March Newsletter
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Havens Chapel UMC of Check, VA made 80 Valentine bags for our Men’s Shelter guests P.O. Box 11525, Roanoke, VA 24022 rescuemission.net (540) 343-7227 MARCH 2017 March 5 Recovery Intake - Women Multiplying the WOWs 4:30 pm By Lee Clark, CEO March 9 The Network Meeting At the Rescue Mission, we pray. Prayer, with Double Wow. 5:30 pm a deep recognition of our dependence on March 15 God, is permeated in our very being as Christian Others, more than I can count, have told me Roanoke Valley Gives people of faith. We pray before and after they are praying for me, the Mission, our (on-line giving for 24 hours) we meet, we pray as we walk together, we staff, volunteers, and especially the people pray for direction and wisdom and under- we serve. It is a powerful testimony to the March 15 Auxiliary Luncheon standing. Occasionally we even have “flash work of God’s people that we pray and that 12:00 noon prayers” where anyone who is able shows God in his infinite mercy responds. He responds up at a designated time and place to pray. with strength, wisdom, insight, and resources March 16 I suspect many of us wake in the dark, early that arrive in just the right amount, at just Bless My Sole 5:30 pm hours of the morning and immediately pray the right time. March 20 with urgency for people by name, seeking Pastor’s Lunch 12:00 noon guidance for challenges that are troubling As a direct outcome, lives are transformed. us or strength for opportunities that wait in March 24 the new morning. I know I do. I am deeply aware that I need prayer. I am Roanoke College Choir Concert- St. Andrews profoundly humbled that people are pray- 6:00 pm At a recent Women’s Recovery Core Meeting, ing for me. This Mission belongs to God. It is Melissa Neal, Recovery Program Manager, his work. He promises to never leave us nor April 2 was seeking prayer requests round robin, forsakes us. Recovery Intake - Men 4:30 pm person by person. When my turn came, I explained I’d been awake in the early hours As you might imagine, a lot of my time these April 8 - 2nd helpings and how I prayed for God to provide the wisdom, days is spent in meetings. These meetings Double Line Painters of the strength and guidance I need to do this job. include Community Partners, Pastors, donors, Blue Ridge, Live Demos Libby Linkous, one of the Recovery Coaches, volunteers, Mission staff, Board Members, April 19 spoke up and said “I wasn’t going to say this, local government leaders as well as guests Auxiliary Leadership Council but I want you to know that my husband and participants who receive help and love 12:00 noon and I have committed to pray for you every here. These opportunities are giving me night.” unique insight into the hearts of the people April 20 Bless My Sole 5:30 pm we serve and those who serve. Many want Wow. to know how they can help. I’ll share with April 30 you what I tell them—Pray. We need your Recovery Intake - Women A day later, my sweet wife Sandra was at her prayers. 4:30 pm job as a RN. She was helping a patient who, Receive this newsletter in the middle of the intake asked, “Are you And if out of your prayers, you are led to give online call (540) 343-7227 related to Lee Clark at the Rescue Mission?” of yourself by connecting us to new friends, rescuemission.net When she confirmed she was, the patient volunteering or making a gift in a cheerful 2ndhelpings.org shared “when I get to the Mission, I pray for and intentional way, then please do so. By (540) 491-9405 Shop/Gallery him.” Sandra asked where she worked at the investing your time, talent, and treasures (540) 491- 9409 Cafe Mission. The person responded, “Oh no, I’m here, the “wows” will be multiplied in all our http://stores.ebay.com/ not able to volunteer but when I get to the lives. roanoke-rescue-mission Mission in my prayers each night, I pray for Lee. I read that he was coming back to the Thanks to you, lives are transformed. Mine Mission and I’m so glad he did.” included. Here I Am, Lord He was a radiation safety expert in upstate New York. She was an administrative assistant in Sidney, Australia. After three years cor- responding through a Christian pen pal website, they met face to face in 2000, married in 2001, and relocated to Maryland with five teenagers between them. “There were jokes about the Brady Bunch,” laughs Tom Mercer. “Friends called us the Mercer Bunch.” Eventually, Tom