news r e s c u e Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission

A Ministry of Rescue & Recovery

a publication of the Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission • Anchorage, Alaska

Forty—Two Years of
Serving the Homeless!
The Anchorage Gospel Rescue has been serving the poor, needy and homeless people of
Anchorage and those just passing through since 1965. A good nutritious meal, clean clothing
and a safe, secure place to spend the night has been offered by the Mission to those in need
for 42 years.

There have been many changes and additions to our services over the past few years to meet
the changing needs of those that come to us for help. We are planning to add many more
services, especially for those in our “NewLife” Recovery Program. These added services
concern learning a new way of life. Instead of returning to their old way of life they will have
learned new skills and ways to deal with life’s problems.

We already have a “state of the ark” learning center where those in the
Recovery Program are required to attend classes where they can learn and
David M. Williams develop computer skills. These classes include life skills such as learning
Program Director money management, prepare and live on a budget, some basic computer skill
software programs and GED preparation for those needing this help.
Larry Aldrich
Operations Manager

We plan to add other programs to the curriculum. These

Randy Hess
programs will be to help those that really want to help
Maintenance Supervisor
themselves to become useful citizens in society, to pull their
Larry O’Connor own weight and not depend on welfare and other government
Greg Mann agencies for their existence.
Neil Givens
Roger Klein
From its inception in downtown Anchorage in an old church building the Anchorage Gospel
Client Supervisors
Rescue Mission has worked hard to provide for the needs of homeless men, women and
David McKnight children and will continue to work hard to meet the increasing needs of the many people that
Van Driver
come to us for help.

Shane Day As we make plans to increase the number of programs we offer we have to keep in mind the
Maintenance very basic needs of food, clothing and safe clean shelter must be met first and this we do all
in a friendly, Christian environment.
Bro. Don
ch
ar

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2
 sky of dusk. Holding the lid in one Another danger I face is not
hand and the jar in the other you protecting the truth God has
carefully captured your prey. already revealed. If I’m dogmatic
t e in my pursuit I lose more than
da The next step in the process was to I gain. I become careless in my
up s hold the jar up in the air and admire single mindedness and forget to
am iam your prize. The capture became shake the jar. Unfortunately this
og
r ill harder as the number of fireflies usually manifests itself in the
W
pr
in your jar increased. You had to feelings of others being hurt. I bear
d
vi give the jar a little shake to send good fruit, but it’s often bruised,
Da all the fireflies to the bottom so and unappealing to the palate.
they wouldn’t crawl out while you After all, God’s fundamental truth
were capturing yet another trophy. is love! Applying this truth is often
There were times when you lost as elusive as the firefly that refuses
Chaseing Fireflies more than you gained. to give away his position in the
night.
When I was a child growing up on
a small farm in rural Mississippi
Once I have a truth safely in my
one of the activities I enjoyed the
jar with the lid securely sealed
most was catching fireflies on
the work begins. Like the fireflies
balmy summer evenings. Catching
of my youth they are destined to
fireflies like most of life’s
die and dry up if they are not set
endeavors requires equipment and
free to fulfill their purpose. Like
technique. The equipment needed
the firefly sharing its light, God’s
was one of Mama’s mason jars
truths are meant to be shared with
with enough holes punched in the
the world.
lid to keep a horse alive, and the
boundless energy of youth.
I never imagined this childhood Howbeit when he, the Spirit of
activity was actually training for truth, is come, he will guide you
The technique, handed down from
my walk with the Lord. God’s into all truth: for he shall not
one generation to the next, was
truths are a lot like fireflies in that speak of himself; but whatsoever
simple, yet challenging. You stood;
I usually catch a glimpse out of the he shall hear, that shall he speak:
rotating slowly, until you saw a
corner of my eye and find myself and he will shew you things to
flash of light, then you ran like the
running like the wind in their come. John 16:13 (KJV)
wind to the spot you thought the
direction. It never ceases to amaze
light had come from. You stood in
me how the Lord reveals his truths Today when I hold my jar high in
that spot rotating slowly until you
throughout the day. However, if the air admiring the trophy’s of
saw the flash of light again and you
I’m not careful, I lose sight of truth God blessings the most compelling
ran like the wind to the new spot. If
and find myself spinning in circles truth I see is: God’s promises are
you continued this technique you
trying to re-establish contact. real!
would eventually get close enough
When I’m not walking in truth
to the firefly to see the silhouette
I find myself cut off in the night
of its tiny body against the gray
with an empty jar.

