Celebration Covenant Church had its second “Bring Your Turkey to Church” on November 8th. The congregation brought 51 turkeys, 150 lbs of canned goods and financial gifts to purchase at least 15 more turkeys to help Open Door Mission provide a hot, nutritious Thanksgiving meal for the homeless and near homeless in the metro area. Many of the families are also volunteering to help deliver Turkey 'N' Fixin's boxes to families on November 21st.

Thanks to Celebration Covenant’s congregation for choosing to make a difference this holiday season.

Would you like to make a difference too? Would you like to help provide hope and food for a needy family? Please stop by your favorite Omaha area Hy-Vee on Friday, November 13, from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m., shop for turkeys and non-perishable food items for Open Door Mission.

Do you like to drive? Would you like to deliver turkeys and food boxes to the families? Open Door Mission needs 800 drivers to help deliver Turkey'n'Fixin's in the metro area. Deliver TURKEY 'N' FIXIN'S boxes.

Maggie Cope
Communications Coordinator

This is not the first blog I’ve written since moving to Open Door Mission’s Community Services Department in September. Moving my office to the Timberlake Outreach Center, from the Advancement Department has changed my daily routine 95%. Why 95% and not 100%? No matter what department of Open Door Mission you work in, Karen Applegate will be quick to remind you that you work in Advancement. We are all ambassadors of Open Door Mission to our own unique circle of friends, contacts, and church and home family.


The other thing that is the same, is every single staff member of Open Door Mission, be they a case manager, cook, receptionist or executive believes in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and is committed to sharing the Good News with whomever they meet. This has not and never will change for me, but I have experienced a wonderful increase in my opportunity to share my faith as part of the Community Services team!

On a daily basis, I have the privilege of meeting with a dozen or more individuals/families who have come through the doors of the Timberlake Outreach Center. Each client is in my office because they have a distinct physical need for furniture or bedding, but I also get the opportunity to minister to their emotional and spiritual needs.

What an awesome privilege to be a part of sharing God’s blessings with those who are in need! You can play a vital role in this ministry by donating your gently used clothing, furniture, appliances and house wares! Some of the items needed most are beds, appliances, kitchen tables and chairs, and dressers.

You can drop your items off at our new receiving area in the back of the Timberlake Outreach Center, or bring them to A-Plus Williamson Automotive, 2 blocks south of 149th and Industrial for our monthly Stuff-A-Truck on November 21st. I will be there personally to thank you for your donation and give you a tax-deductible receipt.


Blessings,
Darren Timberlake
Resource Case Manager

Change is seldom easy, but often beneficial. We are undergoing some significant changes at the Timberlake Outreach Center, one of which is the relocation of the receiving area where Gift-in-Kind donations are dropped off. Last week part of the wall was removed on the east side of our building and a garage door was installed in preparation to relocate the receiving area to our building.

Last Saturday, numerous volunteers and staff worked hard to prepare our building for this transition. Monday, we officially opened the new receiving area for business. This significant change will greatly enhance the receiving and distribution of your donations into the hands of our clients in a more efficient and timely matter.

Your generous donations of furniture, clothing, appliances, household items, etc. permit us to help our clients receive needed items they can not afford to purchase. Thank you for partnering with Open Door Mission to help fight the battle of homelessness; in doing so, you are giving to families less fortunate and helping them have a better life.

So, the next time you bring your Gift-in-Kind donations to Open Door Mission remember to bring them to the Timberlake Outreach Center receiving area. You can’t miss it--just follow the signs. And while you’re here, please stop for a visit. I would love to give you a tour of our Timberlake Outreach Center and tell you about the various programs and ministries Open Door Mission offers to help prevent homelessness. May God bless you, as you generously bless others.

Joyfully Serving Jesus,
Judy Collins
Director of the Timberlake Outreach Center

I recently attended a graduation celebration for Open Door Mission guests that completed the New Life Recovery Program or the Journey to Work Program. We praised God together in worship and then heard the testimonies of the graduates before a time of food and fellowship.

