The summer is generally one of our busiest seasons, and 2016 was no exception. From Rainbow Express^® to revivals, to summer camps, we certainly stayed busy.

The fast-paced work of  a Mission Arlington^® summer demonstrates how much can done when a community comes together. It doesn’t take much inspection to see that the fruit is evident.

You can see for yourself some of the results below:

1. Camps: We hosted 7 free camps for 1,377 children and youth.
2. Revivals: 12 sets of revival services across our community with 1 more to go.
3. Rainbow Express^® 28,668 children and youth attended Rainbow Express^® this year in 401 locations across our community.  736 people accepted Christ;
4. Student Groups: 4,867 students from 161 different church groups came to Arlington to help with Rainbow Express^® this spring and summer;
5. Summer lunches: We served free lunches in five locations across Arlington for children and youth without family resources for this meal. We did this for two months over the summer;
6. Summer Missionaries: 30 college students served here for the summer;

In addition to these special events, we continued to provide food, clothing, medical & dental support, sports ministries, and so much more – each and every day.

We are so grateful for the privilege of walking this journey with you. Thank you so much for everything you did this summer to volunteer, give, and pray.  It truly was a sweet season.

In an interview with NBC 5 early this morning, Tillie Burgin reminds the viewers that “no parent wants their child to be different” or “not have what they need to start school.”  Every child deserves to have the tools they need to be successful.  As we move closer to the start of a new school year, Mission Arlington’s distribution of school supplies is underway and will move into full speed next week.

School supplies are still needed and being accepted. The Mission family hopes to provide and deliver supplies to 10,000 AISD students.   Your help will make such a difference.  Click here to see what you can bring, and here to get more information.   We hope you enjoy this (less than 1 minute) video below:

Summer missionaries are students typically between the ages of 16 and 22 who give up all or part of their summer to serve at a place like Mission Arlington^®.

These students are highly motivated by their relationship to Christ, and their desire to serve Him wherever they are deployed.  Sometimes, these students are placed here by a variety of student missions organizations who partner with us, and at other times, these young people come on their own.

They become an instant part of the family at Mission Arlington^®, serving long hours each week in every part of our work here, and all throughout the community.  These energetic, young people brought an enthusiastic and contagious spirit to their service which blessed us, and overflowed in support and service to this city we love.

Our prayer for them is that they will be challenged to grow spiritually while they are here.  Here is the testimony of Jackson (a young man from Mississippi) who served with us this summer:

I just got back from a summer mission trip to Mission Arlington. It was arguably the best summer of my entire life life! I absolutely loved the work that we all did there, from teaching the gospel, to feeding hungry people, to helping those in need, to growing closer to God, It was absolutely amazing. While I was there, alongside the daily work, I met and built relationships with some of the best people I could ever imagine, Mission Arlington staff members and other summer missionaries alike, everyone there was amazing.

I’m grateful for so much more, though, than just the people, I’m so happy that I was blessed with so many opportunities to share Christ with those who hadn’t heard the message, and even personally lead a few to salvation, and while I was teaching I personally learned a lot and grew far closer to god than I thought I would over the summer. It was great, and I’m thankful to be back home to Mississippi, I’m truly blessed to have such a loving family and friends back home. All in all It’s been a truly life changing experience, and I’m so grateful to have been blessed with the opportunity to serve this summer. Thanks.

You can understand why we have been so blessed by these young people. Now, as the end of summer is in sight, these young people are headed home. They will spend time with family, and then go back to serve the Lord in the place they home.

There are always more than a few tears of joy around here at this time of year, because we fall in love with these committed Christian servant leaders, and it is hard to watch them go.  Most will come back again at Christmas or other times, and we will stay connected in prayer and in other ways as time moves forward.  Yet, in these moments, it is hard not to miss them, or to notice the holes/gaps in ministry that they have left behind.  We ask them to pray with us that local volunteers would step up to take their place.

We thank God for this enormous privilege and blessing. Thanks to each of you for walking this journey with us.

In this undated photo, Bob & Tillie Burgin stand with Doris Goolsbay (center) on the edge of the Mission Arlington^®  campus – near the intersection of Pecan/South streets downtown. Doris was one of many who formed the original prayer circles for the Mission, starting seven (7) years prior to 1986. Behind them you can see the TXU old TXU building, and the current home of the Levitt Pavilion.  Directly behind these three – on South Street  – was Tillie’s childhood home.

