The ending of one day at Mission Arlington, leads to the start of new one. So, we turn the corner into a brand-new year.

As one day leads to the next, so we have “turned the corner” into a New Year. As we look to the future, we want to express our gratitude to each of you for your support through every day of 2024. None of us know what lies ahead, of course, but we take great comfort in knowing that we will be making the journey with you. We are excited about 2025.

Here are some of the things we accomplished together last year:

1. Camps – 932 students attended 1 of 6 free summer camps.
2. Congregations & Bible studies – 360 locations, averaging 3,800 per week.
3. Christmas – 8,080 families (34,307 people) received Christmas help.  4,000 children received bikes. 324 adults accepted Christ, and 791 rededicated their life to the Lord.
4. Dental Clinic – 34 dentists treated 1,310 patients 3,310 times.
5. Emergency Assistance – an average of 686 people/day. People received food, clothes, household items, furniture, and emergency financial assistance.
   1. # of Families Helped – 54,840 families were helped. This is an average of 191 families/day.
   2. # of People helped – 199,367 people – received support.  Open six days a week, 686 people a day, received the help you provided.
6. Medical Clinic – Our volunteer medical teams (10 medical specialties) treated 3,793 people 10,552 times.
7. Rainbow Express^® – 22,201 children & youth attended Rainbow Express^® in 334 locations across our community.
8. Thanksgiving – 7,124 families (29,495 people) received a Thanksgiving meal, delivered by more than 5,000 volunteers from 49 cities across Texas.  More people received Thanksgiving help than ever before.

A New Year Begins

December 31st had been full & fun, because so many of you dropped by, not just with donations, but with encouragement: “Thank you for all you do!” and “Happy New Year!” were common refrains.

Towards the end of the day, about 7:00 p.m., Mission Arlington^® staff, Bible study leaders and volunteers gathered to pray.   There wasn’t a planned program, nor any prepared music.  Each of us found a spot in our gathering place, and we prayed. Even though these were silent prayers, it’s easy to know what the substance of those prayers were: 1) We thanked the Lord for the year behind us.  2) We asked for God to lead us in and through the new year, and 3) we thanked Him for you.  Proverbs 3:5-6 asks believers to “trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways, submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” That is our hope and our heart for the new year.

On the Wings of Prayer

Our Director, Tillie Burgin, reminds us constantly that “Mission Arlington^® moves on the prayers of the people.”  Would you join us?  Would you keep us in your prayers through 2025?  As we have said from the beginning, this ministry doesn’t belong to us, but to God.  We are simple stewards of His trust, and yours, as we serve Him together. We are so grateful for your constant support.  Come join us, won’t you?

 C hristmas Day was 3-days ago. The dinner was served, and gifts exchanged. Perhaps you took in a movie, or spent time with family, or caught up on some of the chores you’ve put off for a while. This article is being written on a rainy Saturday morning, the first Saturday after Christmas.  There weren’t many cars on the road coming into Mission Arlington^® this morning, and volunteers have slept-in a bit (well-deserved), and donors have been slow to trickle in.  By the afternoon, when the rain is projected to end, that will all change. The normal hustle and bustle of Mission Arlington will be back.  So, is Christmas over?

Christmas Ministries Conclude

Our Christmas store closed Monday night, December 23rd, two days before Christmas. More than 7,000 volunteers from all across DFW, and from several states across the continent, came to lend a hand.  8,080 families, representing 34,307 people, came through the Christmas store for help, more than ever before. So many of you dropped off gifts that it seemed like a never-ending stream of people and gifts. It was an extraordinarily beautiful site to see.  We told the Christmas Story from Luke 2 in seven different languages.  324 adults made decisions to begin a faith journey, and 751 adults renewed their faith commitments.

In addition to the Christmas Store, families from our community were adopted, and children were recipients of various angel tree endeavors across the community. Our Bible studies and congregations hosted Christmas pageants, dinners, candlelight service, Christmas parties, and so much more.  Truly, it was the “most wonderful time of the year.”  So, is Christmas over?

