Chapel

One of the more unnoticed parts of the Rescue Mission's ministry is the Monday through Friday chapel service conducted in the dining hall. We had to move to the dining hall several years ago when our population grew beyond the capacity of our small chapel area. Chapel meets during the week at 4:00 and all guests who are in the building attend these services. Along with several staff members, there is a rotation of about 11 pastors from area churches who take their turn presenting the gospel during this hour.

We conduct these services as an important part of our gospel focus. Our speakers come from different parts of the denominational spectrum, but they are evangelical by conviction. We emphasize the gospel and its power to transform lives.

As it comes to mind, each weekday at 4:00 o'clock, say a prayer for those who attend these services and for those who speak.

Good Behavior

In perusing our hiring policy documents, I came upon a policy that speaks of ethical boundaries to be observed by Mission employees. We have all agreed to these statements and it is helpful to share some of these behavioral boundaries (with comments, of course). As a staff, we agree to:

• Set aside ample time for spiritual development and nurture through prayer, reading Scripture, church attendance, and regular fellowship and accountability with other believers. We realize that, in order to minister effectively to others, we must be spiritually healthy and growing.
• We seek to appropriately share our faith during personal interactions with guests, volunteers, donors, and other employees.  One of the reasons we exist is to share the gospel and see lives transformed by its power.
• We desire that our actions, speech, and behaviors plainly demonstrate a respect for all guests, volunteers, donors, and fellow staff members. Love, dignity, and respect is to be shown to all those made in the image of God. This is also an effective demonstration of the gospel.
• We seek to exhibit a loving and non-judgmental attitude in dealing with people. We strive to live by the dictum, "There but for the grace of God go I."

These are a few of the behaviors that the staff of the Rescue Mission endeavors to follow. Actually, these are descriptions of basic Christian behavior that should characterize all followers of Christ.

Gospel Rescue Mission

We've said it before - and perhaps it has been mentioned in this blog before - but the Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley is a gospel rescue mission cleverly disguised as a homeless shelter. Our intention is not to only provide food and shelter for those who experience homelessness due to unexpected life situations, we desire to give more. So, the question is, "what is a gospel rescue mission?"

The word rescue is important. If we were only a homeless shelter, then providing shelter would be our aim. Getting people off the streets would be our major concern. But the idea of "rescue" implies more than providing shelter. It implies hope; it implies a change in the circumstances that led to the situation.

We are a rescue mission. The word "mission" often conjures up images of soup lines, panhandlers, or even primitive people who live in rain forests or jungles waiting for a missionary to bring civilization to them. For us, we view what we do as a mission - a task to which we have been appointed by the Lord of the Harvest (Matthew 9:36-38).

Further, we are a gospel rescue mission. We are commissioned by the Lord of the Harvest to rescue people with the gospel of Christ. Only the gospel can effect the change necessary to address the problems of the human situation. Certainly, we want to clothe, feed, and shelter people. Certainly we want to move people out of crisis situations and help them to become productive members of society. Certainly we want to help break the cycle of poverty and dependency. But all of these are symptoms of the larger issue: we live in a world that is broken and marred by sinfulness and dysfunction, and only redemption in Christ can provide the necessary resources to overcome the vicious cycle.

So, this is what a gospel rescue mission does, as our purpose statement declares: "the purpose of the Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley is to serve and glorify God through Christ-centered outreach of love and compassion that responds to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of disadvantaged men, women, and children without regard to race, color or creed." By God's grace,
as he works through others to work beside us, this is what we endeavor to do.

Sad News...Again

I would like to say that we were taken by surprise; that we were completely shocked; that we were totally unprepared for news like this. I would like to say that, but it would not be true. Unfortunately, the news we received on July 7 was something that we have heard all too often. "John" (not his real name), one of our former Discipleship Academy members, was found dead of an apparent overdose in the basement of his mother's house.

John entered the Discipleship Academy to learn to overcome his addiction through applying the gospel to his life. By all appearances, he was doing well. Due to an injury and subsequent rehabilitation, he was unable to complete the Academy course, but he stayed engaged with the Mission and its staff. As far as we know, he had been doing well, even holding down a good job.