Tillie Lester grew up in Arlington, the daughter of Erman and Bonnie Lester who had moved to Arlington from East Texas in the early 1930s.  The Lesters lived downtown at 104 South, just a house or two away from the intersection of South & Center. The post office down the street assigned them box 104 to match their address, and the prefix to their home phone number was listed as CR4, a common way of listing numbers in those days.

Behind Tillie’s childhood home was a small stream. There was a lumber yard in front of the home, and behind, adjacent to First Baptist Church, was an active cotton gin. Eventually First Baptist bought the Lester home and built over it.  Henard East, a former pastor of the church used to tease the Lesters saying that “they had slept more in the church that anyone else.”  Erman ran his full-service gulf station in two locations downtown for 45 years. The offices of Mission Arlington^® today are just one block from the old homestead and gas station. The spirit of that old “service” station still permeates Mission Arlington^® today.

In September of 1956 Tillie married Bob Burgin in what is now called the “East Hall” of FBC, referencing Dr. East. In those days, this space was the church sanctuary. In the mid 1960s Bob and Tillie, now with two young boys, went to Korea and ultimately served there through 1978, returning to Arlington with a newly formed question: “If you can do missions in Korea, why can’t we do it in Arlington? After 7 years of prayer, on August 1st, 1986, Mission Arlington^® was born.  This coming Monday, August 1st, 2016 marks our 30th anniversary. Tillie has been the team leader here for 30 years.

The heart and the hope of the Mission family is 1) to praise God for all he has done through these decades, and 2) to thank each of you for your prayers, your time, and your financial support each step of the way. The Lord has done good things here, and He has done it in his way, and in His time.  We have produced a video of thanksgiving to God and for you which we hope you will watch and share over these next few days. You can connect to watch the video through this link.

Please accept our thanks, and after you have viewed the video, we would humbly request that you pause to thank our Lord, and to pray for us as we walk into the future together. We know that he is “able to do” immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Ephs 3:20).  On our 30th birthday, we are asking our community to create a symphony of praise to the Father, and a covering of prayer for this place.  May we always be faithful to His call, and to your generous support day by day over the next 30 years.

July means camps at Mission Arlington^®, and it is so much fun!

The FIRST thing to know about our camps is that they are free for all children and youth who participate. Hard working families can know that their children are having a wonderful time learning about the Lord, and that it won’t put a strain on the family budget one bit.  Mission Arlington’s Bible study leaders even provide transportation to and from the camps if needed.

The SECOND thing to know about our camps is that they are designed specifically for different age groups.  We host a camp for younger children – from Kindergarten through 3rd grade. This camp happens Tuesday nights in July (7th, 12th, and 19th), and it’s much-loved nickname is “Kiddie Camp.” We’ve designed a second kind of camp for students who are in the 4th – 6th grade which happens on the first two consecutive saturdays in July. Finally, we sponsor a camp for 7th – 12th graders – Youth Camps – on the last two Saturdays in July.

A THIRD important understanding about these camps is is that they are a lot of fun.  Outdoor games, songs with a lot of movement, great camp food, hands-on crafts, and Bible stories designed not just to teach God’s Word, so that they will know the stories of the Bible, but also to help each student know Christ personally, and to develop in their faith with Him. Our camps for children and youth, in partnership with our good friends from Camp Thurman, include zip lines, swimming pools, and a beautiful outdoor setting.

A FOURTH awareness is the Mission family’s commitment to prayer for each one of these 7 camps. We are so grateful for the creativity and dedication of each Bible study leader, driver, and partners in these weeks. The Lord prompts people’s hearts, and they respond to His loving invitation to “make a difference” through their service.   As much as planning is important, and sacrificial effort on the part of many, our commitment of these camps to the Lord forms our central priority. We pray for His leadership with each of these camps, and for His love to permeate every moment.  This is what we would ask of you, especially, through this month of July.  Would you cover these camps in prayer? Won’t it be amazing to see – one day – perhaps not until heaven, how these small efforts were used by the Lord to change many lives for the kingdom?

FINALLY, we want you to know, and we can’t express it enough, how important your gifts, your volunteer efforts, and your prayers mean to us.  We couldn’t walk this journey, now for nearly 30 years, without the constant covering God provides here because of you.  Even if you are not physically at one of these 7 camps, your prayers and support brings you directly into the middle of every effort, and every student touch through this place in July.

Watch for the communications coming out in various places through the next month to stay in touch with how the camps are going.

We are grateful for you.

A Steady Supply

Every single day, numbers of individuals, families, and teams are dropping by with school supplies. Some pay for it out of their own pocket. Others lead a drive in their neighborhood, and still others find ways to communicate and/or broadcast the need, so that the supplies just keep on coming in.