As I heard the graduates tell where they have been (unemployed, incarcerated, suffering an addiction, and/or victims of domestic abuse) and where they are now (sober, disciples of Christ, employed and filled with hope) I viewed their months in their Open Door Mission program as a marathon for each of them.

I am a marathon runner and I know that in the midst of the run there are points of joy as one passes mile markers and hears the crowds cheering you on. In addition, there are many instances of pain, suffering, and wondering if you can finish. Our graduates have passed through many joyful thresholds of accomplishment in their programs and they have been cheered on by staff, fellow students, and family members. Yet, each graduate has also experienced much pain and suffering along the way as they have withdrawn from addictions and changed thought patterns and actions that have been destructive in the past. They have crossed the finish line because in Christ all things are possible and they are now ready for a new life that breaks the cycle of homelessness and poverty.

Praise God that each graduate is now ready to run the race ahead of them in life and become a blessing to others as they draw on blessings from God each day!

Scott Shreve
Senior Development Director
402-829-1538

Con Agra Enterprise Procurement decided to initiate team building with a mission. The mission was to not only to build a stronger team, but also provide blankets for Open Door Mission. So the 30 people on their team went to work making fleece blankets. There was laughter, hard work, fun and two hours later there were 21 handmade blankets for the Mission. Their efforts are much appreciated because these blankets will provide a special warmth this winter with hope for the holidays and a better life.


Would your group, organization or church like to provide hope also? Please visit Open Door Mission's website to find out how you can bring Hope for the Holidays to the thousands of hungry and homeless in your community.

Make a difference this holiday season…

• Set up your Hope for the Hungry food drive.
• Schedule your Project Santa drive.
• Request your set of Christmas Bells to provide gifts for hurting adults.
• Sign up to Adopt-A-Family.
• Deliver TURKEY 'N' FIXIN'S boxes.
• Sort and bag new, unwrapped toys.

Thank you for helping break the cycle of homelessness and poverty.


Maggie Cope
Communications Coordinator

As I sit here on a Friday, I am contemplating the end of one week and yet the beginning of a new one and how that is true over the whole spectrum of life. Every ending is a new beginning for something. For instance, in recovery, one has to end their old life style in order to begin a new one. Someone once told me that every change in life is both a loss and a gain depending on how one chooses to focus on it. That is definitely something that we teach our men here at Open Door Mission and it is greatly empowering as well. Rarely do we find anyone who has been through more losses than our men here on the recovery program. If they can begin to view those past losses as changes instead of meaningless experiences they suffered and trust God who was and is still in control, they can begin for the first time in their lives to realize some of the true power of Christ in setting them free. Not so much freedom from the pain as freedom from slavery to it. We call it “reframing”. Taking an experience, looking at it realistically, and figuring out what God has to offer and teach us from it.

As I write this, I must admit that I am so proud of our men. Lately, they have been put through a barrage of changes and have chosen to focus on them in a positive life-changing way. The Word of God teaches us that we are all made in His image and therefore people carry so much more potential than we realize. It is definitely a privilege to see our men prove that daily.

That’s why our Lord died on a cross 2,000 years ago, isn’t it? This certainly was a horrendously evil event, definitely an incredible loss. Yet, God brought out of that very act the most blessed event in mankind’s history - He redeemed us and made us righteous. The most evil act was made the most righteous act; the biggest loss in history was made into the greatest gain of all time. I can’t think of a more important message for our men to understand.

It was my privilege just 2 days ago to be setting with one of our men explaining this to him when he told me that he was already saved but needed to act upon it and start building his life on this foundation. So he decided to rededicate his life to Christ on the spot. I don’t have to tell you what an honor that was for me. Further, that is something we get to experience all the time here. Our men have the same potential that we do, just different experiences. When those experiences lead to life-altering beliefs, the only cure is Biblical beliefs. Recovery is essentially replacing faulty belief systems (in several areas) with appropriate belief systems. Isn’t it great to have that from an objective source? Thank God for his revealed Word or all I would be able to offer is my own faulty beliefs. Beliefs have tremendous transforming power. No wonder the Word of God has so much to say about belief from cover to cover.

