Safe at the plate! Children learn the fundamentals of baseball at today’s baseball camp.

Mission Arlington^® started its baseball leagues today, a kind of coaching clinic for children, free of charge.  These young people learned the fundamentals of baseball – catching, running, hitting, and more.  They ran, played together on a team, and had fun too.  Best of all, they had an opportunity to learn more about the Lord and his love for them.  These leagues will run throughout the Fall.

Smiles all around at Mission Arlington’s baseball camp

We are grateful for coaches who volunteer, for a Mission Arlington^® congregation which allowed their land to be used, and for Bible study leaders within Mission Arlington^® who drove across the city today picking up the children, so that they could participate in the league.

We are grateful for each of you and the way you support our work day in and day out. Thank you so much for your encouragement. We are still working hard and having fun every day.

To God be the glory.

Click on the this link to see a few more pictures – on our FACEBOOK page.

By Jim Burgin, staff writer.

There is an old (1993) hymn, written and performed by gospel singer Andrae Crouch titled “My Tribute.” The first, and most often recalled, verse begins with a question: “How can I say thanks for the things you’ve done for me?” Crouch is expressing the sentiment of Christians worldwide who want to express their love to God for all he has done.  The lyrics to this tune adequately and effectively expresses the heartfelt sentiment within the Mission Arlington^® family this morning.

We know, and we believe,  that it is the Lord who sustains each of us in this place, and who provides for Mission Arlington^® day by day. We know that his ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9), so it has been important to us to look to Him for our support and provision, and not to the plans of men.  Generally, over the past 29 years, we have depended on prayer and not fund raisers or marketing strategies to do what we do here every day. You can read more about these core commitments here.

Yet, when a day comes along, as it did yesterday with the North Texas Day of Giving, put together by good people wanting to support the important work of more than 2,000 non-profits across North Texas, we have been blessed to join in as a participant.  We are especially eager for each of you who prayed, helped, and gave to know how much your support means.  The word for encouragement in the Bible actually means one who has been “called along side” another to provide support.  In the truest sense of the word then, each of you has encouraged us this week.  The words we find bouncing around in our own hearts, to the tune of “My Tribute,” is “How can we say thanks?

We want you to know that because of your support, prayers, and gifts, 171 people provided financial support through the North Texas Day of Giving yesterday, providing more money from this offering than we have ever received before.  We are giving praise to our Lord this morning, but we are also especially thankful for you.  In a day when gratitude seems to be on the wane, we want you to hear loud and clear our expressed thanks.

With our audited administrative overhead at 2.8 percent, more than 97 percent of those funds will go directly in ministry to people in need. This feels good to us, and to a lot of people.  This means that ordinary people in a moment of need will continue to receive the help that they need to be ok., and that they will also hear of God’s love for them, communicated in personal and careful ways.

Of course, our journey is not over, and there are many more days to come in this year. We value and appreciate so much your support here not just on a special day of giving, but all year long. Thank you, and “to God be the glory for the great things He has done.”

North Texas Giving Day for
Mission Arlington / Mission Metroplex

• This Thursday, September 17th, from 6:00 a.m. until midnight your gift to Mission Arlington/Mission Metroplex will go farther on this day.  Click the link above in order to give. We are so grateful for your constant, faithful support.

The Communities Foundation of Texas has created an event which has become a movement. They have organized a giant giving day designed to support multiple charities in the North Texas area.

The heart of this day has been:

1. to create an awareness of non-profits and their work in the North Texas area for people who might not have known about them previously;
2. to create an atmosphere of giving, so that some might start giving in a way that they hadn’t before.  The gifts for this day can be as low as $25;
3. to provide an opportunity for people to do a little more for the charities which they already support, or at least,
4. to make a donor’s financial support go farther through participation. The Communities Foundation uses a formula to distribute extra funds to the charities who receive designated gifts on this day.

We want you to know that:

1. Although we don’t solicit funds, and never have, we are participating in this day;
2. If you choose to give in this way, your gift to Mission Arlington/Mission Metroplex on this day will go farther, because the CFNT will add to it;
3. Your gifts will be used to minister to people in need. As most know, our administrative overhead is a low 2.8 percent;
4. Mission Arlington cares for ordinary, every-day working people in a moment of crisis. 600 people each day come through our front doors for help.

