       Merry Christmas from Jefferson Street Baptist Center! Please consider forwarding this email to friends and family. Call 502.584.6543 or write to info@jeffersonstreet.org to learn more about JSBC, the HOPE Program and homelessness in Louisville. Jefferson Street Baptist Center | 733 East Jefferson Street | Louisville, KY 40202 | 502.584.6543 | www.jeffersonstreet.org |
    TO DONATE: Contact Joanie Williams by phone at 502.584.6543 between 7am and 3pm. Donations can be dropped off at 733 East Jefferson St, Louisville, KY 40202. (Please help Joanie in her planning and shopping by calling ahead to confirm your donation.) TO VOLUNTEER: Contact Ben Birkholz by email or phone at ben@jeffersonstreet.org or by calling 502.584.6543. CHRISTMAS EVE VOLUNTEER DETAILS: Volunteers needed from 10am - 1:30pm to prepare food, serve food, greet & seat guests, collect garbage, and clean. Adults and children both welcome. Families encouraged to serve together. Please consider forwarding this email to friends and family. Call 502.584.6543 or write to info@jeffersonstreet.org to learn more about JSBC, the HOPE Program and homelessness in Louisville. Jefferson Street Baptist Center | 733 East Jefferson Street | Louisville, KY 40202 | 502.584.6543 | www.jeffersonstreet.org |
   
  2009 has been a year filled with challenges and change. Yet, when reading through the Bible, we recognize that the two are inseparable. If change is to occur, or if faith is to be displayed, a challenge is necessary. We encounter this in Peter’s first letter. When writing of the Christian’s future hope, Peter recognizes that it is worth celebrating even though they currently may be grieved by suffering through challenge(s). He states, “In this (future hope of eternal inheritance) you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that (Here, we see the reason behind the challenges.) the tested genuineness of your faith – more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire – may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6-7). In other words, our faith (or lack thereof) is revealed as we face and respond to the challenges of living in a broken world, which brings me to the reason for highlighting challenge and change. In 2009, we have seen lives dramatically transformed by the grace of God through the various ministries of Jefferson Street. Fundamental and central to this change has been the Gospel. Yet, while we know the Gospel is central to true change (Rom 1:16; Col 1:23), we have also faced the reality of the Gospel being an offense to those who walk in disobedience (1 Peter 2:8). Therefore, we were not surprised by the reaction of some when we clearly stated our Gospel-centeredness. The direct result was a suspension of any grant administered by the City of Louisville, who oversees grants connected to Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The suspension of all grant funding tied to our Fresh Start Program and Day Shelter came because we engage in “inherently religious activities, such as worship, religious instruction or proselytization.” The cost to Jefferson Street in numerical figures is $38,000.00, add this figure to the $50,000 that we turned away from the government and another social service agency earlier in the year and the result is an $88,000 “hit.”Yet, God has been faithful, even when our faith has “waxed and waned.” We praise God that He has changed us as an organization so much over the last few years. With the change have come challenges that have tested our faith. However, we can say more confidently now than ever that we aim to keep the Gospel at the heart of what we do despite the trials and tribulations because of the fruit it yields in both the residents and guests, who utilize our programs and services, and the staff and volunteers, who seek to act as instruments in the hands of the Redeemer. The evidence can also be found in the content of the classes we teach, the counseling we offer, the mentoring relationships that are built, the emphasis on being a “bridge” to the local church, and the quality of Christians that serve here daily as volunteers, staff and board members. However, as has been stated, this has placed JSBC in a state of urgent and immediate need. More than ever, as we go into the future and continue to clearly identity ourselves as a Gospel-centered ministry, we must depend on private donations from individuals and churches, who understand that Jesus Christ is central to change. With all that has been said, would you first take a moment and pray for the ministry of Jefferson Street? Secondly, would you please consider a year-end financial gift to help with the cost of meeting the needs of the homeless and hurting? Your financial gift is tax-deductible and would go a long way to partner with us as we share the gospel of Christ with people in physical and spiritual crisis. Thank you in advance for your prayers and partnership. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Enjoy Grace! John Ferguson Executive Director, Jefferson Street Baptist Center    "Christmas is approaching fast, parties are being planned, presents are being purchased. Christmas seems to come earlier each year. For much of the world, Christmas is a day of getting gifts, drinking eggnog, and putting up with family, but as Christians, we can look past that superficial facade. We can see Christmas for the season of Hope that it truly represents. We can remember the Wonder and Awe of a star twinkling above. We can remember the Glory and Reverence of the Wise Men\'s gifts. We can remember the Hope and Love of a newborn baby boy. It is easy to be carried away in the pulling current of contemporary culture, but God can lift us above that dangerous wave, and give us His eyes for the season. When we pray for His wisdom, when we meditate on His word, when we remember Jesus - we can fully celebrate A Season of Hope." JC Williams - Hope Team Member  December 21 - January 1 We are in need of volunteers while our Hope team goes home for Christmas. If you would like to volunteer please fill out the volunteer application. December 16 We will be hosting a Christmas Party for our residents here at Jefferson Street. More information below. December 24 We will be hosting a Christmas Eve Lunch for the Homeless and Hurting of Louisville. More information below.  Some easy ideas to help the homeless and hurting this holiday season:
  Please visit www.jeffersonstreet.org for more information.  On Wednesday, December 16 JSBC will be hosting a Christmas Party for the residents, staff, and HOPE team at Jefferson Street.
 On Thursday, December 24 JSBC will be hosting a Christmas Eve Lunch for the public as well as our residents to enjoy. We will be expecting over 200 guests! Your time, donations, and prayers are appreciated.
 The end of an eventful year is here. We thank you all for your prayers, support, time, and donations. The end of the year is an excellent chance to go beyond your usual giving - in proportion to what God has given you. Donations to JSBC are tax-deductible. If you are interested in making a donation please visit our website www.jeffersonstreet.org, call 502-584-6543, or send your check to 733 E Jefferson Street | Louisville, KY | 40202.  
