February 2008 Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission Newsletter

8/8/2019 February 2008 Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission Newsletter

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avid M. Williams

gram Director

arry Aldricherations Manager

andy Hess

intenance Supervisor

arry O’Connor

reg Mann

eil Givens

oger Klein

ent Supervisors

avid McKnight

n Driver

lomona Talivaaintenance

onn Baker

hn Lofquistern

Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission

A Ministry of Rescue & Recovery A publication of the Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission • Anchorage, Alaska

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A popular song lyrist has written Love is a Many Splendor Thing! He was soooooo right – to find true love

and share a life together, the ups and downs, the ins and outs,

the three steps forward and two steps back. Then, one day it all

comes together and things smooth out. As you look back in your

memories you can say, “It worked because our life together was

built on love.”

BUT WHAT ABOUT CHRISTIAN LOVE?Christian love should endure longer and grow stronger each day that we live. We ought topractice the moral and ethical standards of Christian principals regarding love toward our

fellow man. Our love toward God should be greater than that we have for our spouse or

family members. Jesus said, “if we love them more than we love Him, we are not worthy o

Him,” Matthew 10:37 (paraphrased). We love Him because He first loved us. I John 4:19.

are reminded in John 15:9 that Jesus said, “As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved yo

Continue ye in my love.”

We serve Him because we love Him. We have the love of God in us; we should prove our

love for Him by loving and helping those in need. In Matthew 5:24 Jesus said, “I say un

you love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your

Father which is in heaven”....”for if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye?....

John 15:12. We are commanded to love one another. In

Galatians 5:13 , we read

that by love we serve one another. Ephesians 5:2 tells us, “t

walk in love.” And Hebrews 13:1 says, to let brotherly love

continue.” Then, last but not least Jesus said , “Great

love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his

for his friend.” Then I would ask you to read I

Corinthians 13 and see if indeed you are living your l

in the practice of Christian love. This chapterconcludes, “and now abideth faith, hope and charity,

these three; but the greatest of these is charity (love).

What a difference this old world would

be if we who are Christians would just

practice the concept of Christian love.

Valentines Day – Thoughts of

Love. . .Love. . .Love



www.anchoragerescue.org We invite you to visit us on the web or

drop us an E-mail with your comments

and suggestions

Life in the Lobby(A life all its own)

The lobby of the mission has a life of its own. A microcosm of life o

the streets of Anchorage, it has a rhythm and cadence that is unbroke

by holidays and vacations. It is an oasis, of sorts, in a desert of lo

hope.

In the pallid, winter day-light, the evening shift gingerly takes the

chairs at the nicked desks. They answer the phone calls and question

as the jack-o-lantern orange globe shines between the branches an

buildings. Their “day” slides into an early night while the endless day

of summer are just wistful thinking.

Soon, the door begins opening and closing as the lobby’s nightly guests begin to assemble. The neon signs acro

the street flicker, strobe-like, with the passing traf fic on Tudor Road. Each guests trudges in out of the bitter win

shrugging off the snow and cold. They stamp the well-worn carpet that so many have crossed. No longer do the

seem to notice the stark white walls which are spotted like a leopard’s skin with an eclectic collection of calendarbulletin boards, framed photographs, and encouraging, spiritual messages. Everyone is greeted by the watchful ey

of the shift supervisor and occasionally treated to the quic

joke surrounded with an engaging smile.

As warmth returns to fingers and toes, the lines of broke

dreams and empty promises begin to soften on the faces

the recently arrived. A stomach-tugging aroma of an evenin

meal being prepared is rudely interrupted by the sharp tan

of an unwashed body passing by. This brief interruption

soon soothed with the sound of the chapel’s piano. A quic

look reveals brightly lit, comfortably padded pews and a largwooden cross on the wall.

There are two cloth covered tables that oppose each oth

here in this room. Both of them support pampered plants an

entertain carefully selected reading material. One of them

however, always wins every holiday season by being chosen to host an expertly crafted nativity scene. The oth

table’s resident foliage camouflages the smoked-glass window of the Chaplin’s of fice. A close look may reveal th

desk lamp, dimly outlining his head, and computer screen blue reflections on his glasses.

