Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission

u e A Ministry of
october

s c Rescue & Discipleship 2009

s
a publication of the

e
Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission • Anchorage, Alaska

r w
5
96
ne
H O L I D A Y S
1
t.
es

Just Around The Corner!

Can you believe it! Where has the time gone? It seems like it was just yesterday that I was
Larry Aldrich writing this same letter to you. The years get shorter each year. However, the reality is that it
Operations Manager is that time of the year. By the time you get this newsletter the days will be shorter, the air is
David Williams cooler, the feel of fall is in the air; then, it is Thanksgiving—can Christmas be far behind.
Program Director
We at the Mission have already begun to make plans for the soon to be here holiday meals and
Randy Hess the many people that will be coming in for all of the services we offer. We are anticipating
Maintenance Supervisor
many more this year because of the economic conditions in our city. It seems like the recession
Larry O’Connor is beginning to be felt here. It is not wide spread yet but we are seeing more men that are
Roger Klein bringing their family to the Mission for help because they have lost their job. It is the busiest
Client Supervisor time of the year at the Mission but it is also the most blessed as we share with more and more
people—not only food but also the Gospel.
David McKnight
Van Driver We try to serve up-graded meals all during the months of November and December. Then for
our “Special Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinners” we have outside help from experienced
Solomona Talivaa
Maintenance cooks that prepare these meals for those that come to enjoy these meals with us. By the way,
everyone is invited to come and have dinner with us on these occasions.
Denny Leffler
We have so much to be thankful for, especially for your support, prayers and volunteering to
Bill McCormick
help. We could not do the things we do without your help! You responded so well last year to
Anthony Boone
Phase 5 Disciples our plea for volunteers to help. However—

We Are Going To Need Your Help Again This Year!

Those in our “NewLife” Discipleship Program and some of the clients help us everyday through
the holidays but some tasks can not be turned over to them, they have to be done by responsible
people that have the Mission’s best interest at heart. So, please plan to include the Mission is
some of your holiday activities and volunteer to help us with the many chores that have to be
done. I am sure there is something that will just fit you.
In the November and December Newsletters the name of our Volunteer Coordinator, her phone
number and volunteer positions will be listed. So call her early and get you name on that
volunteer list.
May the Lord bless you abundantly for your help!
 Golden Oldies
Here is another good old Gospel song that you do not
here any more. You may not remember this one but it is
k a favorite of mine.
s
de HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN
r ’s tis
o B et How long has it been,
t on
rec D Since you talked to the Lord,
v.
di R e And told Him your heart’s hidden secrets?
How long since you prayed,
How long since you stayed,
On your knees ‘til the light shone through?

The Good Ole‛ Gospel Hymns

How long has it been
Since your mind felt at ease,
How long since your heart knew no burden?
Can you call Him your friend,
Thank you for your response about the old hymns and How long has it been,
gospel songs in the newsletter. I was really surprised Since you knew that He cared for you?
that so many of you answered my request. I suppose
that this shows that many of you appreciate the How long has it been
message that was presented in the old hymns. I have Since you knelt by your bed,
had phone calls, letters, notes and emails expressing And prayed to the Lord up in Heaven?
how much you enjoyed reading the words of these How long since you knew,
songs and your heart-felt concern about the way That He’d answer you,
And would keep you the long night through?
Gospel music is treated today in the form of “Rap”,
“Christian Rock” and “Contemporary Christian”. I How long has it been
guess these form of music are all right for some—but Since you woke with the dawn,
I have never experienced the uplifting you get from And felt that the day’s worth the living?
the Old Gospel and Church Hymns of days gone by. I Can you call Him your friend,
will say it again, “I love the old hymns with a Gospel How long has it been,
message that will touch your heart and get you in the Since you knew that He cared for you?
right spirit and mood for a message from a man of
God that pulls no punches but tells it like it is—we are
all sinners and all need a Savior.

I will continue with Old Gospel Songs until I feel that Learning Center Need’s
you do not want them.
► Software
► Computers
► GED Textbooks
► Computer Textbooks
► Spiral Notebooks

Gift cards to Barns & Nobel or Best

Buy are a great way to donate books
and software to the Learning center.