 JSBC recently received some media attention. We had articles featured in the Southeast Outlook and the Western Recorder. The online versions of the articles are linked below: Southeast Outlook: http://www.southeastchristian.org/outlook/story.aspx?id=2980 The Western Recorder: http://www.westernrecorder.org/wr/wrsite.nsf/stories/200946-jeffst      Last week a girl named Stacy walked in. She had no shoes on. She had no coat. She had no blankets. It was below freezing outside. Due to the generous donations that you make, we were able to provide her with all of the above. Please continue to donate these much needed items. They make a difference. Currently we are in most urgent need of winter coats. Donations are tax-deductible. Please bring them to 733 E Jefferson St. Louisville, KY 40202. Jeff. Street\'s Women\'s Ministry is hoping to start a weekly Bible Study before the new year. We are in need of women to regularly volunteer their time to not only assist with the Bible Study, but also foster meaningful relationships with our female guests. Once a month we want to do a special project with these women. Such projects may include: making jewelry, creating Christmas cards, or giving makeovers. In order for these projects to happen, we need volunteers to give of their talents and supplies. If anyone is interested in helping with this new endeavor, please contact Emily Shemwell at eshemwell@jeffersonstreet.org or 502.584.6543.  We are always looking for mature male Christians to serve as mentors for the men of our Fresh Start Program. We have several new residents that do not have a mentor and could greatly benefit from this important relationship. If you are interested in going beyond the surface and drawing deep ties with Louisville\'s hurting, please contact Keith Parker for more information. keith@jeffersonstreet.org   Become a fan of Hope for Louisville and help spread the word!  Dear Family & Friends, The holiday season is a wonderfully cheerful time. The music, gifts, and family gatherings lift our spirits. We enjoy the time off work or school. We savor the taste of chocolate from those Advent Calendars, knowing we are one day closer to Christmas! And for those of us who attempt to put the importance on the real meaning of Christmas, we take extra delight in our soul by remembering the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The holiday season truly is a splendid time of year … for you and me. For those living on the streets, this time of year can be especially difficult. As they see others shopping and caroling, they are reminded of all they do not have. There is little to celebrate. Most of our homeless guests will not visit family or have a warm household to gather in on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day will most likely be just like any other day, with the exception of a large meal at the local shelters. Some will drink the pain away, some will take drugs to escape into another world, and others will simply accept the depression. That’s the sad reality. Please pray for the homeless guests at Jefferson Street Baptist Center. With the season of Advent on our minds, we want to point the guests to the miraculous birth of Christ, the one eternal hope in this world. Pray that in their shortage of possessions, they discover the free gift of salvation. In contrast to the hopeless attitude I discussed, I see a genuine faith and hope growing within many of the residents at JSBC. Some will be celebrating their first Christmas in years as a sober, clean man. They can exclaim, “Thanks be to God that, though [we] used to be slaves to sin … [We] have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness” (Romans 6:17-18). I am humbled and thankful to share in the spirit of celebration alongside these men. Witnessing either the bondage or freedom in the lives of so many each day, I am constantly stretched by God to “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” (Rom. 12:15). When you are a slave to sin, the chains are not easy to break. One of our residents recently decided to voluntarily leave JSBC and the Fresh Start program. He up and left, running back into a slavery of sin. We had built a solid friendship in his time here; it was hard for me to see him go. Although, he visited the other day with some hope of returning to the program. I asked him why he left, hoping to express my deep concern. He knew it was wrong and felt like he let me down. He continues to live in sin, desiring to be set free but unwilling to give up his old life. Please pray for my friend to repent and come back to Christ. Also, please pray for God to grow more compassion within my heart to sincerely “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” On a related note, I am slowly but surely building a relationship with a resident who needs community in his life, people who will encourage and uplift. He keeps to himself for the most part; I think this holiday season is weighing heavy on his heart. I asked if he would like to do a weekly Bible study, and he agreed. We don’t know each other very well yet, and I don’t know what to expect. All I know is that he has agreed to meet with me and talk about God – and that’s pretty cool. Please pray for this relationship, for the Spirit to move, for me to have courage, and for my friend’s eyes to open to the love, forgiveness, and transforming power of Christ. This Christmas season, where do you find yourself in comparison to these stories? Drugs and alcohol are the big bad sin-slave drivers, and they are easy to identify and hate. However, we can easily become enslaved to greed, work, laziness, gluttony, and so much more. What’s driving you? What’s holding onto you with a grip that seems stronger than Goliath? Can you honestly say you are free in Christ, or do you offer yourself to obey something other than Him? After seeing a brief picture of what life has been like for me at JSBC, please know that you have helped make this ministry possible. Your prayers are what keep us going. Your financial support and donations allow us to meet physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the homeless. I am endlessly grateful for your support. Have a wonderful Christmas season. “May what our Master Jesus Christ gives freely be deeply and personally yours, my friends. Oh, yes!” (Galatians 6:18 in the Message) In Christ, Caleb Butler Hope for Louisville Team Member  Call 502.584.6543 or write to info@jeffersonstreet.org to learn more about JSBC, the HOPE Program and homelessness in Louisville. Jefferson Street Baptist Center | 733 East Jefferson Street | Louisville, KY 40202 | 502.584.6543 | www.jeffersonstreet.org | |||||
| Sorry for the second email blast in the same week. We failed to announce a couple of important events for this week.  JOHN FERGUSON ON WAY-FM THIS SUNDAY! JSBC\'s Executive Director will be on WAY-FM this coming Sunday, November 29th, at 6:30am discussing JSBC and Louisville\'s homeless. TO LISTEN ON THE RADIO: Tune in to 105.9FM or 104.3FM at 6:30am this Sunday to listen. TO LISTEN on THE WEB: Go to http://wayfm.com at 6:30am this Sunday and type in "Louisville, KY" for your station. Once this page loads, you can simply click on "Listen Live Now!" JSBC IN SOUTHEAST OUTLOOK THIS WEEK If you live in the Louisville area, make sure to pick up a copy of this week\'s Southeast Outlook, which has a 3 page photojournalism spread about JSBC and Hope Team Member JC Williams. You can read the online version here (which contains the same text, but has only one photo instead of the dozen photos in the print version). THANKSGIVING EVE MEAL Also, a tremendous THANK YOU to the 75+ volunteers and 211 homeless guests that made our Thanksgiving Eve meal such a great experience! (Look for photos in the next newsletter.) Please consider forwarding this email to friends and family. Call 502.584.6543 or write to info@jeffersonstreet.org to learn more about JSBC, the HOPE Program and homelessness in Louisville. Jefferson Street Baptist Center | 733 East Jefferson Street | Louisville, KY 40202 | 502.584.6543 | www.jeffersonstreet.org |
