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 CHRISTIAN MISSION MINISTRY
May 2009
N E W S L E T T E R
200 Campbell st. Box 66Elmdale Kansas: 66850: 620-794-3395: www.christianmissionministry.com
E-mail: cmm@christianmissionministry.com
Christian Mission Ministry
Directors Corner
Behind The walls
Outreach Updates
Alaska
Contact Information
Christian Mission Ministry
Our New home
Life holds many surprises. Our journey at CMM often takes us to places we never dreamed of. This is exactly what happened a few months back. When it came time for us to renew our lease in Emporia the board voted not to renew it. While this decision caught all of us off guard it was definitely a God thing. Our board wanted to increase the actual ministry giving and wanted to decrease our over head. The only way we could do this was to close our Emporia office. After much prayer and soul searching the board unanimously voted not to renew our lease. Many great and glorious things took place at our Emporia office. The seeds planted continue to grow. Our ministry continued to operate but without an office. We waited to hear from God as to where he wanted us to be. A couple of months later a friend came up to me at a church dinner and asked how the ministry was doing. I responded with a resounding great! but that we were looking for office space. He went on to explain that he had a great deal for me. He proceeded to describe some property which was located in Elmdlae Kansas. I did not take it very serious at first and attempted to laugh it off. As I sat through dinner the Lord began to speak to me,” Call him, call him" I tried to refocus. I tried to tune God out but the next day I called Tom and made arrangements to view this property. As I entered the first building I was overwhelmed with the massive 100 plus year old Lime stone building, an old elementary school built in 1894. The stone was in excellent condition but a lot of inside work would need to be done. It was difficult for me to wrap my brain around this enormous venture. I walked away from this building a bit uninterested yet fascinated with the prospects of all that could be done with it, through the Holy Spirit of course. A week went by and a friend from church approached me asking if our ministry was going to buy these buildings. I gave a huge sye of concern; I had spoken to no one about this prospect. How did she find out? She proceeded to share with me her vision. For many years she dreamed of these properties being used for ministry. A place where Gods healing would dwell, a place of reconciliation. God was useing this Godly woman to bring about his confirmation. Even so I still wavered. I so desperately wanted to do the will of God but I was still not convinced. I took our board out to view the property, just to look around. Everyone seemed to be drawn to it but no decision was made. A couple of weeks later a young man approached me as I was getting into my car after church. He asked me if we were thinking about buying the Elmdale property. My flip remark of "well it depends on who wants to know" made him snicker. Keep in mind we had still told no one about this possible venture. His response to me was "Do it, this is a good thing, it needs to be done." Once again Gods conformation was stareing at me face to face. I slowly began to walk towards this vision. Yet still I needed more conformation. I admit I am a very slow learner but God knows this. A week later the owner of the property called and offered us a deal that could have only been from God. Out of respect and gratitude to Tom I will not go into details but there was no doubt from that moment on this is where God wanted the ministry to be. Many trips to this property, visiting with neighbors, and much more prayer led us to the purchase of this property. CMM now owns the Elmdale high school auditorium, elementary school, and 7 acres of fruit trees. Below is our vision for these buildings. To find out more about our new office and to obtain restoration updates go to the Elmdale restoration page. Please pray with us that Gods hands will hold Elmdale tightly and lovingly in his care.
AUDITORIUM (Old high school)
The auditorium will be restored to be used as the following:
- community shelter for tornadoes
- all purpose community activity building
- youth outreach offices
- prom closet (second) we will not close the Emporia location; The prom closet is a place for young people to obtain free of charge new or nearly new prom clothes, fancy dress attire or nice work clothes. We have a prom closet location already located in Emporia
- indoors skate park
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
The elementary school will be used as the following:
1.recording studio
2.radio station
3.life guidance offices
4.conference center
5.internship program: Agriculture, Horticultural, Music, Culinary, Animal husbandry,
Missionary service
6.Missionary service
7.meeting place for 10 step support groups
8.general offices for CMM Directors
9.retreat center
FRUIT ORCHERD
We will develop a community garden and green house
Directors Corner
Our 10 steps recovery book is now available. If you are struggling with addiction and would like your free copy send your request to: CMM, 2547 V. Road, Strong city Ks. 66869 or e-mail request at
cmm@christianmissionministry.com
Our trip to Marion Maximum prison in Florida was a great success. The 10 step program was successfully planted into the hands of over 200 inmates. How awesome is Gods grace. We will do a follow up in 9 months.
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Behind The walls
Written by men and women serving prison time
I Failed
Frank R.
Iron wood st. prison California
I failed to contemplate the cost
I failed to see, although I tried
I rolled the dice and sadly lost
I yearned to live, yet some how died
I tried to navigate my soul
I sought and fought without a goal
I am no shepherd,but a sheep
and so, O'Lord, my soul to keep.
We Are Working Together
By John (Angola)
Each day I have a need to see
If you would like to follow me
To a place where we are one
With our Father and His son.