Life in the Lobby. A close look will reveal; a refl

ection of the Life of our Lord.

a c l o

s e r l o

o k

J o h n L o

f q u i s t


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I am a Mission volunteer. I start by recognizing the

efforts of the many volunteers who have labored and

prayed for and financially supported the Anchorage

Gospel Rescue Mission from its establishment in

downtown Anchorage in about 1965.

Fact: The Mission’s vision is Jesus Saves and its

mission is a ministry of rescue and recovery.

Question 1: To fulfill its vision and mission, does

the Mission need to move from its Tudor location

to more appropriately zoned land?

Question 2: Supposing the Mission does move,

what does the community need from the Mission

for the next 100 years?

I do not offer answers. Here is what I have

discovered while inquiring: Anchorage’s Project

80s required the Mission move from downtown to

its current Tudor Road home in about 1987, which

led to today’s three problems.

Problem 1: The Mission currently sits on B3-zoned

property, on which “an emergency shelter is a legal

nonconforming use.” Under today’s Anchorage

land use policies the Mission needs to sit on PLI

(public lands and institutions) or Industrial 1 or

Industrial 2 zoned property to operate a “homelessand transient shelter.” For instance, the Mission’s

primary contemporary, Brother Francis Shelter, sits

on PLI zoned land. The Mission’s current location

on Tudor is smack dab in the midst of Anchorage

2020’s (the Anchorage’s comprehensive land use

plan) proposed redistricting to a “major employment

area” surrounded by high density housing.

s t a t u s

r e p

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F r a n k T h

o m a s - M

e y e r s

Problem 2: The Mission’s “ NewLife” progra

attracted its own land use/zoning issue becau

“ NewLife” is not “an emergency shelter.” Th

Municipality of Anchorage believes that th

Mission’s “ NewLife” program is a “habilitative ca

facility” or “correctional community residenti

center” which the current B-3 zoning does n

support, but which the PLI or I1 or I2 zoning wou

support.

Problem 3: A problem with fire code/land u

violations in 2005 closed the Mission’s “ NewLife

dormitory at 2815 E Tudor. Further fire code/lan

use issues reduced emergency shelter bed space

2823 E Tudor. The net result was a lost of about 5

beds per night (about 20,400 annual bed nights).

Collateral Affect on Others: Brother Franc

Shelter, as a result of Mission’s lost beds, ha

operated well over its designed operating capaci

of 131 beds/night. Currently BFS is sleepin

from 171 to 200 nightly – 30-50% over-capaci

– causing BFS to dig deep in its skinny pocke

to come up with the additional operation expense

The Mission’s loss of bed space has impacte

the operations of just about every member of th

Municipality’s Emergency Shelter Provider Grou

– BFS of course, AWAIC, Clare House, Covena

House, McKinnel House and others. The homelethemselves have increased the camping (and the

suffering) in Campbell Park negatively impactin

the Mission’s neighbors.

What Others Want: I discovered what I believe th

Municipality and the Emergency Shelter Provide

Group want from the Mission: continuance o

emergency shelter services and “ NewLife” , plus th

addition of (lots of) transitional housing units f

moms and kids, dads and kids, intact families an

singles. In closing, I have met so many individua

in the last two months who love and care for th

state’s homeless men, women and children, an

who love, respect and worry about the Missio

Be prepared to volunteer for action for th

Lord’s lovely Mission on the Move. Pray fo

the leadership of the Anchorage Gospel Rescu

Mission. This report to be continued next issue.



“The fear of the lord is the

beginning of knowledge, but fools

despise wisdom and instruction”

Proverbs 9:10

I spend my life thinking I was

obtaining knowledge as I grew in

understanding in earthly things.

Always thinking the things that

could be touched or materially

manipulated is what life was all

about. But at the same time there

was something else present in my

thinking. There seemed to be a

void, a kind of empty place that

was always there. I knew in my

heart I was missing something,but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

There was a void and a need to fill

it.

