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Monday at the Mission
An Inside View of People's City Mission, Lincoln, Nebraska
Monday, April 21, 2008
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| Greetings!
The other day, I did something that I have never done before. I shared in a Committal Service for a gentleman who died (of natural causes) while staying in our HIS Center. Butch and his wife had been with us only a few days when he died. His wife was in the Family Shelter and they hoped to move into a "couples" room when one became available.
Although we knew Butch was suffering from several medical conditions, his death was a surprise to us all. At first, Thelma had a hard time even thinking about funeral preparations. But she knew that Butch, who was part Native American, wanted his ashes scattered in a place that would honor his heritage. And so, Thelma, my husband Donald, and I began to make preparations.
The site we chose was Tall Grass Prairie. The Audubon Society gave us permission to scatter the ashes. On a sunny day, we drove to the prairie and in silence walked to our chosen spot. 
We were silent, but the prairie was full of the sounds of life: the wind, birds, insects.
As the liturgy of the Committal Service began, Thelma reached for her handkerchief and wiped the silent tears that welled from her deep sorrow. We held each other during the prayers.
When it came time to scatter the ashes, Thelma froze. She couldn't move. So I reached over and took the plastic bag with the ashes, walked a few feet away and scattered them in the high grass. I let the last ashes fall on my hand so that when I returned and grasped Thelma's hand we were both sharing the moment.
Now, I have been to many funerals and committal services in my lifetime. This one was different. The widow's deep grief ... the compassion that I felt for her, knowing her feeling of loneliness which was now compounded by her homelessness ... and the sheer beauty of God's created earth as we stood on the native tall grass prairie hearing the words, 'Earth to earth, ashes to ashes and dust to dust.'
Returning to the Mission, we talked for a long while. Thelma was loved and comforted by Mission guests and staff alike. It is hard to realize that the Mission is the only 'family' that many people have. And that is why I wanted to share my experience with you, because in many different ways you are a part of Thelma's family. It is your support in your presence and your prayers that generates such a strong feeling of family for our guests. In moments like this, we realize anew how important our relationships with each other are. The loving support of the other guests at the Mission was a most beautiful thing to see. Love is so powerful!
That night, at about 11:30, I heard my husband moving restlessly in bed and then he said, "I can't fall asleep." And I answered, "Neither can I." And so we talked into the night about what an eternally loving experience death can be...
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| Morning Nursery Volunteers Needed
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 We need volunteer help in our infant and toddler nursery every weekday morning. The volunteers will assist our paid staff in caring for the children of our guests while they are in class.
Please call Nora Ragon at 475-1303 to volunteer. You can come once .... weekly ... or whatever suits your schedule.
Thank you for helping us! |
| Please Join Me in Prayer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lord, hear our prayers for Deb, a Mission guest with deformed feet. Deb is wheel-chair bound. Just recently she made the decision to go forward with prosthetic devices that will allow her to stand and walk. Deb asks for prayers for strength to go through the therapy to learn to use the prosthetics.
Lord, hear our prayers for Deada, a new mother at the Mission. Deada's son was removed from her care, at birth, by HHS. She has daily visits with him and is breastfeeding. Her goal is to increase her visitation time to the point where she can have custody of her son. We pray that Deada will be able to make the life changes required to have custody and we pray for Baby Alexander, a beautiful baby boy.
Lord, hear our prayers for the father of Travis Hall who has a stomach tumor and was given only one month to live. May your love comfort Travis, his family and his father in this time of sadness and pain.
Lord, hear our prayers for healing for Pam's son, Michael, who was diagnosed with Hepatitis C. We pray for Pam, Michael, the doctors who are managing his treatment. We pray for recovery and for comfort for this family in distress.
Lord, hear our prayers for Dan and Edyie, former Mission guests who are returning to us with issues of serious depression. Wrap them in your healing love, touch their hearts with forgiveness and hope, and lead them to a new life of wellness, faith and love.
Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly that all we ask or think, to God be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
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| Footloose & Fancy Shoe Donation Special
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  Starting today: Footloose & Fancy will give you a 20% discount on a new pair of shoes if you bring a pair of gently used shoes to be donated to People's City Mission.
The are two Footloose stores in Lincoln: 4131 Pioneer Woods Drive and 1219 P Street. Both stores feature shoes for the entire family.
This offer is good for two weeks and ends May 3. |
| Summer Mission Opportunity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  We have a 2008 summer program for groups that want to live and work with us and learn about serving the homeless and impoverished in Lincoln.