A Season which Never Ends

Tillie Burgin, our director, likes to say that it’s Christmas 365 days a year at Mission Arlington^®.  The Spirit of giving exists in and throughout this amazing community which surrounds & supports us. We believe we have the world’s best job, because we are blessed when we receive every day what you give so freely and sacrificially.  Then, in turn, we are so blessed to give what you have provided to someone in need. We see the tears of relief & joy, when people have their electric bill paid, or they can receive food for their family.

More importantly, the gift of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, at Christmas, has changed everything.  The peace and joy which begins with Christ carries on through every day of the year.  So, it’s always Christmas for those who know the Lord, and that is especially true here at Mission Arlington.

Even on the Coldest Nights

C.S. Lewis wrote a set of children’s books called the Chronicles of Narnia.  In the first book of the series, the protagonists fine themselves in a land which has been cursed. The effect of the curse is that it is “always winter and never Christmas” anywhere in that world.  To the contrary, because of Christ at Christmas, even on the coldest nights, in the depths of winter, it’s still Christmas – at Mission Arlington^®, and anywhere, for anyone, who calls Christ Lord.

As we turn towards the New Year, may the Spirit of Christmas reside in our hearts year-round. The apostle John says that the “light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).

The Christmas Store opened on Wednesday, December 11th, and finally close on Monday, December 23rd.  The store is open from 10-6 daily, excluding Sundays.

How it Began

Our free Christmas store began more than 3 decades ago with a few donated gifts. The whole thing operated out of a small closet. Last year, 30,752 children received gifts. Executive Director Tillie Burgin recalls that people were being evicted in January, because they had to choose between paying their bills or getting Christmas gifts for their children.  The “Christmas Store” allowed them to do both.

God Gives, You Give, We Give

We believe that Mission Arlington^® belongs to the Lord, and that all good gifts come from Him (James 1:17).  At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Christ, knowing that God gave His only Son, so that all who receive Him might have eternal life (John 3:16).  As we trust God for His provisions, our community responds faithfully & generously with such love. People have learned that truly “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). The Christmas gifts in our store come from the loving hands and hearts of our community. People from all walks of life give, so that our community’s children will have something under their tree.  Beyond the gifts, more than 7,000 of you will volunteer in the store – managing the stock, helping people shop, wrapping gifts, and so much more.

The Store & the Story

Our free Christmas Store is about the way people are cared for as they receive Christmas gifts for their family.  It truly is a “Christmas Store,” where all gifts are provided for free – and even wrapped.  Yet, there is a deeper meaning to the Store, because we tell the “Christmas Story” to everyone who comes through. Last year, we were able to tell that story in 7 different languages (English, Spanish, Korean, Farsi, Mandarin, Vietnamese, and Sign). Hundreds of people are hearing this “old, old story,” and making first time commitments to Christ, or recommitting their hearts to Him.  We know that the gifts unwrapped under the tree on Christmas Day will wear out eventually, but the gift of eternal life lasts forever.

The Store Continues through December 23rd

The Christmas Store will stay open every day from 10-6 through Monday, December 23rd.  We will be in the offices early on Christmas Eve through sometime in the early afternoon. Please help us spread the word far and wide, so that no child in the Arlington/Grand Prairie area will be missed.  Come join us in the Christmas efforts when you can.  Bring your family.  Together, we can make a difference.  We are grateful for you.

Volunteers build Thanksgiving boxes on a Saturday before Thanksgiving last year. These boxes of food were delivered to homes across the Metroplex on Thanksgiving Day, in conjunction with a turkey.

Coming Soon

Thanksgiving Day is coming, and the Mission Arlington^® family is getting ready.  The excitement is building . This day of giving means so much to those in need.

LAST YEAR, FOOD WAS PROVIDED TO 28,099 PEOPLE (6,953 families)

Your Support Means So Much.

Thanksgiving food has started to come in on a daily basis now, which is so important, and it means so much.

What Can You Give?

1. Turkeys – It takes about 6,000 turkeys to deliver food to so many people.
2. Thanksgiving Food – everything a family would eat on Thanksgiving Day, such as hams, stuffing mix, canned fruit, canned sweet potatoes, canned pie filling, cranberry sauce, box/mashed potatoes, macaroni & cheese, beans/rice, tuna, peanut butter, rolls, pie crust – or anything else that goes with a Thanksgiving turkey.

