Memories & Services New Life Evangelistic Center
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47 Years of Memories & Services Provided through the ministry of New Life Evangelistic Center Visitation at jails, prisons, mental hospitals and NLEC started in January 1972 with: homes for the elderly Dial -a-message, offering hope and inspiration New Life Training Center was launched Radio Program “Moments of New Life” on KADI Filed an application to acquire UHF Channel 24 with a later radio program on WIL in St. Louis, to be used for a Christian TV Station “Jesus Rallies” on Saturday nights at 2107 Park Offered emergency housing to the homeless th Avenue with an underground “Catacombs” Purchased a five story building at 14 and coffeehouse Locust Streets for a new headquarters and A major parade on April 3 for the National Day television studio of Prayer and Fasting Offered a correspondence course for new Free Store, to give clothing and household Christians called, “Putting it All Together” goods to the needy without charge Larry Rice responds to an invitation to go to Lagos, Nigeria in West Africa to see the desperate need for nationals to be given Bible College courses. New Life Bible College was built in 1978 In response to the devastation left by Hurricane Allen in South Texas, NLEC organized a busload of homeless people to help with relief efforts On April 21, 1981 The Federal Communications Commission granted a construction permit to NLEC for UHF Channel 24! Construction of the tower and transmitter facilities begins In November, 1974 New Life Evangelistic Center Winter Patrol is established to train acquired the 1411 Locust building in St. Louis. It volunteers in finding the homeless was the first YWCA West of the Mississippi and was overnight and bringing them food, opened in 1912. President Taft laid the cornerstone blankets, and transportation to shelters in 1911 which states, “For no other foundation can A ministry to the blind is begun by Judy no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Schlimpert (now Judy Redlich) Christ. I Cor. 3:11.” Shelter program begins in East St Louis, Illinois 47 Years of Memories & Services – Page 2 The Winter Crisis of 1982 brought tremendous suffering and great opportunities to share God’s love with those in need. NLEC distributed 3,500 blankets, 1,200 heaters, 150 wood burning furnaces, 100 sleeping bags & 15,000 pounds of food. EVERY winter since then NLEC has devoted its resources to keeping those in need from freezing in their homes. KNLC Channel 24 (KNLC stands for “Knowing New Life in Christ”) signed on the air on September 12, 1982 with Jim Barnes as general manager. Chris Rice working with the camera recording for Homeless intensifies nationwide as Larry Rice is KNLC Channel 24 – to see a program schedule featured as “Person of the Week” by Peter Jennings today for NLEC 24.2, go to: www.nlec.tv on ABC 1982 Dollar Help is founded by Larry Rice, Sister Pat Kelly and Pastor Robert Huston. This special program continues to encourage individuals to add a As NLEC moved out into other areas of dollar to their Laclede Gas bill to help those in need. Mid-America God opened up new doors of A Court Order was won by Larry Rice & several opportunity for reaching out to the hurting homeless plaintiffs in which the City of St. Louis was and those in need. ordered to implement services for the Homeless such The homeless enter the training program to as shelter, transportation, and transition services. learn broadcasting. As KNLC-TV in St. Louis Shelters for the Homeless are opened in Columbia, doubles its power to 4 million watts and and Jefferson City, Missouri KNLJ-TV (at 2 million watts) begins work on a KNLJ Channel 25 (Knowing New Life in Jesus) large multi-purpose building. The previously signed on the air in New Bloomfield, Missouri homeless learn skills in master control, satellite recording, camera work, and production. Several of these individuals later got jobs at television stations as they allowed God to deliver them from drugs and alcohol, gave their lives to Christ and learned those vital broadcasting skills. NLEC’s Christmas Party for the Forgotten People grew until it reached an average of 4,000 to 5,000 people being fed and given gifts at the Cervantes Convention Center in downtown St. Louis. New Centers were opened in Springfield KNLJ Channel 25 and Kansas City offering shelter, food, and New Bloomfield, Missouri clothing, as well as prayer and Bible Study. 