On October 25th friends, volunteers, guests and graduates of Clifton Sanctuary Ministries gathered together at Morningside Presbyterian Church. The occasion was our third anniversary and graduation dinner; a chance to gather as one body and celebrate the miracles that God has worked in our midst during the past year. Our host for the evening Mr. Harold Augustus, Gus to most of us, set the tone for the evening with the rhetorical question of who did it, followed by the sure affirmation that indeed “God did it.”
Our featured speaker on this evening was Mr. Philip Bray of SafeHouse Outreach. Philip’s personal life mission is the driving force behind the work of SafeHouse Outreach: changing lives, families, and communities through faith, hope and love in action. He is a fourth generation pastor representing over 70 years of service in the inner city of Atlanta. On this evening he shared his personal journey and calling to reach out and lend a helping hand to our brothers and sisters in need. Mr. Bray’s story is repeated in the now legendary story of the church we all know to be Clifton, which demonstrated the true meaning of sanctuary some 27 years ago when they opened their church to men trapped by homelessness. It is that story and that commitment that brings us together to celebrate the accomplishments of the men we have had the privilege of serving.
On this occasion we recognized 23 men who have overcome homelessness. This is almost twice the number of men we have recognized in past years. This is living proof that it is not the building but the people who define Clifton Sanctuary Ministries. It is our staff and our dedicated volunteers who build the essential relationships that help so many men to rebuild lives torn down by the trials of living.
Also recognized on this special evening are those special volunteers who have had a special impact on our ministry during the previous year. Two such individuals are Al Adams and Lindsey Churchill of Holland & Knight LLP. It was through their advice and guidance that our board and the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta were able to develop the guidelines that would place our relationship on a firm foundation. The dissolution of a church is never easy but when the church has built a ministry that survives beyond the church itself, there are many questions that need to be answered. Al and Lindsey provided a calming voice that helped to lead us through a challenging point in our ministry.
It was also most appropriate that we take this evening to recognize Epworth United Methodist Church. Words cannot express our enduring gratitude to the staff, trustees and indeed the entire congregation for their support during the past 15 months. When we found ourselves homeless they opened their doors and welcomed us. The bond which has been formed between the church and our ministry has helped us both and has built a strong relationship that will enable us to work together in the service of Christ.
While it is difficult to single out an individual in a ministry that relies on so many volunteers, there are those special people we must recognize. One such individual is Leslie Withers. She came to Clifton Presbyterian Church as the Director of Missions in 1995 and has been a part of the ministry from that first day. While serving as the Executive Director for Night Hospitality she became the first president of Lake Claire Community Apartments, better known as Joe’s Place. She continued to provide leadership when Joe’s Place and Night Hospitality became Clifton Sanctuary Ministries and served on the board of directors until May of 2006 when commitments at her own church, Oakhurst Baptist, made it necessary for her to step down from the board. Not many of us can match eleven years of humble and dedicated service to our ministry.
Finally Rocke Thompson, who has been with us from the very beginning, took a few minutes to reflect on the past and look ahead to the challenges of the future. We have been blessed by Rocke’s energy, knowledge and wisdom. There is not much that he hasn’t done through the years but perhaps he is best known through his work as the volunteer coordinator. In this role he has touched so many and infected each of us with a burning passion for this ministry and the men we serve. While his own role is changing and he may not be as visible as he has been, Rocke will continue his support in many less visible ways as we move into the new year.
Sharing the love of God, we are a Sanctuary to men seeking to overcome homelessness. For more than 25 years the doors of Clifton Sanctuary have offered a place of physical and spiritual rest, shelter, healing and support to men who are homeless in Atlanta. Open 365 days a year, Night Hospitality is the oldest shelter in Atlanta operating in a house of worship.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Open House -- November 12
We are ready for the move back to 369 Connecticut! As you read this the necessary appliances, furniture, equipment and supplies are being delivered. While everything is not yet complete we are ready for the return to our church home.
At this time we would like to invite you our loyal supporters and dedicated volunteers to an Open House on Sunday November 12th from 2 PM until 5 PM. This will be your chance to come by look around and see What God has Done! There is no way we can adequately thank all for you for your prayers and support during the past 15 months but we hope you can join us on this special day as we celebrate the return of Night Hospitality to our church home. Please extend this invitation to others in your team and your congregation. Come by when you can and stay as long as you like.
While we are moving back, it may be a little while yet before we are fully operational. If you are one of our many volunteers please call the office (404-373-3253) to see where we are in the moving process before you come. You can also check to see if we have stocked our pantry yet or if we are still relying on the early evening hosts for dinner. We appreciate your patience and dedication to the ministry during this time of transition.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Going Home
As many of you know our long time home on Connecticut Avenue was damaged by a fire in July of 2005. Since that time we have continued our Night Hospitality ministry at Epworth United Methodist Church in Candler Park. Their support, hospitality and love has been over whelming during the past 15 months. Construction at our church home has been completed and we have been working to re-equip our facility for most of October.
The end, or should I say the beginning, is now in sight. Furniture, appliances, dishes and all of the itemas and services required to support the ministry are coming together. Many of these items have been delivered and are being installed. Some details will take longer than others to re-connect but it won't be long before we can return to our home.
