Bryan and Amy want to Thank You
We want to thank you this holiday season for your generous support over the last 5 years. Your financial donations and your volunteer time are helping make a difference right here in our own community. It is truly amazing to see what has happened with Jesus Was Homeless through all of you. What started out as a simple Thanksgiving Dinner in 2008 has grown to serving over 1000 meals each week to those in our community that are really the backbone of Branson. They are the housekeepers, waiters, ushers, restaurant workers and their families that help serve those that visit Branson. Often times they just don’t have enough to make ends meet. Through you, Jesus Was Homeless is offering food to the hungry and hope to the hopeless.
When we started we felt like we had been blessed with family, health, great jobs, food, and shelter. We had extra money so we started giving it away by purchasing food for others. We changed our lifestyle to make time for others a priority, sometimes that meant missing our own kids activities, but what kept us going was seeing the life transformation in others. As things continued to grow and as we tried to meet the needs of others, more and more of our time was needed. Amy quit her job to focus on Jesus Was Homeless more and I started spending more of my spare time preparing for upcoming events, Life Support Discussion Groups, financial bookwork and the things you just have to do as a non-profit.
In 2012, we added Gateway Branson Church full time, “church for people who don’t like church” to reach those that would not go to church because of their past, or their present or from feeling judged or that God was against them. Through this we have seen God do some amazing things. We have seen 23 people get baptized, many that were hopeless or in addiction or just didn’t know who God was. But having a church was consuming any other spare time we might have had. Our son is a freshman in high school and we don’t want to miss out on all his activities so after much prayer and consideration we feel God is calling us to Jesus Was Homeless full time.
Over the last 5 years I have had the privilege to work with a great team at CenturyLink and while it’s sad to say goodbye we know this is where we want to leave our fingerprints. As Christ followers we are not called to play it safe but to take risks for God and for those that are far from Him. Nevertheless, this is a HUGE leap of faith for us. As a non-profit we are dependent upon your donations and so we are asking you to take this leap of faith with us. It would be our honor for you to be a part of what God does through Jesus Was Homeless. Can we count on your continued support? Your financial donation of $35, $100, or $200 each month can make a difference in so many lives right here in our own backyard.
We wish you a very blessed Thanksgiving this season but ask that you also remember that there are broken, hurting and hopeless people all 12 months of the year. Push through being uncomfortable and serve those around you. Look past their mud and see the masterpiece that God created them to be. Join us in transforming lives into a new way of living and help us do it one meal at a time!
Grace and peace,
Bryan & Amy Stallings
There is still time to volunteer for this year’s “Love Your Neighbor’s” Thanksgiving Day Dinner. Just click the link above to get registered. But wait!…You don’t have to stop after the holidays. We have a HUGE need for volunteers to help with things like van maintenance, picking up food in Springfield, running our kitchen on Tuesday nights, helping with kids in our Tuesday and Sunday Kids Qwest program, becoming a Mentor/Champion in Jobs for Life, running sound and video on Tuesday or Sunday, driving a van and picking up our guests, and the list goes on and on. So if you want to continue to serve please, please let us know how we can use you.
For more information visit www.jesuswashomeless.org or call 417.335.9915.
We need the following items for our free thrift store:
Coats, Hats, Gloves, Blankets, New Socks,
Toilet Paper, Deodorant, Razors, Shaving Cream,
Shampoo, Tooth Paste & Tooth Brushes
(No clothing please)
You can drop items off at:
The CenturyLink store – 2001 Hwy 248
Comet Cleaners – 800 Hwy 248
Brokate Janitorial – 2005 W Hwy 76
Jesus Was Homeless – 2005 W Hwy 76
Turkey – Famous Dave’s BBQ
Stuffing – McFarlain’s Restaurant
Mashed Potatos & Gravy – (Still Available)
Green Beans – (Still Available)
Corn – (Still Available)
Cranberry Sauce – (Still Available)
Dinner Rolls – (Still Available)
Pumpkin Pies – A Wild Hair!
Whipped Cream – (Still Available)
Coffee & Tea – Our Lady of the Lake
Catholic Church