2
 Living Memorials There is a Will
….touch lives as they honor the In Your Future
memory of loved ones and friends. Is It Yours or The States?
In Memory of
Enoch Adams Studies show that up to 70% of Americans have not
by Phillip and Darlene Batchelder made a will. When this happens the laws of your state
In Memory of will take over when you die and your estate will be
H. S. Durham, Jr. distributed accordingly, in ways you probably would
by Stephen and Donna Orr not have chosen.
In Memory of THE STATE WILL:
Arnold Howard *Determine who will administer
by Cynthia Howard your estate. . . .
In Memory of *Name the guardian of your
Maebelle Nielson children.
by Jeff and Kim Duncan *Direct the distribution of
your assets,
In Honor of AND
Art Stanford *Will not allow and distribution to
by John F. Bellisle a charitable organization.
-However—
If you have certain wishes for your estate and your
Just So You Will Know! heirs; If you would like to name your own executor,
and a guardian for your minor children; Or, If you
We are not a United Way Agency. However, they are want to leave a bequest for the Anchorage Gospel
in their fall contribution campaign. Remember, If you Rescue Mission or another worthy cause….
make a donation to the United Way, you may designate you may say so in a Personal Will. So plan for
the Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission to receive your tomorrow today.
contribution. If you work for a company that matches
donations to non-profit organizations this will double YOUR PRAYERS HAVE
your contribution to the Mission. MADE A DIFFERENCE
So please keep us in mind Thanks, Bro. Don A year ago I ask you to pray for the Leaders of this
ministry because we were under a mandate from the
With You city to move and we could not find a place to move.
Because of your prayers and the new administration
The road looks long and dreay, things have eased up—a little. One of our dorms is still
The mountain way too high. closed. This is what we need for the city to do; let us
I just can’t seem to go on re-open that dorm. We could sleep 40 more men each
No matter how hard I try. night and 30 more on mats in the Chapel, for a total of
70 men. All it would take is for the city to grant us a
But You, dear Lord, are with me,
replat to make our two properties one or a conditional
Every day of the year,
use or a variance. We operated the Mission with both
Filling me with Your endless love,
dorm open from 1997 until 2005 and everything was
And I have nothing to fear.
fine until the city wanted us to move. Winter is coming,
Thank You, my dear Father, please continue to pray for your Rescue Mission.
For the strength and love You bring.
I know with you at my side
I can face ‘most anything.
Used with permission