Between June 1 and August 15, groups can schedule a time when they will come for a one-week immersion into poverty ministry. Our Mission Volunteers will stay in the former HIS Center building and will have the opportunity to experience the Men's Shelter, Family Shelter, Club E.D.E.F.Y. (for youth), the Distribution Center and to work with former guests.
This opportunity is available for mission groups from any area of the community, county, country and world!
Call Mark Thornton for more information. Telephone 402 475-1303; Cell phone 402 730-6339 and email markthornton68@yahoo.com |
| First Quarter Statistics
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ March 31 marks the end of the first quarter of 2008 - a measuring point when we look to statistics to answer questions about our services.
 Our Distribution Center served over 20,000 unduplicated individuals in 2007. "Unduplicated" means that even if a person comes to us multiple times during the year, they are only listed once in our unduplicated count. 20,000 unduplicated individuals means 20,000 different people who were provided with free food, clothing, furniture, household items, etc. at our 21st and N Street location.
So far in 2008, we have served 6,725 unduplicated people at the Distribution Center. If this pace continues for the rest of the year, we will serve 26,900 different Lincolnites at the Distribution Center this year.
Who are these people? 47% of them are under the age of 15. All of them are living at 150% of the Federal Poverty Level or below. We are serving poor families that are struggling in this economy.
In the first quarter of 2008, just at the Distribution Center, we have provided enough food for 122,948 meals. Every week we are able to provide fresh meat, canned goods, produce and bread to our families. We have also distributed over 109,000 items of used clothing.
I use the term "we" broadly because "we" includes our staff, volunteers and donors!
It costs just over $9,000.00 per day (in cash donations) to provide the services of the Mission and Distribution Center. These services are a significant part of Lincoln's safety net for the poor. Thank you for joining us in this outreach! |
| Save the Date ... September 12
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People's City Mission is bringing Bill Hybels to Lincoln on September 12, 2008 for two events. During the day, we will hold a leadership convention at the Pershing Center. That evening, Bill Hybels will speak at our annual banquet at the Embassy Suites. 
We are very excited to be able to bring this nationally known church leader to Lincoln. We want to make sure that all of the Mission supporters have a chance to participate in at least one of these events.
So, mark your calendars now. Ticket information will be available this summer. Tickets for the leadership event will be sold through Ticket Master. Tickets for the banquet will be sold by the Mission
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| National Day of Prayer Lincoln, NE Observance May 1, 2008
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May 1, 2008 Noon to 1:00 p.m. Nebraska Capitol Rotunda
Over 40,000 prayer gatherings will take place across our nation on May 1, the annual National Day of Prayer. No reservation is required. All are welcome.
Please plan to join us in the Rotunda of our Capitol in Lincoln. For more information, contact Karen Bowling at 477-3191 or 770-7713. On the web, go to www.nationaldayofprayer.org |
| Curtis Center Dedication
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Curtis Center for Transitional Housing will be dedicated to the late Senator Carl Curtis and his wife, Mildred Curtis, on Friday, April 25 at 3:00 p.m. Refreshments will be served. Tours of the Curtis Center will be provided. You are all invited and encouraged to attend.
The Curtis Center is the miracle of 2008. It began changing lives even before we had our occupancy permit. As soon as our men could see this new opportunity taking form, they responded in concrete, positive, life changing ways.
With full occupancy, we have seen men who, for the first time in years, are able to take control of their lives and move in positive directions. But this is not all!
Living with the Curtis Center has inspired all of us to bring the rest of the Mission closer to the Curtis Center in terms of furnishings and opportunities for our guests.
God has richly blessed us with this new facility that has provided guests and staff alike with a new vision for the future. I confess that when we broke ground I had no idea this one building could change so many lives...but it has! Come and see for yourself as the miracle of the Curtis Center unfolds at the Mission.
This is a fitting tribute to the late Senator Carl Curtis and Mildred Curtis who dedicated their lives to public service and to their Lord, Jesus Christ.
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| Tours Postponed to May 17-18
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ No tours of the Mission this weekend! We are going to postpone the tours to May 17 and May 18 due to construction.
Please plan to join us on Saturday, May 17 or Sunday, May 18 to tour the Mission. We will be open to the public from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. each day. Come and see all of the new changes.
What changes? The Curtis Center transitional housing apartments; the new HIS Center for homeless men; the Agape Cafe; new paint and flooring in the Family Shelter; transitional housing apartments for women in the Family Shelter; Club E.D.E.F.Y. facilities; the remodeled Harris Dining Room; several paved parking lots; and wheelchair friendly doorway for the Family Shelter.
We are growing and changing to faithfully serve the homeless and impoverished in Lincoln. Come and see us! You will be surprised!
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Barbara McCall, Director of Donor Development
