Dear Partners,

It brings us great joy to report to you what the Lord is doing among His people. We are indeed vessels of His grace.  Thank you for your continued prayers and financial support.

Last week I was introduced to a pre-teenaged boy in our after school tutoring program named Michael.  Michael received occasional help with his sixth grade work, but was very good with the younger children.  In the apartment complex where Michael lives, it is very likely that he and many of the other teenaged boys will become a ward of the state in a different way by the age of sixteen, if they are fortunate.  I invited Michael to a football game that evening because I learned that he attended the same school where my youngest son is an eighth grader.  During our ride to the stadium, I learned that Michael had missed two days of school, because he didn’t have “clean clothes.”  After taking Mike home that evening, I thought about my childhood and that of my children.  When was the last time I missed anything because I didn’t have clean clothes?  When have my children ever missed anything because they did not have clean clothes?

Sunday June 3, Door of Hope had its first Sunday Morning worship service.  The Lord was pleased to allow twenty-five people to attend.  I told you the story of Michael not because he is the poster child for poverty. But, to give you a better picture of the communities in which God has called us to plant Door of Hope Church.  Our calling is to take the gospel of Christ on the Southside of Tallahassee.  Since that first service we have had many people to attend DOH and many to stay.  Two exciting ministries in the church have developed as a result of us worshipping for two and one half months on Sunday mornings. Our women meet on Thursday evening for a time of fellowship, study, and prayer.  Attendance is climbing all the time but, holding steady with at least six women who come regularly.  The other one was our chance to start meeting every Wednesday evening during the summer with the youth of DOH.  We regularly have seven to ten youth who come ranging from ages 9-15.

We are building relationships with many people in the complexes in our target area where the mission is located.  We are worshipping temporarily in the Club House of the Orange Avenue Apartments, a complex owned by the Tallahassee Housing Authority.  The apartment complex where we offer Support Services to the residents is owned by a private company, Community Housing Partners.  Door of Hope and Community Housing Partners has an agreement that we can offer all services to the residents to improve their social, educational, economic and spiritual outlook in their very nice community center.  We have an on-site Coordinator who makes sure that all the services are carried out on a weekly basis.  The center is open everyday from 3-7 pm, and we offer everything from after school homework help for the children, to adult literacy.  Our on-site Coordinator, Mrs. Patricia Freeland, is doing a tremendous job arranging all of the services using primarily church volunteers and some Leon county service providers.

By our offering help in the practical areas of the lives of the people in the community, we are able to share demonstratively and verbally the gospel of Christ.  We see the spirit of God at work in the lives of the people.  We also witness God’s grace to use the means of Support Services, to bring women, men, girls, and teenage boys to the goal for our being here, “that they may know Christ.”  When was the last time you or some one you know could not make a date because of no “clean clothes?”  After a few moments of serious brain burglary, I honestly could not remember any occasion I had missed for a lack of “clean clothes.”  However, I could remember a few occasions I had missed because I did not have the proper attire, or I did not have what I wanted to wear.  The truth is Michael’s mother didn’t have any money to wash for the week.  Saddened by the thought of anyone having to miss any occasion because they do not have the sufficient resources, I was soon moved by the goodness and grace of the Gospel.  Because there is one occasion no one will have to miss because of dirty clothes.  That occasion is a relationship with God through Christ.  Our hope is in the clothing that God has provided in His Son:

“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

·         Please pray that we will be able to raise the $112,000.00 for the renovation of our property.  Our lease is up in 75 days and we would like to be in the property DOH is purchasing.

·         We also desperately need a VAN.  Each week the number of people we pick up is growing.

·         We praise God for the $32,000.00 we have received from two churches in the area. 

Again, thank you all very much for your continued prayers and financial support.  If you, or anyone you know, would like to give toward any of the needs we face; please make checks payable to:  Door of Hope and in the memo what it is for.  Don’t forget to visit our web-site to keep up with what is going on at DOH.

Living in Sufficient Grace,