Stowe Mission of Central Ohio

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1 Volume 1, Issue 2 June 2013 Stowe Mission Board Members Clarence E. Mingo Darrel Gabbard Grady Evans Jim Dobbs Lu Ann Stoia Rusty Blades Sam Koons Joel Kovacs Michael Brooks Dr. Rich Halcombe Mission Statement Stowe Mission of Central Ohio is a Christ-focused inner-city ministry located in South Columbus. This ministry provides services for Central Ohio residents in need. Website Information Check our website to see how you can be involved with our ministry. To keep abreast of what is happing at Stowe Mission, you may want to sign up for monthly updates on the website. We would also welcome the opportunity to have you tour Stowe Mission. Just call to arrange a convenient time and date. Blessings, Michael Brooks, President/CEO Healing the inner-city physically, emotionally, and spiritually all in the name of Jesus Thoughts from Pastor Michael Brooks Special thanks to all who responded to our Stowe Mission Day in May. Your prayers, monetary donations, and volunteer hours are deeply appreciated more than words can say. Thanks for taking part in the mighty work God is doing in inner-city Columbus. The Lord will certainly bless you and yours. Pastor Michael & Janet Brooks In this issue: Thoughts from President/CEO - Page 1 Vision/Eye Clinic Page 2 Kroger Community Rewards Page 2 Children s Tutoring Ministry Page 3 Mobile Medical Clinic Page 4 Schedule of Services Page 4 Prayer Requests Page 4 SMCO Newsletter - Page 1

2 Vision/Eye Clinic Information The provides a Vision/Eye Clinic with three volunteer eye doctors (ophthalmologists/optometrists) serving twenty patients a month. Patients come to the Stowe Mission and complete application paperwork with the help of Earl Lintz the administrative coordinator. If needed, during this time Earl Lintz is able to assist patients by linking them with other available resources. These vision/eye services are provided to individuals who otherwise would not be able to afford to obtain eyeglasses. There are no restrictions on where people come from. Qualifying patients then see one of Stowe Mission of Central Ohio s eye doctors. The doctor will examine a patient and will write a prescription for eye glasses, if needed. Stowe Mission has a partnership with *Prevent Blindness Ohio s Vision Care Outreach Program. If a patient qualifies based on the current Federal Poverty Guidelines and does not have eye care insurance, Prevent Blindness Ohio will pay for eye glass frames and lenses. In order to make a Vision/Eye Clinic appointment, call , if no one answers, leave a phone number on the answering machine. Earl Lintz will return your call and set up an interview appointment. Vision/Eye Clinic P.O. Box Parsons Avenue Columbus, Ohio Call Fax stowemission@gmail.com President/CEO Michael Brooks *Prevent Blindness Ohio celebrates 50+ years as Ohio's leading volunteer nonprofit public health organization dedicated to preventing blindness and preserving sight. More information about this organization can be found at The Kroger Family of Stores is committed to bringing hope and help to local communities with its Community Rewards Program. If you shop at Kroger, 5% of your grocery bills can be donated to Stowe Mission of Central Ohio by Kroger (at no cost to you). Once you sign up, it s automatic, but don t forget you have to re-enroll each April for your Kroger Community Rewards to continue. Here is how to sign up: 1. Make sure you have your Kroger Plus Card handy then go to 2. Click on Community, then click on Kroger Community Rewards and follow the step by step directions for enrolling. 3. When asked, select Stowe Mission of Central Ohio - Organization # To support Stowe Mission, remember to swipe your Kroger Plus Card when shopping. The last lines at the bottom of your Kroger receipt will indicate your choice for Kroger to donate to the. SMCO Newsletter - Page 2