Had he been using for some time or did he return to "his mess" for this one, fatal time? We will probably never know, but his death by overdose provides a wake-up call for those who are still in the process of achieving some measure of success over this hellish affliction. May I suggest some take-aways from this tragic situation?

• Never underestimate the power of addiction. This holds true for all of those sins and weaknesses that beset us. At the time that we think we have conquered something, it may creep back in to show us our weakness. The Bible gives us wise counsel in this: "Therefore, let anyone who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10:12), and "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Prov. 16:18). 
• Do not neglect the power and importance of community. In the recovery field, meetings are a vital part of the recovery process. I think that this is a page stolen from the New Testament. The author of Hebrews encourages us in this: "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the Day drawing near" (Heb. 10:24-25). As far as we know, this vital component of fellowship and community was lacking in John's life.
• Do not neglect individual "soul-care." Every Christian is responsible for the management of his or her own walk with God and progress in holiness. Outside influences may contribute to this: church attendance, prayer groups, etc., but in the end it is our individual personal responsibility to lay hold of the means of grace.

Do incidents like this and the many others that have occurred point to a failure in the programs that the Mission offers? Does this negatively impact our "success rate?" We have long ago abandoned any pretense of measuring a "success rate," though we are asked about it frequently. This we know to be true:

First, the gospel is the power of God that brings salvation (Rom. 1:16). When one embraces the gospel of Christ, that individual is a "new creation. The old has passed away, behold the new has come" (2 Cor. 5:17). By his own testimony, John had embraced this life-changing gospel.

Second, even though Christians are redeemed, we are still human. We still sin; we have flaws; we may slip and fall. In fact, in Gal. 6:1, Paul counsels the church regarding how to deal with a fellow believer who is overtaken by some failure. So, as long as we are in these mortal bodies, we must continue to take heed to ourselves, to seek out Christian community and fellowship, to engage in personal soul care as an ongoing spiritual discipline.

Big Announcement

On Monday, June 19th, the Board of Directors of the Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley announced the appointment of John Muckridge III  as the new President/CEO of the Mahoning County's only homeless shelter. Muckridge came to the Rescue Mission as a volunteer in 2011 teaching and tutoring clients in the Mission's Learning Center. During this time as a volunteer, he grew to love the ministry and accepted a staff position as Learning Center Instructor. From there his roles with the Mission progressively increased as he became Director of Education in 2013, the Director of Client Services in 2014, and then was promoted to Deputy Director in 2015.

Muckridge, a graduate of Youngstown State University, earned his B.S. in Business Administration in 2005. In August of 2010, he was awarded an M.A. in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University. Previously he has held positions as a Senior Credit Manager with Wells Fargo Financial, Sales and Service Development Manager with First National Bank of Pennsylvania in Hermitage, PA, and Online Adjunct Faculty with San Diego Christian College.

When asked about his vision for ministry, Muckridge replied,

It's simple. The Lord has clearly communicated His vision for a ministry like the Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley in Matthew 25:31-46 where we learn that we serve Jesus by serving the 'least of these' and we love Jesus by loving 'the least of these.' We are a Gospel-centered ministry who believes in the inerrancy, sufficiency, and authority of the Scriptures which teaches us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and that by grace alone, through faith alone, for God's glory alone, we receive forgiveness for our sins through Christ alone. The Lord has allowed us to share this good news with the people he sends through our doors and we will continue doing so.

John shares a home with his wife Nicole and their three boys in Columbiana, Ohio where he also serves as a Board Member for Heartland Christian School. John has volunteered for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America. He and his family are members of Old North Church in Canfield, Ohio.

John Muckridge wishes to than the previous Executive Director, Jim Echement,
for all the leadership and time Jim spent grooming him for this role as President and CEO after Jim's retirement. The staff and board are excited to welcome John as the eighth leaders of the ministry and look forward to celebrating the Rescue Mission's 125th year in the Valley in 2018 under John's leadership.

Run the Mile You're In.

