Thirty-Six Years Ago

36-years ago today, Tillie Burgin started a new job at First Baptist Church, Arlington, taking the first step to fulfill a dream the Lord had planted in her heart many years before.  Seven (7) years earlier, Tillie, and her husband Bob, completed ten years of service as foreign missionaries in South Korea.  “If we could do missions in Korea, why couldn’t we do missions in Arlington?” was the question never very far from Tillie’s heart and mind. Tillie still remembers that first day of service as one of the most beautiful she had experienced.  No one could except the Lord could possibly know what was to come.

Taking Church to the People

A call came in on the first day of Tillie’s new job. A lady living in a North Arlington apartment community needed help paying a utility bill.  Tillie took the note and made a home visit.  Soon afterwards, not only was the bill paid, but the lady also offered to host a Bible study in her apartment.  Tillie found someone to teach the Bible study, and 17 people showed up on the very first Sunday – blue jeans, tennis shoes, “come as you are” Bible study.   “If people weren’t going to come to church,” for whatever reason, Tillie and others could “take church to the people.” In a matter of weeks, six different apartment communities had opened their doors for Bible studies, and a movement began.  Thirty-Six (36) years later, the Mission sponsors Bible studies in over 350 different locations.

One Life at a Time

One by one, people’s needs began to be evident.  The ministries developed from the bottom up, one family, one life at a time. As Mission Arlington stepped in to help with specific needs, the community began to respond.  God’s provisions were evident as the number of people coming through our front doors grew exponentially.   In 2022, we are averaging over 550 people a day, six days each week, coming through our doors for help.  These are ordinary people who have a moment of need.  Our heart and hope is to treat each person with dignity & respect, and to share God’s love with all who come across our path.  Along with the emergency assistance we provide (food, clothes, household items, furniture, and financial aid), other ministries have developed.  Our health clinics (medical, dental, and counseling) are active.  Fall Festivals, Easter egg hunts, Thanksgiving Day deliveries, and a free Christmas Store, are all part of the fun.

You Make A Difference Here

It takes hundreds of volunteers each week, and so many donations of food, clothing, household items, and furniture, to make things work for people in need.  We often say that we are “twice-blessed.”  We receive from you, and we are blessed by your generosity. Then, we are blessed again when we give away what you have provided – always free, and never a charge.  In fact, there is no charge for any service provided by Mission Arlington^®.  We are always so thankful when you stop by with a donation of supplies, or with a check.  Your gifts make an authentic difference for people in need.  We truly are grateful for you.

Still Going

Thirty-Six (36) years later, Tillie is still here, early each morning, to late, serving the Lord, and loving the people.  We love the privilege we have of being a small part of this beautiful community.  With thirty-six (36) years behind us, we are still looking forward to the days, months, and years ahead.

A volunteer organizing school supplies, getting the supplies ready for distribution later this month. We are grateful for all the volunteers who make a difference here.

Mission Arlington^® is currently collecting and distributing school supplies for AISD students.

A Strong Community Need

It’s “no surprise” to anyone that the prices of school supplies are going up, in line with the inflation that’s encompassing our country. This makes it more difficult for ordinary families to have the supplies their students need to start the school year this August.  Mission Arlington^® expects to provide school supplies for more than 9,000 AISD students again this year, and probably more.  It’s clear that the need will be as great as it ever has been.

School Supplies List

Simply put, Mission Arlington^® gives away what you provide, and you have been so faithful through the years.  You can find a list of school supplies that students need HERE.

How to Provide School Supplies

1. Purchase the supplies, and drop them off at Mission Arlington’s main campus downtown;  You can drop them off anytime between 7 a.m. & 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday;
2. Use our Amazon Wish List – Choose supplies from our Amazon Wish List, and Amazon will deliver the supplies directly to us;
3. Donate Funds for School Supplies – 1) You can write a check to Mission Arlington, placing “School Supplies” in the memo line, or 2) you can donate through our website. Choose the “School Supplies” designation, and we will pick up the supplies for you.

