3rd Quarter Publication

  A Note from Dan

Greetings to my fellow Christian sojourners!  I trust you are seeking to walk daily with your hand firmly grasping our Lord's hand.  Daily - that is my intentional habit.  I can't imagine beginning a day without the conscious awareness that I belong to God and that He longs to use me in some way each day.

Do you remember the passage in John's gospel where it's recorded that "many of His (Jesus) disciples went back and walked with Him no more."  Jesus then asked the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”  I often feel like Peter when he answered Jesus' question by saying “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."  Some "disciples" do turn back and no longer walk with Him.  I have to believe that those who choose to do that must never have truly known our Savior at all.  He alone has the answers to life and He alone has promised NEVER to leave us or forsake us.  In turn, we should walk so closely to Him that we will NEVER want to leave or forsake Him.

Let's be genuine & serious daily disciples, followers of our Savior and Lord.  Let us know how we can encourage you and pray for you!

 Graduation at the Farm

One of the most memorable graduations took place at the Farm earlier this year. A small group gathered in the Chapel to honor two Program graduates: Johnny Allen and Jorry Todd. Each graduation celebration is special but this one particularly captured the essence of what the CLP / NLP journey is about.
To accept Christ as Lord and Savior, to become a child of God and experience all the joy that can bring, living day-to-day clean and sober, and finally, re-connecting with family so powerful that “all things are possible through Christ” is proven true. 

We recently met with Johnny and Jorry to ask what’s going on in their lives.

We Remember You:  It’s been a few months since the two of you graduated from the Farm.  What are you working on now?

Johnny:  I’m living here at the Farm doing a lot of repair and maintenance projects.  I’m getting a lot of work in the community.  I’m also hoping to get involved more in ministry here at the mission. 

Jorry:  This summer I’m working at a restaurant here in Warsaw. This fall I’m starting school at State Fair Community College where I’m going to get an AA Degree in Auto Mechanics.  When I graduate I hope to get a job working in a large auto dealership.            

We Remember You:   Johnny, the letter your son wrote that was read at your graduation was very touching. You clearly reconnected with your family while on program. Speak to us about that. 

Johnny:  I’m going to my grand kids’ ball games - which is just great.  But I’m really just trying to be a good father, grandfather and son to my mother. I know I really hurt and disappointed a lot of people but through God’s grace I’m getting another chance to be there for them like I should. This is a chance I never thought I'd get; I'm very thankful.  

We Remember You:  Jorry, you’re close to your family as well. Your grandfather spoke at your graduation and had a lot to say about how far you’ve come.  He’s very proud of you. You also have 2 young daughters. How has that relationship changed? 

Jorry:   They are a big reason I’m going to school.  I want to be able to be a good father to them and provide for them. I'm now ready to take on the responsibility of being a father.

We Remember You:  This interview is just a short piece of the conversation we recently had with Johnny and Jorry. It’s clear though that both men have been experiencing God’s grace in their lives. God’s transforming grace has also impacted the lives of those dear to Johnny and Jorry. Thanks to Johnny and Jorry; thanks and praise to our heavenly Father.

  Farm Bunkhouse Renovation

 Almost every graduate has spent time at the Farm either on retreat or on Program so you’ll likely recall fond memories of rustic living and the sound of crackling campfires of this memorable place tucked away in the Missouri back country.

Since the early 1930’s the Opportunity Farm near Warsaw, Missouri has stood as a place of hard work, commitment to serving the Lord, and spiritual healing. Carved out of the Ozarks over the decades, the Farm is now home to a free-standing extension of the Christian Life Program. We spent a morning at the Farm getting caught up on recent changes and future plans and want to share with you.

Under the leadership of Lee Burns, the Farm is upgrading facilities; from a new water treatment project, wood burning heating system and renovated quarters, the Farm is moving forward. Bunkhouse 1 was recently taken down to the studs and rebuilt.  David Busick gave us a tour of the modern yet rustic comfortable building which can house 12 men.

David explains, “We look forward to the planned changes that will allow us to increase our number of clients to 24.  This will be accomplished through the remodel of Bunkhouse 2 and setting up rooms for 3 men each.  In our remodel of Bunkhouse 1 we were able to establish much needed privacy and space.” (Post-renovation photos on the right) 

Much has changed since the Farm opened during the great depression and much is planned, with God’s provision, but one thing remains constant: Christ is King. 

