Where have 2 years gone? On April 10th the mission has been open for 2 full years. In that time, from opening the doors once again, the mission has helped 355 (and counting) men. That is a total of 10,162 nights of stay. Correspond that with meals served, laundry done, chapel services held, referrals made and new beginnings for many of the men, it almost doesn’t seem possible the work that has been done. With God all things are possible though. Like any ministry these past 2 years have been filled with many, many, many ups and downs, but every step has been worth it. Worth it because men’s lives are being impacted for eternity. Worth it because the Gospel is being shared here at the mission and men are answering Christ’s call to follow Him.

One of the other milestones is In June the mission will have once again had a full year of chapel services. Thank you to all the pastors and churches that have made that possible. Men are answering Christ’s call because of the love that is shared in so many ways. Some of what that love looks like comes in the form of all the donations. (time, monetary, food, toiletries, cleaning supplies, etc.) We have had many volunteers, visitors, churches and people that have also come to show that love. This is not just UCAN’s mission but God’s and the church. We want to continue to encourage the church to stop in and see what God is doing and to be a part of that.

We do have a few more major things that are coming in the immediate future. The building itself will be getting a face lift at the end of the month of May. (watch for pictures and posts) The exterior will be having brick work done and will be receiving a new color with a new coat of paint. The awning above the entrance will also be replaced but have the same saying. The 3rd floor floors are currently being refinished in preparation for continued progress with programing and transitional housing. We are looking to continue with our chapel services and are always open to having others lead worship and the message from the area churches. These are also open to the community. We are also looking at a potential having comedy night fundraiser in the fall. (stay tuned for updates)
It has been a blessing networking with the different organizations and agencies in the community. We are not trying to do everything when there are others who are already doing things that can help our guests to move forward. Having a good working relationship with so many in the community is the key. We want to thank all of them who are helping. The mission hopes to continue to grow those relationships. We as a staff are also looking for ways for us to grow personally and professionally to be best equipped to continue to help our guests. The staff here at the mission have been doing some trainings and drills to stay up on safety in and around the facility.

Last, but not least, we have had some great groups of students and people come through the mission for tours. Some of them were looking for ways to help, while others were looking at the social aspect and the need for the mission within the community. Just last month Congressman Tom Reed also made a visit with a few of his staff members. He talked with staff about the inner working of the mission. A present and former guest shared their story on how being at the mission impacted their lives. We were privileged to be able to host the National Day of Prayer event in our Chapel as construction and weather prevented it from being outside. What a blessing to see so many people here in the chapel praying for so many needs, on all levels of leadership. It has been amazing to watch God work and we can’t wait to see what he has instore!