Trees. Angels. Candles.

Home for the Holidays

The Perfect Christmas Gift

383 Poplar Avenue | P.O. Box 330 | Memphis, TN 38101-0330 | (901) 526-8403 | www.MemphisUnionMission.org

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“A life that was going nowhere”

Jody was raised by a mother who was not only was raised by a mother who was not only an addict, but also sold drugs.an addict, but also sold drugs.� e worst part is she introduced her son to worst part is she introduced her son to

drugs while he was still in his teens!drugs while he was still in his teens!Having been introduced to drugs at an early been introduced to drugs at an early

age, Jody never got beyond an eighth grade age, Jody never got beyond an eighth grade education. At age 14 he moved in with his education. At age 14 he moved in with his father, who was also an addict. � at home didn’t father, who was also an addict. � at home didn’t provide the structure or spiritual guidance he provide the structure or spiritual guidance he needed either.

“I went to church a few times. I had a childlike went to church a few times. I had a childlike faith when I was really young, but once I got old faith when I was really young, but once I got old enough to make my own decisions, I dropped it. enough to make my own decisions, I dropped it. Eventually, I tried to convince others that people Eventually, I tried to convince others that people who believed in God were fools.”who believed in God were fools.”

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What God is Doing Through You Holiday Issue 2015 Holiday Issue 2015 What God is Doing Through You Holiday Issue 2015 What God is Doing Through You

m e m p h i s u n i o n

You can make Christmas brighter for the men here at the Mission

by providing a few small gifts for each of our guests – gifts that can not only lift their spirits, but will let them know that someone is thinking about them.

For many, these Christmas Care Packages are the only presents they will receive.

What a wonderful way for your family, church group or coworkers to celebrate the season!

Here’s how to make a Christmas Care Package:

For each person you wish to help, wrap the lid and box of a shoebox in Christmas paper and � ll it with a few of the items from this list.

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� is is how we celebrate Jesus’ birth.

But perhaps there is something else we can do.

After all, Jesus made it very clear that He came “to seek and to save the lost.” He engaged with people whom others called “sinners,” who were open to hearing His message. He let them know they mattered to His Father.

People just like these � nd their way to Memphis Union Mission every day.

We welcome them, meet their basic needs and share the Good News, just as Jesus would.

Amid the hustle and bustle of Christmas, take a moment to reach out to “the least of these.” Serve a meal here at the Mission. Have your family assemble a Christmas Care Package. Pray for the people served here. Give the precious

gifts of your time, talents and treasure...just as Jesus would! � ank you, and God bless you!

Yours in gratitude,

D. Scott Bjork

P.S. I want to thank you for your gifts this year – your time, your prayers and your donations – that have made it possible for us to serve others in His name.

No matter how hard we try, it is still true that “there’s no place like home for the holidays.”

� at’s why we make a special e� ort to make Christmas the best celebration

we can for the men and women who are working hard to

rebuild their lives and return to their families in our recovery programs.

Christmas Eve is a particularly special time. We celebrate Jesus’ birth by giving Christmas care packages to our homeless guests. We also celebrate with a traditional holiday meal and a candle light service.

And even though you might not be with us that evening, you will be helping make that special time possible through your generosity. � ank you for all that you do to provide a “Home for the Holidays.”

Merry Christmas! God bless you!

Yours in gratitude,

D. Scott Bjork President & CEO

Home for the Holidays

Fill a Christmas Care PackageTrees. Angels. Candles. Carols. Feasting. Presents. Rejoicing.

we can for the men and women who are working hard to

rebuild their lives and return to their families in our recovery programs.

SocksKnit capUnderwear (XL)GlovesCandyChewing gumBible

ToothbrushToothpasteDeodorantSoapAnti-bacterial wipesShampooLotion

Secure it with a rubber band and drop it o� at our Men’s Emergency Shelter, 383 Poplar Ave., by Saturday, December 19. For more information, please call (901) 526-8403.

Elves needed...

Pray for the Lord’s Pray for the Lord’s Prayprotection over the ministry during this often hectic time of year.

Pray for God’s blessing Pray for God’s blessing Prayover our � anksgiving and Christmas meals and ministry activities. And pray for God’s blessing over the many volunteers who will be coming to help us this holiday season.

Pray for the Lord’s Pray for the Lord’s Prayprotection over the homeless during the winter season.

Pray for the Lord’s peace Pray for the Lord’s peace Prayover all of our facilities, but particularly for our Men’s Emergency Shelter and our Opportunity Center. � ese two facilities serve the greatest volume of people during cold weather.

Pray that the men and Pray that the men and Praywomen in our recovery programs will be encouraged during this time of year, when many are separated from loved ones.

Praymen, women, and families who will come through our doors during the holidays. Pray that they will experience the love of Christ and that their lives will be transformed.

PrayerRequests

� ese two facilities serve the

experience the love of Christ

� ese two facilities serve the

during this time of year, when

for the many hurting

holidays. Pray that they will experience the love of Christ and that their lives will be

our Opportunity Center. � ese two facilities serve the greatest volume of people during cold weather.

that the men and women in our recovery programs will be encouraged during this time of year, when many are separated from loved ones.

