phillip Tisdale, Executive Director of the VALLEY RESCUE MISSION, Columbus, GA, has been named Expansion Director of the IUGM, and will start November 1.  He has served at the Valley Rescue Mission for the past five years. 
  • MUSIC MINISTRY TO MISSIONS - The Road Show Ministry would like to do a Gospel Music Outreach to those staying at Rescue missions.  This is a ministry of Country Gospel singer Timothy Marr, who travels the country sharing the gospel in Rescue missions and other homeless facilities.  He works one week monthly at the Bartlesville, OK mission and then heads out from there.  He carries a letter of reference from Mickey Kalman, Executive Director, City Rescue Mission, Oklahoma City, OK.  For more information, contact The Road Show Ministry, 2436 NW 13th Street, Oklahoma City, OK  73107.  Phone is 405/521-0858. 
  •  RESENER'S BOOK FEATURED  - Who's That Knocking at the Church Door?, written by Carl Resener, Executive Director of the NASHVILLE (TN) UNION MISSION, is featured in the September - November 1997 issue of The Deacon Magazine, a publication of the Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.  If you would like a copy of this interesting and informative article, give us a call, and we will send one.  It's always great to see our members getting the message out. 
  •  BILL AND RUTH RAWS TO BE HONORED - AMERICA'S KESWICK, Whiting, NJ will honor Bill and Ruth Raws for 47 years of faithful service on September 25, 1997 during the 100th Anniversary Celebration of America's Keswick.  The celebration , which starts on September 25 and goes until September 28 has been coordinated by Bill Raws.  Bill's grandfather, William Raws founded Keswick, after being converted in a Philadelphia mission and starting WHOSOEVER GOSPEL MISSION in the german town district.  Addison Raws, Bill's father, served as the second director and Bill as the third.  Bill was serving as senior Director, until his retirement the end of last year.  Those wishing to join in honoring Bill and Ruth, can send a special gift for the Colony of Mercy Bible College Scholarship Fund in their honor.  Gifts should be sent to America's Keswick, 601 Route 530, Whiting, NJ 08759. 
  •  THE WORLD IN PERSPECTIVE - (Exceprted from the Austin, TX, Statesman)  If we could shrink the earth's population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look like this: 
    • There would be 57 Asians, 21 europeans, 14 from the Western Hemisphere (including the USA), and 8    Africans 
    • 51 would be female, 49 would be male 
    • 70 would be non-white, 30 white 
    • 50% of the world's wealth would be in the hands of six people; all six would be USA citizens 
    • 80 would live in substandard housing 
    • 70 would be unable to read 
    • 50 would suffer from malnutrition 
    • One would have a college education 
    • Six would attend church regularly 
    • 18 would have heard that Jesus Christ loves them and died on the cross for their sins 

    --Reprinted from Mission Memo, Union Gospel Mission, Seattle, WA. 
     

  • CARA ANNUAL CONFERENCE - CHRISTIAN ADDICTION REHABILITATION ASSOCIATION (CARA) the IUGM Rehabilitation Track will hold its 30th annual conference at the location of its first one, Dunklin Memorial Camp, Koeechobee, FL.  The dates are Oct. 14-16th.  The main speaker will be Mike Quarles, Co-author with Neil Anderson of the book Freedom from Alcholism.  The registration fee is $15.00.  Housing is in the Dunklin's new training facilities.  For more information, call Richard Boggs at 561/597-2841. 
  • 125 YEARS AND STILL GOING STRONG! - NEW YORK CITY RESCUE MISSION (formerly the Jerry McAuley Water Street Mission) will celebrate its 145 Anniversary on October 4, 1997 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel with Dr. Tony Campolo as Speaker.  Delores Burger will be acting out the role of Maria McAuley, wife of Jerry, founder of the mission.  The New York City Rescue Mission is considered the "mother" of American rescue missions and led to the founding of the IUGM.  The IUGM will celebrate the 125th year of the founding of the McAuley Mission on Tuesday, October 12, which will be the RESCUE day of Prayer.  We ask each mission to set aside time on that day to pray for each other.  We will be producing a prayer sheet, which we will send to each member ministry. 
  • The mission is currently considering the start up of a satellite location in Brooklyn, New York.  The goal is to operate a residential program for approximately 12 men while also meeting the spiritual needs of Brooklyn's transient population through open chapel services serving upwards of 100 per seating. 