The need for more supplies is still strong!

We are grateful for the way the Lord prompts people’s hearts to give, and we appreciate the sacrifices people are making every day to help students in our community  start the school year just like everyone else. We expect to give the school supplies you provide to more than 9,000 students again this year.  Thank you.

How you can help:

1. Purchase School Supplies: Click this link to retrieve a printable list of school supplies which you can purchase and then bring to our offices downtown;
2. Make an Online Donation through our website. Select the “school supplies” dropdown to designate your gift for the purchase of supplies. 100% of your gift will be used for this purchase;
3. Help to organize the supplies – come on up to volunteer – by yourself, with a friend, or with an entire group of people. Individual supplies have to be organized by grade, and put into place for delivery to students. Call us at 817-277-6620 to get your time set up. Or, if you don’t have time to call, just come on down, and we’ll get you to work;
4. Help deliver or hand-off school supplies to the students (this is so much fun). Here are the dates and times for the distribution: Call 817-277-6620 to bring your group for one of these times:
   1. Friday, August 12th (9:00 a.m. to noon);
   2. Saturday, August 13th (9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.;
   3. Monday, August 15th (9:00 a.m. to noon);
   4. Tuesday, August 16th:
      1. 9:00 a.m. to noon;
      2. 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
   5. Wednesday, August 17th (9:00 a.m. to noon);
   6. Thursday, August 18th:
      1. 9:00 a.m. to noon;
      2. 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
   7. Friday, August 19th (9:00 a.m. to noon);
   8. Saturday, August 20th (9:00 a.m. to noon);
   9. Monday, August 22nd – First day of school.

The Mission Arlington^® Difference

The heart of the Mission Arlington^® family has never been “just about” the physical items we are so privileged to give – in support of families each week. We have always believed, as Tillie, our Director, has often reminded us – that “anyone can hand out food and clothes.”  Instead, our heart is to provide the kind of care and support which provides a personal and spiritual touch. Mission Arlington^® volunteer teams will follow up with a huge percentage of the students and also with their families wherever there is a need.

Our Gratitude for You

We don’t know how to express our gratitude enough for all that each of you have done through this place. Many of you make personal sacrifices – in a way where no one else knows what you’ve done – just so a child can have what they need to be ok.  Thank you for your financial support, your prayers, and the way your hands and feet do the important work here every day. We are grateful for you.

Soft winds bring refreshment in a hot summer! We are grateful to be part of all the Lord is doing in our community. Thank you so much for your prayers & support.

Feeling Refreshed

Even thought it is summer in Texas, and it seems hotter than normal, here at Mission Arlington^®, we are feeling refreshed.  God’s Spirit is on the move here, and we find refreshment in his presence as if it were a cool summer breeze.  The evidence of His presence is not just in the bustling activity all around, or in the constant provisions from the community, but in the lives we see changed and encouraged here every day. Here are just a few illustration of the life happening here this summer:

People receive help and hope here every day.
Early this morning, a young woman came through, needing a little help to get to her next stop. She was sleeping in her car, and near tears. We were able to provide what she needed, get her some refreshment, and to pray with her before she left.  It felt so good to be here for her. More than 500 people every day are receiving emergency assistance here.

Young adults sacrifice to serve.
More than 40 young adults are here serving with us this summer. They work outside receiving donations, lead summer programs, Rainbow Express^®, Bible studies, and so much more.  These “summer missionaries” give up summer jobs, leave their families and friends to live in Mission Arlington dorms, to work long hours, all for the purpose of sharing Christ’s love in our community, and they do it with such grace, stamina, and vibrancy.  It is easy to smile when they are around.

Rainbow Express® is penetrating our community with the gospel.
Rainbow Express^® happens four days each week – from Monday through Thursday, beginning at Spring Break and continuing through the summer. More than 15 thousand children have attended Rainbow Express this year, led by volunteer student groups who have come from 12 states outside of Texas and 28 Texas cities. 417 people have accepted Christ so far. Several hundred students are here now, leading these events in 34 different locations this week. It refreshes us to see the number of people coming to help, and the beautiful smiles on the children who attend each day.

Summer Food Programs provide relief and support to families.
When school is out for the summer, children often don’t have enough to eat, so Mission Arlington^® partners with the City of Fort Worth to provide lunch in six locations each weekday through the summer.

Revival services continue to bring life
Week after week, across various parts of the city, Mission Arlington^® hosts revival services. These 1 to 3 day services include music & preaching for the adults, and special activities & Bible study for the children. Each week, people are finding Christ for the first time, or rededicating their lives to Him.