This past Sunday was the very first Youngstown Marathon. If the turn out is any indication, it will become an annual event. More than 1200 runners participated in the marathon, half-marathon, or the 5K event. For this first Youngtown Marathon, the Rescue Mission of Mahoning Valley was well represented.

A few months ago, Rick Blair, one of our good friends, faithful volunteers, and passionate advocate, decided to begin a "Run Club" for the men in the Discipleship Academy and for any staff who may want to join along. Rick is a marathon runner and competed in last year's Boston Marathon, raising funds to benefit the Mission. Rick and the guys began training - Rick would run the full marathon and the academy men would run in the 5K. Add to this number a few staff who ran and others who volunteered at the event, and the Mission had a great presence.

The slogan for the Run Club was printed on the back of their tee shirts: "Run the Mile You're In." The great Apostle Paul said in his letter to the Philippian church; "But one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 12b-14). Now, some of these same participants want to run in the Peace Race, held each year in Youngstown and Mill Creek Park.

Thanks, Rick, for leading this and congratulations to those who ran with perseverance "the race set before them." You can follow Rick's running adventures here.

Here We Go Again

I heard this again today. Several times each month I hear something like this, usually from men who are retired and enjoying the fruits of their many years of hard work. Today, I was buying milk for the Rescue Mission. I had 30 gallons in my cart and was in the parking lot loading them into the truck. The gentleman who walked past me was surprised to see that much milk purchased by one customer, but when he saw me loading them into a truck with the Mission logo on the side, he knew the reason.

"I hope those men down there at the Mission appreciate that," he said kindly. "Oh, they do indeed," I replied. "I spent 20 years in [a particular branch of the armed forces], and I think those guys need to get a job and work for a living."

This reminded me of the time several years ago when two older gentlemen stopped by our display at the Canfield fair and handed me a $10.00 donation. The stipulation was that it should be used to help the women and children. "Don't use it for those bums who refuse to get a job," he added. This reminded me of several misconceptions that people have about the population we serve and what we do at the Mission.

Misunderstanding #1: People are homeless because they are lazy and refuse to work.
This misconception is that there is a large group of people who "work the system" and depend upon others to maintain them. Granted, this is true of some. It is not true of all, or even most. People are not at the Mission because they are lazy; they are there because they are broken. Substance abuse and broken relationships break people and their support systems. Until they begin to take responsibility for this brokenness, they cannot begin to heal.

Misunderstanding #2: The Mission shelters men who could be out working. The "out working" is addressed above, but some people are unaware that the Mission provides shelter for women and children. As of this writing, the Mission provides emergency shelter for 34 women and 18 children. That the Mission is a men's shelter likely stems from the fact that people who drive past the shelter mostly see the men outside smoking. The women use the back and side of our property while the men walk across the street. It's safer for the children and keeps fraternization at a minimum.

Misunderstanding #3: Rescue Missions feed the cycle of dependency that keeps victims at the mercy of agencies and programs. We cannot speak for every Rescue Mission in the country, but, at the Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley, we have implemented intentional programs that work to break the cycle of dependency and promote self-reliance. We are seeing some success in this.

Knowledge is a dangerous thing. In the free marketplace of ideas, expressing informed ideas is not necessarily required.

Volunteer Servants.

In our morning staff devotions, Pastor Terry Weyand, our Director of Men's Services, spoke about the difference between serving and volunteering. Serving is focused on serving Christ by and through serving others. A true servant does not look for praise or commendation; a true servant serves no audience but the audience of the One. Volunteers may serve for a variety of reason - many of them good - but a servant will serve selflessly.

At the Mission, we have individuals and groups that provide more than 29,000 hours of volunteer service annually. We call them "volunteers" but they have the heart of servants. They could be called "volunteer servants."
They serve for the joy of serving if it is convenient or not. It's difficult to image life at the Mission without this faithful group of individuals, organizations, and churches who serve Christ by serving people. Thank you for all you do. Remember that "in the Lord, your labor is not in vain" (1 Cor. 15:58)

A Great Partner

On occasion, we will send a shout out to some of the agencies with which we are privileged to partner. One of those agencies is the Youngstown Community Food Bank, also known locally as Gleaners Food Bank. Joe Lordi is its hard working, get-your-hands-dirty executive director. His is an amazing story which you can read here. Each week, the Youngstown Community Food Bank provides groceries to many churches and agencies in the Mahoning Valley who use these resources to feed hungry people. In addition, they provide food directly to people
each Tuesday - to about 450 individuals.

