Volunteering

Dr. Terry Goodwin and missionary Jason Calahan with a group of volunteers after a long day's work.

Sun Ministries has hosted many work groups over the years, and we hope to continue that. It helps us with the heavy lifting (there's plenty of that) and it allows other people to see what we're here. It's been our goal since the beginning to be sure to communicate to volunteers the meaning of their work with us. We don't want anyone going home thinking they moved some heavy stuff. This is why we intentionally make time to discuss the vision of Sun Ministries, and testify as to how God built this from nothing. Just seven years ago, He called a few people out of their fruitless lives and into the inner cities. From that, He's led us into starting 5 businesses, rehabbing 3 buildings (with 10 in the works), as well as bringing employment, opportunity, and stability to many people. When volunteers come, we want them to understand that they are joining in a work that God is doing, and that there is a spiritual impact to every bit of effort.

Did I mention there was heavy lifting?

 We have a unique advantage, because we have the ability to feed and house volunteer groups. We also have teaching that we provide that we feel is vital for understanding what God is doing here, as well as a group of musicians to play songs that coincide with our discussions. And because we are engaged in such a wide variety of work, we can utilize almost anyone, from unskilled to trained, certified professionals.

Dr. Terry Goodwin sharing some lessons of urban ministry before we get to work

Because we have clear goals for involving others in this work, we engage volunteers in one of four ways: 1) Planned Partnerships, 2) Scheduled work days, 3) Work groups, and 4) Utilizing skilled workers

Planned Partnerships

We want groups such as churches, colleges, or civic groups to interact with us. We understand that we are on the front lines of a very progressive and unique work that is addressing longstanding social problems. We are approached by many groups that want to come and see what is happening in Hyde Park. We want our interactions to be beneficial to both our work and your group. If you have a desire to come and work with us or learn from us, we require your group's leadership to attend a planning meeting with us. Together we can best work out an interaction that accomplishes our goals and benefits both groups.

Work Days

We host several work days throughout the year. Anyone over 18 is welcome to sign up and attend these work days. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Medical and liability release forms as well as a photo release is required of all work group participants. Scheduled dates will be on the website and facebook page. Sign up is by email (terry@sunministries.org) or phone (636-544-2151).

Some volunteers clear debris from a rehab property

Work Groups

Our goal with hosting work groups is to help people understand the great work that God is doing in our midst. We can host work groups for one day up to multiple weeks. As part of hosting a work group, we include educational sessions in our day. Our staff will supply speakers, training, and music for your group. We supply meals from Sun Cafe at a reasonable cost. We will work out a trip plan as well as a lan to take home what you learn and apply it to your own community. We do not work with third party organizations that arrange trips for others. We only work directly with the leadership that is bringing the group. We have lodging facilities for up to 20 people.

Some professional bricklayers instruct our missionaries in brick repair

Skilled Workers

We have a great need for training and assistance in our work. If you are a person with a skill such as plumbing, electrical, construction, accounting, graphic design, etc., we need your help. Please contact our Executive Director, Dr. Terry M. Goodwin, and arrange to meet and discuss the many ways we can use your help at your convenience.

To volunteer with us, please inquire by phone or email. Call Terry at 636-544-2151. Stay connected through our facebook page.

To learn about some of our past works involving volunteers, follow the links below

Cleaning Windsor Park

Bremen Theater

Neighborhood Christmas Party

Board Up Hyde Park

Urban Gardening

Marine Week

Hyde Park Festival and again in 2012

Visitors from Tulsa

Clean up with Refuge Youth Group

B.U.M.P. Ministries

Ballwin Baptist Church Fall Retreat

Interview with Jessamyn

This year, we hope to host many events at Sun Cafe, including concerts, poetry readings, community groups, and presentations. Last year we did a "Summer Concert Series". This year, we're starting early and hoping to get more events and more patrons to each event. We already have two concerts and a poetry reading scheduled, as well as Dr. Terry Goodwin's "Tuesdays With Terry". We also hosted "Coffee with a Cop" last week.

Our first musical guest is Jessamyn, a singer-songwriter from south St. Louis, playing Friday, February 19 at 6PM. You can find out more about her at http://jessamynmusic.com/, or listen to and download (for free!) her ep, "Songs of the Living", here: http://www.noisetrade.com/Jessamyn/songs-of-the-living

We asked her a few questions about the motivations behind the music. Here's what she had to say.