3 Tutoring Children Ministry by Janet Brooks Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15, NIV) The Stowe Tutoring Children Ministry meets on Monday evenings during the Columbus City Schools academic year. Missionary Janet Brooks directs this ministry. Janet says, This year has gone by so fast and the children have grown in many ways. We have had thirty-six students and as many as twenty-six tutors. The ideal ratio is one tutor per student. This year many of the tutors have had two students but have done excellent jobs helping them with homework, teaching Bible verses and mentoring. It is inevitable that people will be absent and students will get sick, but every week, God provides the right number of tutors for the number of kids we have. Every year, we have a writing contest that is meant to teach the students how to write a precise, grammatically correct, well-written paper as well as get their heartfelt ideas on paper. If they do not turn it in by the deadline, their paper will not be accepted. This is hard for some of the kids but it s a good learning experience for life. This year only five chose to participate. We are praying that more will give it a try next year. We give Visa gift cards for first, second and third prizes. First prize went to Karlie, a high school girl who wants to be a musician someday. She knows the value of education and has pulled up some pretty low grades this last semester. Second prize for high school went to two boys who wrote from their hearts about difficult situations at home. Neither boy has their birth father in his life. Praise God for the male tutors who are role models for them. Two elementary students received prizes for their papers on who they admire most. One wrote about his admiration for God and all that He has done for him. Another wrote about her mother who gives so much of herself to her kids in order to provide for them. A kindergarten student drew a beautiful picture and wrote part of a Bible verse. This is a wonderful chance to see into the lives of just a few of these kids - their struggles, desires, and disappointments. There are reasons they don t do well in school which go way beyond academics. In a system that teaches them they don t have to do good to pass and as long as they turn something in it will be accepted - even if the deadline is passed. The only kind of attention they get is when they are bad, so it is hard to teach them otherwise. But, here at Stowe Mission they are learning that when we actively seek God, we will find Him; God expects us to do our best, no matter what; and we don t always get what we want for free but we can (and should) be thankful for what we do receive. Thank you for your prayers for this program. Please begin praying even now concerning how you might be involved when school begins in the fall. Possibilities are: be a tutor, pray regularly, donate money or new items for our ticket night store, and donate refreshments, educational games, or books. Thank you especially for your prayers. God is in the business of changing lives and these children are too precious to be left to the world! If you would like to help with this ministry, please contact Janet Brooks at jbrooksjapan@gmail.com. SMCO Newsletter - Page 3

4 Mount Carmel Mobile Medical Coach For the past 27 years, Mount Carmel Community Outreach has been a vital part of Franklin County s healthcare safety net. The Mobile Medical Coach provides healthcare and referrals to uninsured and underinsured patients who have barriers to accessing healthcare and face challenges in daily living, including behavioral health concerns. The Mobile Coach, staffed with a family practice physician, a nurse practitioner, registered nurses, medical technicians, bilingual case workers and administrative support, visits ten sites in central Ohio on a rotating schedule. Additionally, Mount Carmel Outreach also partners with Southeast, Inc. to provide mental health services on site to those with no health insurance. Mobile Coach Clinic sites are strategically located in areas of greatest need across Columbus. The Mount Carmel Mobile Medical Coach visits the on the first and third Mondays of the month from 12:00 noon until 3:00 PM. Patients are treated on a first come, first served basis. Schedule of Services Sundays Stowe Mission Chapel Bible Study 9:30 AM Worship Service 11:00 AM (Nursery Provided) Wednesday Bible Study 6:00 PM Sunday Afternoons - Laotian Baptist Mission 1:00 PM Thursdays Fresh Start 6:00 8:00 PM Community/Soup Kitchen Monday through Friday - 11:00 12:30 PM Food Pantry operated by the Salvation Army Monday Friday 9:00 12:00 noon (food appointments only) 1:00 3:30 PM (all other appointments) Vacation Bible School Colossal Coaster World Date: July 8 11, Time: 6:00 8:00 PM Family Dinner served 5:00 6:00 PM Sponsored by: Dublin Baptist Church Prayer Requests Community Kitchen Pray for new volunteers as some who have been serving many years find it more difficult to come and for lives to be changed through the witness of the Holy Spirit through the volunteers. Dental and Vision Clinics Pray that all of those who come to the clinics in need, not only receive physical help, but spiritual help as well. Metro Columbus Christian Job Corps Pray for the men and women who God desires to touch through this program, for their courage to step up and ask for help, and then the persistence to continue to grow in and through the program. SMCO Newsletter Information If you have news or items of interest you would like to have included in this newsletter, please Sandy Wanner at sandystowemission@gmail.com SMCO Newsletter - Page 4

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