We are grateful for you!
It is difficult, on just one page, to describe all that is happening this summer at Mission Arlington^® . While the flurry of activity (often pictured as a busy beehive) could be described by some as “heating up,” in fact, we are refreshed here every day.

Your support and prayers are a big part of all that happens here day after day. May each of you find refreshment too through your faithfulness to God’s work.  We are grateful.

Isaiah 40:31 is true – “they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings s eagles; they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint.”

Rainbow Express^® picks up steam as the first full week of summer begins.

Twelve different youth groups are here this week, and they are leading Rainbow Express^® in thirty-one (31) different locations.

Mission Arlington^® houses these student groups without charge, as they move throughout our community every morning and afternoon.  Some from these groups are staying here during the day to help with various chores at the mission.

Children will learn about

1. the calling of Peter (day 1),
2. the feeding of the 5,000 (day 2),
3. Peter’s denial and forgiveness (day 3),
4. and about sharing the good news.

This pattern will be repeated through June. On the third day of the week, students will hear a gospel presentation designed specifically for them.

Please keep these student groups in your prayers as they share God’s love with children and youth across our community.

We thank the Lord for sending these teams, and we daily thank Him for the gift of your constant support here. We are truly grateful.

Mission Arlington/Mission Metroplex’s  sound fiscal management practices and commitment to accountability and transparency have earned it a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator. This is the 11th consecutive time that Mission Arlington^® has earned this top distinction. This is especially noteworthy this year, given that Charity Navigator used enhanced financial methodology to evaluate charities this year.

Since 2002, using objective, data-driven analysis, Charity Navigator has awarded only the most fiscally responsible organizations a 4-star rating. In 2011, the charity watchdog added 17 metrics, (focused on governance and ethical practices as well as measures of openness) to its rating methodology.

These “Accountability and Transparency” metrics reveal which charities have “best practices” that minimize the chance of unethical activities and whether they freely share basic information about their organization with their donors and other stakeholders.

According to Michael Thatcher, President & CEO of Charity Navigator, this four star rating puts Mission Arlington/Mission Metroplex in

a very select group of high-performing charities. Out of the thousands of nonprofits Charity Navigator evaluates, only one out of four earns 4 Stars – a rating that demands rigor, responsibility and commitment to openness. Mission Arlington/Mission Metroplex supporters should feel much more confident that their hard-earned dollars are being used efficiently and responsibly when it acquires such a high rating

The Mission Arlington^® / Mission Metroplex^® family voluntarily cooperates with multiple charity watchdog organizations like Charity Navigators as part of our commitment to our Lord and to each of you who give so faithfully to support the ministry here. We are pleased to receive this honor for the 11th year in a row.

Thank you so much for your constant support.

A young boy enjoys Rainbow Express at his apartments earlier this year.

School Supplies! Summer Missionaries! Rainbow Express! Revivals!

As the school year ends, Mission Arlington^® turns the corner into the summer season, and the view is beautiful from here.

Summer is always such a busy time, but so much happens through these few short months, much of it life-changing, so that we are always eager to get going.

As the students get out of school, our summer programs and lunch programs will begin.

School Supplies are being collected now!  Already, school supplies are coming in, donated by a generous community, helping us to support over 9,000 students again this year.  You can help. Learn more about what to contribute, how to sort the supplies, and when you can hand out these supplies to the students.

Summer Missionaries begin to arrive!  Summer Missionaries – students in high school or college – who will live with us for most of the summer, begin arriving this Sunday evening.  We will have more of these amazing young people here with us this summer than we ever have had before. You can read a few of their stories here, here, and here.

A young student learns about Christ’s love through a multi-colored bracelet. Her smile is so typical of the experience.

Rainbow Express reboots!  Student groups from around the nation and across the state are making their way into our community to invest in our children and youth in significant ways.

Rainbow Express is our version of a “back-yard Bible club.” Crafts, snacks, games, music, and Bible stories form the foundation of this work with children and youth.

Thousands of children will hear of God’s love, and see it in action four days each week in their own neighborhoods.  Rainbow Express starts again on Monday.

Revivals services happen weekly.  Though we have already had one two-day, outdoor revival service on the West side of our community, and although these revivals will continue through the end of the summer, they do begin in earnest starting next week.  We love these services, because our Bible studies & congregations gather to worship, to pray, and to respond to God’s invitation to a new and/or a deeper walk with Him. Please pray with and for us as these services begin.

Thank you so much.  Your constant, faithful support makes such a difference here. Thank you for the way you give, help, and pray.  Together, we are making a difference in his name.  We are grateful for you.