If you are led to give, and/or to share these links with others who might provide support, we would be honored and humbled by your partnership in our work.

We are already so grateful for the way this community generously and faithfully provide for the people in need through this ministry.

Thank you.

Christening of the “Tillie,” a fire rescue boat for the Arlington fire department. Chief Don Crowson and Chaplain Don Coker look on.

Watch the Video (Click this link):

On the 14th anniversary of September 11th, we were honored to spend time with Arlington’s firefighters at Lake Arlington’s Richard Simpson Park..  Arlington’s Fire Department honored Mission Arlington^® by commissioning their new fire rescue boat in the name of our director, Tillie Burgin.  This open, inclusive and caring team, who describe themselves with words like “duty, honor, compassion, and excellence,” has long been a partner and friend of Mission Arlington.^® Both groups work hard and long in order to care for the citizens of our community.

Fire chief Don Crowson with Tillie Burgin at the christening of “Tillie,” the new rescue boat for the city.

After a dedication by Chaplain Don Coker, Chief Don Crowson, and Assistant Chief Jim Self recognized Tillie for her “dedication and commitment to the citizens of our community.”  Tillie’s name on the boat was unveiled, and she christened the boat with a bottle of diet Dr. Pepper, her favorite drink.  Afterwords, shared with the group these words of appreciation:

When you live as long as I have lived, and had different opportunities in our community, I think about an honor like this as at ‘the top of my list.’  To be able to be out here with a group of folks who serve this community in a way that no other does, I can promise you this is probably ‘the greatest honor’ I could possibly have – and for my name to be on that boat – I just think it’s huge. I am extremely humbled and grateful.

According to fire department specialist Mark Maginnis, “this is the very first time we have ever named a piece of apparatus, much less one of out boats, after anybody, and it is our honor to name it after Ms. Tillie.”   We feel the same way. The mission family is honored to serve alongside civil servants such as these men and women in our Fire Department, and so grateful we have for partnering with our community to help ordinary families in need who come through our front doors for help.

We are grateful for the privilege of these partnerships, and we look forward to serving together into the future.  Thanks to everyone who prays, gives, and serves to make a difference here.

To view the video of the event captured on the City of Arlington website, click here.

Keri DeCay, international business French junior and UTA Ambassador and hurricane Katrina survivor expresses appreciation for Mission Arlington.

Ten years ago, Hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast, changing the course of so many people’s lives.  Mission Arlington^® was honored and humbled to join other non-profit communities, churches, and city agencies, to provide assistance to those whose lives had been tragically propelled into our community.

In addition to playing our part in collecting and distributing the items which people would need, and joining the medical community to provide medical and dental care for those who had been displaced and bused into Arlington, we were also able to open and maintain two shelters to house, sleep, feed, and transport the Louisiana families who so desperately needed support.

Those of us who were here at the time will never forget the outpouring of love, generosity, and sacrifice which came day after day from this community.  You gave of what you had, out of your abundance, and you gave out of what you didn’t have, your own basic necessities.  Our community came together as never before, and treated our neighbors as if they were family.  It was a time which we will never forget.

This week, a student from UTA who was displaced and affected by this storm personally, wrote of her experiences now a decade later.  Her name is Keri DeCay, and she was 10 years old when Katrina hit her hometown.  Today, she is an international business French junior, and a UTA ambassador.  In a article published by the Shorthorn, Ms. DeCay says that she is grateful for the support she received from Mission Arlington^®, and that she loves to volunteer here when she can. It shows each of us once again how people who receive help are often the very ones who give so much more to help others.  We see that beautiful circle over and over again here.

We are grateful for the kind words published by Ms. DeCay about our work, and we wanted you to hear how much your generosity and sacrifice helps real people in need.  Thanks to each of you who keep on giving, so that someone else can have what they need to survive and thrive.  The same community who gave so much ten years ago, still provides support here, day in and day out.

We are humbled, amazed, and inspired by your generosity. Thank you.

Read Ms. Dekay’s insightful, and challenging article in the Shorthorn here!

Home sweet home. Returning after a day at school. Students and families appreciate Mission Arlington transportation. Many students are transported to and from school every day.

