Author Archive: admin

Keeping your Christmas Merry

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Katie_Thanksgiving_2009Hey, there are plenty of things to focus on that could make you mad about the handling of Christmas by some. You might get upset because certain department stores do not give full credence to this season. You might get bothered that employees are trained to say, ‘Happy Holidays’ instead of Merry Christmas. You may be frustrated that you cannot find the correct Christmas cards to mail because they are ‘watered down’ or to politically correct.

Put on the brakes and back up a moment here. Seriously, if we understand what Christmas is all about then who cares about how poorly companies or individuals respond. I encourage you to not allow yourself to be diverted to those trivial things – they will bog you down for sure.

The truth is we know and have experienced what Christmas is all about. We have come to know that the spirit of this season can truly permeate or daily lives because of the love gift from heaven. This beautiful gift was presented to us – Jesus Christ. This golden child would later become the sacrifice on a cross. Countless millions through the ages have accepted and embraced Him and have allowed his teachings to live through their lives.

We have this moment when the world is fairly focusing on the truth. The way for this season to be brought into clarity is by keeping your Christmas merry. This is done by loving God, family, friends, enemies, and strangers. We keep this time merry because we have realized that the greatest thing we can do is to give Christmas away. We are no longer self consumed – we happily give it away. Jesus even told us that we would find our lives by losing our lives – or giving our lives away.

Now, go and enjoy this Christmas and keep it MERRY! – Rev. Ray Brown

Cardboard Testimonies

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cardboard testimoniesSusan:
Side One: LOST
Side Two: FOUND

Marie:
Side One: IV Drug user, Felon
Side Two: Clean, Baptized, Sunday School Teacher

Anthony:
Side One: IV Meth user, 5x felon, ex-con
Side Two: Husband, father, Celebrate Recovery facilitator

April:
Side One: Nobody
Side Two: In Him – Somebody
Side Three: It’s All Good!

Jeff:
Side One: Thief, convict, liar, drug addict, alcoholic, bad friends
Side Two: Trustworthy, saved, recovering, free, has Christian friends

Red Bracelet

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bracelet_restoreWe will be selling our red restore1more bracelet for only $3.00. This is a great way to help support this outreach ministry. This red reminder is not just about our ministry but it conveys how just ‘one’ of us can impact ‘one’ life. We are reminded of the Good Shepherd who left the ninety nine to find the ‘one’. The Bible reminds us that if ‘one’ falls we should restore them with a gentle spirit. This red bracelet is a wonderful reminder to all of us that we should be willing to restore1more.

We Are Growing

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We need a building!

We need a dining area, kitchen, classrooms, gym (if possible), large rooms for pantry and clothing, a large area to worship in as well. We will partner with a number of groups to help people in practical ways such as literacy, GED, parenting, budgeting, nutrition, recovery, etc. Multiple groups are needed to pull their re-sources to help more folks – they will save money in doing so – and be under one roof. The date we have set to be another facility is 1-31-2010.

Bible Center Cathedral has been so gracious to partner with us to use their facility for a year and a half. We have grown in many areas and we need room to grow in – we need a place we can call home. BC has let us store food, clothing and has accommodated us without complaint. We have donated a very small monthly amount to put on utilities; however, it does not come close for all they have done for us. For all of this and more we say a big, “THANK YOU! ” to Pastor Rick.

We are extremely excited for this transition and we know God has a place for us to help people – body, mind, and spirit.
Restore Outreach is a ministry of theGathering Church and we will work with all churches regardless of denomination to help restore people of our city.
Please forward this newsletter to those in your network via email or USPS. Call me at 484-7339 or email at info@restore1more.org if you know of someone who can help. Thanks! – Rev. Ray

Thanks to The Cathedral

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Special thanks to The Cathedral for allowing Restore to use it’s facility every Monday night since May of 2008.  Also, we appreciate the use of the van and the storage area.

Nehemiah

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I have been a firm believer in tearing down walls. Walls divide so many of us.  A wall could be race, economic status, religion, and so on.  Just getting rid of those prejudices and coming together is where it is at—or so I thought. Nehemiah, ( A governor, once slave and ordinary person), gave me a wake up call of sorts – thanks to my wife who urged me to read.  This depressed guy felt a great desire to rebuild a wall, bring people together, and restore a city.  This wall took only 52 days to rebuild.  Much of the wall was using the old material that seemingly was ruined.  I guess I am surprised how important it really is to restore those things that are truly important.  Some of us have walked away from once positive and good relationships.  Others have walked away from their faith that was given to them as a child.  Can you see the “rubble” that lies all around you?  Isn’t it worth something?  People love to buy the antiques that have been restored to it’s former glory.  I suggest you read the book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament.  Hey, if Oprah can have a book club and recommend the very best books can’t I do the same?  I am noticing everyday how people are in need of restoration.  I am on that quest as well.