Why do you make music?
I think I make music because it is an art form that transcends words. Though I make music that is accompanied by words, there is usually something I am trying to communicate that is bigger than the words themselves or that is hard to put into words. My theory is that words correspond to the intellectual/discursive part of us and that melody corresponds to the emotional part of us. Songwriting, I think, is an art form that tries to bring the two together.

What do you most often express through your music and why?
Wordsworth said that “all good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.” I think that’s what I most often express through my music—“the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.” The feelings, though, are not just random emotions or mood swings…they are the kind of feelings that accompany truth, insight, or some kind of revelation.

What do you hope to accomplish with your expressions, if anything?
I hope that, by being honest and thoughtful, and by hopefully creating something of beauty, I will connect with people on a deep level through music.

How do faith and creative expression intersect for you?
I think creative expression, like faith, requires honesty, humility, discipline, a willingness to take steps into the unknown, and a willingness to be vulnerable.

Have your own expressions, or those of others, helped you heal, know truth, know God, know yourself, etc.? Elaborate.
Yes, all of the above, I think. Certainly creative expression has brought me healing and relief. Songwriting often feels like a kind of breakthrough—being able to put into words and melody the truth that God has been trying to communicate to me.


Come and listen on Friday, February 19 at Sun Cafe, located at 1435 Salisbury, St. Louis, MO.

Isaiah 61 Initiative, pt. 6: What is the Isaiah 61 Initiative?

We've spent the last few weeks discussing Isaiah 61, the scripture that inspired the Isaiah 61 Initiative. So what is the Isaiah 61 Initiative anyway? It's sort of a big picture thing, so we'll start with the vision.

Vision

To declare God’s Glory through the spiritual renewal and physical restoration of the people and the land of America starting in the most desperate areas of our major cities.

Mission

To call for and facilitate a major missionary movement back to the devastated areas of our inner cities to establish homes and businesses, restore the land, and serve the people living there with the love of Jesus Christ.

The Isaiah 61 Initiative

Sun Ministries launched this nationwide effort to rebuild America's most devastated inner cities in 2009, starting in north St. Louis, Missouri. This aggressive initiative utilizes three main components (Leadership Center, Opportunity Center, Narrow Gate), along with some creative community engagement and use of resources, to solve problems that have plagued these areas for generations. By training and relocating young missionaries to live and work in these areas we will rebuild the decaying structures, minister to the neediest residents and make a generational impact.

So how do we actually do that? How does it work?

We will break down the three components in future blogs, but let's cover some big picture purposes here:

The Leadership Center

The Leadership Center trains and equips people for this work – primarily missionaries. The important aspect of this is that missionaries live and work in the neighborhoods where they minister. They are personally invested because it is their neighborhood, too. They walk the same streets, breathe the same air, hear the same gunshots, etc. They interact with other institutions as members of the community instead of as temporary outsiders. Furthermore, they do all of this without pay. Missionaries have basic needs met, and live meager lifestyles. This does two things. It puts the maximum amount of our resources towards our mission. It also prevents us from being motivated by money.

The Opportunity Center

This is essentially the business/employment aspect of the ministry. The businesses provide for the ministry, so that we can achieve financial sustainability. We work with our hands and lead a quiet life, gaining skills we can teach to others, and providing employment environments for people needing to turn their lives around.

The Narrow Gate

This is our approach to life change. It addresses major obstacles, with the goal being a transformed person. We lead people to the opportunities for owning a vehicle and a home. We provide housing as available and as needed. This is also the aspect that provides housing for missionaries. Our missionaries continue to move out into the community in their own homes.

Those three components work in concert to not only address an individual's problems, but the obstacles that weigh down an entire community. We call this approach, “Pastoring the Community.”

Pastoring the Community

What does it take to pastor a community? It takes faith, hard work, commitment, self-sacrifice, and more. It takes people willing to serve others. We pray, serve, assist, support, and give. We use what God has given us physically, spiritually, and materially and dedicate it to serving others. We preserve what is decaying. We inspire what has been discouraged. We challenge what has been unmotivated. We provide where we are able. We empower what has been hindered. We rebuild what has been broken down. We revive those that have become faint at heart. We restore the Spirit of God to mankind through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Because the issues facing communities are complex and longstanding, we have to get outside the box in every area. We have to be humble, flexible, and patient. Poverty is not simply a lack of money. Racism is not simply judgmental people. Violence is not solved by arrests. We interact with people and institutions in nearly every social realm: politicians, educators, police, churches, non-profits, residents, etc.