The weather is changing, the economy is changing, and the world is changing around us, but I just praise Him for the anchor He has provided and hope to teach others to do so too.

Stan Latta
Men’s Recovery Services Director

Thank you Kwik Shop and Kwik Shop costumers that took part in the "Buy A Plate" to help support the Open Door Mission. For the entire month of September, Kwik Shop did a fund raiser to help the Open Door Mission provide hot, nutritious meals to many hungry and homeless men, women, and children.
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In the above picture Candace Gregory, President/CEO stands with Jimmy Lewis, Kwik Shop Regional Operations Manager, and other employees that made this all possible. They presented Candace with a check for over $22,000 that was collected in this fundraiser.
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Open Door Mission is grateful for the partnership with Kwik Shop.

Joan has been providing handmade baby quilts to Open Door Mission’s Lydia House and those it serves for almost two years. She lovingly provides these quilts for children she will never see, but knows they will be something special for the child that receives one. Her quilts don’t just provide warmth for the child, but also show the mother that others care about her and her child. Joan is sharing God’s love in a very special way. We appreciate Joan’s labors of love because the quilt becomes a gift of love and hope to a needy family. Thank you also to her daughter Deb, for faithfully bringing the blankets to Open Door Mission.

Would you like to share God’s love in a special way? As Open Door Mission prepares to serve 6,000 children at Christmas we need hats, scarves, mittens and gloves and fleece blankets, as well as new toys. Would you and your organization, workplace, church or family please help provide a Christmas of Hope for the homeless and near homeless? Please check out our website for details on how you can provide Hope for the Holidays.

Maggie Cope
Communications Coordinator

I was recently in the Grand Canyon with my wife and son. The views from the rim and along the trails down the Canyon were beautiful and awe inspiring. As our guide told us how the many layers that are exposed in the Canyon developed over millions of years I thought of our programs at Open Door Mission. In fact, I did!

The New Life Recovery Program and Journey to Work Program are measured in months, not millions of years, but each day, week, and month in a program provides a new layer of life skills, educational ability, and spiritual development for each individual enrolled. The solid foundation upon which all layers form is faith in Jesus Christ, our solid rock. Then layers of emotional coping skills, Biblical knowledge, maintenance of sobriety, educational and computer skills, job readiness insights equip each graduate for new life!

The Grand Canyon is a wonder of the world and each graduate from an Open Door Mission program is a grand wonder as well. If you would like to explore a Planned Gift to support the work of Open Door Mission please contact me.

Scott Shreve
Senior Development Director
(402) 422-1111, ext. 1538

I work primarily in the Lydia House Children & Youth Department. It has been a blessing to share the love of Jesus with our kids.
Last month, Charity asked if I would fill in for our Overnight Supervisor during her surgery and recovery. I had never worked the midnight to 8 a.m. shift before and wondered how the change would affect me physically. The Lord has blessed me to be able to handle the change of sleeping during the day.

As Overnight Supervisor, I do periodic room checks throughout the Emergency A & B wings, file, sort mail, clean, assist in handing out medications and much more. During this time, I am reminded of Psalm 63:6, “When I remember you on my bed; I meditate on you in the night watches.” and Psalm 119:148, “My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I might meditate on Your Word.” (KJV)

Ladies will come to me and ask me to pray with them, or talk, because they couldn’t sleep. Moms will even bring their sick children to my office for medication and to keep them from disturbing other family members. I love being able to minister to families and ladies in this way and thank God for giving me the opportunity to serve during the ‘Night Watch’ at Open Door Mission.

Janice M. Loud
Lydia House Children & Youth Department
Night Watch – House Supervisor