"Gleaners" is a great organization and a great partner in ministry. Thanks, Joe, for helping us help those who are in need.

Feeding the Multitudes

I recently corresponded with an individual who is concerned about hunger in our nation. This person has a goal of feeding 1000 people each day. This may be a realistic goal, depending upon where in the country or the world one lives. As an example,

my correspondent looked to the miracle Jesus performed when he fed more than 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish .

Though we do not have such a lofty goal, we do feed people each day at our Mission in Youngstown. We provide meals for our own residents as well as offering breakfast and dinner for the general public. In fact, in our last fiscal year (2016), we fed 66,402 people. That equates to a lot of meals!

My final comment to this person was in the form of an admonition: as Christian people, feeding the hungry should be one of our concerns. How can we profess the love of Christ and be content to see people hungry? But we should not forget to feed the soul as well as the body. Blessed are they who give of the bread of life to the hungry soul needing the love of Jesus.

Suprised by Joy

As I sit in my office on the first floor of the Mission, contemplating what to write for this blog, I can hear the sounds of Mission life around me. I hear the call for guests or staff booming over the intercom paging speakers; I hear the buzzing of security doors as people go in and out of the Mission; I can hear the muffled sounds of a conversation between a staff member and one of the men in the discipleship academy. One of the sounds that I hear is a sound that few would expect to hear in a homeless shelter: laughter.

Laughter, at a homeless shelter? Yes, and lots of it. It is true that people come here broken, hurt, abused, and hopeless. But quite often, these emotions give way to a sense of healing and hope. I have often thought of how it appears to be an inconsistency that there would be joy in the midst of such heartbreak. Yet, it is there nonetheless.

How does this work? I can only offer these observations:

• The staff at the Rescue Mission is committed to treat each guest with love, dignity, and respect. Those who seek shelter at the Mission have been beaten up enough; we will not add to the misery.
• Our staff refuses to treat our guests as helpless victims of some unidentifiable system. We treat people as adults and challenge them to take responsibility for their lives. They are not victims. They are people created in God's image.
• Genuine hope is offered through the gospel of Christ. This is a hope and assurance that transcends one's financial or social situation. It is a hope that, is "imperishable, undefiled, and unfading" (1 Pet.1:4).
• And, as our Executive Director often remarks, "the presence of the Holy Spirit of God cannot be denied." This is a place where the joy of the Lord resides. That joy becomes contagious.

When it "Leaks" it Pours

The Rescue Mission of Mahoning Valley is housed in a vintage YMCA building built in 1930. This place has been our home since 1971. It has served us well these past 46 years, but it is beginning to show its age. Mitigating factors are:

• The overnight population has nearly doubled since 2008 - from an average of 63 overnight stays to 119 in fiscal year 2016.
• Two years ago, we closed our warehouse and administrative office building in a move to become more fiscally responsible. That means we moved all necessary functions to this one building, therefore increasing the demands and usage on our facilities.

In an earlier post we showed a portion of the ceiling that was crumbling in one of our offices. Today we found that a valve had decided "let loose"
within one of our walls. This requires once again breaking walls, dealing with old plaster, concrete and pipes. To quote Shakespeare, our grand old building is beginning to "shuffle off this mortal coil."

This is more indication that we need to "Move our Mission." Help is greatly appreciated.

Snap Shot

The population of people experiencing homelessness in the United States is determined by a point-in-time count, conducted on a given day each January. Obviously, this is not a scientific sampling and presents only a snap shot of a particular day that may or may not be indicative of the actual situation. However, the survey does say something and federal and state agencies use these numbers to determine funding allocations for their various agencies.