Pray for the many hurting Pray for the many hurting Praymen, women, and families who will come through our doors during the holidays. Pray that they will experience the love of Christ and that their lives will be transformed.

greatest volume of people

our Opportunity Center. � ese two facilities serve the greatest volume of people

during this time of year, when

for the many hurting men, women, and families

holidays. Pray that they will experience the love of Christ and that their lives will be

greatest volume of people during cold weather.

that the men and women in our recovery programs will be encouraged during this time of year, when many are separated from

greatest volume of people

that the men and women in our recovery programs will be encouraged during this time of year, when many are separated from

programs will be encouraged during this time of year, when many are separated from

programs will be encouraged during this time of year, when many are separated from loved ones.

Jody’s addiction only worsened. At one point he enrolled in a faith-based recovery program, but didn’t stay more than three months. He left the program early to work for a traveling carnival group.

After his mother, father, and grandmother all died within a matter of months, Jody ended up living in a house with no utilities. Other house with no utilities. Other house with no utilities. addicts moved into the house with him. With the drug use and poor diet, he became malnourished and unhealthy. His life was going nowhere.

� en last October, something happened.

“One Sunday morning, I woke up and realized for the � rst time in my life that I had lived a sinful life. I actually thought I was going to die. � at morning, God told me, ‘You need to � ee from here. Leave everything behind. Don’t take anything with you.’ I knew I had to get out of there.”

Jody went to a nearby church and slept outside on their property. He attended a morning service and stayed inside the church all day.

“I was too scared to leave the property. I just knew God was real, and I knew that spiritual forces of darkness were real so I wanted to stay close to God.”

Trying to � nd help, the members of the church pursued di� erent options, and Jody ended up at the Mission.

“When I got to Memphis Union Mission, the preacher that day was telling me I should come to God as I was. Every time someone preached, it was like they were talking right to me. When I would hear the Word

preached, I just knew it was the truth. I couldn’t have been in a better place.”

Within a day of arriving, Jody enrolled in the Mission’s Iron-On-Iron recovery program, and his life began to change.

“One day this guy talked about God’s love, and I just started crying. I had been dealing with a lot of self-condemnation up to that point. God showed me that he had always been there. Since that day, I’ve never looked back.”

“I read as much as I could. I took my devotional life very seriously. I can see how all that time spent in the Word is really paying o� now. God was constantly communicating with me through various pastors.”

Now a program graduate, Jody is working and living at our Wright Transitional House. He Transitional House. He Transitional House. also has a desire to help other people struggling with addiction.

“Getting into ministry is now an objective I can achieve. It might not be as a pastor, but I want to be a part of helping people heal from addiction.”

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“I could tell that God was here!”

Scott, use my gift to bless hungry, homeless people this Christmas.Scott, use my gift to bless hungry, homeless people this Christmas.

Donate online at www.MemphisUnionMission.org, or call (901) 526-8403.

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY / STATE/ ZIP

E-MAIL

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

HOL15

�� $16.70 to feed and care for 10 people �� $26.72 to feed and care for 16 people � $51.77 to feed and care for 31 people � $_________ to help as much as possible� I’m enclosing a special Christmas gift of $_____

to make the holidays brighter for Mission guests.

Memphis Union MissionP.O. Box 1938Memphis, TN 38101-1938

CREDIT CARD # CIV/SEC #

EXP. DATE PHONE #

� Check enclosed � Bill my credit card

� � � �

A lways the right size and color. Never out of date. Christmas cards from Memphis Union Mission are a beautiful, very

meaningful way to honor family, friends, clients or employees. A personalized card will be mailed to each person on your list letting them

know that you’ve given a Christmas gift to help homeless, hungry neighbors in their honor. We’ll even address and mail the cards for you!

Eat. Shop. GIVE. The perfect Christmas gift!

Here’s what you can do:Prepare a list of names and addresses

of people you wish to honor (handwritten is � ne, but please write legibly).

Include a suggested donation of $10 per card for each name on your list, and mail both in the enclosed envelope.

To ensure that your cards are delivered before Christmas, we must receive your order by Friday, December 11.

For more information, or for large orders, please call Steve Carpenter at (901) 526-8403.

of people you wish to honor (handwritten

There’s a day for giving thanks and a day for getting

bargains. Giving Tuesday, December 1, is the day designated for giving back!

Your Giving Tuesday gift will go a long way toward providing the food, shelter and life-changing care our community’s hungry and homeless people need most.

You can even arrange for a tribute card to be mailed to someone special, letting them know that you’ve made a donation in their honor.

Please visit our website at MemphisUnionMission.org on Dec. 1 and make your Giving Tuesday gift. Thank you for being part of our Mission family!

Community RewardsIf you buy your groceries from Kroger or

SuperLo, did you know you can now arrange for a SuperLo, did you know you can now arrange for a portion of your purchases to go toward Memphis Union Mission? It’s an easy way to feed and care for hungry people while feeding your own family!

Kroger customers: If you already have a Kroger plus card, log into your account on Kroger’s web site and click on “Edit Kroger Community Rewards.” You’ll then enter the Mission’s number: 80609. If you’ve never logged in to their site, you may have to create a new account and their site, you may have to create a new account and

link it to your Kroger plus card. For more information, visit Kroger.com or visit your

store’s customer service desk.SuperLo customers: Stop by your store’s customer

service desk and ask for the SuperLo community card. You’ll need to specify the Mission as the recipient; our ID number is 500024060. Once you get set up on the card, any time you use it when making a purchase at their stores, a portion will go toward helping people in need at the Mission.