Words from our Chapel team at Morningside Lutheran Church

Homelessness is a complex issue. It would be nice if the issue could be easily understood and/or easily solved. The Gospel Mission’s approach resonates with me in so many ways. One key aspect the Mission provides is structure in a person’s life – lights out time, wake-up time, meal times, assigned duties/chores, and more. Structure helps keep everybody moving in the same direction. Another key aspect is frequent sobriety checks, and drug screenings. These activities are another way to bring structure to a person’s life.

Mandatory daily chapel is another aspect to the Gospel Mission’s structure to help its residents. Indeed there is no power like the power of the Holy Spirit to help struggling men become whole men. The Holy Spirit is expert at helping people break the chains of addiction, heal family conflicts, humble the proud, and restore peace in one’s life.

One of the residents I got to know was Jaymie. He was a long-term resident as he slowly recovered from a devastating automobile accident. After spending weeks in the hospital, he moved into the Mission. At first, he used a wheel chair, then a walker, then two canes, then one cane, until he regained most of his mobility. One evening before Chapel, Jaime was excited to tell me that he had a job -- a duty -- a chore, at the Gospel Mission to help in the laundry. He was very excited that he could now contribute to the day-to-day operations of the Mission. If you have had a year, or months, where you could not do anything, and you now have the strength to help in the laundry, you are pumped. Jaime also shared with me that the first thing he does in the morning is to read the daily devotional, Jesus Calling.

I am part of a small team from Morningside Lutheran Church that helps out with an evening chapel on a weekly basis. There are times in the middle of winter when I don’t want to leave my house to drive to the Mission. I’m too old, too tired, too cranky to leave the house. But, every time I make it to Chapel, I find the Holy Spirit already there. Energy, peace, love, compassion fill my heart as I visit with the men before and after chapel. It is such a privilege to volunteer at the Mission. Developing personal connections with many of the men has been a real blessing.