Mission Arlington^® coordinates with the Arlington Independent School District to transport students to school in neighborhoods where those students are too close for the school bus to pick them up, but also far enough away that the students would have to cross busy and dangerous intersections in order to arrive safely at school.

Twice a day, five days each week, Mission Arlington^® drivers pick up and deliver students from their home to the schools, and then back again. This provides help to working families who otherwise would have to let their children walk to school.   As you can see from the picture of happy children above, being a part of this ministry is quite a blessing.

The mission also takes the children of AISD teenagers to childcare, so that the mother can stay in school, complete her education, and build a better life for themselves over time. Something as simple as transportation makes a huge difference.

Through the summer, the transportation ministry slows down a bit, but when school starts again in the Fall, as it has now, it ramps up in a big way.  We are grateful for the individuals and organizations that donated the buses and vans which the mission uses for this work, and for the volunteer drivers along the way who help us to provide a fun and loving experience for the students.

We are grateful for the multiple ways that each of you support our work. It is precious cargo, indeed. Thank you.

For a short (3 minute), but strong video of our transportation ministry published a few years ago, click here.

Mission Arlington youth prepare to go back to school, worshiping the Lord together. Tillie Burgin walks through the group, speaking to the students.

At the end of each summer, Mission Arlington^® hosts a rally for youth, students who are going into the 7th through the 12th grades. Three hundred (300) students and sponsors attended this event. Though you can’t see it in this picture, the student population filled up most of the church, going to the back of the sanctuary.

Student ministry is an important part of our work each year.  The mission family hosts basketball leagues, gym nights, youth camps, and special medical and dental care for youth each year. Youth are obviously a part of the families helped every day through our front room, and a major part of the Bible studies in 349 locations which happen each week.

Students on the bus, coming in to the youth rally.

The students listened to a short worship video, and then heard a message from Chris, one of the Bible study leaders and pastors in a mission congregation which meets on the East side of Arlington.  As Chris spoke with and to the students, he asked them to consider what was important in their earthly friendships.  For example, “would you be friends with someone where the relationship was only one-sided?” he asked.  What if your friendship at school was with someone who didn’t want to talk with you, but always needed something from you.  The students caught on quickly, and knew that Chris was speaking about their relationship to the Lord.

Christ shared a verse in Matthew with them, which reminded them that religion, and good works would not get them into heaven, but only a personal friendship/relationship with Jesus Christ.

Afterwards, the students received pizza, and gathered in their Bible study groups with individual leaders to discuss what they heard. The discussion was lively and involved. Each student took the opportunity to think about what was important in their own friendships, and then to evaluate their relationships with God.  A few youth groups left the rally to do a “lock-in” or to spend time at their Bible study leader’s home, and more.

We are so grateful for the privilege we have of walking alongside and serving with the youth in our community. We are grateful to you for your constant, loving support.

DBU students arrive on campus, ready to work.

Every year, Dallas Baptist University (DBU) hosts a “student welcome and transition” week, called “SWAT.”  This week-long event “opens the door to a new life at DBU for incoming first year and transfer students.”  This event is a long standing tradition at the school, and it happens the week before fall classes begin each year.

Hard working young people, with a sweet enthusiasm for the ministry of Mission Arlington.

In this week, incoming students receive the “training they need to lay a solid foundation socially, intellectually, physically, and spiritually in order to be prepared for their college experience. They also find the opportunity to make “instant connections with other students,” and to form “lifelong friendships,” as they become “comfortable with their new college home.”

Block parties, special games days called “follies”, and pool parties form much of the fun. On the Friday of this week, the University sponsors what they call a “landmark service day,” sending the students out into the community to support non-profit organizations like ours. Their heart is to impact their community for Christ, and to introduce the students to service learning, and integrated part of the University’s Christ-centered education.   Three hundred (300) students will serve in and through Mission Arlington today.

DBU students brought an energetic and enthusiastic spirit to every task. Here, a student helps us get food ready for the pantry.

