Saint James Lutheran Church - They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love

Demonstration Micro Shelter

It was my absolute pleasure to attend Saint James Lutheran's open house, showcasing the plans for a tiny homeless shelter community. 

On the property behind their church, featured was one of the tiny homes already built that will accommodate 2 homeless individuals should the church board vote to go forward with this beautiful, long overdue, positive first step in alleviating homelessness in the city of Redding and Shasta County.

Saint James Lutheran has boldly and bravely accepted the challenge to be one of the first to demonstrate the Love of Jesus Christ and provide for the needs of the "least of the brethren."

Other churches and the City of Redding are soon to follow, with hopes of building other micro shelter communities in and around Redding.

With layers of supervision and accountability, it will certainly be a situation of a hand up, and not a handout. Providing homeless with the "first step of a ladder" to climbing out of the dreadful situation of being homeless.

And why not, the Holy Bible from one end to the other speaks of Gods desire that we should help the poor, and the rewards of that will reverberate through the city with the Blessings of God.

Oh, there were the naysayers, the NIMBY folks and immediate neighbors were quite unhappy and let their thoughts be known. And strangely enough even several folks from next stores Our Lady of Mercy Catholic church came by and voiced their concerns. Strangely still, the church secretary was concerned that these folks would come next store and consume all their donations from their food giveaways.

Of course, when Jesus Christ was freely giving of the loaves and fishes homelessness was not a barrier for their physical and spiritual needs, nor should it be for the church next store...

After all, we serve the same Jesus Christ, ... Don't we?

"Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation"

KRCR TV News - Residents and advocates react to homeless microshelter open house

The Journey Church - Showing Jesus Christ's Love To Our Homeless Community

 

Preach the Gospel at all times and if necessary, use words

You would be hard pressed to find a better example of this saying witnessing the Journey church in action going about our community

Showing, through action, the Love of Jesus Christ giving to the homeless the means to survive spiritually and physically on our streets.

Every third Saturday you can find their team compassionately giving out food, water, clothing, even dog food to those who have so very little.

Sixty food boxes, as well as forty sack lunches were given out on one Saturday alone.

And of course prayer was offered to those who spiritually feel that they need it for whatever reason.

They also offer food at their Church to those in poverty and meet their hunger needs.

It was an absolute pleasure to go out with them into the homeless community and meet them where they are.

The Team goes to the Cypress Street bridge, Library, and Masonic lodge area every third Saturday and I can tell you the homeless are very appreciative.

Unfortunately, talking to some of them, an added stress to being homeless is the Redding police constantly threatening to raid and disband their camps.

With nowhere to go, often they are driven to the outskirts of town where no homeless services are found for miles.

If you are interested in donating, volunteering, or attending this Holy Spirit filled church and ministry, you can find their Facebook page here

Redding California Refuses to Open a Warming Shelter for Her Least Fortunate

 

With Christmas just days gone by, you would thing Redding and Shasta County Supervisors would have more compassion for the homeless in our community. The Good News Rescue Mission, 3100 South Market Street, the only nighttime shelter we have is reportedly kicking out homeless seeking shelter for the most nominal of offenses. Several can be seen sleeping on the sidewalk in front of the mission.

Redding Homeless - Good News Rescue Mission

Those with mental issues, are forced to sleep outside, even though the temperatures have been below freezing for several days now, including homeless children. Dozens of homeless are forced to seek shelter under the roof of a very compassionate local business but really is that fair to them?

 A young little girl in a pink jacket is living in a freezing boulder field under Cypress Street with dozens of other homeless sufferings, yet even though the City of Redding has declared a Homeless Shelter Crisis, and received a million dollars, the refuse to put a large tent next to those languishing under this and other bridges seeking the only shelter they can find. 

Why it's perfectly natural that folks don't want to go to the Good News Rescue Mission. I know of several instances where homeless young boys have been molested there. Other reports of men masturbating. bed bugs, scabies, and other unpleasant behaviors seem to be the norm, not to mention thievery. Young boys at a certain age I understand are separated from their families and forced to stay with them.  

And of course the 30 days in 30 days out mission policy is tragic, since most folks point to the mission as the be all as far as homelessness is concerned in Shasta County... The only game in town.

Some time ago, I had a conversation with my next door neighbor, Deputy Sheriff Will Gardner ( at one time sex crime investigator), that I was concerned that a homeless child could be molested, and the pedophile could attend the Good News Rescue Mission's drug and alcohol program as part of his sentence, eating the finest donations of deli meats and cheeses, sitting on fine plump leather couches in air-conditioned comfort, while that homeless child is still in the bushes curled around a rock still homeless.

Deputy Sheriff Will Gardner stated " You dont have to worry about that scenario any longer.... Its already happened...

Fascinating that the City of Redding has also received as I understand 18 million dollars in Covid relief funds, that can certainly be used to give our least fortunate some kind of relief, is used to hire 3 more City of Redding employees and machinery to destroy homeless survival areas.

City of Redding clears brush and homeless camps near Benton Airpark

Just before Christmas.... And Bethel Church played a major role ...  

What more must the homeless endure with two murdered by young men with no motive at all?

And vigilantism on the rise   ?

And an attitude by Redding and Shasta County Officials that being homeless is still a crime 

Seems nobody wears masks at the Good News Rescue Mission, sadly several of the Mission staff have died from Covid 19 

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