In Focus: David Busick

David Busick, long-time CLP Administrator enjoys hunting (firearm and archery) and fishing, old firearm restoration, all fields of construction, and especially family. He and Diane, married nearly 30 years have two sons, Joshua and Jacob, and two granddaughters. Ordained in 1988 to minister the gospel of Christ, he pastored children and youth while working full time as a grocery meat cutter, and worked later manufacturing Craftsman toolboxes.

David has had his faith and strength tested by several major illnesses since 2009 and God continues to supply and restore strength.

David explains, “He is without a doubt the source of my personal peace and hope.  I can do nothing except through Christ; my strength fails me but He does not”.

He shared scriptures that became instrumental during this season. 

Psalm 23 “For giving me strength and stability in the midst of trouble.”

Psalm 139:23-24 “To focus on my personal life; that I would remain humble, teachable and correctable and not disqualify myself for God's work.  I will not forget the years of my rebellious attitude, the pain it caused and the doors it closed.” 

James 1:19-20 “I have not always lived with that kind of focus for or toward others.  I've learned the value of listening and every day I am reminded to think wisely before I speak.  And repent quickly when I don't.”

  Special Interest - Fireplace

A varied collection of buildings, old and new, peppers the land on the Farm. Back in a quiet corner is Ruth’s Lodge.  Ruth was Ruth Vanderberg, the daughter of the founders, Rev. and Mrs. David Bulkley. Among the many buildings on the Farm, Ruth’s Lodge could be easily overlooked. Once you enter, however, one special feature captures your attention. The large cozy fireplace compels you to sit and imagine a roaring fire on a cold winter’s night. 

  

As you rest, you begin to notice how well-built the fireplace is with intricate construction details evident of a true craftsman. And something else catches your eye - a cross carefully built into the brickwork.

  

Who built this? Too many years ago, a client at the camp asked and got permission to build a fireplace onto the lodge. Slowly and with great care he built this fireplace adorned with a stone cross.   

  

A client’s name long forgotten but his gift still remembered. He left the place better than he found it and left his mark for Christ.

  Concluding Thought

Anyone who has been on program at the Farm knows it’s about hard work in the woods, Bible study and reflection.  It’s hoped and prayed for that everyone who walks the Farm’s trails for a day or a year will reflect upon their own lives. Maybe you did. Maybe you saw that a life without Christ was empty and lonely. Maybe you saw that through Him there is a future and hope. Maybe you chose to take a different path in life – one committed to Him.  We pray you did and that you are still on His path. It is the road less traveled, yes, but what a glorious that road it is.  My God bless you.

The final stanza of The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost:

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

April Edition

A Note from Dan

Hey guys & gals or more seriously & appropriately "dear brothers & sisters in Jesus Christ" . . . we love you guys so much and want to encourage you in any way we can.

I’ve been doing my daily Bible reading for the last few months in the Old Testament – specifically the Minor Prophets – you know Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, etc.  I love the seriousness that comes thru in their exhortations.  They were men who felt strongly that God had given them a job to do and they committed themselves to doing just that – even though they would be ridiculed and not believed. 

I certainly want to also do the job God has given me in service to Him in the name of our Savior!  That’s the only way to experience His approval & blessing . . . and I need and want His approval & blessing.  Don’t you?

sLi Graduation

The servant Leadership institute (sLi) was formed at the City Union Mission due the great need for a place where CLP and NLP program graduates who are called can receive comprehensive training and preparation that will allow them to effectively enter a career in rescue mission ministry. sLi is a 12 month in residence training and education program that includes both classroom and on the job responsibilities and duties here at City Union Mission.  sLi is comprehensive and Christ centered preparation for a career and life in rescue mission ministry.

Since its beginning in 2010 sLi has had 5 graduates.  Grace Owens and Mike Wutherich (photographed below with Lorraine Minor) graduated March 29^th of this year. The ceremony was attended by some 50 guests, including the 3 past graduates, Sheryl Hasmanis, Felicia Payne and John Meder.  Each of our sLi graduates are employed in ministry here at the City Union Mission

Any graduate of the City Union Mission’s CLP and NLP programs are eligible to apply for the Servant Leadership Institute.  If you would like to learn more about sLi please contact us at...