Volunteering to Organize/Distribute School Supplies

1. Volunteer Times – anytime you are available between 7 a.m. & 7 p.m. Monday – Saturday;
2. You or Your Team – Come by yourself, with your family/group of friends, or bring your team. All ages welcome.  Everyone can make a difference;
3. Organizing / Distributing – It takes many hands to get school supplies organized and into back packs, and it is so much fun to do.  Giving away the supplies is fun too. Come see us.

Gratitude

It makes such a difference to moms & dads who are in between jobs, or for whom circumstances have been difficult, to know that their students (young or old) will have what they need to start school on the first day.  It also means so much to the students themselves.  We are so grateful for you, and for your constant support.

We thought you might enjoy this four-minute video highlighting the ministries of our Rainbow Express^® and Summer Camps – so far this Summer.  Much more to come.

Flying high in the sky at a Mission Arlington Summer Camp.

Six Summer Camps

Keeping cool on a hot Saturday, Summer Camp day, with Mission Arlington.

Mission Arlington^® will host 6 summer camps this year – 4 for younger children (K-3rd grade),  2 for children (4-6th grade), and 1 for youth. Our camps are one day experiences, where children & youth learn about the Lord while having great fun.

Wonderful Partnerships

We are grateful for our partnership with Camp Thurman through the years, who partners with us in caring for our community’s children.

So much energetic fun

Climbing walls, swimming pools, water slides, a great lunch, and a message of God’s love from the Bible are all part of the day.  Bible study leaders pick up students in Mission Arlington’s vans & buses all across our community.  The students and leaders register for camp at Mission Arlington, then load the buses to make the trip to camp.

We are grateful for you.

By the end of the day, in this hot Texas Summer, everyone is pretty tired, but the smiles tell the whole story. We are so grateful for your constant support.

It’s Summer in Texas.  It isn’t just that the weather is tipping upwards toward 100 again, but also that school’s out, and children are everywhere.  Memorial Day weekend kicks off the Summer season at Mission Arlington^®, and there is so many good things ahead.

Rainbow Express^®

Rainbow Express^® is our version of a backyard Bible club – with crafts, snacks, games, music, Bible studies, blended in with lots of love for children & youth, and it starts today in seven (7) locations across Arlington. Earlier this year, Spring Break marked the first wave of Rainbow Express^®, and the second wave starts now, cresting in August when students head back to school. Student groups from across the country are here now, and they will continue to come to our community all summer long. We are truly excited.  By the end of the season, we anticipate more than 20,000 children to be touched by the ministry of Rainbow Express^® .

Summer Programs

Summer is a time when children & youth have more free time on their hands, so Mission Arlington^® stays busy throughout our community leading Summer programs all summer long. This particular ministry varies, depending on the team and the place.  Some places have summer activities every day, and others just on certain days through the week.  Crafts, snacks, Bible Stories, games, various outings & trips, and time with caring adults form the backbone of these weekly experiences.  It is so much fun for everyone involved.

Summer Camps

Free summer camps for children and youth form a big part of the fun for July.  This year, we will have two camps for children, and one big camp for youth.  The camps have all kinds of outdoor activities, swimming, ropes courses, and more.  Each camp has a carefully crafter Bible study designed for the age group in attendance.  These camps are such a blessing to all involved.

School Supplies

Especially in these times of rising costs, having the right supplies for children to start school could be tougher than ever.  We are so pleased to be part of the solution for families who want their students to be able to start the school year right.  This year, we anticipate providing school supplies to over 10,000 Arlington ISD students with paper, pens, backbacks, scissors, and so much more.  You can learn more about how to help here.

Emergency Assistance

Helping people with emergency needs ramps up in the summer days.  Utility bills cost more.  Children are home without school assistance programs, so food costs go up.  We are so blessed to be here every day with the food, clothing, household items, and emergency financial assistance for rent and utilities which God provides through your generosity.  Our dental and medical clinics are in full operation to help people with their health care needs.

We are so blessed to be serving in this beautiful, generous community.  Your faithful support is such a blessing here – not just to the people in need, but also to us.  We are grateful for you.

