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Financial update & IRS Audit Approvals! April 28, 2009
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Financial emergency is for the Nashville Training Center!
Major Grant Funding promised for September. Emergency is in bridging the gap until that substantial September funding.
Please read these 3 urgent points completely.
(Click links at bottom to see 5 year IRS Financials Approvals!)
1. Our Mobile Homeless Street Ministries and our Christian Men's Training Centers are both incredible successes, but if we do not raise $7,000 by Friday May1, we will lose our lease for our Nashville Christian Men's Training Center. Our 1,140 Supporters nationally contribute less than $20,000 annually, an average of $17.50 annually per supporter. Some donate thousands, others $25 weekly, and 1,100 donate no cash, but pray One Minute Weekly every Saturday morning! We have survived because NOBODY is paid or compensated. Director Louie Johnston has not been paid a dime since 2003, although working full time, 70 hours weekly, in this Ministry.
2. Our Mobile Street Ministries are Feeding 2,000 Homeless Meals weekly from $400,000 in annual food donations, not cash. All cash donations (under $20,000 annually or $.20 per meal served!) have been used for vehicles, fuel, drivers, to pick up food donations, store them, and deliver them every week to more than a dozen mobile locations. We also distribute clothing to hundreds of homeless using our Mobile Clothing Bus, reloaded weekly, driven to the Homeless, where they live. Almost 200 Homeless in 2009 have asked for Prayer in Repentance, seeking Regeneration, of the 7,500 since 2003! 1,070 Homeless men and women were Saved!
3. Nashville Christian Men's Training Center houses and Train up to 17 Homeless men who ask for the opportunity to learn to live God's way, instead of their way...we help homeless men off the streets, clean them up, clothe them, provide a small but private bedroom, feed them 3 meals daily every day, get them a good job, transport them to and from work and Church activities, train them to get up early, go to bed early, learn the Christian work ethic, live frugally, learn to manage God's blessings of "wages" to each man, instead of wasting them on childish thinking. These men after our 6 months in training, leave as "New Creations", with enough wages saved to pay for 60-90 days of Food, Clothing, Shelter, to start their new life of "Paying Taxes and Tithes!" 23 Homeless completed Training in 2008.
URGENT FINANCIAL SHORTAGE for Nashville Training Center!
Causes...
a. Property Tax dispute...as a Church/Religious Organization, we are exempt from Property Tax, but we have to pay it first, then adjudicate it in Federal Court. Once again, we fight alone as a Church to protect the Constitutional rights of all Churches. We have yet to lose a Constitutional battle in Federal Court, the prior case set a Federal Precedent that insures no local Government can bully a Church on land use.
b. No new jobs since November! Training Centers are funded by Tuition Fees paid by the Homeless wages, so we have not been able to bring new Homeless men into the program for lack of jobs to give them. As our men succeed, they graduate and leave our program to reconcile with their families, so our numbers of Trainees are down to 5-6 instead of 15-16. We are paid $3,000 from wages, for the 6 months training. Graduates leave with 60-90 days expenses saved!
c. Employer Fraud...one employer, former supporter, made a shameless side deal with one of our trainees, costing the ministry the $3,000 fees the employer contracted to deliver.
d. Slow Thrift Center Sales...our Blessingdales Christian Thrift Center, behind Madison Square Shopping Center, is under performing the industry.
URGENT NEEDS!
1. ONE MINUTE PRAYER WARRIORS! 1 minute per week!
2. $7,000 by May 1 to keep Nashville Training Center open.
3. $3,000 for repairs and maintenance to our 5 vehicles, of which 3 are inoperable as I write.
4. JOBS...particularly for non-violent, non-sexual offenders Re-entering society, most with drug related offenses, all sincerely wanting a second chance to live life God's way!
Thanks!
Louie Johnston, Servant Leader
Layman Lessons Ministries
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