Those In Need Serving Others In Need

By Kevin Borges
College & Small Groups Pastor
Gateway Community Church, Merced

I am one person who is thrilled to see the impact the Rescue Mission has upon our Merced Community, from the perspective of the local church. There have been many times I have had the opportunity to see the men and women help us in church activities, serve seniors, or even help needy families move. Stories tell the story!

As one of the pastors on staff at Gateway Community Church, I get to hear needs and find ways to serve people. Just this past weekend, on a Friday night, I was receiving calls about a need that had just arisen. One of our church families, who was in great need, had been told they had to be out of their home by Saturday, which was the next day! I was out of town and yet was being asked to help solve the problem of helping move the family.  Fortunately, I have gotten to know Tim Adam, the Chief Operating Officer at the Rescue Mission and he has let me know to call if there is some way the Mission can assist. This was a slight emergency, and so I gave Tim a call late on Friday night. His response, as usual, was “No problem Kevin, we’ll send the men over in the morning!” What a blessing to have men in need be able to serve others in need. This is just one story I can share, among others, which helps paint the picture of one way the Rescue Mission is not just a place for people to get help… but to show that it’s a place whereby they can be used to bring help! In fact, it appears to me those who are in need get better when they serve and I am one person thankful for the way in which our local mission is training up those in need, to be solutions for others in need! Thank you, Merced County Rescue Mission!  

Upcoming Serving Hope Events!

Holiday Food Drive, October 1 - December 24
Join us in collecting non-perishable food items now through Dec. 24th. All donations go to our holiday banquets and meals throughout the year. Your business may sponsor a barrel, or drop off donations at our office, 644 W 20th Street, Merced. Questions, please call Tim Adam, (209) 947-1394.

Thanksgiving Banquet, November 28
Free Thanksgiving meal with all the fixings for low-income families and those experiencing homelessness at the American Legion Hall, 939 W. Main Street, Merced. Volunteer information, (209) 947-1394.

Giving Tuesday Events, December 3
Prayer Breakfast, 8am at First Baptist Church - Tickets, $25
Birthday Party for Jesus, 5pm at First Baptist Church, bring your family! - Tickets, $10
To reserve a table or purchase tickets, call (209) 349-2912

Holiday Toy Drive, December 1 - December 24
We are collecting toys for children ages 0-13 to hand out to children who attend our Christmas Eve Banquet on Dec. 24th. Your business may sponsor a barrel, or drop off donations at our office, 644 W 20th Street, Merced. Questions, please call Tim Adam, (209) 947-1394.

Christmas Eve Banquet, December 24
Free Christmas meal for low-income families and those experiencing homelessness at the American Legion Hall, 939 W. Main Street, Merced. Volunteer information, (209) 947-1394.

What does the Merced Rescue Mission mean to the community and the County of Merced as a whole?

By Lloyd Pareira, Merced County Supervisor

As I look back to a time before the Mission lost their home, they had about 30 people being housed either in their building or in their women's home. They were doing great work, and then one day they lost their home. Many of us thought that would be a great loss for Merced, but God had a different plan. He blessed the diligence of the Mission staff with many more opportunities. Today, the Mission has 128 beds in an array of settings. Probably the most vital is the discipleship program, because of the eternal salvation of the men and women. Close behind is the respite care facilities in both Merced and Los Banos. As homeless people come out of the hospital and return to the streets, their chances of being back in the hospital in the next few days is very high. With the love and care of the Missions staff, people who are homeless are now provided with a place to call home, where they can recover. Nurses visit or clients are taken to clinics to make sure wounds are kept clean and medicines are taken correctly. Healthy meals are provided, and the men and women are helped to feel human again. Next comes the sober living homes that house the balance of the men and women.

Here we are today, and the impact of the Merced Rescue Mission has been profound. The skills and talents of the staff are enhancing not only the lives of those in the Mission's programs, but they are permeating out through the larger homeless community as well. There are a tremendous amount of people working together to help reduce the homeless population in Merced County. The CoC (Continuum of Care) is the hub for this work, and the Rescue Mission is an engine that provides a lot of the power through leadership in many of the arena's making a difference. Many of the organizations that fund different portions of this care rely on the Rescue Mission to carry out the work and make a difference in the lives of the most vulnerable in our community. I personally am thankful for the Merced Rescue Mission, their board, staff and the work they accomplish here in the County of Merced.

