I. Benevolence
· We have a box of food to a lady on 9-15, another to a lady on 10-14, and 3 boxes of food on 10-29. We’ve had several people coming to us for food recently, so on 11-2 we had to go to the grocery store and purchase more food, so that we have 6 boxes assembled and ready to help others.
· Life Issues paid 1 month's insurance for man to get his vehicle legal on 10-5, and also assisted him in getting his license on 10-23.
· We worked with HBF to help pay rent for man on 10-6, and also helped a lady with rent in late October.
II. Jail update
· I’m still discipling an inmate @ Boonville (Ted), he’s on lesson #4 of 7 in our correspondence. We’re also putting money on his books so that he can make phone calls, we talk almost every Sunday evening, and he’s getting released in March.
· A man who does jail ministry in another county (Sam Maston) has had inmates asking for copies of our discipleship lessons so that they can work through them on their own, and we sent them 10 hard copies.
· Please pray for Cass County Jail to approve of our coming into their facility soon, with the leader we’ve proposed, this is an urgent prayer request.
· One a sad note, I went to the sentencing of a former student of ours on 11-8, who was found guilty in February 2023 of a federal drug possession & distribution case. Jason P. received a 30-year sentence for his crimes and he’s in his mid-40’s now, so we may not see this man on the outside again, please pray for him.
III. Church
· Our recovery group cleaned the church on 10-27.
· I got to baptize our granddaughter on 10-8 – see pic!
· Larry O. placed membership at HBF on 10-15 – see pic.
o D1: These folks are in our one-on-one continue discipleship material –Brian R. is with Pat L. (lesson #16), Matt L. is starting with Steve F. (lesson #1), Alana M. is with Betty A. and are on lesson #6.
o D2: Belinda F. is going through D2!
o HBI: Pam J., and Mary W. are both taking a full load of classes in HBI.
o TJH (The Journey Home): Conner F. completed TJH in June and will be giving his testimony tonight, he also started discipleship @ his church, we’re very proud of this young man! Kevin F. is starting TJH with Brian R.
IV. Recovery
· Larry O. received his 12-year coin from AA on 9-21 – see pic of Larry and I.
· Several of our students and leaders are involved in discipleship:
o D1: These folks are in our one-on-one continue discipleship material –Brian R. is with Pat L. (lesson #16), Matt L. is starting with Steve F. (lesson #1), Alana M. is with Betty A. and are on lesson #6.
o D2: Belinda F. is going through D2!
o HBI: Pam J., and Mary W. are both taking a full load of classes in HBI.
o TJH (The Journey Home): Conner F. completed TJH in June and will be giving his testimony tonight, he also started discipleship @ his church, we’re very proud of this young man! Kevin F. is starting TJH with Brian R.
IV. Recovery
· Larry O. received his 12-year coin from AA on 9-21 – see pic of Larry and I.
· I wrote a reference letter for a former student of ours on 11-7, who’s trying to get DFS and the court to allow her and her husband to have custody of some of her relatives’ kids, so that they don’t go into foster care, please pray that the powers that be to grant our request.
· Matt A. is working on Anger issues in Moral Recognition Therapy (MRT) and has been doing a good job so far, through the first 5 Modules. There are 8 Modules to complete and graduate to suffice for the Judge in Children’s Division per DFS.
V. Events
· A couple of follow up items on our annual fundraiser, our “Homecoming” event:
o We mailed out Bill-Me's on 9-16, to those individuals who chose to give after the event.
o We mailed out Thank You notes to businesses who supported us on 10-16.
o Our final income amount was almost exactly $12,000 (which was our goal), PTL!
· Several of our Life Issues folks helped with HBF’s Harvest Party, this year’s event was the largest ever (438 people), and God gave us perfect weather – see pics of Joelle and Larry, and Marcy L. and gbaby.
· Three of our lady leaders just got back from a 5-day mission trip to Monmouth Illinois, where they helped lead a VBS for the children at our sister church there, we’re very proud of these ladies and their dedication to the Lord.
VI. People
· Kevin's coworker, William T., accepted Christ on 10-10; we’re so proud of Kevin and so happy for William!
· Caleb shared a moving testimony about what God is doing in his life with his children on 10-14, at HBF’s men’s retreat – see pic.
· I wanted to highlight Cammie Shaffer’s testimony (Frannie’s daughter) about Harrisonville’s food pantry in this update. Cammie has now been HBF’s leader over it for about a year, and is doing an excellent job; she is also now on the board there, and I’ve asked her to share her heart about serving the Lord in this capacity, here is what she wrote:
"It has been an honor to serve my amazing LORD above through HBF at the Shepherd's Staff Food Pantry in Harrisonville. When asked to assist. with this and represent HBF at the Shepherd's Staff Food Pantry, I was honored yet terrified of what this all meant. I prayed about it and the LORD led me to acceptance.