The servant Leadership institute

“Equipping the Saints for the Work of Service” 

                                                                                                                       Ephesians 4:12.

Update: Greg Kimball - Life and Wedding

 Greg Kimball graduated from the CLP in 2010.  Those who got to know Greg remember him as a quiet man who spoke when he had something to say.  Greg is a veteran having proudly served in the Navy for 17 years.  We also know him to be a man whose life was turned around by God’s grace, a family who proved to be true blue and by putting Christ first each and every day. Greg was married by the Rev. Dan Doty at the City Union Missions’ Opportunity Farm in Warsaw, MO. We had a chance to talk to Greg via email awhile back. 

We Remember You: What have you been doing since graduating from the CLP? Greg: Since graduation I have been working for Springfield Victory Mission as the maintenance supervisor, which I feel is a way of giving back to the type of system that helped get back on the right track. I have continued to bond with my family and have remarried my ex-wife (Jan14 2012). We Remember You: What are your fondest memories of being on the program? Greg: I think my fondest memory is having a case manager that I could tell anything to and them allowing me to vent. You know who you are and I thank God and love you for that. We Remember You: Are you active in a church and how is your walk with the Lord? Greg: I am currently attending Grace Chapel Church in Springfield Mo. I attend a Bible study on Monday evenings with friends and a Bible study on Tuesday evenings with a group from church. I think working for a Christian organization makes it much easier to stay close to the Lord, since I don't have to deal with co-workers that curse or drink or do other things that might tempt me to lose focus. We Remember You: Do you have any thoughts you would like to share with your fellow alumni? Greg: The only thought I have for my fellow alumni is my e-mail signature Proverbs 3:5-6. (Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will direct your paths.)

In Memoriam

In Memoriam A.H.H. was a poem written by Alfred Lord Tennyson some 150 years ago. This poem took 17 years to write. In the poem, the poet sees his faith shaken by personal loss and grief but it’s ultimately reaffirmed. We must always remember that when we’re overwhelmed by loss and grief that our Father is always near. The poem concludes:

No, like a child in doubt and fear:
But that blind clamour made me wise;
Then was I as a child that cries,
But, crying knows his Father near;

Dorsey Davis, 64, died March 20, 2012 after a brief illness. Many of you knew Dorsey. He first worked in a Mission Thrift Store, then as a Shelter Manager at the Men's Shelter. Dorsey was called and he served. He served the Lord and he served every man who came before him, often in the wee hours of the morning. It's also important to note that his service included his country in the form of two tours of duty in Vietnam with the U. S. Army. Dorsey had a gentle smile, a warm heart, an a way about him. More importantly, he loved our Lord and Savior with all his heart. Dorsey is survived by a loving wife, four children, and seven grandchildren. Today, he walks and dances on streets of gold.

Gregory Booker, 56, died March 13, 2012. Greg was born in Kansas City, KS and graduated from Shawnee Mission North. Greg was an outgoing, fun-loving person who loved driving any kind of vehicle. Greg taught himself to play a variety of instruments and became involved in music ministry at church. Greg was a devoted Christian with a deep faith in God. His nine years at City Union Mission where he managed fleet vehicles and ministered in many other ways; all a labor of love.

A Word from Staff - Mike Durst

To all the Alumni that I have had the privilege of knowing, and those I haven"t known, I send greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I hope that you are doing good and walking close to our Savior. Many of you left a lasting blessing on my own life and great memories. Hope some of you can stop down at the mission one of these days and we can visit and talk about old times and whats going on in your life. One of my favorite Bible verses that I would like to share with you is Zechariah 4:6 That says " Not by might, nor by power,but by my spirit ,saith the Lord.

In Closing 

We will be publishing We Remember You quarterly.    Please let us know what you are up to and any prayer requests that you may have.  Also let us know what you would like included in future editions of We Remember You  (this is about you after all). Contact us at Steve.Sahl@cityunionmission.org.

An now we leave you with this thought:  Chapter 8 of Proverbs is magical.  Wisdom is talking to us.  Yes wisdom talks to us in Proverbs 8 and she has much to say.  As I have if you spend a few days (or weeks) hovering about Proverbs 8 you’ll be richly rewarded.  Here’s a peek of what she has to say:

I love all those who love me;

And those who diligently seek me will find me.

                            Proverbs 8:17