    This Friday and Holiday Season when you shop, please remember the needs of people who are homeless. Consider purchasing some of the above items and making a tax-deductible donation to JSBC. To inquire about additional donation needs and options, please write to info@jeffersonstreet.org. All donations can be dropped off at 733 East Jefferson Street from 7am-3pm Monday - Saturday. For other drop off times, please call 502-584-6543 and arrangements will be made to suit your schedule. Thank you for your support and generosity. Please consider forwarding this email to friends and family. Call 502.584.6543 or write to info@jeffersonstreet.org to learn more about JSBC, the HOPE Program and homelessness in Louisville. Jefferson Street Baptist Center | 733 East Jefferson Street | Louisville, KY 40202 | 502.584.6543 | www.jeffersonstreet.org |
  Men in our Fresh Start program can usually be split into two categories here – Those that are willing to make the sacrifices to change and those that are not willing to sacrifice for change. For the ones that show up, who want to learn, and want to grow and want to change, they often do. It is amazing to see some men move in whose lives are train wrecks of broken relationships and frantic decisions become people who are known for their dependability, thoughtfulness and initiative. (We have four men about to become the first graduates from our Fresh Start this month who fit into this category.) The men who allow pride to rise to the surface almost always fail. They can’t stand being told they are wrong. They can’t stand the guidelines and rules. They despise having responsibilities dictated to them. They are always looking for the next branch to grab a hold of so that they can move out and on to something else. For many, their lives and hearts do not improve. Their lives continue to be a pattern of running from challenges and discomfort. Sometimes our deep love for people gets in the way of our willingness to make the hard calls. We want the people we love to be happy. We want to make their discomfort and pain go away and stay away and often that keeps us from seeing that pain is often God’s chisel, where He is working away the things that will pass away to reveal to us the things that are eternal. Pain is often a catalyst for change. But pain sucks, so we run away from it. Donald Miller says it’s strange that we often spend our lives running from conflict because all the books and movies and stories we love involve pain and conflict and hardship and overcoming them. There is no great story without pain and struggle. Rocky would’ve been lame if he had been super rich, handsome, intelligent, and invincible. We love Rocky because he was an awkward, humble working man who was trying to figure out what to do with the fire in his belly and he had a million things stacked against him. And we got to see him beat the crap out of someone along the way, which was kinda cool. My pastor Robert says that the main point of life is to make us more like Jesus. He told me this when my wife and I sat with him and told him how things weren’t going well in our marriage. We were arguing a lot and constantly disbelieving each other. I felt like my wife was being controlling. She felt like I was being unreliable. My temper was getting bad. Once, when my wife told me that I wasn’t leading our family the way I was supposed to, I took a 60 ounce soft drink cup that was full and threw it across the room where it exploded everywhere as I proceeded to act like a crazy person and scream terrible things (I couldn’t quite put my finger on why my wife felt like I wasn’t leading us in a godly way). Robert listened and then told us both about how God wants to make us like Jesus. He was annoying me because he kept talking to me about the type of man God desires for me to be. I wanted him to tell me I deserved to be angry, that my wife was being unreasonable and she needed to chill out. But instead, he kept talking to me about my character, my hopes, my vision for my family. And then, like the slow rising tide, I sank into the realization that I was failing as a husband. Not in every way. But the symptoms revealed that something sinister was going on beneath the surface and the only way to deal with it was to walk toward the conflict and pain. This is part of what Jesus was talking about when he told us to pick up our cross and follow him. He leads us toward the pain and conflict. He does this because the Bible says that “suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Romans 5:3-4) Without hope that there is something beautiful and amazing on the other side of our suffering, we will continue to flee from pain. We can endure pain when we have hope that there is something valuable and worthy on the other side of our suffering. When we lose this hope, we run. But if we keep this hope – a hope that God changes people, that He is a loving Father with our best interest at heart, that He will make all things new and fix the broken things in life – then we can endure the hard times and walk toward pain. This month when we celebrate our first graduates from our revamped Fresh Start program, we are celebrating men who were willing to walk toward the pain. It is a humbling thing to move into a homeless shelter and admit you need love and help. It is a humbling thing to look at your life and say, “This isn’t working.” These men went to classes five days a week, did chores six days a week, sat with spiritual and life skill mentors for hours on end, contributed to the community life here at JSBC, and were constantly challenged in their thinking and their actions. Most of them are now a part of a local church, where they are learning from the Bible every week and desiring to be a part of a community that walks with Christ as their own relationship with God grows. The men that walked in our doors just months ago are not the same men who are walking out. And that is worth celebrating. So this week we raise our glasses to four men who walked toward the pain and we pray that God will be your Lord and continue to make each of you more like Jesus.   We are very excited for this year\'s Thanksgiving Celebration. We have invited our community to join us for a evening of giving thanks and glorifying Christ! We are expecting approximately 400 guests!  TO MAKE THIS EVENT POSSIBLE WE ARE IN URGENT NEED OF THE FOLLOWING:
If you can donate an item or volunteer please contact Emily Shemwell: eshemwell@jeffersonstreet.org Happy Thanksgiving - We are so thankful for your support! In partnership with Kroger and Kroger owned stores, JSBC is excited to announce the opportunity for you to spend no extra money and still give financial support to our ministry to the homeless. Here’s how it works: 1. Provide us with your contact information. (Take 30 seconds to fill out the form at www.jeffersonstreet.org.) 2. You will receive a Kroger gift card in the mail already credited with $5.00. 3. Next time you go to Kroger to get groceries, simply ask the cashier to put money on your card before they begin to ring up your order. 4% of what your put on your card comes back to JSBC. 4. Keep your gift card and reuse it over and over again just like the above. It’s important to keep the card because that’s how your donation is tracked. 5. You’ve just loved the homeless!   We are very thankful for the students that visited us from First Baptist Church of Morristown, TN & Lee University of Cleveland, TN They assisted us in an impressive amount of renovations and improvements! Looking for a Mission Trip? Is your group looking for an opportunity to serve? Would you like to be a part of a ministry that is about both word and deed? JSBC is available as a mission opportunity for your Fall Break, Winter Break or Spring Break trip. If you have a team interested in knowing more about what we do and what opportunities exist, please contact us at info@jeffersonstreet.org and we will get more information to you. Please let us know the organization you are with, the city you are from and a loose estimate on the number of people that might participate in your trip. Jeff. Street\'s Women\'s Ministry is hoping to start a weekly Bible Study before the new year. We are in need of women to regularly volunteer their time to not only assist with the Bible Study, but also foster meaningful relationships with our female guests. Once a month we want to do a special project with these women. Such projects may include: making jewelry, creating Christmas cards, or giving makeovers. In order for these projects to happen, we need volunteers to give of their talents and supplies. If anyone is interested in helping with this new endeavor, please contact Emily Shemwell at eshemwell@jeffersonstreet.org or 502.584.6543. Mentors Needed We are always looking for mature male Christians to serve as mentors for the men of our Fresh Start Program. We have several new residents that do not have a mentor and could greatly benefit from this important relationship. If you are interested in going beyond the surface and drawing deep ties with Louisville\'s hurting, please contact Keith Parker for more information. keith@jeffersonstreet.org "Christmas is approaching fast, parties are being planned, presents are being purchased. Christmas seems to come earlier each year. For much of the world, Christmas is a day of getting gifts, drinking eggnog, and putting up with family, but as Christians, we can look past that superficial facade. We can see Christmas for the season of Hope that it truly represents. We can remember the Wonder and Awe of a star twinkling above. We can remember the Glory and Reverence of the Wise Men\'s gifts. We can remember the Hope and Love of a newborn baby boy. It is easy to be carried away in the pulling current of contemporary culture, but God can lift us above that dangerous wave, and give us His eyes for the season. When we pray for His wisdom, when we meditate on His word, when we remember Jesus - we can fully celebrate A Season of Hope." JC Williams - Hope Team Member In this spirit: as you plan your party, or purchase your Christmas gifts, please remember Louisville\'s Homeless and Hurting. Have a mini-donation-drive, take a collection, purchase an extra pair of gloves - your donation will cause a ripple of Hope that can spread infinitely. Financial Donation We recently made the decision to sever ties with some government funding due to stipulations that intruded on our ability to the share the Gospel. JSBC continues to push forward despite our recent $40,000 loss of government funding. Many of you have stepped in to begin to help us recover from this loss. However, we still have a long way to go. Please consider donating to JSBC or talking with your church community about making us a part of your annual budget. You can give your tax-deductible donation online at www.jeffersonstreet.org or by sending a check to 733 East Jefferson Street, Louisville, KY 40202. Physical Donation Needs JSBC is need of the following items:
Add Us on Facebook You can add our Hope for Louisville ministry on Facebook. Become a fan and spread the word!   "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." -Jeremiah 29:11 Dear Friends & Family, Autumn is here and the days are getting shorter and the evenings are getting colder; at the same time the morning line outside the entrance of Jefferson Street Baptist Center is getting longer and the coffee\'s seeming warmer everyday. The change in the weather has never really ever had effect on me, in terms of low morale and high anxiety; but to say that such effects are foreign to our day shelter guests would be inaccurate at best. Indeed, the colder temperatures can lead some folks to wonder where it is they will be living as well as where the best place to get a heavier coat in this town would be. And although we serve our community as a day shelter, every now and then we get to hand our guests and friends a warmer garment for the cold months ahead. One thing that hasn\'t changed with the new season is the amount of interesting dialog I\'ve been able to share, with some of my friends in the day shelter. Earlier this week I found myself in a rather lengthy conversation with a man from Atlanta named Willie. You can tell he\'s from the South, by his accent, his interest in SEC college football, and his manners. When thanking him for his courtesy and patience with me as I check his mail every weekend, he replies with, "You can\'t take the hospitality from me. That stays wherever I go." When I talk to Willie, I think about my own family coming from the South and my relatives who are still there. I may not get to see them very often, but it\'s nice to speak with someone who reminds me of trips down South, that I took as a kid. One day Willie and I got past the topic of college football and began to speak about church life. I asked him if he attended a church in Louisville and he told me that he does every now and then, I then invited him to church with me and my fellow HOPE team members and he seemed hesitant at first but politely said he would consider it. And it seems that ever since our discussion about church and his growing up in the South, Willie has seemed to go past the typical "surface-scratching" conversations with me. Our interactions are a bit more sincere and it seems as if a mutual respect for one another will eventually progress to a more genuine friendship and I look forward to that type of change. Yes, even here amongst the day shelter guests at Jeff St. a season of change seems to be taking place. Recently we\'ve been having chapel services every Tuesday and Thursday followed by a community lunch for all of our guests and it\'s been great to have folks come to be fed in more ways than one. One of our residents recently got baptized and is now serving at a local church as an usher, he\'s a good friend of mine and it\'s been great to see how the Lord has been working on his heart. Yes, there\'s been a lot going on to be thankful about. The HOPE team has been finding its own niche within the day shelter and