The most recent point-in-time count shows that, while the number of individuals who experience homelessness evidences a decrease in the state, there is actually an increase in several communities, including Youngstown. This certainly is the experience here at the Rescue Mission. While the federal government has put initiatives into action that aim to end homelessness, we have found that the numbers in the Mahoning Valley have increased. In 2008, the Mission saw and average of 60 people who sought shelter with us. In 2016, that number more than doubled to 130!

Regardless of trends, statistics and surveys, there will always be the need for the Rescue Mission. If we have learned anything in our 124 year history, we have learned that people are broken and often seek spiritual and emotional healing. Because of this, we
 bring the gospel to bear on every life and situation. And it matters little to us if we speak to 60 or to 130.

Change

In anticipation of our 125th anniversary year in 2018, we are compiling information to trace the history of our Mission. One important feature has emerged: over the century and a quarter of our existence, the Mission has sought to minister to the changing needs of our culture. What began as an outreach to teach English and basic academic skills to immigrant children and their families, has now become an emergency overnight shelter that ministers to men, women, and children in crisis situations, including mental health issues, substance abuse, economic disadvantages, and a host of other situations.

One thing we have learned - and are still learning - is that we cannot do ministry "the way it's always been done." While our core values and statement of faith do not change, our methods must. This was recently brought home by this passage in a commentary on the book of Ecclesiastes. Douglas Sean O'Donnell is the author of this volume in the Reformed Expository Commentary. Commenting on Eccl. 7:8-9, O'Donnell writes:

Say not, "Why were the former days better than these?" For it is not from wisdom that you ask this (Eccl. 7:10). To paraphrase, "Ah, the good old days! When I was a boy, gas was a nickel a gallon and young men wore their trousers above their bottoms, not below." Nostalgia of this sort nauseates Pastor Solomon, for he knows, as we all should know, that each age has its own opportunities and challenges, and we cannot face the challenges of our age by pining after another. Such praise of the past prove our impatience with the present. So let's come down from our pride-in-the-past pedestal (v.8) and give today's generation a shot. You never know, "the end of a thing" might be better than its beginning" (v.8).

What will the issues be if we are allotted another 125 years of existence? Whatever they may be, our prayer is that we are flexible enough to meet those needs in an efficient, God-honoring way.

The Sky is Falling, The Sky is Falling

At least that's what it felt like when another piece of the ceiling fell in the Development Office. This is where the daily mail is opened and the donations are processed. Had this piece of plaster fallen 30 minutes later, Sandy, one of our long serving, faithful volunteers, would be washing plaster dust from her hair.

Here is but another indication that we need to "Move Our Mission." This latest mishap did not result from wild parties and heavy dancing on the floor above. It is simply a by-product of the age and strain upon this grand old building. Formerly a YMCA whose construction was completed in 1930, these facilities have served us well since 1971. We have the opportunity to construct a new building to meet the needs of the population we serve. You can be involved in this and help us ""Move Our Mission" by following the link. 

Home Opener

As a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, we are careful to maintain a strict non-partisan position - except when it comes to sports! Though we have many fans of various teams represented among our staff and guests, we do love our Indians.

The Cleveland Indians Home Opener is April 11. To honor the Indians and encourage them to another World Series run - and to raise funds to help minister to the needy in our valley - the Mission is asking companies, large and small, to sponsor a Cleveland Indians Dress Down Day. This involves wearing your favorite Indians gear in exchange for a donation to the Rescue Mission. For details, visit our Facebook page or our web page. Cheer on the Tribe and support a worthy cause in your community.

Heroin and Homelessness

It is all over the newspaper and the TV news. Heroin use in the Mahoning Valley is at epidemic proportions. This can be seen by the rash of overdoses that have been reported. Just this week, the Youngstown Vindicator keyed in on one of a series of panel discussions being held in Warren, OH. Warren (in Trumbull County) is just to the north of Youngstown and makes up part of what is considered the Mahoning (River) Valley.

According to the Trumbull County Coroner's office, five people died of drug overdoses between March 1 and 7... Sixteen people are believed to have died from drug overdoses so far in March. The county had a record high 104 overdose deaths in 2016 after a record number of 87 in 2015.