www.anchoragerescue.org
We invite you to visit us on the web or
drop us an E-mail with your comments
and suggestions
2
 t e
a te da
d y up
up er ns h
el ow io ic
ap B t dr
ch on e r a Al
D op r ry
v. L a
Re
This year marks the fifty-fourth anniversary of
the classic science fiction book, Fahrenheit 451,
Patiently Waiting
by Ray Bradbury. Guy Montag was fireman who
thoroughly enjoyed his work of burning books.
One thing I’m learning in this position of operations
Books were illegal and happily so; citizens were
manager is to wait patiently upon the Lord. For
too busy watching their wall-sized televisions and
me this can be a grind. I’m the kind of guy with
listening to their in-ear “seashell” radios to care
a, ‘let’s just get er done’, attitude which is not
about the loss of good literature. Guy Montag
all bad. However this attitude needs to be kept in
begins the novel as a fireman who enforces the
check for if not we can find ourselves running way
temperature of the title, that at which books burn.
out in front of the Lord with irons that we have
He then is transformed and tries to show his society
in the fires right now. I believe that some really
the mistakes of censorship.
good things can come out of them. But the lesson
is not to get in front of the Lord and run on my own
In our society books haven’t been banned yet, but
accord, But to patiently wait for his timing and let
it is indeed the entertainment industry, the mass
him prepare the path for me to follow and open the
media, the political pundits, that control people’s
doors that need to be opened. I’m so very blessed
minds. Political correctness has reached ridiculous
to be working under the guidance of Don Bettis a
levels, and how many people walk around with
man who’s walked with Jesus loner than I’ve been
Walkmans and Ipods guiding their thinking?
alive. A God loving man that knows the importance
of waiting upon the Lord, He’s a blessing in my
I am thankful that we can still practice our faith in
life, a wonderful mentor, teacher and friend. Thank
this country (though many in the areas mentioned
you Jesus for the people you’ve place in our lives.
above would love to censor us into mutability), and
we can still write, read, and purchase good Christian
Please keep us on your prayer chain that we may
books. Several of you have recently sent us books
continue to provide for the lost as well as the
and Bibles that are helping others know more about
ones who have fallen on hard times, that we may
Christianity. One such book, Total Forgiveness, by
continue to be a light hosue.
R.T. Kendall has been so used. One programmer
told me today that “he now understands how God
could forgive him, and of the necessity on his part,
of forgiving others. Thank all of you that have
helped us in this way. Continue to pray for us that
we shall continue to be faithful in lifting folks up
to the only Savior.

3

es
o ni
m
s ti
te
Twenty years ago I would not
have been able to tell you this
scripture was even in the Bible.
My life was on a spiral
rollercoaster ride on
the downward glide
with sex, drugs and
rock & roll. Not
only was I running
from myself but I
was also running
from the Lord. I
was young, watch
too much television,
believe in happily
ever after, and got
married before I
even know what life
was really about. I
was a daddy before
I was out of high
school.
In those days pot was legal and
it was ok to play around with the
sociable drugs like coke. We were
just having fun on the weekends,
drinking beer, partying and
letting off steam. Well it wasn’t
long until that became the norm
and the responsibility of life
went out the window. I fell into
4
25
Then will I sprinkle clean water
filthiness, and from all your idols, w
you, and a new spirit will I put with
your flesh, and I will give you an he
and cause you to walk in my statute
the trap of sin which led to devastation.
My marriage fell apart and because my life had hit an all-time-
low my ex-wife didn’t even want me around. I had become a bad
influence where
my daughter was
concerned. They
both would be
better off without
me. I began to
believe the lies
Satan told me
and as a result I
stayed away from
my family. I sank
deeper into sin and
despair loosing all
feeling for anyone
or anything.
After cycling in
and out of court
rooms and jails I was court ordered into a drug rehabilitation program.
I spent 15 months in a California program that might have worked but
for the fact I was not ready to admit I was the problem. I wanted to run
my life rather than trust God to do it.
I moved back to Anchorage thinking I could get away from my
troubles. I also wanted to separate myself from my druggie friends.
Unfortunately I made new troubles and new druggie friends. Once the
devil has a hold on you he does not want to let go of you. In the back
of my mind I always knew Jesus was there and I now know he was
watching out for, and over me.
By Do
 upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your
will I cleanse you. 26A new heart also will I give
in you: and I will take away the stony heart out of
eart of flesh. 27And I will put my spirit within you,
es, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Ezekiel 36:25-27