A good, old-fashioned game of “Tug of War,” was just one of the many outdoor games at FUN DAY. Children enjoyed the competition, the teamwork, the exercise, and the fun. Smiles were “everywhere to see.”  300 children attended each week!

Saturdays in May

From 9:30 a.m. until noon, each Saturday in May, the Mission Arlington^® family gathers children from across the city to have a “fun day,” from 9:30 to noon.

Bible study leaders and children enjoy all kinds of outdoor games, including “tug of war,” half-court basketball, baseball, soccer, playground slides and other equipment, and so much more.  Inside games were available too, including ping pong, and all kinds of board games.

Pizza was served for lunch, and then the children sat to listen to a devotional from the Bible designed to be an encouragement and support to them.

A Huge Crowd, and So Much Fun!

Over 300 children attended the first fun day, on Saturday, May 7th, and every other Saturday too!  Total attendance topped 1,600, and about 400 children participated overall.

The weather was just right. Elementary-school children were laughing, getting great exercise, learning to play well with other children, and learning about the Lord too.

Throughout the day, children kept asking, “When are we doing this again?”  It was a great day.  We are so glad that we get to do this every Saturday in May.

Gratitude

We are here, because you give.  We are so grateful for the constant support of this community!  Thank you!  You are making a difference in the lives of children across our community.

Pouring out Easter Eggs onto a huge field. Getting ready for the kids to come.

Our annual Easter Egg hunt is so much fun.  We call it the “world’s largest” egg hunt, because – well – so many people come to it, and it takes over 100,000 eggs (filled with candy) each year to make it work.  By Saturday morning, we had 120,000 eggs in place, ready to distribute.  In the picture to the right, you can see how we “hide” the eggs.  We operate the egg hunt on a big field divided into six lanes, and we have pre-boxed plastic eggs filled with candy ready to go.  The volunteer to the right is pouring out the eggs on the field for the next group of kids to find.  Did I mention that the egg hunt is “so much fun!”

By 6:30 this past Saturday morning, the “bouncy houses” were in place, ready for the children.  By 7:00 a.m., the donated hotdogs were being cooked on the grill. By 9:00 a.m., volunteers from across our community came to get a van or bus to pick up children from apartment clubhouses all over the city.  The bus drivers stayed on the job until the last child was driven home, well after closing time at 3:00 p.m.  By 10:00 a.m., at the opening bell, Mission Arlington buses began to drop off the Bible study leaders and the children.  Scores of people began to arrive, “walk-ups” who were there to enjoy the day with their family.

The first experience of the Egg Hunt involved the sharing of the Resurrection story, found in Scripture.  Everyone who attended the egg hunt got to hear a 10-15 minute

re-telling of the Easter Story shared by a Mission Arlington^® volunteer. The second station involved a hot lunch – with hotdogs, chips, and drinks.  Bouncy houses were third, followed by the egg hunt.  Sounds of laughter filled the air all day long, and smiles were on the faces of children and parents alike – everywhere you looked.  To top it off, the Arlington Fire Department brought one of their big engines.  Children enjoyed climbing in and out of the big-red vehicle, and spending time being with the fire department team.

When it was all over, nearly 3,877 children (with their families) attended the Egg Hunt.  What made it even more beautiful was knowing that it was you who provided the plastic eggs and the individually-wrapped bags of candy.  You also came to the Mission in the weeks leading up to the Hunt – putting the candy in the eggs and taping the eggs shut.   What a wonderful day.

Thank you so much for your constant support!  Link here to find more pictures from the event.

An Annual Tradition

On the Saturday before Easter each year, the Mission Arlington^® family hosts a giant Easter egg hunt, affectionately called the “World’s Largest.” No one can quite remember how long this fun-filled, family event has been on the calendar, but it has run non-stop each year, going back at least into the 1990s.  During the pandemic, when gathering large groups wasn’t possible, we kept faith with this tradition by taking eggs out to homes, so that each family could host their own egg hunt safely and with much fun.