I will share more on the move as the pieces fall into place. If you are one of our many volunteers please call the office to see where we are on the day you are coming to serve. We expect to move any day now. We hope to see you soon at the Clifton Church on Connecticut Avenue.
The end, or should I say the beginning, is now in sight. Furniture, appliances, dishes and all of the itemas and services required to support the ministry are coming together. Many of these items have been delivered and are being installed. Some details will take longer than others to re-connect but it won't be long before we can return to our home.
I will share more on the move as the pieces fall into place. If you are one of our many volunteers please call the office to see where we are on the day you are coming to serve. We expect to move any day now. We hope to see you soon at the Clifton Church on Connecticut Avenue.
Introducing Clifton Sanctuary Ministries
Brief History of Clifton
In the fall of 1979, the members of Clifton were horrified by the death of a homeless man on the streets of Atlanta on a bitterly cold night. They decided to open their sanctuary to anyone sleeping on the streets and promised to also provide a hot meal, showers and clean clothes. The first few nights that church members went downtown in their cars to bring homeless people back to the church, their intended beneficiaries were skeptical.
Yet within a few weeks, the sanctuary had exceeded its capacity, and the church decided to limit its care to thirty men. That was the beginning of the first church-based homeless shelter in metro Atlanta. Volunteers from other churches soon pitched in to help. Many returned to their own churches to start shelters or other ministries to homeless people, including Central and North Druid Hills Presbyterian Churches and Oakhurst Baptist Church.
Twenty years later, concerned by the lack of support for men returning to the streets from the shelter, Clifton joined with other churches to open Joe’s Place, a transition house for men leaving the shelter. Through intensive counseling and a mandatory savings program, Joe’s Place participants gain the skills and resources they will need to be functional on their own.
Today
During this past year our ministry has been blessed in more ways than we can begin to count. Special thanks must be extended to Epworth United Methodist Church, its ministers, trustees and the congregation for opening their church home to our ministry for the last year and three months. We thank each member of the volunteer teams for the extra time and effort you have brought to ministry and our guests during the past year. We have also been blessed financially during this past year. Late last year we received a bequest from Mr. James Gingles. Then this spring we received a similar gift from the trustees of Candler Park Baptist church after the church closed. We have also received grants form the Imlay Foundation and the Second Mile of John Wieland Homes.
Finally we find ourselves at a new beginning. Work on our church at 369 Connecticut Avenue has been completed. We are in the process of getting things ready for our return. Offices, the kitchen, the laundry and everything else needs to be reequipped and restocked before we can move back in. Through it all we have been blessed by your support and continued prayer.
Tomorrow
The challenges of tomorrow are many. Meals to serve, clothes to wash, floors to mop, and through it all a friendly smile and a kind word to each person whose life we touch. We were not promised a life of leisure but rather salvation through grace and faith. It is up to each of us to share the love of God with each guest at our sanctuary.
In the fall of 1979, the members of Clifton were horrified by the death of a homeless man on the streets of Atlanta on a bitterly cold night. They decided to open their sanctuary to anyone sleeping on the streets and promised to also provide a hot meal, showers and clean clothes. The first few nights that church members went downtown in their cars to bring homeless people back to the church, their intended beneficiaries were skeptical.
Yet within a few weeks, the sanctuary had exceeded its capacity, and the church decided to limit its care to thirty men. That was the beginning of the first church-based homeless shelter in metro Atlanta. Volunteers from other churches soon pitched in to help. Many returned to their own churches to start shelters or other ministries to homeless people, including Central and North Druid Hills Presbyterian Churches and Oakhurst Baptist Church.
Twenty years later, concerned by the lack of support for men returning to the streets from the shelter, Clifton joined with other churches to open Joe’s Place, a transition house for men leaving the shelter. Through intensive counseling and a mandatory savings program, Joe’s Place participants gain the skills and resources they will need to be functional on their own.
Today
During this past year our ministry has been blessed in more ways than we can begin to count. Special thanks must be extended to Epworth United Methodist Church, its ministers, trustees and the congregation for opening their church home to our ministry for the last year and three months. We thank each member of the volunteer teams for the extra time and effort you have brought to ministry and our guests during the past year. We have also been blessed financially during this past year. Late last year we received a bequest from Mr. James Gingles. Then this spring we received a similar gift from the trustees of Candler Park Baptist church after the church closed. We have also received grants form the Imlay Foundation and the Second Mile of John Wieland Homes.
Finally we find ourselves at a new beginning. Work on our church at 369 Connecticut Avenue has been completed. We are in the process of getting things ready for our return. Offices, the kitchen, the laundry and everything else needs to be reequipped and restocked before we can move back in. Through it all we have been blessed by your support and continued prayer.
Tomorrow
The challenges of tomorrow are many. Meals to serve, clothes to wash, floors to mop, and through it all a friendly smile and a kind word to each person whose life we touch. We were not promised a life of leisure but rather salvation through grace and faith. It is up to each of us to share the love of God with each guest at our sanctuary.
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