it\'s been encouraging to see my fellow teammates continue to pursue or develop relationships with those who we have been called to serve. In the same respect, both our residents and our day shelter guests are becoming more and more accustomed to these great friends of mine who have been brought here for a reason. A reason that, at times, is beyond us; but we know that this is where the good Lord has put us and where He want us to be and for that I\'m also thankful. This year has brought forth so many changes in my life, I\'ve become more aware of just how "good" of a life that the Lord has provided for me and at the same just how necessary it is for all of us to recognize that we are people desperately in need of a Savior. That\'s what we should truly be thankful for, as we approach this next Thanksgiving. Salvation was and is made possible through Jesus Christ and we\'ve been given the privilege to enter into a personal relationship with Him. And that changes everything, It\'s more significant than all the different color changes of the leaves this time of year and all the plans that we may have, as we prepare for another season with family and friends. Yes, the life changing love of the Lord has made it possible for us to truly be free and I pray that we all acknowledge that and revere in the holiness of our sovereign God. Please continue to keep Jefferson Street Baptist Center in your prayers, so that we may continue to serve our Lord and those He has called us to serve in both word and deed. Pray that the Lord will continue to provide for the ministry here. We are currently operating on an emergency budget due to severing ties with government funding so that we may be able to preach the Gospel with no strings attached. Please pray for our staff, our residents, our day shelter guests, and my fellow HOPE team members. Pray that God would be glorified in this place and that we would continue to follow His ways. Also keep the city of Louisville in your prayers as well as the communities in which you live. Thanks so much for all your love and support, words cannot express how your kindness and concern has touched my heart. This year would not be possible without you all and I thank God for you all. Take care and God Bless. In Christ, -Darrell  Please consider forwarding this email to friends and family. Call 502.584.6543 or write to info@jeffersonstreet.org to learn more about JSBC, the HOPE Program and homelessness in Louisville. Jefferson Street Baptist Center | 733 East Jefferson Street | Louisville, KY 40202 | 502.584.6543 | www.jeffersonstreet.org |
| Happy Thanksgiving - We are so thankful for your support! In partnership with Kroger and Kroger owned stores, JSBC is excited to announce the opportunity for you to spend no extra money and still give financial support to our ministry to the homeless. Here’s how it works: 1. Provide us with your contact information. (Take 30 seconds to fill out the form at www.jeffersonstreet.org.) 2. You will receive a Kroger gift card in the mail already credited with $5.00. 3. Next time you go to Kroger to get groceries, simply ask the cashier to put money on your card before they begin to ring up your order. 4% of what your put on your card comes back to JSBC. 4. Keep your gift card and reuse it over and over again just like the above. It’s important to keep the card because that’s how your donation is tracked. 5. You’ve just loved the homeless! Please consider forwarding this email to friends and family. What an easy way to support something you believe in! Call 502.584.6543 or write to info@jeffersonstreet.org to learn more about JSBC, the HOPE Program and homelessness in Louisville. Jefferson Street Baptist Center | 733 East Jefferson Street | Louisville, KY 40202 | 502.584.6543 | www.jeffersonstreet.org |
  DRUNK NIXON AND JESUS by Jesse Eubanks, Hope for Louisville Director The first time I can remember meeting Frank I felt like I was meeting a drunk Richard Nixon. He had a refined manor about his speech and the waves of his hair fell perfectly in place. He wore nicer clothing than a typical impoverished urban dweller and always wore a slight smile on his face when he interacted with people. When he would reach out to shake my hand, he would look me straight in the eyes as we spoke. In another life, he could have been a business owner or military leader or Billy Mays. He oozed confidence and genuine interest in the people he was talking with. But between his mental illness and his regular devotion to alcohol, his speech would often come off the tracks, until it became unclear what the conversation was even about. I would see Frank every few weeks and the story was usually the same thing – confident speech, kind face, drunk Nixon. A few months ago though Frank moved into our little community on Jefferson Street. He had been sober for a couple of weeks and was tired of living in the uncertainty of homelessness. He was tired of the alcohol. He was lonely. In the hurricane of addiction, he had finally stepped into the eye and could see clearly “This is not what I want out of life.” Frank’s life, which had been ruled by unrestrained freedom for so long, was now ruled by the guidance and discipline that Christian community brings. He had other men waiting for him when he woke up in the morning, other men who were on a similar journey towards Jesus and putting their lives back together, other men who asked simple questions like “How are you today?” and “How old were you when Jerry Abramson became mayor?” He had other men to sit with him and help him understand the Bible, and encourage him not to choke another person even when they deserved it, and to listen to him wonder aloud, “I really want to be a preacher some day.” After a couple of months here, we received a letter from a counselor who Frank had spent time with for the last couple of years. The counselor told us, “I’ve seen more change in Frank in the last two months than I have in the last two years. I am amazed.” I am convinced that when a community builds its foundations on the real living person of Jesus, that they will be drawn upwards and inwards in ways that bring healing. There is great strength in good friends – friends who keep showing up to love us, who are willing to tell us things we don’t usually want to hear but that we need to hear, friends who laugh at our corny jokes or teach us laugh at ourselves. Frank would tell you in his own dignified speech that his strength is coming from Jesus. I hear him talk like this all the time. He talks about how he wants to “do God’s work” and is being patient and enjoying where God has him right now. And for now, I am glad that I get to come to work every day and have a strong man look me in the eyes and shake my hand.  