Free Workshop Offered: Understanding Mental Illness
for our Brothers and Sisters on the Margins

2011 Volunteer Appreciation Banquet

Annual Volunteer Appreciation Banquet
Thursday, November 10th

Let's have some fun!

We are very excited to invite our faithful volunteers to our the 2011 Volunteer Appreciation Banquet! 

Please join us for a night of good food, recognition, awards, raffle items, and delightful fellowship. Dress is business casual to casual. . . we're all family! To reserve your seat please RSVP by emailing volunteer@samm.org by October 28th.

Volunteer Appreciation Banquet

6:30-8:30pm

Transitional Living and Learning Center

5922 Blanco Road

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Volunteer Spotlight: John Newton of TOUCH Ministry

John Newton

TOUCH Ministry and John Newton

John Newton has been a SAMMinistries Volunteer for 23 years.  Before there was Haven for Hope, Tim Duncan or David Robinson, or the Alamodome, there was John Newton serving the homeless at SAMMinistries.  Mr. Newton committed to serving in the SAMM Shelter at 910 West Commerce and has never looked back. 

John had been a missionary in Mexico for the previous ten years, but when he arrived in San Antonio, he reached out to guests of SAMMinistries in an effort to maintain a mission field.  Initially he held Bible studies in St. Vincent de Paul's dining hall, twice a month.  Mr. Newton can speak about faithfulness; he lives a life of  faithfuless, and has been faithful to serve the homeless in San Antonio in a supernatural manner.   

John Newton and his ministry team served the homeless in sharing life with them, in listening to their concerns, their ideology, their stories, their prayers.  John is a man zealous for discipleship.  He has had one constant for all these years, "just keep showing up, just keep speaking Truth."

Prospects Courtyard Bible Study

As SAMMinistries made the move to Haven for Hope in April of 2010, we experienced many changes. With all the newness, Mr. Newton was the guy in the room saying, "I'll be there"  and he has.  For the past 18 months Mr. Newton has been serving regularly in the Center for Healthcare Services Prospects Courtyard Chapel, clients that can be referred to as "his kind of people." 

Prospects Courtyard is an area on campus for the chronic homeless to sleep safely, they have access to bathrooms, showers, three meals a day, still offered by St. Vincent de Paul, and Community Worship.  The chapel in Prospects Courtyard has its preverbial noise and the struggles of a people who need to be reminded of their value.  John sees a need and has fit comfortably in the realm of serving the homeless for many years.   

When asked what has kept him involved at SAMMinistries, he responds,  "From the very beginning I knew the reality of how fragile life is.  I was looking for a job to care for my wife and eight children.  I was concerned that the house I was buying could be lost and we would be in the same situation that some of these people, now my friends, were suffering.  My friends needed encouragement to hang in there.  My heart rejoiced to see them become established in a better situation with a job, etc.  and then move on.  In the realm of God's sovereignty, I am, at best, only an open hand extended to help the whosoever that enter my life and we look forward to learning from them for years to come."   

We Need You!
SAMMinistries is currently seeking more Community Worship teams to serve on campus at Haven for Hope.  We are in need of groups of believers that can commit to regular monthly service that will bring a message of hope, perhaps some music, or even bingo.  We need more people who are committed to meeting our residents where they are and showing them genuine and sincere love.  Please contact volunteer@samm.org  for more information.   

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