3
 di
r ect
o r
s
m m
ra
a
illi
g .W
pro M
id
av
D
I
n 1994 a 26 year old Fulbright scholar who
was working in South Africa against apartheid,
Amy Biehl was beaten and stabbed to death in
a township near Cape Town. I never forgot Amy
because she was an innocent victim of the outrage
bread by an injustice she played no part in. In fact she
was on the same side her attackers were on. Her crime?
She looked like the people who had systematically
victimized her assailants. The tragedy is her attackers
were not evil people. They were frustrated and angry at
the lack of progress in their attempts to correct a wrong
and in this frustration they struck out and an innocent
life was lost. In a strange way I keep Amy’s spirit alive
by remembering her anytime I see a variation of the
same thing happening in my field of vision. Of course
I’ve never witnessed, and hope I never do, anyone
murdered like Amy however this same situation, in
lesser degree, happens frequently in our society. In
fact it’s happening right now in the city of Anchorage
Alaska.
There exist in the city of Anchorage and atmosphere of
frustration that is threatening to engulf a lot of innocent
people. The situation I speak of is that of the chronic
inebriate. It is critical at this juncture to make a clear
distinction between the chronic inebriate and homeless
men and women. They are not the same! The chronic
inebriates are homeless because they chose behaviors
that result in homelessness while homeless men
and women find themselves in this condition due to
circumstances beyond their control or understanding.
This includes drug and alcohol use. There is a big
difference between the person who struggles with
addiction and the chronic inebriate. The common cycle
of an addict is they try to overcome their addiction
themselves by abstaining from their substance of
choice. This rarely works and in that frustration
they relapse which begins the cycle all
4 over again. The chronic inebriate however
When d
becom
has no desire to stop drinking because for whatever
reason they find comfort and a sense of belonging in
this lifestyle.
I understand the frustration the community feels. I
am a member of this community and I use our parks.
I’ve been accosted for money, alcohol, and cigarettes
as well. I can only imagine how a woman must feel
when faced with the gauntlet of a half dozen drunken
males leering at them when they pass by. I agree whole
heartily with the idea of taking back our parks. What
frightens me is the percentages of chronic inebriates to
that of legitimate homeless men and women is small;
yet we are willing as a society to allow this relatively
small percentage to change our public policy. A change
in policy that has the potential for far more harm than
good.
This is not a treatment issue. The chronic inebriates
don’t want treatment. The real issue is accountability.
The reason our parks are overrun by the chronic
inebriates is we have allowed it to work for them. We
as a society have taken the high road, in the name of
compassion, and have received none in return. The
men and women whose circumstances have resulted
in homelessness seek treatment because their addiction
is not working for them. Therefore we have to take
away whatever it is about this lifestyle that appeals to
the chronic inebriate. There are those in our community
who feel organizations like the Anchorage Gospel
Rescue Mission, the Brother Francis Shelter, and
Bean’s Café enable the chronic inebriate to maintain
a harmful lifestyle. I disagree wholeheartedly! What
allows these men and women to continue this behavior
is we as a society have chosen to coddle them rather
than hold them accountable. There are those in the
service provider community, who will take the stand,
“it doesn’t matter why they are homeless”, or “no one
does right
me wrong?
chooses to be homeless”. This attitude is what enables
the chronic inebriate to continue their lifestyle not the
hot meal the Rescue Mission provides to anyone who is
hungry. There has to be consequences to the behaviors,
consequences that far outweigh the benefits. If we can
effectively make this lifestyle unappealing then, and
only then, will the chronic inebriate either move on
or seek help. Help must be sought or it will never be
found.
Now I realize I’m supposed to show empathy for my
fellow man. I also realize my get tough attitude might
seem harsh and uncaring to some. The bottom line
is, I’m more than willing to do whatever it takes to
help someone get out of a bad situation. I toil in the
trenches every day of my life. I know, first hand, what
works and what does not. The most valuable lessons
I’ve learn are; no one will change unless it’s their idea,
and some people prefer an unrestricted lifestyle of no
responsibility. I refuse to follow the party line of help at
all cost. If a man or woman wants to stay in the woods
and drink rather than seek help that is there choice
after all this is America. What is not OK is allowing
that person to infringe on the basic rights of others and
to allow their actions to negatively impact a whole
segment of our population that does not engage in such
behavior. Our citizens should be able to use our parks
without being subjected to harassment and those who
are homeless by circumstance rather then choice should
not have to bare the brunt of public indignation they
have not caused.
The current state of affairs has driven us to contemplate
involuntary commitment for those chronic inebriates
who manipulate our public resources. Our corrections
system is a scathing example of how unsuccessful
forced rehabilitation is. The Alaska Judicial Council
published two reports in 2007 and the conclusions
were, “Overall, offenders were more likely to re-offend
than before they entered the criminal justice system.”
Like our correction system, forced treatment results in
temporary compliance.
The Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission is on board with
taking back our parks. We will do our part in making
this lifestyle choice uncomfortable and unprofitable.
We are not, at this early stage of the debate, taking an
official stand against involuntary commitment mainly
because all the information has not been harvested and
processed. However we are pointing out all available
information indicates the methodology does not work.