Dates & Times

The “World’s Largest” Easter egg hunt happens from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 16th.  The event is located outdoors, in the open field behind Grace Street Fellowship. Everyone is invited. Please bring your family and friends.

Fun for the Whole Family

This Easter egg hunt is open for all, and it is especially fun for families.  The event begins with the telling of the original Easter story. Afterwards, families sit around picnic tables to eat lunch outdoors.  Giant bouncy houses cover a large outdoor field, where children can jump and play.  Finally, we provide six-lanes of open field, with an arsenal of over 100,000 plastic Easter eggs, filled with candy.  Children (and their parents) have so much fun hunting for Easter eggs. Truly, this is an event which is  fun for the whole family .

Free of Charge

As with every Mission Arlington^® event, this one is also provided “free of charge.” There is no charge to attend the event, and no charge for anything happening within the event.

How you can help

You can bring plastic Easter eggs, and/or individually wrapped bags of candy to Mission Arlington^® anytime up to the day of the Egg Hunt.  Volunteers are also a great help. It takes “many hands” to make this event work.  If you, your family, and/or your team, would like to help, please give us a call at 817-704-6143.

We love working with children, and families.  Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14). The Easter egg hunt is one of our favorite events of the year.  We hope to see you there!

A mom and her children volunteer at Mission Arlington.

Volunteering Values

Reports indicate that volunteers enjoy serving, because they can  (1) use their gifts to help people in need; (2) connect with others as they serve, making new friendships along the way; and 3) learn new skills while “making a difference.”

All of these indicators are so true at Mission Arlington.^®  We can also add that – not only do volunteers help us “carry the load,” making a difference in the lives of people we serve, but they enrich our lives too. We value so much the relationships we make when we serve alongside each volunteer on a daily basis. Below are a few things to know about volunteering with us.

Volunteering with Mission Arlington^®

Volunteering at Mission Arlington^® is easy enough.  All you have to do is (1)  “show up” whenever you are available, anytime between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.  (2) Come by yourself, with a friend, family members, or a team.  (3) Come for a couple of hours, a few days, or for a few days each week over time; (4) If you are bringing a group of five or more, call ahead to 817-277-6620, and we’ll get your team on our schedule. (5)) All ages are welcome here.  Children, youth, and adults make a difference here here every day.  We always have plenty to do, and your help is so appreciated. (6) We document and record your volunteer hours upon request. Check in with our Volunteer Office when you arrive, and we’ll get you going.

Volunteering brings Joy

A student from Gateway Community Church volunteers.

One of the common confessions from people as they finish a moment or a season of serving with us is that they had “so much fun.”  It truly is “better to give than to receive,” and volunteering is one of those areas that brings so much joy.  For some, it’s fun, just because they “got out of the house” and did something different.  Others enjoy being outdoors, or in a different setting, around people with similar hearts.  For many, the fun comes when they see the results of their work touching the lives of someone in need.  In and of itself, separating, sorting, and folding clothes may not be that much fun.  Yet, when you see a young mom picking up those same clothes for herself or her children, it makes all the difference.  Volunteering brings a sweetness to the soul which breaks out in big, beautiful smiles.

Come and See

We are grateful for the friendships which have formed through the years. Volunteers become a part of the Mission Arlington^® family, a canopy of care for our wonderful community.  We love it when you come by. You are making a difference here! Come see us!

Rainbow Express begins again, starting in March. Pictured here, some fun & games from a Rainbow Express event in a previous year!

A New and Exciting Season

Rainbow Express^® is “pulling out of the station.” Starting next week, student groups from around the nation and across Texas arrive to lead Rainbow Express^® throughout our community. We are so excited.

What is it?

Rainbow Express^® is Mission Arlington’s version of a “backyard Bible club,” with crafts, snacks, songs, activities, and Bible stories. These events happen from Monday through Thursday each week during Spring Break, all across our community.

How you can help!

Please pray, as Rainbow Express^® gets underway.  If you want to help, you can bring Snacks, crayons, &/or craft supplies. In 2021, more than twelve thousand students attended at least one Rainbow Express event.

We are so grateful for your support!