How you can help?

1. Before Thanksgiving Day – Come join us any time prior to Thanksgiving Day to receive and to organize the food.  On the two Saturdays before Thanksgiving, we build our Thanksgiving boxes, and it is so much fun.  We will give away over 6,000 boxs of Thanksgiving food.
2. On Thanksgiving Day – Volunteer with us, beginning at 8:00 a.m. Help us deliver turkeys & hot meals to families in need.

Join us, won’t you?

Bouncy House at the 2024 Fall Festival.  1,882 children attended the festival this year.

This past Saturday, 1,882 children (with their families) joined us at our annual Fall Festival, and it was so much fun!

A Beautiful Fall Afternoon

Fun for the whole family. Spidermen!

It was a great way for families to spend time together on a beautiful Fall afternoon in the center of our city.  Moms & dads, along with grandparents, aunts & uncles – and other adults – enjoyed fresh air and exercise, as they walked to the various activities of the festival on a breezy, sunny October afternoon.  Smiles & laughter were evident all around.

Volunteers Bring the Festival to Life

Mission Arlington’s volunteer Bible study leaders gathered kids from their homes in apartments across our community, and our volunteer bus & van drivers travelled the city bringing children to and from the festival.  High school students from Bowie’s baseball team, Lamar’s (Lulac), and Seguin’s Key Club helped in a variety of ways.  College students from various UTA teams (honor’s college, Freshman Leaders on Campus), church groups, civic clubs, families, and so many more, made a huge difference as they cooked hotdogs, served the food, watched over the bouncy houses, loaded kids onto hayrides, operated the carnival games, handed out prizes, picked up trash, and handed out candy.  These volunteers welcomed children, complemented their costumes, encouraged parents, and generally gave life to the festival.

It was a “Happening” Place

• Food – Hotdogs, chips, cookies, and water, plus picnic tables to enjoy the food with the family.
• Bouncy Houses (5 of them) where children could bounce safely – to their heart’s delight.
• Hayride – Wagons with hay travel twice around a field, filled with laughing, smiling children & their families.
• Carnival Games – Inside our gym, children could play any number of 15 different carnival games, with prizes awarded at each station.
• Candy – Each child received a small bag of candy on the way out of the festival.

Free to All

Is anything free anymore, truly free?  Not typically, but everything is always FREE with the Mission.  The following statement has been our motto for some time:  “God gives.”  “You give.”  We give.”  From the very beginning (all the way back to 1986), under the servant leadership of our Director, Tillie Burgin, Mission Arlington has not charged for any service we provide.  You give it, and we give it away.  This has truly been our privilege.

We are Thankful

We give our Lord the “glory” for the way he put this Festival together again this year, and for His presence with us during the event.  We are also so grateful for each of you who gave your time, talents, and/or resources to make this event possible.  Thank you so much.

You Can’t Go Home Again is a Thomas Wolfe novel published posthumously in the 1940s. The protagonist of the book angers people from his hometown, and he realizes that he is no longer welcome there. The phrase “Home for the Holidays” reminds of us of a 1995 dramatic comedy of the same name, but in fact, points to the heart of the holiday season here at Mission Arlington.^®

The Spirit of the phrase is captured by American author Sarah Dessen in a quote from her 2011 book, What Happened to Goodbye?. “Home wasn’t a set house or a single town on a map. It was wherever the people who loved you were, whenever you were together. This kind of love built over time, and was something you would “take with you the rest of your life.”