Giving Tuesday Events - December 3rd!

Following Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become consumer holidays emphasizing buying for ourselves and our families. Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving which was initiated in 2012 to help us focus on our gratitude and to give us the opportunity to give to those in need.

The Rescue Mission is celebrating Giving Tuesday this year to bring our community together in a spirit of giving. It’s not a matter of how much you give, but if we all participate, we can make a huge difference that will go a long way to improve people’s lives.

On the morning of December 3rd, we will be hosting a prayer breakfast beginning at 8:00 am at the First Baptist Church which is located at 500 Buena Vista Drive, Merced, CA 95340. The cost of our breakfast is $25.  Annette Macias, CEO of Love Inc., will open our prayer breakfast in song.  Our guest speaker will be Mr. John Abbate, co-founder and president of Possibility Productions, speaking on his latest book, Invest Yourself. It is the story of one man’s quest to live his faith boldly and authentically in the workplace. Mr. Abbate has been a real estate investor and owner of multiple McDonald’s franchises for over twenty-five years. He has had his share of difficult experiences, and yet, he feels we are all called to lives of abundance expressed in self-giving. John will be an inspiration to all who attend.

At our prayer breakfast the Mission’s Building Hope Campaign will be presented.  Proceeds from this event will be used to build a home on the campus for homeless pregnant women and their babies. Sister Davida Schaefer, who is an integral part of this effort, will be introduced as our new volunteer for the development of the homeless pregnant women and children project.

On Giving Tuesday evening we will also be having a Birthday Party for Jesus at First Baptist Church. This will begin the advent season of hope with entertainment including song, dance, and many other surprises, together with food and cake for Jesus. The cost of the evening will be $10. Limited seating is available. Please contact Sister Davida at 209-349-2912 to purchase or reserve tickets or tables of 8.
 

Giving Tuesday Events - December 3, 2019
Location: First Baptist Church
8am Breakfast $25
5:30pm Birthday Party for Jesus $10
Tickets: Sister Davida, 209-349-2912

Privileged to Teach

I thank God and am humbled for the privilege to study God’s Word with the Mission Disciples, men and women. I have only been teaching at the Mission for six months, and what a blessing it has been to my life and I trust to theirs as we grow in studying the Bible. Certainly, this opportunity to teach has been the most meaningful thing in my life this year. To be able to sit and discuss God’s Word together and how it applies is so important to our everyday living. I am so thankful to the Mission for this opportunity to love and learn about each other as brothers and sisters in Christ!

Paul Cauwels,
MCRM Board Vice Chairman

A Visit from Congressman Jim Costa

On Tuesday, September 3rd, Congressman Jim Costa visited the Dos Palos Living Well Café. It is one of seven Senior Nutrition Programs that are run by the Mission, which contracts with Merced County. Congressman Costa spent an hour with the seniors and answered many of their questions.

Building Hope Campaign Update

The Building Hope Campaign will raise funds for our faith-based Hope for Men & Hope for Women programs. These funds will help build facilities to house 32 men and 20 women in our programs, along with a chapel and classrooms. Since its launch in June, this campaign has seen an outpouring of generosity from the community. We will continue to provide updates on the status of our Building Hope Campaign. Thank you for supporting God's work through the Mission.

So far in 2019, the Merced County Rescue Mission has helped 103 men and women find independent housing in the community upon completing our programs. 103!!! The waiting list is growing for our Hope for Men and Hope for Women programs, as our current capacity for each is 10 and participants remain in the program for three months to a year. Mission programs are currently operated in 2 homes owned by the Mission, 10 rented homes, and one rented office throughout Merced.

A new campus will allow us to expand our capacity for Hope for Men from 10 to 32 and our capacity for Hope for Women from 10 to 20 to better meet the needs in our community. For our other buildings on the new campus we are pursuing other avenues for funding.

You can make a difference! Donate today to the Building Hope Campaign, you can make a one-time donation or set up monthly, quarterly, or annual donations to the campaign. Simply click here, choose an amount, then choose Building Hope Campaign. Changing lives through life transformation is the primary focus of the Mission. Thank you for your support