47 Years of Memories & Services – Page 3 A major earthquake in 1993 and a major flood in 1996 in India were met with compassion as NLEC By 1997 NLEC had provided 130,000 shelter funded a rescue and reconstruction operation nights for the homeless in the Midwest; 195,000 visits were made to the NLEC Free Stores; 290,000 food allotments were made; 330,000 counseling and referral calls were taken; 20,500 blankets were given away; 2,000 heaters and 11,000 pairs of gloves were given out; 19,500 families received utility assistance; 1,600 people received medical prescription of co-payee assistance; 7,500 fans were provided; 10,000 care kits of personal hygiene items were given to the homeless; 8,000 bus passes were given; 1,100 grants to help stranded travelers were provided; 5,000 shoe store Certificates of $15 were provided Foreign mission outreach expanded to include NLEC & Missouri Renewable Energy begins to Haiti, Russia, and the Philippines host Renewable Energy Fairs at its renewable In 1995 NLEC and the Homeless Express energy center in New Bloomfield, MO as well as Network call for justice for a mentally retarded in Marshfield, MO man named Johnnie Lee Wilson from Aurora, In addition to the orphanage now housing up Missouri who was given a life sentence. He had to 300 children, NLEC opened the “City of pled guilty under intense interrogation by the Refuge” in Kakinada, India, providing food, police to the murder of a family friend. Yet he was shelter, training, and energy independence for clearly innocent and had served over 9 years in the up to 300 more people Penitentiary. A public outcry resulted in the In 2007 Penny Rice – Co-founder of NLEC dies Governor granting him clemency and declaring from Breast Cancer him innocent. The Cry Justice Newspaper is published by NLEC from articles and letters from inmates all over Missouri and the US. They tell their stories and reveal injustices within the prison system. The Cry Justice Newspaper is still published today. The Mid America Care Center is completed in New Bloomfield. It serves as both offices, a studio, and a meeting place for worship and interaction for people from all over Mid America. An Orphanage was established in Kakinada, South India to care for 50 orphans. This group has Children in India being fed at the grown to also include approximately 6,000 New Life Evangelistic Center students at New Life Elementary Schools in Orphanage in Kakinada, South India addition to a medical clinic, mobile medical clinics that go to rural villages, and feeding programs. 47 Years of Memories & Services – Page 4 City places barricades, blocking off sidewalks around 1411 Locust. NLEC expands Missouri Renewable Energy (MORE) to American Renewable Energy and develops the www.americanrenewableenergy.org and www.moreenergy.org web sites NLEC is granted the social security building under the Stuart McKinney-Vento Act, at 806 N. Jefferson Ave. in Springfield, MO in order to assist homeless veterans in Springfield and the surrounding areas 2009 – Larry Rice is married to Debra Lay NLEC began the Club 24 Program which provides the ● Chris Rice launches the Metro St. Louis public with the opportunity to partner with New Life Coalition for the Homeless Evangelistic Center by sharing $24 a month ● New Life Staff and homeless march to Since 1980, NLEC through the Fans for Life program Jefferson City encouraging churches in route have distributed over 15,000 fans and air conditioners to to shelter the homeless the elderly and sick throughout Mid-America. NLEC ● Homeless Jesus Statue placed in front of continues to reach those in need in the summers with 1411 Locust fans and air conditioners as well as in the winters with ● New Life Evangelistic Center moves its heaters and blankets and the Winterization of homes headquarters to 2428 Woodson in Overland, without heat. MO after NLEC is ordered to cease its Christopher Rice (Larry & Penny Rice’s son) is outreach at 1411 Locust ordained as a NLEC minister to the poor and homeless ● New Life teams proceed to serve the Former Overland Medical Center building donated to homeless living outside daily as it hosts NLEC weekly rallies distributing hundreds of bus NLEC expands it’s on the job training programs to tickets and other emergency supplies include special transitional housing, veterans and ● Television services for New Life Evangelistic leadership training programs for the homeless Center move to 24.2 and create the NLEC KNLC Channel 24 moves from analog to digital. 24.2 phone app. goes on the air with 24 hours of renewable energy programming which is also carried at AmercanRenewableEnergy.org Get YOUR Copy of the 336 page book, “Through the Fire.” In it you will discover how Faith sustained New Life Evangelistic ● New Life expands homeless services at the Center as developers and politicians conspired Veterans Coming Home Center in Springfield, to stop NLEC’s work among the homeless. Marshfield and New Bloomfield. ● NLEC opens 6 Safe Houses for sheltering women and children as it expands its training programs for homeless men and married couples. ● St. Louis allows NLEC to renovate 1411 Locust for day services.