The numbers for Mahoning County are similar. The clear implication is that we are in an epidemic situation. These numbers reflect overdose fatalities, they do not reflect non-fatal overdoses, nor do they begin to address the total picture of heroin use, most of which does not result in overdose.

One of the questions most frequently asked of us concerns this crisis. People wonder how this serious problem impacts what we do at the Mission. This is a good question, but it shows that there is some confusion about the homeless population and about what we do at the Mission.

In the first place, heroin use is not the primary contributing factor in those who experience homelessness, at least as far as national surveys indicate. Granted, homelessness is often secondary to substance abuse, but it is one of many contributors. It is inaccurate to think that a spike in local heroin use translates into an unusual increase in the Mission's population.

Secondly, the Rescue Mission is not a drug or alcohol rehabilitation center. We are not equipped to medically treat individuals with chronic substance abuse issues. Certain kinds of detox require medical monitoring. The Mission is an emergency overnight shelter, not a medical facility.

Here is the bottom line: for the past 4 years, our overnight population has been at 120+, well before the current heroin issue. The reasons for this increase are many and varied. Yes - we do minister to people who are fighting addictions, but we also provide services for children, families, and single individuals - those who may be considered the "working poor" - those who need an opportunity to recover from an unexpected, life-altering event.

Winter Weather

We were supposed to get up to a half of a foot of snow in the Valley. Forecasters painted a picture that caused many schools to close in anticipation of a major snowfall. The reality, however, was not exactly as predicted. This reminds us that weather forecasting includes a lot of variables and often the reality is different than the forecast.

The anticipation of this predicted snow event caused me once again to consider the condition of those who are truly homeless. By "truly homeless" I mean people who are not currently sheltered, either in a homeless shelter, hospital, rescue mission, transitional housing, or who may be staying with a friend or relative because they have no fixed address. There are people who actually live on the streets - staying wherever they can find shelter from the weather: at the bus station, in abandon buildings, in doorways, or under bridges.

By all estimates, the Mahoning Valley has relatively few unsheltered individuals - but there are some. When the wind chill falls to the single digits - as it is now - some of these people will find shelter in the Rescue Mission. Even a few people who may be unsheltered in these conditions are too many.

The Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley is a warm, safe place for anyone who wants to escape exposure to the harsh weather. Help us spread the word.

Move Our Mission

This is the year that we have launched the project to "Move Our Mission." Here is an excerpt from the Executive Summary that speaks to the need for a new facility:

The Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley is a Christian organization, founded upon and grounded in biblical principles. The Mission serves as an instrument of God delivering the Gospel message. It is a Christ-centered outreach of love and compassion that sustains its long practice of service to the community since its 1893 founding in Mahoning County.

 Throughout the shelter's history, the work of the staff, the board and thousands of volunteers is framed by Christian principles tirelessly applied, relentlessly facing head-on the challenges presented by the homeless and hopeless individuals delivered to its doors. By the grace of God and within the Mission's safe environment, many are equipped with the tools necessary to escape their circumstances and move from the margins of society into the main stream. The Mission helps the underserved to meet these challenges every day. At the same time, the Mission faces institutional challenges that must also be met.

Concurrently, the Mission must maintain the aging, deteriorating shelter building while overseeing the construction of a new purpose-built facility. Designed not only for transformation of the homeless, but also to create a community resource center that will expand opportunities for others in the margins of the community - the near homeless and other struggling residents.

The Mission manages its more than $2.0 million cash budget on private contributions including a board-controlled fund of over $650,000. A
s such, Rescue Mission of Mahoning Valley relies completely upon the generosity of businesses, foundations, and residents of the Mahoning Valley. Due to the untenable restrictions of government funding, no direct government support is sought or accepted.

As a result, the Board of Directors has authorized a major capital fundraising campaign to fund the new construction that will provide the proper infrastructure in which to more efficiently execute its ground breaking model. A service that will provide a lasting social, moral, and economic benefit to the homeless, near-homeless, and entire community.

You can learn more about this project by visiting "Move Our Mission."