I'd like to see you make a choice
to some day soon that uses your voice
For something other than telling a lie
the reason you do I know not why.
You see I once did the same thing
but now I know what our Lord brings
If I follow and you come too,
we will be one all brand new
Are you ready to make a change,
than you must make it very plain.
Don't act as though you are ashamed,
that is not why the Lord Jesus came.
He came to save us one and all,
If you don't know about the light,
if you don't think you can do anything right,
then ask for wisdom, power and might,
from our Lord Jesus Christ
AMEN
Drawing done by
John Rice (Seward Alaska)
Outreach Updates
Prison outreach
We are currently scheduling for Fall mission work. Individuals who are interested in prison work should contact our office.
2547 V. Road
Strong city, KS. 66869
620-273-8517 OR 620-794-3395
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Alaska
Chaplain Franklin N. Blodgett
Alaska Correctional Ministries
www.godinprison.org
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 3
So if the Son se t s you f ree, you wi l l be free
indeed.” (John 8:36 2IV)
April 1, 2009
It’s Official!
The Faith Wing at Hiland has become a TLC (Transformation Living
Community) in progress. Rev. Brenda Nagunst will be the TLC
program director. She will have the title chaplain and oversight of the
28 inmates in the program. She will report directly to Chaplain Ensch.
Bonnie and I will continue as the chaplains for the general population
at Hiland. Many of the volunteers that have helped with the Faith Wing
will continue to teach classes, counsel, and help with the TLC program.
Pray that the faith community will support this program by their
prayers, their giving, or being involved. The goal is a mentor for each
one of the twenty eight inmates in this program.
We’re praying for another Faith Wing for those waiting to get into the
TLC program and for those ineligible for the TLC requirements, but
desire a lifestyle that promotes spiritual growth. An inmate must have
at least 12 months behind bars to get into the TLC program.
It’s an Honor!
HMCC had a GED graduation with different state agencies represented.
Inmates that do not have a high school diploma are required to work
towards a GED. Many inmates have not graduated from high school,
so getting their GED is a big deal. Chaplain Bonnie was asked to do
the invocation and closing prayer at the GED graduation in March.
I was asked to do the invocation at the Governor’s Prayer Breakfast on
Saturday, March 28. About 900 attended. It was on TV and live on the
internet. The Governor’s family made it, but ash from Redoubt kept
Governor Sarah Palin in Juneau. The ash also kept Lt. Joseph Leman in
Fairbanks. Loren’s son was to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. The
speaker, Mr. Russell O’Quinn, was excellent. I showed a DVD of his
speech at Palmer Correctional Minimum Chapel on Sunday night,
March 29th.
PRAISE REPORTS
1. Great service at Palmer Correctional Medium with the Good
News Blues Band on March 1st.
2. The best attendance we have ever had at HMCC for Church
services. Bonnie and I did three of the five Sunday morning
services with attendances of 90, 106, and 102.
3. At the service with 106 we had 6 decisions for Christ and one
baptism. We had to do two communions services because we
had only prepared 100 cups. We did one for the congregation
before the message and another one for the choir after the
message.
4. Was able to get to Point MacKenzie Correctional Farm to give
a Bible study and serve communion despite Redoubt volcano
acting up that day.
5. You prayed and we now have a TLC program at HMCC.
Praise Reports
PRAYER REQUEST
1. Two staff members at Pt Mac needs God’s healing touch – one
is fighting cancer and the other one needs a new liver.
2. Chaplain Brenda as she takes over the TLC program at HMCC
3. Male mentors for PCC and female mentors for HMCC.
4. That God would give us wisdom as we interact with so many
different situations every day – be it inmates or staff.
5. The Financial needs of Alaska Correctional Ministries –
especially now with two TLC programs in Alaska.
6. There is the possibility of a transitional house for men and a
transitional house for women in Anchorage. Pray that we
would be able to get both of these buildings.
7. Pray for a Faith Wing at HCC (see article on page 1).
Redoubt volcano on March 31st
Photo by McGimsey, Game
Image courtesy of AVO/USGS
Good News Blues
Band at PCC med
Bonnie’s Corner
Frank went to a Regional Chaplain College at McChord AFB for Civil
Air Patrol. With Redoubt volcano acting up he was still able to go and
return on schedule. Redoubt continues to erupt and the air smells
sulphorous at time, the air is hazy and we’ve gotten some ash fall. We
still have snow although the weather is slowly warming. As we write
this we have snow falling (probably mixed with some ash).
A dangerous situation at HMCC reminds us all (staff and workers) to
be ever vigilant. The staff was terrific and responded immediately and
the dangerous inmate was put in the “hole”. It was a critical incident
and we had to attend a CISD (critical incident stress debriefing)
yesterday – March 31st. Pray for the safety of our correctional officers
and staff.
Contact Information
CMM Main office
Contact Information
CMM Main office
2547 V. Road
Strong city Ks. 66869
620-273-8517
E-mail cmm@christianmissionministry.com
Web: www.christianmissionministry.com
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