The loving care you provide all year long, but especially in the holiday season at Mission Arlington^® makes a lasting impact.  It creates a loving sense of home for people that truly lasts a lifetime. We are truly grateful. We have listed below some basic facts about the Holiday season here at Mission Arlington.^®

1. Fall Festival – Saturday, October 26th, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. This is a free event, open to the community, and located here. You can help by bringing candy, and/or volunteering. To volunteer on your own, with a friend or family, or a group, call us at 817-277-6620.
2. Thanksgiving – Delivery of food begins at 8:00 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day. You can help by providing turkeys and/or Thanksgiving food. Volunteers are needed through November to help us get ready for Thanksgiving morning deliveries.
3. Free Christmas Store – Opens December 11th – December 23rd, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day, excluding Sundays. Click here for suggested toys to donate. Click here for our Amazon Wishlist. Call us at 817-277-6620 if you, your family and friends, or a with a group from your school, business, or church, wants to volunteer – when the store is in operation, or anytime in December to help the store get set up.

The Holiday Season is “just around the corner at Mission Arlington.^®   Join us, won’t you?

Dear Friends of Mission Arlington^®,

We know that your inboxes are full – from a variety of worthy non-profit teams – asking for your extra support on the upcoming North Texas Giving Day, this Thursday, September 19th, from 6:00 a.m. until Midnight.

We want you to know that 1) we are also a recipient on this important day, and that 2) your extra financial support truly makes a difference.

 WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOU! 

Our Work Reflects Your Heart

When you give financially, or items that people need, we can, in turn, pay someone’s rent, provide diapers & formula for young families, supply nice clothes, so that people can work, or so that students can go to school. We can also distribute healthy food for families who are literally, physically hungry – hundreds of people every day, and school supplies, so that students in families with a little less can start the year like everyone else.

People can also receive care here from a physician, a dentist, or a professional therapist too, along with the prescriptions people need to feel better. Families can gather around their table with a Thanksgiving meal, and children will have Christmas gifts under their tree, because of your extraordinary care. We like to say it this way: “God gives. You give. We give.” We truly believe it, because we see your generosity at work every day.

Your Gifts Get to the People

Our low administrative overhead is documented at 1.47 percent, meaning that more than 98.5 cents of every dollar you give ministers directly to people in need. We believe that every person should be treated with “dignity and respect.” Our hope is to share God’s love with everyone we meet and to provide actual help that matters. Did you know that every service from Mission Arlington is provided “free of charge?”

How to Support Mission Arlington^®

From now through September 19th at midnight, you can provide support for Mission Arlington^® in two ways. Choose one of the links below to make your contribution:

We are in our 39th year of service at Mission Arlington^®, and it has been my privilege to be here every step of the way. Thank you so much for your support!

Tillie Burgin, Director
September 17th, 2024

Happy Birthday, Mission Arlington^®

Mission Arlington^® turns 38 years old today. It’s hard to believe, but for almost 40 years, the Mission family has been hard at work caring for those in our community who need just a little help to get by. Tillie Burgin, our Executive Director, has been here since the beginning.

With roots in Arlington, Tillie and her family served the Lord in South Korea as missionaries. When they returned in 1978, the sense was, “If you can do missions in Korea (overseas), why can’t we do missions in Arlington (at home)?  After 7 years of concerted prayer efforts in homes across the city, Mission Arlington^® came to life. The date was Friday, August 1st, 1986.

Humble Beginnings

The Lord birthed Mission Arlington^® through the faithfulness of God’s people at First Baptist Arlington, Tillie’s home church. A phone call for help and a visit led to the start of the first Bible study in an apartment community, and the first baptism in a swimming pool, and the rest is history. Today, the Mission sponsors Bible studies and congregations in over 350 locations across our community, with thousands in attendance each week.

Through the years, the ministries have grown too.  In the early days, people would donate bats, balls, and a few Christmas toys for Tillie to give away. Last year, the free Christmas Store provided gifts for thousands of children.  The medical clinic began in a couple of rooms with a nurse and a few patients, but today has its own building, with a host of medical volunteers in 12 different disciplines, and thousands of patient visits annually. Hundreds of people receive emergency assistance through our front room every day.

A Community Effort

The care which flows through this place represents the strong & beautiful community which surrounds us. We simply pass along (at no charge) what our community first provides – food, clothes, household items, furniture, and so much more.  With a small staff and a correspondingly small administrative overhead (1.47%), it is volunteers from our community who make the difference here.  Medical teams, retirees, church & civic groups, along with small business teams and corporate volunteers, serve here six days each week, providing personal support to struggling individuals and families from our community. We consider ourselves “twice blessed,” receiving first from you, and the by the beautiful people who receive what you provide.