Capital is limited therefore the question has to be are we
willing to spend valuable resources in an area that has
traditionally shown no return for the investment? Let’s
also realize the city will have to be willing to defend
this position, most likely case by case, in the courts
and that in its self will be costly. The most important
reason to proceed with caution is there will be innocent
men and women caught up in the enthusiasm of the
moment and find themselves incarcerated because they
look like the people who have visited an injustice on
society.
We as reasonable men and women cannot allow, on
our watch, the potential of innocent homeless men and
women to be persecuted because we are frustrated at an
injustice visited upon us by a minority.
As a footnote in history the four men convicted of
murdering Amy Biehl were given amnesty at the
request of Amy’s parents. One of the killer’s mother
addresses Mrs. Biehl. “I do not pretend to know how
your daughter died. . . my son was only an agent.”
I submit to the citizens of Anchorage we not be the
agents of injustice in the name of justice.
5
 The Eternal
Commitment
By: Cado Dewight Spates
Webster’s dictionary defines commitment this way:
To bind to a certain line of conduct which cannot be
recalled.
I have always looked at commitment this way.
Commitment isn’t written down, commitment
isn’t verbal. Commitment comes from the heart.
Commitment is your personal desire to achieve a goal
that you really want to achieve. My sermon for today is
about a unique individual that met both requirements.
“Halleluiah!”
Commitment is becoming something like an
old fashioned word. An example of that would be
“whippersnappers’”. It’s like a thing of the past. Today if
you spend two years on a job, that’s a long time. There was
a time in the old days that a person would find a job and
spend a lifetime there. Or they would develop a business
and spend their life pouring themselves into that business.
It’s not like that anymore. We make commitments to do
a lot of things, but before you know it we are suddenly
side tracked. For example, some people have made
commitments to lose weight at different times in their
lives, but somehow they always get side tracked. It takes
real commitment if a person really wants to do something.
Even if a person starts off planning their day one way, it
will still turn out another way, because they can easily get
distracted. But I’m so thankful that our LORD and Savior
Jesus maintained His eye on the commitment that He
came here for. Today every body is concerned about what
appeals to them. But, we have a Savior who, no matter
what the circumstance He was in, He said that He will
maintain His commitment to complete whatever needed
to be accomplish.
The phrase “man of sorrows” is taken from Isaiah
53:3, which says the Messiah would be “a man of sorrows,
and acquainted with grief.” The LORD was indeed a man
of sorrows. There is no record in Scripture of Jesus ever
laughing, and that’s because sin is no laughing matter.
But, there are many statements about His grief. In John
11:35, He wept over the grave of Lazarus. Prior to that
He groaned deep within Himself when He saw the impact
of sin and death. And as Jesus looked over Jerusalem, He
wept over its evil and unbelieving population
(Luke 19:41). While in the Garden of
6 Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-39), Jesus
made His commitment to save us from damnation. Jesus
was committed to overcome sin. In verse 39, you will see
that He said: “If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be
taken from me. Yet I want Your Will to be done, not mine”.
This passage details one aspect of His preparation for the
cross. But it also prepares the disciples. While Christ
had to endure His struggle in the garden to fulfill God’s
plan to defeat the devil, it also is an important element
in the disciples’ preparation. Out of that experience
they learned the profound lesson of verse 41, where our
LORD says: “Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation
will overpower you. For the spirit is indeed willing, but
how weak the body is!” It’s here that He taught the three
disciples how to face temptation. The key to overcoming
temptation is dependence on God through intense prayer.
When we face temptation we have two weapons at
our disposal. Second Corinthians 10:4 says “The weapons
of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God.”
Those weapons are the Word of God and prayer. Ephesians
6:17-18 says to take “the sword of the Spirit, which is
the Word of God; praying always.” If the disciples never
learned anything but that, they would know enough to
defeat the enemy. If we are to handle every temptation
that comes our way, we do so by relying on the Word of
God and the power of prayer.
Sin’s purpose is to derail someone’s commitment to God.
And once it has broken that commitment to God, sin will
break you. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus is wrestling
with sin; not His sin for He was without sin, but for all
of our human sins. What if sin had derailed Jesus? Not
that He sinned, but if He said that it wouldn’t be worth
all His suffering. Where would you and I be today? We
would be in a hurting place! Could you imagine being
at a funeral where a family doesn’t know anything about
Jesus’ resurrection? All they know is that their loved one
is gone. Can you imagine a young person taking his or her
life because they feel as though there’s no hope for them?
Jesus knows sorrow that goes even deeper than that.
Jesus understood the real horror of sin. Jesus
understood that sin wants to break us, but what’s even
worse is the fact that once we begin to start sinning, it
becomes what we want and we’re OK with that. Nobody
take drugs to become a drug addict. They take drugs to
fit in and or to have a good time. Nobody drinks a beer
to become an alcoholic; they take the beer to have a good
time. Nobody goes into an illicit affair just to break up
families, nobody sins just to get destroyed, but somehow
we have come to see that“sin is kind of fun to play with”.
And we fool our selves into thinking that we can control
it, “it won’t control me.” But I’ve found out that sin will
control you. It’s not something to play with. And the
sorrow that Jesus is having is that He’s going to carry the
 We invite you to visit us on You can also make your

