Celebrating 35 Years of New Beginnings
On August 26, 1984, Inner City Mission housed its first homeless person. Now, three-and-a-half decades later, they are celebrating. For 35 years, Inner City Mission has provided shelter, sustenance, training, and Christian counseling to homeless children, their parents, and single women in Springfield, Illinois. Their aim is to always offer a safe and loving environment that promotes the mental and spiritual renewal of every person in their care.
“Our motto is, helping the homeless find their way Home,” Scott Payne, the executive director of ICM, says. “The Home I’m referring to is Heaven, of course, but it begins right now in the form of lasting joy and peace through God, Jesus, and godly people. Those life-giving relationships,” he explains, “are the missing resources needed for long- term stability in society.”
For 35 years, the Spirit of God has worked through churches, organizations, businesses, and individuals to help Inner City Mission care for thousands of homeless children, their parents, and single women. As a result, countless seeds were planted, thousands of lives were affected, and a precious remnant of people have found their way Home. What a testament to the power of God’s love! A power that truly expands His kingdom.