In His Name

Mission Arlington® is now, and always has been, faith based.  As we wrote many years ago

Mission Arlington® belongs to God. This isn’t our story, but His. 
He had plans in place for this Ministry and for all who work here long before it happened. 
He started this mission, sustains us moment by moment, and He holds our future in His hands.

We still believe that today and hope to live out this calling faithfully as we share His love in our community.

Thankful for You

We are grateful that our Lord has placed us in this community. We look forward to caring for people in every possible way, and to sharing His love – alongside each of you – into the future.  Thank you for your faithful support. Come see us!

Camps were Well-Attended

This past Tuesday night, Mission Arlington^® concluded its sixth free summer camp of the season. Over nine hundred campers (932) joined the fun through the month of July.

How the Camps Work

Mission Arlington^® held six (6) different camps this summer: three (3) for smaller children (k-3rd), two (2) for older children (4th-6th grade), and one youth camp (7th – 12th).

Children & youth who attend these camps invite their neighbors & friends. Volunteer Bible study leaders from our congregations pick up the campers, then make the round-trip transport to and from these camps.

The younger children’s camps are held in central Arlington. The older children’s camps are hosted by the wonderful team at Camp Thurman, and the youth camp happened again this year at SJ Stovall Park. Each camp has activities which are age appropriate. The younger children, for example, enjoy crafts, obstacle courses, running games, fun & silly songs, and more.  The older children enjoy zip lines, Tarzan swings, water slides, and more.

The students from each of our camps receive a hearty meal. The students hear a lesson from God’s word, taught at their level. Our volunteers enjoy spending the day with these students at every level.

A True Blessing

We are so honored and blessed to walk the journey with these young people.  We are so grateful for the support of this community as we share God’s love with students of all ages through these camps.

We are already looking forward to next year.

Come join us, won’t you?

A church youth group from Oklahoma City leads Rainbow Express in a central Arlington location this week.

Parents often look for ways to keep their children active during the hot summer months. Suggestions abound, and it seems that there isn’t a shortage of things the kids can do, but at times, this can be costly.

Mission Arlington^® offers multiple activities for children & youth during the summer months.  Fun days, summer programs, summer camps, volunteering opportunities, and Rainbow Express^® all form part of the fun. Everything offered in and through the Mission is always “free of charge.”

Rainbow Express^® is our version of a backyard Bible club. Local youth groups, plus student teams from around Texas and across the nation, arrive in Arlington to be the extension of God’s love into the communities across our city.  Summer Rainbow Express^® began in late May and will continue through the end of the summer. Through the first week of June, nearly ten thousand (9,959) children have attended.

These four-day events are designed to be a lot of fun for the kids.  Outdoor running, jumping, or other kinds of high-movement games are part of the fun, along with a few silly songs, some crafts, and snacks too.  The heart of Rainbow Express^®, however, is to share God’s love in a very personal way. We do this in one-on-one and small group settings. Stories from the Bible are the core curriculum for each event, and the young people memorize a verse or two of scripture along the way.

As we share God’s love through the fun, the activities, and the Bible stories, we offer an opportunity for these young people to respond to what they have heard.  In this year so far, 125 people have accepted Christ.  Mission Arlington^® Bible study teachers and leaders follow-up with each student and every family along the way.  We are so incredibly blessed to serve in this way throughout our community.

One other piece to Rainbow Express^® might be important to know.  As we serve in these various locations (apartment communities, neighborhood homes, etc.), we often discover families who are experiencing a moment of need.  The Rainbow Express^® event becomes a conduit for more care in the communities.  If a family needs food, for example, or furniture, or a fan, these volunteer student teams let Mission Arlington^® know, and we are able to respond.

We are grateful for the privilege we have of serving the Lord alongside of this incredibly generous and beautiful community.  This coming August 1st, we will celebrate our 38th birthday – 38 years of loving people, walking with you, and sharing God’s love.  We are excited about all that is taking place this summer, and we are looking forward to the days ahead.