Looking for a Mission Trip? Is your group looking for an opportunity to serve? Would you like to be a part of a ministry that is about both word and deed? JSBC is available as a mission opportunity for your Fall Break, Winter Break or Spring Break trip. If you have a team interested in knowing more about what we do and what opportunities exist, please contact us at info@jeffersonstreet.org and we will get more information to you. Please let us know the organization you are with, the city you are from and a loose estimate on the number of people that might participate in your trip. Financial Donation We made the decision recently to sever ties with some government funding because the stipulations attached the funding intruded on our ability to the share the Gospel. JSBC continues to push forward despite our recent $40,000 loss of government funding. Many of you have stepped in to begin to help us recover from this loss. However, we still have a long way to go. Please consider donating to JSBC or talking with your church community about making us a part of your annual budget. You can give your tax-deductible donation online at www.jeffersonstreet.org or by sending a check to 733 East Jefferson Street, Louisville, KY 40202. Physical Donation Needs JSBC is need of the folowing items: Sugar Vegetables Meat Lemonade Mix Cleaning Supplies Can we come speak to your group? We would love to come speak to your church/college/group. We have several staff members who speak regularly teaching on everything from Homelessness to Word and Deed Ministry to Living in Community. Please contact us at info@jeffersonstreet.org and let us know if you are interested. We\'d love to come your way! Add Us on Facebook You can add our Hope for Louisville ministry on Facebook. Become a fan and spread the word! HOPE TEAM NEWSLETTER by JC Williams Dear Family, Friends, Brothers, & Sisters, “Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty…” “Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty” His voice was worn and off-key. The melody was rigid and un-flowing. The extent of lyrics went no further. But the eight words he sang continuously; those words rang, shining and clear, Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty. One month at Jefferson Street and things are already beginning to drastically change in my life. I can see the difference in my relationship with God and others as I begin to more closely examine who God is and the way He expects me to respond to His word and His people. It is so easy for me to brush God off as my conscience, to respond to Him as a voice in my head rather than the master of my life. God is challenging me to reflect upon Him in ways I never have. To reflect upon my own heart in ways I never have: 43Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire…” - John 8:43-44 How many times have I heard the saying, “look inside yourself to find the answer…”? Until we are reborn in Christ, looking inside ourselves is council with the devil. We sometimes have beautiful thoughts, but beauty can be devastatingly deceiving. At Jefferson Street Baptist Center, the focus is to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. You can’t find that news by looking at yourself. You can’t find that news by looking at your problems. You can’t find that news by looking at what you want. -You find the Gospel when you look outside yourself. The world is full of Good News. By building acquaintances, then relationships, and finally friendships, we can demonstrate Christ’s Good News. The Day Shelter, giving handouts, storing bags, checking mail, offering laundry, showers, restrooms, food, chapel, coffee – it’s all there to build relationships. That is my purpose. Everyday about 150 Homeless men and women come in. Many of them are new. Some I never see again. But there are some who come every day. There are some who know my name. There are some who start conversations. There are some that ask how I’m doing. There are some that recognize me when I’m walking down the street. There are some that are genuinely glad to know me. I never thought I’d be friends with a homeless person. I never thought we would change each other’s lives. Wow. God is good. “Do you know that song?” he asked, stopping just a moment to do so. As I smiled and nodded vigorously, he was already singing again. Martin Jones is a man who loves to sing to the Lord. He didn’t say much, but he left the song with me, and that warmed my heart. I was learning what it meant to passionately follow God. The relationships that are built at Jeff Street can have a lasting change. If that relationship can lead to God, the change is eternal. You, your family, your friends, and your co-workers: you can all be agents of Change, conveyors of Hope, and providers of Love. Pray for Jefferson Street. Pray for their ministry. Pray for the guests. Pray for the staff. Pray for the Hope team. We need prayers for discernment, boldness, benevolence, grace, and mercy. We need prayers for faith, discipline, wisdom, and knowledge. We are trying to serve God, but we are imperfect people. Finally, pray for provision. Week to week we watch God provide. Sometimes we might be short, but He still provides. Jeff Street has truly leapt into the Lord’s hands this year. They have opted out of $40,000 of government funding. This funding was hindering their ability to share the gospel…that was reason enough. We need care-items, food, and money to keep the ministry going. If you could be God’s answer to a prayer of provision, please step-up. I looked at the person serving next to me. They weren’t impressed by Martin’s singing. I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised…it was a usual occurrence. I think many of us are numb to the gifts that God bestows daily. I found myself questioning my own sense of self-entitlement. What do I expect to receive in a day? What do I deserve? Our very lives are a gift we can never reciprocate, but with God’s Grace we can help others open the gift for the first time. Thank you for being a supporter. While Christ is my foundation, you are the pillars He has provided. When things get tough, it means so much to know that you are praying for me. There are times of frustration, joy, sorrow, and success – some have passed and some are to come. But today, today is a day that the Lord has made, let us spend it to honor His Glory, Amen! In Christ, JC Williams Please consider forwarding this email to friends and family. Call 502.584.6543 or write to info@jeffersonstreet.org to learn more about JSBC, the HOPE Program and homelessness in Louisville. Jefferson Street Baptist Center | 733 East Jefferson Street | Louisville, KY 40202 | 502.584.6543 | www.jeffersonstreet.org |
| IN THIS ISSUE "Hardwired for Community" by Jesse EubanksLooking for Volunteer with Large Truck to Drive to New Orleans In Need of Volunteers in Day Shelter – Urgently Between Now and September 11th Winter Blitz 5K Races at College Campuses to Help the Homeless Renovations and Improvements - Day Shelter Women\'s Restroom Looking for a Mission Trip? Financial Donation Physical Donation Needs Add Us on Facebook "Volunteer Appreciation Story" by Hope Team Member Darrell Johnson   Often, by the time people reach us at the shelter, they\'re pretty lonely. If the bottle or the needle didn\'t cause the loneliness, it\'s a miracle if neither ever reaches them as a result of the loneliness. Watching some of our friends try to do a simple thing like sitting down and having a normal, fluid conversation can seem like watching someone have their feet buried in cement and tossed overboard. They want it to go well, but they just can\'t seem to put things on the right track. I see the same thing when I travel the country to talk to groups. Loneliness. Or something worse than loneliness. I see large groups of people laughing and in each others lives every day, but not any deep community. No one truly knows the real them. They only know the socializing, fun, hanging-out version of them. It\'s like watching a