Over the past year, myself and others who have shined Jesus light at the Shephard's Staff Food Pantry have learned a lot of things. We served 7 Fridays throughout 2023, assisting with making up shopping carts of food for those who are in need or need a little cushion to get by for the month. Everyone should be open to allowing the Shepherd's Staff Food Pantry in the Harrisonville community to help them out when needed. Food at the Shephard's Staff Food Pantry comes from multiple places, Harvesters, stores in the community that donate monthly, churches that donate monthly and If there is a truck that comes in at the WM distribution center that the center is not able to accept, if the food items are acceptable for donation, the drivers can contact the food pantry and donate as well. If the Shepherd's Staff Food Pantry is unable to store all donated items from these trucks, then Harvesters is contacted, and Shepherd's Staff Food Pantry in Harrisonville donates to Harvesters which is helpful throughout the metro as well. All of this food would go to waste if we did not have this pantry for it to be donated to. So, it is a blessing to this community to have such an option.
HBF now has a member on the Shepherd's Staff Food pantry board (me). HBF now has a designated month (October) to share information about HBF and different opportunities that are available at HBF. The month of October is also HBF's designated month to collect food items for the Shepherd's Staff Food Pantry. Every Friday through out October HBF had a team shining for Jesus by sharing packets of information to anyone open to it coming through the pantry line. HBF's team was able to hand out over 800 packets to the community. The packets contained HBF service times and other information, Life Issues information, harvest party information and “Jesus Loves You” bracelets. (We did give out a few dog treats as well, which pet owners enjoyed the thoughtfulness.)
I want to express a gigantic THANK YOU!! to all who have assisted at Shephard's Staff Food Pantry over the past year. Couldn't have done it without you. I look forward to sharing the light of Jesus to anyone who will listen, throughout the next year. Thank you HBF for this wonderful opportunity." Cammie Shaffer
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16
· Please pray for God to use us mightily in 2023, for without him we can do nothing, but through Him we can do all things! Sincerely, Steve Fleshman – Life Issues pastor and founder, Proverbs 4:23…
"It has been an honor to serve my amazing LORD above through HBF at the Shepherd's Staff Food Pantry in Harrisonville. When asked to assist. with this and represent HBF at the Shepherd's Staff Food Pantry, I was honored yet terrified of what this all meant. I prayed about it and the LORD led me to acceptance.
Over the past year, myself and others who have shined Jesus light at the Shephard's Staff Food Pantry have learned a lot of things. We served 7 Fridays throughout 2023, assisting with making up shopping carts of food for those who are in need or need a little cushion to get by for the month. Everyone should be open to allowing the Shepherd's Staff Food Pantry in the Harrisonville community to help them out when needed. Food at the Shephard's Staff Food Pantry comes from multiple places, Harvesters, stores in the community that donate monthly, churches that donate monthly and If there is a truck that comes in at the WM distribution center that the center is not able to accept, if the food items are acceptable for donation, the drivers can contact the food pantry and donate as well. If the Shepherd's Staff Food Pantry is unable to store all donated items from these trucks, then Harvesters is contacted, and Shepherd's Staff Food Pantry in Harrisonville donates to Harvesters which is helpful throughout the metro as well. All of this food would go to waste if we did not have this pantry for it to be donated to. So, it is a blessing to this community to have such an option.
HBF now has a member on the Shepherd's Staff Food pantry board (me). HBF now has a designated month (October) to share information about HBF and different opportunities that are available at HBF. The month of October is also HBF's designated month to collect food items for the Shepherd's Staff Food Pantry. Every Friday through out October HBF had a team shining for Jesus by sharing packets of information to anyone open to it coming through the pantry line. HBF's team was able to hand out over 800 packets to the community. The packets contained HBF service times and other information, Life Issues information, harvest party information and “Jesus Loves You” bracelets. (We did give out a few dog treats as well, which pet owners enjoyed the thoughtfulness.)
I want to express a gigantic THANK YOU!! to all who have assisted at Shephard's Staff Food Pantry over the past year. Couldn't have done it without you. I look forward to sharing the light of Jesus to anyone who will listen, throughout the next year. Thank you HBF for this wonderful opportunity." Cammie Shaffer
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16
· Please pray for God to use us mightily in 2023, for without him we can do nothing, but through Him we can do all things! Sincerely, Steve Fleshman – Life Issues pastor and founder, Proverbs 4:23…
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