     The City of New York currently operates several large shelters in Brooklyn which accommodate over two thousand men.  These shelters also host three meals daily so food service is not a major concern for the Mission.  Only meals for residents and a possible food pantry for families are being considered. 

     A bid has been made on a building which was previously used as a funeral home.  Lord willing, this buidling will no longer be a place where people acknowledge the passing from life to death, but from death to Life.  Please pray for God's leading as New York City Rescue Mission pursues the expansion of their ministry. 
     

More News from Member Missions 

  • CAPETOWN (South Africa) CITY MISSION celebrated its 95th Birthday with a wreath-laying ceremony at the site in District Six from which the mission was evicted in the 1960's, due to the government's apartheid policies.  The days of forced removals saw the government strip the mission of its four properties and buildings in District Six, and scattering tens of thousands of residents to the corners of the Cape Flats, which became the breeding area for gangsterism and crime.  The City Mission moved with the people and have met their needs.  The ceremony had its solemn note as participants shared how their families were forcibly removed.  A tearful Mark Botha, 75, leaning on his walking stick said he "felt like a golf ball during those years," because at the time he was being "hit this way and that by the apartheid government."  Others remembered the great suffering but also remembered how City Mission was there to assist and offer them help. 
  • FAIRHAVEN RESCUE MISSION, Covington, KY celebrated 10 years of outreach to inner city women with an evening of praise and worship.  For the past ten years, the Women's Workshop meets the third Thursday of each month, including inner city women, in a fellowship luncheon, learning opportunities and spiritual uplift.  They recently were commended in the local newspaper for this work. 
  • Tom Culp, Executive Director of the ROSEBURG (OR) RESCUE MISSION, writes, "After our fire January 6, 1997, our women's and childrens shelter (Samaritan Inn) . . . is ready to open.  The Roofers Insurance covered the loss.  The inside has benn totally rebuilt, giving us an added 15 beds and many other added changes.  Open house is scheduled for mid-September. 
  • MUNCIE (IN) MISSION, broke ground for their New LIfe Center with Congressman David McIntosh, and Mayor Dan Canaan giving remarks.  The new center will include a recycling center, thrift store, as well as a rehabilitation center for men. 
  • MERCED (CA) RESCUE MISSION is now downtown and open.  Their new address is 1921 Canal Street, Merced, CA  95340.  The new facilities still needs a new roof, and lots of paint.  A new dishwasher has been installed.  It's an exciting and busy time in the life of the mission. 
  • SPRINGFIELD (MA) RESCUE MISSION is reclaiming its history and heritage.  In 1892, Springfield Rescue Mission was begun, and later became Cummings Men, a not-for-profit service agency serving homeless men.  It has 42 beds.  The shelter was closed for code violations on March 21, 1997.  Since that time the Cummings Board has turned to the present Springfield Rescue Mission (founded in ___ as a Christ Centered Program) for help.  A new board, mostly of members of the Springfield Rescue Mission board has been appointed, and Ron Willoughby has been serving as volunteer consultant/director.  A new opeing is planned in October.  The two organizations will remain separate at this time, but share common goals and program objectives.  the Mayor of Springfield has been fighting the reopening, and has gone to court to stop it.  However, he could not get support from his city council.  Pray for S.R.M. and its leadership as they focus on the purpose for the founding of both organizations--bringing people to a saving knowledge of their Lord Jesus. 
  • Tennessee Temple University surprised Ted Bashford, Executive Director of the UNION MISSION MINISTRIES, Norfolk, VA, with an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity for his years of faithful service at Union Mission.  Ted has served 41 years as director.  We congratulate our newest Doctor.  We hope we can still say Dr. Ted, because Dr. Theodore would be too much. 
  • Forty years ago, Dick Anderson came to Louisville (KY) to attend seminary and to pastor and felt a "calling" to start the WAYSIDE CHRISTIAN MISSION, which opened its doors on Dec. 10, 1957 at 215 S. Preston Street, with facilities to house 10 homeless men.  Today, nearly 300 men, women, and children are under Wayside's roof nightly, with an array of programs aimed at the homeless and poor.  Wayside Christian Mission commemorated its 40th Anniversary with a street fair and a special speaker, Rev. Richard (Dick) Anderson, founder. 
  • NASHVILLE (TN) UNION MISSION has been granted a permit to build 41 single resident units in the former Sears buidling that the mission has purchased.  The mission has relocated its offices to the facility and has been meeting with neighborhood, community and city leadership.  It is now raising $1.5 million for development of the facilities. 
  •  REBOUND-CHRISTIAN REHABILITION CENTER is now the CHARLOTTE RESCUE MISSION, Charlotte, NC.  That was the original name given when the mission was founded  by Frank Graham and four other men.  Frank is Bill Graham's father.  with the changing nature of the work, it was decided that the former name better fit the programs and vision of the mission.  Please note the name change. 
  • Alpha Acres is the name of the new 110 acre long-term recovery facility of the WINSTON-SALEM (NC) RESCUE MISSION.  The property has a house, mobile home, two lake cabins, a recreation barn and a lodge.  The mission will include an Innovative Learning Systems computerized educational center and job training, as well as Christian recovery sessions. 
  • Gary Hartman has been named the new Executive Director of the VALLEY RESCUE MISSION, Columbus, GA, succeeding Phillip Tisdale.  Gary has been the Farm and Camp Director of the mission. 
  • Jim Watson has resigned as Executive Director of the BRIDGEPORT (CN) RESCUE MISSION and is going to San Francisco to pioneer a new mission ministry in that city.  He and his family will be living at the SAN FRANCISCO GOSPEL MISSION.  He will begin in San Francisco in mid-December. 
  • AREA RESCUE MISSION, Florence, SC has purchased 3 1/2 acres of land, and completed the local zoning requirements for the construction of a new 9600 sq. ft. center for homeless women and children, the House of Hope, housing 36 persons.  The House of Hope will become a division of NEW LIFE RESCUE MINSITRIES, along with the Area Rescue Mission men's shelter and its Bargain Center thrift store. 