Drinking beer and smoking pot

was a normal thing for me to do

in my life and it helped fill that

void temporarily. The longer I did

the same things, the longer things

remained the same. My life was

at a point where everything wasa struggle. My job, my marriage,

friends and family, everything in

life was getting hard to handle.

I knew I needed a change, so I

moved to Hawaii.

I bought some cheap property high

up on a mountain and built a shack

at bare minimal cost. A few months

went by, but the move didn’t change

anything. I was still struggling

with all the problems I had before.

I was sitting in my rickety little

shack one evening and there was astorm brewing up on the mountain.

I got into a heated argument with

my wife about livings so far

away from everything. She had

just taken the car and left. It was

just a few minutes later when the

storm began to intensify. The wind

started howling and my little shack

began vibrating as though a fright

train was going by just outside the

door.

Everything on the shelves and the

table top was dancing around and

falling to the floor. The wind was

howling so loudly it reminded me

of the noise of an uncontrolled

trumpet blast echoing through the

air. I was sitting in the middle of

my one room shack in awe and

confusion from the violence of the

storm. Fear was just beginning to

set in when, with great force, the

wind slammed my makeshift door

open and at that moment the roof

ripped away from the walls an

lifted one side of it straight up

the air. Just when I thought the ro

was going to fly away to anoth

part of the island, the wind let u

enough to allow the roof to slaback down like the lid on a cig

box. The air pressure generate

by the roof slamming back dow

was so strong it deafened my ear

So there I sat in the middle of th

floor in an eerie silence broke

only by this ringing in my ears

still experience today.

I rememb

thinking that point

was dea

Sadly I al

thought

didn’t matt

if I was.

could still s

the violen

r a g i n

around m

but becauI was unab

to he

anything

was surreal. I lowered my hea

as if I were submitting humbly

the storm. As I sat there lookin

between my legs at the floor I sa

the bible laying open to Chapt

one of the book of James. And

began to read. As I read the wor

they began to make sense to m

My mind came alive and I w

able to grasp understanding. I w

amazed because I’ve read the

words so many times with n

effect, but now they were alive

me. My life changed instantly as

read the words of James:

“but let him ask in faith, with n

doubting, for he who doubts is lik

t e s t i m

o n i e s

J e r o m e E

s t e s

From Double


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a wave of the sea driven and tossed

by the wind. For let not that man

suppose he will receive anything

from the Lord, he is a double-

minded man, unstable in all his

ways.”James 1:6-8

I knew at that moment I was that

double-minded man James was

describing. It was then that I asked

the lord for forgiveness and to

help me with my life. That void I

carried with me was filled with a

peace and love I never had before.

It didn’t take long before I started

falling away from God’s grace.Even though Jesus Christ was the

strongest influence in my life, that

seed was not planted in good soil.

I quickly fell away from trusting

in God. I didn’t continue to be

obedient and receive his blessings

of joy and peace. After a while I

started to go through life again

with emptiness not unlike the void

I was looking to fill earlier in life.

But things were different now;

they were a whole lot worse! I

could sense God was trying to get

my attention. But I wanted to do

things my way.

Terrible things started happening

in my life. Family members were

dying but the worst was when

my mother died. My grief was

overpowering. My marriage of

twenty five years ended in divorce.

I was stabbed in the chest and while

I was recuperating someone robbed

me of all my worldly possessions.

Yet despite all this I was drinking

more and more which lead to

my going to jail for drinking and

driving. My life was ten times

worst than it had ever been before.

I found myself homeless in

Anchorage. Sleeping anywhere

I could, working odd jobs when

I could find them. It was tough

just trying to keep going. I was

miserable, homeless, and hungry!It was on a wet windy day when

I found out I could get a bed and

a meal at the Anchorage Gospel

Rescue Mission. When I got

there I was fed a hot meal, man

it tasted good to my tired and

empty stomach! In order to get a

bed for the night you are required

to attend evening chapel services.

That service was thefi

rst one I hadattended in over five years.