smiley face with a gun to its head. You can tell from the substance of their conversations that a lot of folks rarely let people in past the first or second layer of the heart. They\'re dying right in front of everyone\'s eyes as we laugh and eat food and watch movies. Every year we have new Hope for Louisville Team Members join our community here and most of them have to learn how to live in community and be intimate. The first couple of months are usually some form of Sales Pitch with one another, where they only let the others see what they want them to. But after a couple of months of challenging life in a new and demanding environment, someone eventually breaks. They finally look the other people in the eye and tell them, “You\'re all strangers to me! And I\'m lonely! And I need people to love me!” This is where the good stuff really begins. They have to learn how to confess their sin and ask for forgiveness when they wrong each other. They have to learn how to let the Holy Spirit embody grace inside of them as they forgive one another. They start to see all the little beautiful ways God is making himself known in each others lives. They take one small, brave step at a time towards learning how to have the kind of intimacy we were created for. As he created the world, the only time God said something wasn\'t good was when we were alone. We have been created for community. Even Jesus has never been alone. One of the central beliefs of our faith is that God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit have always existed in perfect community with one another. They were never created and have no ending. They know total intimacy in its completeness with one another. That is why when God made humanity in His image, He said it wasn\'t good for us to be alone. Not even God can stand being alone. What makes us think we can? A good friend of mine got married this last weekend. We met because he was actually my Sunday School teacher when I was in the 8th grade. He called me “the oldest 8th grader he’d ever met” and I just called him “old”. Laroy served at various times as sort of a father figure to me, talking to me frequently about faith and life and music. In fact, his early encouragement is what guided me to start writing songs, which is eventually how I was able to tour the country as a singer-songwriter. Before I got married, I moved in with Laroy and his two kids. His wife of twelve years had recently left him for another man, devastating the family. I moved in and got to be a part of daily life in their house. Though sitcoms seem to love funny situations where single fathers raise their kids with the help of good friends or family, the real-life version of this is hard and there are usually a lot of chores and court dates involved. Laroy was up hours before me (I wasn’t married yet and employed only part time, so sleeping in until 9 or 10 or 1 was a luxury I embraced). He would help get the kids dressed, get their lunches made, drive them to school, workout and read the Bible all before 8:30am in the morning. Then he would go to work all day at a used car lot where he would work hard but just couldn’t sell enough cars to pay all his bills. Then he would come home and get the kids, help them with their homework, fight to get them to do their chores, make dinner, and then head off to an activity – whether it be sports for the kids, himself leading the worship music at church, or some other social event – before returning with just enough time left in the day to get the kids to bed and pray with them. Then, he would steal off to his room to read a book. With great frequency, as I would walk to my room at bedtime, I would peer into his bedroom to find him on his knees praying next to his bed. And let me say this, as people get older, it must be true that they become more comfortable with their bodies, because I found Laroy in nothing but his underwear far more often than I’d wished. The year I spent living with Laroy and his kids helped me grow into a man. He showed me how to be responsible, how to do things even when you don’t feel like it, how to trust God even when the world around us is crumbling, how to laugh at myself. I experienced real community – the kind of community where we talked about things that truly mattered, where we could get really angry with each other and know we’d work it out, or where we could occasionally sneak off to Waffle House at 1am on nights where the kids were away. So this last weekend when Laroy got married, I was pretty excited for him. His life had been really difficult the last five years between not making enough money, an ex-wife who drug him into court on a regular basis, being a single parent and having a room mate at one time who’s room smelled like a boy’s locker room inside a clogged toilet under the ear of a basset hound (Ever smelled one of those? It’ll make you throw up in your mouth a little bit.) It was beautiful watching Laroy belt out Led Zeppelin’s “Thank You” to his bride; playing air drums as the guitars erupted behind him – watching her double over in laughter and smiles. It was amazing to hear our Pastor talk about God’s intentions for marriage; for the man to love his wife as Christ loved the church, sacrificing himself and giving himself up for her. It was quite memorable as Laroy said “for better or worse” and his 12 year old son passed out behind him from nervousness. (Our pastor’s 4 year old daughter stood to her feet and said, “Did he just die?!” to which her 6 year old brother calmly and matter-of-factly said, “Yep, I’m pretty sure he’s dead.”) And it was truly amazing as the new couple walked down the isle together and we all cheered and clapped and thanked God for this marriage as the band played AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long”. It was a really good wedding. And here’s my point: A lot of folks don’t have deep, true community. But we NEED it. We need it like we need oxygen. It is part of the very way we are wired as human beings. It is part of the way God Himself is wired within the Trinity. Without community, we die a slow death. Without close friendships and people we can trust and journey with, what should be a life of joy feels like a life of waterboarding. We become depressed and angry and neurotic. We start getting too many cats and collecting beanie babies. We become our own master – not answering to anyone about the things we say or do, the way we spend our time and money, the things we believe in or don’t believe in. No one ever questions us because no one knows enough to question us. And this leads to isolation. And just like in warfare, when you can divide your enemy from their community, they have lost their strength and you can kill them. Relational isolation leads to death. God has designed us to need one another. And the possibility of having true, deep, rich community in our daily lives is beautiful and freeing and a reminder of God’s love for us. We need communion with God (meaning that we need to know Him and walk with Him and trust Him) and we need communion with each other (meaning that we need to really know other people, and live the big and little moments of life together and remind each other constantly of the Truth). Can it be challenging? Can it be scary? Can it be awkward? Yes, it can be all these things and more. The best things in life are also usually the hardest.