Thanks to…

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All of our financial donors, every dollar counts and is important.  Thanks to Pastor’s Kim and Kimberly Wells and River of Life Church on the West Side.  Hair stylist Lori Meyer, April Wright, Becky Shell, Carla Case.  The Bread of Life in Lynnville, Indiana.  Pastor Rick VanHoose and The Cathedral for the use of the van and facilities.

Thanks to ALL who attend Restore Outreach on Mondays.  You have been such a blessing to us and we consider you as family.  Without you this ministry would have never have progressed to the place it is now.  Also, it will never grow to the place that it should be without you. Keep going forward!

Thanks to all of our Recovery Sponsors that spend time loving, caring, and listening to those that need support. Don Hester supplies the meal, (pot pie, cottage cheese, and apple sauce), on the 2nd month of each month.

Thanks to all of the hair stylist, for cutting the hair of our men and children the day after Father’s Day.  Again, Leslie Walker and Melissa Edmondson put together gifts for all the men who are part of our recovery classes.

Paul Walker who cleans up nearly every week and takes out the trash.  Also, he helps distribute extra food and treats at the end of our evenings every Monday.
Thank you for reading this newsletter!

Rejected to Accepted

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When rejection comes it is like an odor-not seen but noticed by all. Rejection leaves us outside the place where we think we need to be accepted.  You have seen that awkward little kid that was overlooked when teams were being picked?  Something was screaming inside of that child, “pick me, please pick me!”  You have seen it, the head drops, no  eye contact.  The kid grows up and still senses that rejection.  It effects relationships, jobs, literally every area of life.  All of us know what it feels like to be rejected.  God clearly states in his book that we are accepted in the beloved.  That is great but how do we shake off the spirit of rejection?  Looking at ourselves in many cases we feel rejected by some people, however, in some way did you reject them first?  They may have only  responded  poorly to you because they to carry past rejections too.  I do not think there is a cure all statement but I do know that we must honestly evaluate ourselves before we can cure others.  We must weigh our intentions and realize people are just like us—trying to live with rejection.  Jesus modeled how to cope and respond to those that sometimes angrily rejected him.

FWD:FWD:FWD:FWD:FWD

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Does this does look familiar? The FWD—short for ‘Forward’ on the subject line in your email box. I must admit many of these FWD’s I find to be mildly monotonous. Yes, the FWD story in the email can be inspiring and thought provoking but it has made me wonder if we are not really communicating what our thoughts are. We sometimes cannot come up with our own words to the people we care for and love so we just FWD someone else’s thought to lift them. I would like to make a challenge this month to all who FWD.  My challenge is to dig deep and muster up words and find simple actions to display love to those closest to us. Don’t just say the, ‘I love You!’ but say why you love them.  I look forward to hearing from you about your success via email or hone. Remember don’t plagiarize others words, use the God given gift that is within all of us.

Rev. Ray Brown
Email rbrown@restore1more.org
or call me at (812)484-7339.

Faith is Hope in the Dark

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Recently, I attended a recovery convention that had chosen this as its theme. It is a rather simple concept. Faith is belief in that which is unseen and most of us don’t see that well in the dark. Let’s face it; it’s not much of a challenge to have faith when you’re skipping through a field of wildflowers on a beautiful spring day running towards the love of your life. However, it has been my experience on the beautiful spring days of my life to forget to give God the glory. I have mistakenly placed my faith in worldly things. My dark times are where my hope lies and where my faith grows. It is truly in the dark when I can clearly see the light. Remembering these times when I was alone with God and forsaken by the world reminds me when life gets better that it was through Him that I have been restored, and it is through Him that I have received all my blessings. While I would never want to return to that desperate soul wrenching time in my life, today I am deeply grateful for being given that gift of faith. For knowing deep within my spirit that He is always with me and He will walk me through and see me safely to the other side. Today I can praise Him in the light; but if it takes a little darkness…well, take it from Him…the bible says “do not fear” over 150 times, so don’t be afraid of the dark!

Marie Metcalf