As I sat there waiting for the

service to begin I reflected on how

much of my life I had wasted by

not trusting God. I wasn’t clear

on where I had gone wrong I just

knew I went wrong somewhere. As

I was sitting there, deep in thought,

I began to get a sense something

was familiar. The Pastor had started

his message in the book of James.

He was speaking on the very same

scripture that led me to Christ in

the first place!

“My brethren, count it all joy when

you fall into various trials, knowing

that the testing of your faith

produces patience, but let patience

have its perfect work, that you may

be perfect and complete, lackingnothing if any of you lack wisdom,

let him ask God, who gives to all

liberally and without reproach and

it will be given to him. But let him

ask in faith, with no doubting, for

he who doubts is like a wave of the

sea driven and tossed by the wind

for let not that man suppose he will

receive anything from the Lord; he

is a double-minded man, unstable

in all his ways.”

James 1:1

Once again these words stirred m

heart and once again I was reminde

that I was that double-minded maJames was talking about. It didn

take a rocket scientist to figure o

I was unstable in all my ways. Th

evening I learned of the “ NewLif

program at the Anchorage Gosp

Rescue Mission. The next mornin

I was accepted into the progra

and have been continuing in

ever since. Once again the vo

in my life was being filled by th

love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thtime the seed has fallen on ferti

ground. I’m confident my restore

relationship with Christ will stic

this time because of my ne

understanding of God’s word an

because of the many tools I hav

learned here at the Mission. Som

of these tools Christians have bee

using for hundreds of years

successfully endure struggles an

hardships through out life. Too

such as prayer, reading God’s wor

memorizing scripture, assemblin

together with other believers, an

many others. It’s truly an awesom

thing to see God working to giv

food and shelter to the homele

and hungry people of Anchorage

I would like to thank the staff

the “NewLife” program and all thsupporters that contribute to th

Anchorage Gospel Rescue Missio

You have made it possible for m

and others like me to successful

renew our lives using God’s pla

You are in our prayers always.

inded to Single in Purpose.



Living Memorials . . . .touch lives as they honor the memory

of loved ones and friends.

In Memory of

Esperanza Casas

by Martha Cashen

In Memory of Tyler Beckham

by Duane and Neva Marsh

In Memory of

George and James Clyde

by Suzane Clyde

In Memory of

Mickey Robert Dinsmore II

by John and Donna Poff

In Memory of

Mike Howerton

by Carol HowertonIn Memory of

Dale Lindsey

by Loren and Carolyn Leman

In Memory of

Mary

by The Parkers

In Memory of

Steve Novak

by Marie Schave

In Honor of

Mary Pat Sigudson

by Patrick and Astride Rider

In Honor of

William Allen Crabtree

by William and Hyun Crabtree

In Honor of

Dr. Ken and Sharman Collins

Jim and Sally Copen

Dr. Thom and Elaine HathawayJohn and Tammy Reading

Larry and Bette Ross

Pat and Laurie Marifjeren

Zig and Muff Zellmer

by Vicki Turner

PLEASE

REMEMBERTo include the Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission in

your WILL or ESTATE Planning. Thanks

Where There Is Love

Where there is loveThe heart is light,

Where there is loveThe day is bright,

Where there is loveThere is a song,

To help when things Are going wrong.

Where there is loveThere is a smile,

To make all things Seem more worthwhile.

Where there is loveThere’s quiet peace,

A tranquil placeWhere turmoils cease....

Love changes Darkness into light

And makes the heart Take “wingless flight”—

Oh, blest are they Who walk in love....