  We are looking for a volunteer who personally owns a truck with break controllers who can haul a 20 foot trailer from Louisville to New Orleans on or before Thursday, September 17th. Gas and meals will be paid. JSBC is showing our HOMELESS art exhibit at a gallery in New Orleans and needs to have it transported. If you are able or interested, please contact Jesse Eubanks at jesse@jeffersonstreet.org.  We continue to operate with significantly less staff until our Hope Team completes their training next Saturday. We are urgently seeking volunteers to help us between now and September 11th. If you are able to volunteer, please send an email to volunteers@jeffersonstreet.org.    We are looking for college students who are willing to bring the Winter Blitz 5K to their campus this February. The race is 3.14 miles with 3 obstacle courses involved. All proceeds go to help the homeless. If you are interested in learning more about this race, please write to jesse@jeffersonstreet.org.    Thanks to the various churches and Hope Team Members who painted our Women’s Restroom. A special thanks to Asha Dave and Jessica Wilson for their artistic and feminine wall art contributions. Looking for a Mission Trip? Is your group looking for an opportunity to serve? Would you like to be a part of a ministry that is about both word and deed? JSBC is available as a mission opportunity for your Fall Break, Winter Break or Spring Break trip. If you have a team interested in knowing more about what we do and what opportunities exist, please contact us at info@jeffersonstreet.org and we will get more information to you. Please let us know the organization you are with, the city you are from and a loose estimate on the number of people that might participate in your trip. Financial Donation We made the decision recently to sever ties with some government funding because the stipulations attached the funding intruded on our ability to the share the Gospel. JSBC continues to push forward despite our recent $40,000 loss of government funding. Many of you have stepped in to begin to help us recover from this loss. However, we still have a long way to go. Please consider donating to JSBC or talking with your church community about making us a part of your annual budget. You can give your tax-deductible donation online at www.jeffersonstreet.org or by sending a check to 733 East Jefferson Street, Louisville, KY 40202. Physical Donation Needs JSBC is need of the folowing items: Sugar Vegetables Meat Lemonade Mix Cleaning Supplies Add Us on Facebook You can add our Hope for Louisville ministry on Facebook. Become a fan and spread the word! Volunteer Appreciation Story  So every fourth Saturday we are blessed with the services of a local church, that sends out groups of volunteers to help out with certain projects here on site. The previous fourth Saturday was quite a trip (and by that I mean “neat”), one of my fellow teammates and I were a bit overwhelmed with the idea of laying down new tile in a hallway outside the kitchen. The previous tiling venture, according to my teammate, resulted in a 48 hour clean up that was not pretty. So you could see why my anxiety about said project would be shared. Not to mention that both of us aren’t pros by any means at tiling a floor. So 8:00 AM rolls around and we’re joined by three wonderful folks from this church who…yup you guessed it…have no experience with tiling a floor. So yea, the day was (to be honest) starting off rather stressful. But we came together, prayed and got everything situated for the project. It’s definitely a testament to God’s divine intervention when you get a sense of peace after a sincere time of prayer with the Creator of the universe. And I can attest to this; for after we prayed, things just began to click. We had our tile ready, a cooler of water for our volunteers, and a table with the tools they would need all spread out. And oh yea…BUCKETS. Buckets of water with cleaning solution and rags in them so that we may thoroughly scrub the existing tile since we were going to place the new tile over that. (like I said we’re not professionals). After getting everything and everyone “ready” I went outside to take a quick breather and then I noticed some dude walking around the butt-hut. My first thought was “this must be one of our day shelter guests who doesn’t know the rule about not coming back to the back parking lot of Jeff St.” So I asked him his name and then he turned around and seemed to be a little younger than I had suspected…and then out of left field I asked…”You wouldn’t be here with a church by any chance would you?” To which he answered, YES. And then it happened…the clouds didn’t open up (maybe they cracked ever so slightly), but I swear for a brief second I could hear angelic melodies in the background (or from up above). Why??? Because after this guy told me his name I noticed the vehicle parked next to our dumpster…yes folks, this guy came in a van. But not any ordinary van, this was a magical van. Filled with magical tools, tools for which I have never seen before in my life. This van was a Korfhage Flooring Company van and the light from the sky hit in such a way (at least in my mind for dramatic effect) that all I could do is look up at the sky and say in whisper, “Thank You.” Turns out this dude is a co-owner of this flooring company and he has been doing this for over 13 years. In other words, he knew what he was doing. And he took care of business, on his own, in less than five hours. The result was a high quality/ professionally grade job and by the way it was all donated; the materials, the labor, free. I approached my HOPE brother ecstatically and said, you know what I prayed about this day last night. He then shared with me the same thing and then he said something to the extent of…”If ever an angel came in the form of a tile worker, today would be the day.” And it was a great day of service; we were able to direct the three other volunteers, who by the way were completely unaware of the tile angel’s intention to show up, to other projects. This story is a fine example of how the Lord provides and I have faith that He will continue to do so. I know there may be times when that faith will be dry and tested but when it’s all said and done, to quote Rich Mullins “surely God is with us.” Please consider forwarding this email to friends and family. Call 502.584.6543 or write to info@jeffersonstreet.org to learn more about JSBC, the HOPE Program and homelessness in Louisville. Jefferson Street Baptist Center | 733 East Jefferson Street | Louisville, KY 40202 | 502.584.6543 | www.jeffersonstreet.org |
    Is your group looking for an opportunity to serve? Would you like to be a part of a ministry that is about both word and deed? JSBC is available as a mission opportunity for your Fall Break, Winter Break or Spring Break trip. If you have a team interested in knowing more about what we do and what opportunities exist, please contact us at info@jeffersonstreet.org and we will get more information to you. Please let us know the organization you are with, the city you are from and a loose estimate on the number of people that might participate in your trip. To learn more about JSBC, visit us online at www.jeffersonstreet.org. Please consider forwarding this email to friends and family. Call 502.584.6543 or write to info@jeffersonstreet.org to learn more about JSBC, the HOPE Program and homelessness in Louisville. Jefferson Street Baptist Center | 733 East Jefferson Street | Louisville, KY 40202 | 502.584.6543 | www.jeffersonstreet.org |