It wasn’t long before I found myself needing a place to stay and a hot now and praise God; I am
meal in my belly. I started coming to the Anchorage Gospel Rescue starting to get to know the Lord.
Mission for hot food and a warm bed for the night. I met the Lord in I am learning that it’s more than
the people who worked there. There was something special about the just asking Jesus into your heart
place. The staff actually cared about the people they were helping. and my sins forgiven. It’s a
“Let’s get you some clean cloths so you can change after your shower”, total life style change. Learning
“do you need shampoo?”, “How about a good razor to shave with?”, there is a better way to live. Too
“There’s some day work to help you out while you’re looking for a actually care about yourself
steady job.”, “ Hey how did you like that church service?”, “Do you and in turn really caring about
know the lord?” others. Thanks be to Jesus I am
getting rid of that heart of stone.
Do I know the Lord! I went to Sunday school as a kid… but that He promised if we would just
wasn’t the question… no I really didn’t know the Lord. accept him as Lord and Master
I’ve been here in the “NewLife” Recovery program for 10 months of our lives he would rebuilds
our lives.
You know I finally got to meet
my 2 year old grandson the other
week and see my 9 and 17 year
old granddaughters I haven’t
seen in over 7 years. Boy-
oh-boy they are growing into
pretty young ladies. I have been
blessed by the fact my daughter
still loves me even though I hurt
here by my absence. The good
news is we are getting to know
each other now and that too is a
process of faith.
In Joel 2:25 God promises: “so
I will restore to you the years

onn Baker
5
 Living Memorials
. . . .touch lives as they honor the memory
of loved ones and friends.
In Memory of
Esperanza M. Cases
by Martha Cashen
In Memory of
William Hummel
by Senior Center Lions
In Memory of
Edna L. Loudon
by Margaret Clum
Mr. and Mrs. Curtis O. Homme
Carolyn Graham
Mary T. Welch
* * * * * And you struggle in vain,
CHARITYCHARITYCHARITY
Do Something today to bring gladness
To someone whose pleasures are few
Do something to drive off sadness-
Or cause someone’s dreams to come true.
Find time for a neighborly greeting
And time to delight and old friend;
Remember—the years are fleeting
And life’s latest day will soon end!
Do something today that tomorrow
Will prove to be really worth while;
Help someone to conquer sorrow
And greet the new dawn with a smile-
For only through kindness and giving
Of service and friendship and cheer,
We learn the pure joy of living
And find heaven’s happiness here.
Author Unknown
JUST A REMINDER
We are still in bad need of good used clothing for men.
You would be amazed at how many pieces of clothing we
give out each week and how many pieces are recycled.
We require those getting clean clothing to give us their
old ones if they can be washed and used again. Our
need is especially for men‛s jeans, pants, jackets, socks,
underwear and long underwear. Remember this clothing
does not have to be new. Your old things will be just
fine for us if they are useable.
6
ask
(That You May Receive)
When your spirits are low and your
Faith seems to wane,
Ask the dear Lord to help and sustain.
When troubles pile up and
You can’t seem to cope,
Ask our dear Father to help you find hope.
When the blues take over
And there isn’t a cure,
Ask the Master, He’ll help you endure.
When, in tears, you see your
Dreams go wrong,
Ask our Savior to help you be strong.
When life’s road seems too rocky
Ask our Savior to help, He, too, suffered pain,
Just kneel in prayer,
And your needs reveal…
The Father will hear, He will comfort and heal.
Jesus has promised,
He will help until the end…
Things must turn out right,
When we have such a Friend.
Think on this!
…they that wait upon the Lord
shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings as eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
and they shall walk, and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31
But as it is written, Eye hath not
seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man,
the things which God hath
prepared for them that love Him.
I Corinthians 2:9
PLEASE
Remember the Anchorage Gospel Rescue
Mission as you prepare your will or estate.
Investing in the lives of people may have
eternal rewards.
 s k
de
o r ’ s
ett
is
RESCUE MINISTRY
ct B
re on
di . D
Rev