g
g
w ww

w ww

e.or
e.or
the web or drop us an e-mail donations
with your comments and on our secure On-Line

scu
s cu
.an

.an

ere
suggestions donation page

e re
ch

ch
or or

ag
ag
ag ag

or
ere ere
or
scu ch scu ch
.an .an
e.or
g ww w e.or
g w ww

✂ PLEASE SEND COUPON IN WITH YOUR DONATION

Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission P.O. Box 230510 Anchorage, Alaska 99523-0510
Here is my support gift: For Credit Card Donations:
Food and Shelter: $_____ I would like to charge my total donation of $__________________
Check One: Visa  M/C  Am/Ex  Discover 
Facilities Maintenance: $_____
$46.25 For 25 Meals ______
$74.00 For 40 Meals ______ Card Number __________________________________________
$132.20 For 72 Meals ______
Exp. Date: ______/______ Signature _______________________
$277.50 For 150 Meals ______
______Other: All credit card information is kept in strict confidence
______ I Will Pray for this Ministry. Make checks payable to the Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission
You will receive a receipt.

Name:________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________
Please send this coupon with your donations.

sin for all of us to Calvary. He’s going to carry the sin
that belongs to every one of us, past, present and future.
And to make things even worst, some people won’t even
appreciate it, or accept it or put it into their life. For you
see if we don’t accept what He has done, now! and accept
salvation through His blood. We won’t be there with Him
on Resurrection day, the day of His second coming. That’s
the real horror!
Sin will give you prosperity beyond your wildest
dreams, only to take it away from you in the end, for you
see the devil loves to see you stumble and fall. Our battles
may be alcoholism, selfishness or hatred to another person.
Whatever it is we should all learn how to overcome any
problem that we face. We’re only here on this planet
for a very short time. We need to make the most out of
the time that we have. I see our lives in comparison to
a caterpillar inching along everyday hoping that no one
will step on it and it dies. Pretty soon the caterpillar goes
into a cocoon; finally it turns into a beautiful butterfly.
Before we received salvation our lives were always in
jeopardy because evil spirits wanted us destroyed. The
“NewLife” program at this Mission is our cocoon, for it
is here that we began to grow spiritually and mentally in
Christ. After two years we graduate and hopefully when
we will leave here we will be able to carry Jesus Christ’s
ministry to the rest of the world as He asked. In John 6:38
it says that Jesus was committed to carry out God’s Will.
“Whatever my Father wants … that’s what I will do.
Whatever my Father speaks … that’s what I will say”.
And as Christians imitating our LORD and Savior,
shouldn’t we be doing the same thing! This earth was
created for God’s pleasure. He created us so that He
could have fellowship with us. We are to Jesus like our
children are to us. They are great joy, but at the same
time, they can bring us hurt. Perhaps that is the way
it is with God dealing with us. The joy outweighs the
sorrow. This earth was created for us to live in peace;
let’s live the dream!
Cado Graduated
“NewLife” on

7
learning what Almighty God expects of us and how we September 11, 2009
are to carry out the work of our LORD and Savior Jesus
 Our Ministry of
Anchorage
age Non-Profit Org.

u e Gospel u e U.S. Postal

es c sc
PAID
Anchorage, AK
r is to reM
Mission
ission GOD BLESS AMERICA
Permit # 290

the least
the last
A Ministry
Ministry of
the lost Rescue & Recovery info@anchoragerescue.org
www.anchoragerescue.org
ue
“urgent”
Our supplies of these
items is constantly in
r es
news
c

P.O. Box 230510•Anchorage, AK•99523-0510•(907) 563-5603

need of replenishing return service requested
† Prayer
† Paper Towels
† 45 Gallon Trash Bags
† Fresh Meat
† Coffee
† Bathroom Tissue
L
O
† Laundry Soap
† Disposable Shavers D
† Cleaning Supplies Pr
† Liquid Dish Detergent
† Dinner Napkins R
† Shampoo M
“urgent”
L
STATEMENT OF FAITH R
Anchorage Gospel The Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission is a Non-Profit, Non-Denominational C
Rescue Mission organization. We receive NO municipal, state or federal funds. We are not a United
Board of Trustees Way Agency. Your financial support and In-Kind donations makes it possible for us to D
provide for the poor, needy and homeless people in our community. Also, your donations Va
Ed Shelton allow us to provide a Drug and Alcohol Recovery program. All Donations are fully tax
(President) deductible. We will give you a receipt for your donation. S
Bob Collins M

( Vice President/treasure)
Mark Soquet
Chapel Services for October D
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Ralph Nobrega B
Rev. Bob Sloan 1
Anchorage
2
First
3
Calvary
A
Ph
Emeritus: Vineyard Presbyterian Baptist
Fellowship Church Church
Cliff Hodgins
Rev. Willard Leisy 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Advisory Board: God’s Abbott Loop Anchorage Anchorage Christ Calvary Wasilla
Place Community Pilgrim Gospel Community Church Assembly
Paul Kelly Church Nazarene Singers Church of God
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Rev. Don Bettis, Exec. Dir. God’s Church First Anchorage Sherbahn Sherbahn Lighthouse
Charlotte Bettis, Asst. Dir. Place of God of Assembly of Church Evangelistic Evangelistic Christian
Prophecy God of Christ Team Team Fellowship
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Grace Sherbahn Anchorage Christian Evangelical In His Name Glenn
i o n of
ia t Victory
Fellowship
Evangelistic
Team
Native
Assembly
Evangelical
Church
Covenant
Church
Sandy
McCollum
Hermann
c

Go
A sso

25 26 27 28 29 30 31
s pel

Member New Light

Community
Calvary
Baptist
Attorney
Greg Grebe
Calvary
Baptist
Shiloh
Baptist
Sherbahn
Evangelist
Change
Point
Church Church Team
e
cu
s

Nightly Services
on

s
i
M iss re
7:30 PM to 8:30 PM