They also walk With God above,

And when man walks With God again There shall be

Peace on Earth for men.Used with permission

PRAYER REQUEST

Please pray for your Rescue Mission everyday. Pray ththe Director and Staff will seek God’s will in everything ththey do. Pray for Godly wisdom that the things that aaccomplished will be for the glory and honor of the LoJesus Christ. Also, pray for those in the“NewLife” Recove

Program. Pray that they will be successful in their recoveand will continue in their discipleship training pertaining spiritual growth. Sometimes they get so discouraged in theefforts for change to take place in their life. It would be aencouragement to them if you would just send a note orletter and tell them that you are praying for them. I know thyou do not know their names but that does not matter—Goknows. You may want to pray for our quests that stay heeach night. Pray that their heart will be open to hear aaccept the Gospel message as it is presented each nigh

Bro. Do



Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission P.O. Box 230510 Anchorage, Alaska 99523-0510

Here is my support gift: For Credit Card Donations:Food and Shelter: $_____ Facilities Maintenance: $_____ $46.25 For 25 Meals ______ $74.00 For 40 Meals ______ $132.20 For 72 Meals ______ $277.50 For 150 Meals ______

______Other: ______ I Will Pray for this Ministry.

I would like to charge my total donation of $__________________

Check One: Visa M/C Am/Ex Discover

Card Number __________________________________________

Exp. Date: ______/______ Signature _______________________

Name:______________________________________________ __

Address: ______________________________________________

Please send this coupon with your donations.

All credit card information is kept in strict confidenceMake checks payable to the Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission

You will receive a receipt.

7

Thank You

For a Wonderful Christmas!Your gifts made it possible for us to provide for our

clients and guest in 2007

We Can’t do it without you!

Greetings from our “ NewLife” men.



Our Ministry of

Is to

The least

The last

The lost

r e s c

u e

“URGENT”

Our supplies of these

items is constantly in

need of replenishing

Prayer

Paper Towels

45 Gallon Trash Bags

Fresh Meat

Coffee

Bathroom Tissue

Laundry SoapDisposable Shavers

Cleaning Supplies

Dinner Napkins

Shampoo

“URGENT”

Anchorage Gospel

Rescue Mission

Board of Trustees

Ed Shelton

(President)

Bob Collins

( Vice President/treasure)

Enoch Adams

(Secretary)

Mark Soquet

Emeritus:

Cliff Hodgins

Rev. Willard leisy Advisory Board:

Paul Kelly

Rev. Don Bettis, Exec. Dir.

Charlotte Bettis, Asst. Dir.

MEMBER

r e s c

u eAssociation of Gospel Missions

An association of Rescue Ministries

GOD BLESS AMERICA

Non-Profit OU.S. Posta

PAID

Anchorage, Permit # 29

Anchorage

Gospel

Mission A Ministry of

Rescue & Recovery

r e s c u

e

news r e s c

u e

[email protected]

P.O. Box 230510•Anchorage, AK•99523-0510•(907) 563-5603

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

STATEMENT OF FAITHThe Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission is a Non-Profit, Non-Denominationorganization. We receive NO municipal, state or federal funds. We are not a United WaAgency. Your financial support and In-Kind donations make it possible for us to providfor the poor, needy and homeless people in our community. Also, your donations allow uto provide a Drug and Alcohol Recovery program. All Donations are fully tax deductibleWe will give you a receipt for your donation.

Visit us at:2823 E. Tudor Rd.Anchorage, AK 99507

Chapel Services for FebruarySunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1First

PresbyterianChurch

2CalvaryBaptistChurch

3God’sPlace

4Abbot LoopCommunity

Church

5Anchorage

PilgrimNazarene

6Anchorage

GospelSingers

7AnchorageVineyard

Fellowship

8CalvaryChurch

9Wasilla

Assemblyof God

10

God’sPlace

11

Churchof God ofProphecy

12

FirstAssembly of

God

13

ChangePoint

14

ChristCommunity

Church

15

SherbahnEvangelistic

Team

16

LighthouseChristian

Fellowship

17GraceVictory

Fellowship

18Sherbahn

EvangelisticTeam

19Anchorage

NativeAssembly

20Christian

EvangelicalChurch

21Sherbahn

EvangelisticTeam

22In His Name

SandyMcCollum

23Glenn

Herman

24New Light

CommunityChurch


26Attorney

Greg Grebe


28EvangelicalCovenantChurch

29Sherbahn

EvangelisticTeam

Nightly Services 7:30 P.M. to 8:30 P.M.

February 2008 Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission Newsletter

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