i
n this ministry we deal with all kinds of personalities and problems. The young, the old, men, women, Christians
and non-Christians. We treat each one with respect and dignity as we listen and try to understand just where
they are coming from and try to understand how we can help. This ministry is much more than shelter, food and
clothing. Most have deep-seated spiritual problems. Our first and foremost aim and purpose is to lead these people
to a saving knowledge of Jesus and to make Him the Lord of their life. Then, we turn to whatever problem they may
be having.
Our Approach is This:
The Ministry of Perfect Love
Slow to Suspect, Slow to demand
Quick to TRUST Quick to GIVE
Slow to condemn Slow to Provoke
Quick to JUSTIFY Quick to CONCILIATE
Slow to offend, Slow to hinder
Quick to DEFEND Quick to HELP
Slow to expose, Slow to cast away,
Quick to SHIELD Quick to RETRIEVE
Slow to reprimand, Slow to resent,
Quick to FORBEAR Quick to FORGIVE

Slow to belittle Slow to Accuse,

Quick to APPRECIATE Quick to BELIEVE.
Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission P.OB 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 ˆ M/C ˆ Am/Ex ˆ Discover ˆ
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
Make checks payable to the Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission
______ I Will Pray for this Ministry.
You will receive a receipt.

Name:________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________
Please send this coupon with your donations. 7
Our Ministry of
Chapel Services for March
u e Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
e s c 1 2 3
r is to
Anchorage
Vineyard
First
Presbyterian
Calvary
Baptist
Fellowship Church Church
the least 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
God’s Abbot Loop Anchorage First Alliance Calvary Wasilla
the last Place Community Pilgrim Anchorage Bible Church Assembly
the lost Church Nazarene Gospel Church of God
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
“URGENT” God’s Church First Birchwood Sherbahn Sherbahn Lighthouse
Place of God of Assembly of Community Evangelistic Evangelistic Christian
Our supplies of these Prophecy God Church Team Team Fellowship
items is constantly in 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
need of replenishing Grace
Victory
Sherbahn
Evangelistic
Anchorage
Native
Christian
Evangelical
Evangelical
Covenant
In His Name
Sandy
Southside
Church
† Prayer Fellowship Team Assembly Church Church McCollum of God

† Paper Towels 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
New Light Calvary Attorney Calvary Shiloh Sherbahn Change
† 45 Gallon Trash Bags Community Baptist Greg Grebe Baptist Baptist Evangelistic Point
Church Church Church Church Team
† Fresh Meat
† Coffee Nightly Services 7:30 P.M. to 8:30 P.M.
† Bathroom Tissue
† Laundry Soap
† Disposable Shavers STATEMENT OF FAITH
The Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission is a Non-Profit, Non-Denominational
† Cleaning Supplies
organization. We receive NO municipal, state or federal funds. We are not a United
† Liquid Dish Detergent Way Agency. Your financial support and In-Kind donations makes it possible for us to
† Dinner Napkins provide for the poor, needy and homeless people in our community. Also, your donations
† Shampoo allow us to provide a Drug and Alcohol Recovery program. All Donations are fully tax
“URGENT” deductible. We will give you a receipt for your donation.

Anchorage Gospel
Non-Profit Org.
Rescue Mission Anchorage
ue
U.S. Postal

Board of Trustees Gospel c PAID

s Anchorage, AK
re
Mission GOD BLESS AMERICA
Permit # 290

Mark Soquet, President

Bob Collins, Vice President A Ministry of info@anchoragerescue.org
(and acting treasure) Rescue & Recovery www.anchoragerescue.org
Ed Shelton, Secretary Visit us at:
ue
Enoch Adams
Brad Young

Emeritus:
r es
news
c

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

2823 E. Tudor Rd.
Anchorage, AK 99507

Cliff Hodgins
Rev. Willard leisy RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Advisory Board:
Paul Kelly

Rev. Don Bettis, Exec. Dir.

Charlotte Bettis, Asst. Dir.

MEMBER
Association of Gospel ue
sc Missions
re
An association of Rescue Ministries