and Grace Mercer answered the call to become full-time missionaries, spending five years in the Philippines, where Grace Mercer was born and raised. “I said ‘here I am Lord, send him’,” jokes Grace. The couple opened Tom and Grace Mercer pose with Chief Administrative Officer a coffee shop in the hopes of meeting and ministering to adults. Kim Gembala, who presented their Mission Angel award “They weren’t interested,” says Tom, “but it quickly evolved into a youth center and by the time we left the Philippines we were “When God has a plan he makes it happen,” says Grace. “So many feeding about 100 youth every night and providing clothing and things we did and learned in the Philippines we are able to do a children’s ministry.” here. The first thing we did at the Rescue Mission was oversee Camp Jubilee. And we especially enjoy working with the children’s After another three years working with refugees in Atlanta, the ministry and chapel.” Mercers wanted to be nearer to their children and grandchildren, scattered throughout the Northeast. The Mercers also renovated a house that was donated to the Mission, have served in the Learning Center, volunteered in maintenance, “We were all set to move to Harrisonburg to work with refugee and they transport shelter guests twice a week for voucher shopping resettlement,” says Tom. While we were driving there we got emails at THRIFT 460. that the houses we were going to look at had been sold, so we ended up stopping in Roanoke to visit the Rescue Mission.” They were awarded the Mission Angel for their service on Volunteer Appreciation Day. That was last May, and in June the Mercers moved to Roanoke to be Rescue Mission volunteers. “It is fulfilling and rewarding to us,” says Tom. “We’re blessed to be here.” Food Lion selected the Rescue Mission as a “Souper Star Kitchen” and brought 10 area store managers to prepare and serve lunch on Val- entine’s Day. “Some of us have never served at the Rescue Mission before,” said District Manager Rob Wade. “We are excited to actually serve at a place we help support and see how the Mission works.” Give where you live! Our CEO will be dashing for dollars on Roanoke Valley Gives Day! Lee Clark is teaming up with our Drumstick DASH Spokes Turkey to run a leg of the race route for every $10,000 that is donated. Don’t leave them stranded on the street corners! Follow our Facebook Live updates throughout the day, donate, and get your friends and family members to donate as well. Mark Skolrood of Skolrood Law Firm has offered a challenge gift of $10,000 to get 03.15.17 things rolling. Here’s how you can help: An initiative of Foundation for Roanoke Valley Go to rvgives.givebig.org and search for Rescue Mission of Roanoke. You don’t even have to wait until March 15 to give! Visit the site today and schedule your gift to be processed on March 15. **Gifts must either be given on March 15 or (From left to right) Tracy Altizer, Kim Gembala, and scheduled to be processed on March 15 to count towards the RVG Day total** Helen Ferguson Our goal is to raise $65,000, which will run the Rescue Mission for five days. That’s five days of meals for a hungry child, five days of shelter for a homeless family, five days of recovery for an addict, and so much more. Writing the Next Chapter Last year the Rescue Mission won a bonus prize of $10,000 as the non-profit Kim Gembala celebrates 14 years of employment with the Rescue that raised the most money. We’re counting on you to help us do it again! Mission this month with a hopeful eye towards the future and complete confidence in the new team at the helm. “I’m working with a group I trust with my soul,” says Gembala, who was recently promoted to Chief Administrative Officer. “I believe it’s a God-ordained team. God has brought the four of us together, each one uniquely talented with different gifts and skills. We just really complement each other well, and I want more than anything for that to trickle to the rest of the staff.” The Mission’s leadership team of four is led by Lee Clark, who took the official title of CEO in January. Tracy Altizer was promoted to Chief Development Officer, and Helen Ferguson was promoted to Chief Program Officer, overseeing all clinic, shelter, program, and food services. Ferguson says her six years at the Mission have taught her to rely on God, which in turn enables her to trust her instincts and not second-guess her own decisions.