As a part of our work, these students will help us love on children and youth in multiple apartment communities, places where Mission Arlington^® has established work. They will share the love of Christ with everyone – with words and actions.  Plenty of smiles and hugs will be the order of the day.  They will also lift the load for us here at our main campus – moving food into locations, building and placing new shelves for the food pantry, receiving and organizing donations, helping to deliver school supplies, and so much more. The things they will do in one day – with 300 college students – are the kinds of things that it would take us “forever” to do on our own. We are so truly blessed and grateful.

For Dallas Baptist University, this day is more than just an event to help the students feel useful and comfortable as they transition to a new place.  Service learning, for this University, is a way of life, an integral part of their mission, a hope that as their students experience the world now, it will affect not just their heads, but also their hearts, so that long after University life has ended, “making a difference” in the world will be simply a matter of course.  We stand with them towards that end.  It is also the heart of the Mission Arlington^® family.

We are grateful for each and every one of you who pray for us, give here, and lend your time, to help us reach our community for Christ.  Thanks to you, and all glory to God!

Vision Day 2015 at Mission Arlington^®‘s Medical Clinic with Visionworks.  Here, a technician screens 17 year old Alberto to see what the next best steps should be.

In partnership with Visionworks and six local optometrists, and just in time for the start of school, 91 children and youth had their vision tested at our medical clinic this past Saturday, August 15th.  As it turns out, 80 percent those screened needed new glasses.

According to experts in the field, and to our own common sense, having a young person’s eyes and vision examined by an optometrist early in their visual development is best. It is important for parents not to wait until their children have visual problems, because correction after this point becomes more difficult. It is important, therefore, for children to have their eyes examined routinely and early.

However, when working people struggle to “get by” or to “make ends meet,” it is too easy for people to wait until a problem with vision evidences itself in the child. Correcting the concern at this point is typically much more difficult and costly.

The Mission Arlington^® family and the community of providers working with us step in at this point, so that families can take care of their children’s eyes in a way that doesn’t disrupt the family’s stability.  We are grateful that we have the privilege of working with so many talented, generous, and engaging people (like those mentioned above) who see the problem and lend a hand to help out.

After the children & youth were screened this past Saturday, those who needed corrective lenses were given a voucher which was paid for by Visionworks and six local optometrist offices. The young people could go with their family to the eye doctor who in turn provided corrective lenses to each student free of charge.  Whenever Mission Arlington^® is involved with people, there is never a charge to the people in need. That has been made possible by generous donors like these mentioned above, and it has been true since our beginning 29 years ago.

The health clinics which operate here every day take care of the physical needs of hundreds of people each month.  We are so thankful for the opportunity we had this past Saturday to provide health care to our community’s children and youth.

We are grateful for the privilege of this partnership with each of you who pray, give, and volunteer. We hope you can see how important this work is, and that you are making a difference here.

Anna, a Mission Arlington teenager, gets a hug from the Texas Rangers’ Mascot.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “dental decay is the most common chronic disease in young people between ages five and 15.”  While younger children “typically attend dental appointments with their parents, teens have more control over their free time and may not choose to visit the dentist for regular checkups.”

As a result, many teenagers “don’t get the dental care they need,” or the “proper education to make smart decisions” regarding their oral health. (Read more here!)

For several years, two groups have come together to help Mission Arlington^® address these concerns about the dental health of teens.  This past Saturday, the Texas Rangers  and United Concordia partnered with the Allan Saxe Dental Clinic, to make a difference.  As mentioned above, teenagers are generally the most under-served population with respect to dental care.  This past Saturday, Twenty-seven (27) teenagers received care, worth about $11,000 of free dentistry.

Teen Dental Vision Day 2015 With United Concordia and Texas Rangers Spencer Patton and Chris Gimenez

A special thanks to Texas Rangers’ Spencer Patton and Chris Gimenez, and more than thirty (30) volunteers who gave their resources to make a difference with young people. It was a fun day.

Also, a special thanks to every dentist, hygienist, and all other volunteers in the Saxe Dental clinic, who give their time at Mission Arlington^®.

Your support makes a difference in the lives of real people, and we are truly blessed because of your service.  Thanks also to each and every group, like the Texas Rangers, and United Concordia, who keep giving their time and resources here.

We are grateful for this community of volunteers who come together at Mission Arlington to make a difference in the lives of teenagers.

Click our Facebook link to see more pictures.