 
Expansion in North America 

  • CHARLESTON URBAN YOUTH MINISTRY has a new name and a new director.  The Name is IMPACT, which stands for Inner-City Ministries Providing for At-risk Children and Teens.  Toni Maddox is the director.  She has been on the staff of CUYM for the past two years.  She succeeds Eric Burger who is now the program director of the HUNTINGTON (WV) CITY MISSION.  Toni shares that 16 boys and girls came to know Christ in their 8 week summer program.  This fall they are planning a mentor program.  UNION MISSION, Charleston, WV has been providing space since February, when due to finances, the rented facilities had to be given up.  Toni asks for prayer for the ideal location and the funds to support it. 

International Expansion 

  • Pastor Leo Paez of Rescue Missions de Mexico reports tremendous growth of this expansion ministry in Northern Mexico.  An aging Mexican pastor has turned over six established ministries to Pastor Leo, including one that cares for 350 children.  Pastor Leo has also opened a new mission in Madera, Chihuahua. 
  •  They need assistance from established missions.  They have specific needs for food, as well as clothing and shoes, especially children's sizes.  The children's minsitry is in the High Sierras.  Over half of the children do not have shoes as we head into winter.  If you can assist Pastor Leo, please contact him at:  Rescue Mission de Mexico, 9665 Stonehaven Drive, El Paso, TX  79925;  Ph. 915/598-5910. 

   
 From the September 1997 edition of HAPPENINGS, monthly newsletter of the International Union of Gospel Missions