Pastoring the Community requires us to stand against evil. We are agents of reconciliation sent to serve and defend the defenseless. We build up the defenseless. We equip people to stand alone but teach them to always stand together. Pastoring the Community requires us to give up our rights to and ownership of the resources God provides for us. We Pastor the Community best when we stand as good stewards of that which we can never take with us.

The Isaiah 61 Initiative is the real life expression of what it means to Pastor the Community. It is the answer to the call that is essentially God's pattern for life. God demonstrates, teaches, and commands sacrificial love to restore the broken. No issue will be solved simply, so He has led us into a diverse and challenging approach to live, minister, and engage serious problems.

What is Tuesdays With Terry?

This previous Tuesday, we starting hosting teaching sessions at Sun Cafe, where Dr. Terry Goodwin, the founder and executive director of Sun Ministries, will be sharing some of the philosophy and principles of how we minister.

We are convinced that God has called us here, into this work, and that He has been building it faithfully. He has challenged us, broken us, healed us, enlightened us, and opened our eyes to things we never would have thought were real. The problems that He is addressing through our work are physical and spiritual, secular and religious, societal, cultural, relational, etc. While we know we don't have all the answers, we realize that there are some unique things going on here.

Most importantly, all the work and activity of Sun Ministries started in a spiritual place, and was borne out of a relationship with a real living God. The way we live our faith has become bigger and more real since the start of our work.

We know that not everyone is called to the same work. But we are convinced that what God has taught us here can be reproduced in other communities, so we want to share them with you. These are biblical principles that have come to life as we've walked them out in ministry and community. Here is the schedule for the remaining sessions:

Tuesdays at Sun Cafe, 6-8PM

February 9 – The Basics of Making Disciples

February 16 – Spiritual Disciplines

February 23 – Pastoring the Community

March 1 – Planting Faith Communities in a Post-Modern World

Please email terry@sunministries.org to register.

Isaiah 61 Initiative, pt. 5: Rebuild

Ruined cities. We see them every day. On our drives to work. On the news. In political debates, infographics, and non-profit agendas. “Urban missions” is a growing trend, and has become a focus of study at many Christian colleges. It's obvious there is a problem, and that the problem is very old.

The Isaiah 61 Initiative was born several years ago at a disciple-making training. During a break, God started revealing different scriptures to people. When they reconvened, they shared what God had laid on their hearts, and it all pointed to Isaiah 61, to the ruined cities. This is why we know we are called to the inner cities of America.

Of course, we know that this is not merely a physical call. Yes, there are physical ruins that need rebuilt, and we are doing that by rehabbing and utilizing commercial and residential spaces. But what about the spiritual desolations of many generations? It is no secret that in America today there are deep wounds left by generations of abuse, neglect, prejudice, apathy, racism, and a multitude of other forms of division. The church has found itself on both sides of these divisions, being the pioneers into dark places, as well as those ridiculing or ignoring cries for help.

The problem with ancient ruins is that they are ancient. They didn't develop overnight, and they won't be alleviated that way. Many of the buildings are crumbling after decades of neglect. Windows are broken. Roofs are failing. Mortar is worn away from the joints between bricks. And this goes on for block after block, mile after mile of many inner-cities in America. It's been this way, to some degree, since the late 50's, as white-flight and the shift in domestic industry forever changed the “urban core”.

And yet this is just the physical side of the devastation. People, too, have been worn away over the decades. They have inherited heavy burdens of pain and distrust. They have been wounded. Not only that, but the Gospel itself has been twisted in the modern landscape. The focus has shifted to saying a prayer and getting into heaven, or simply attaining abundant physical blessings in this world. It has been intellectualized, marketed, programmed, diffused, and contextualized into every new popular movie franchise. Church buildings lay in ruins right next to boarded up two-family flats. Jesus was anointed with the Spirit and sent to proclaim good news to the poor for so much more than that, and so were you. There is a power in the Gospel, in the Spirit of the Living God, to enter into these ruins and begin the hard work of rebuilding. But it is a power that must be taken up, much like a cross, and carried. The mission of Isaiah 61 must be done, walked out. This requires you to lay down your own life and be willing to come alongside other people

The most amazing thing about this verse, however, is who is doing the rebuilding. Let's review the passage, starting at the beginning:

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners; To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD and the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, to grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified. Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, they will raise up the former devastations; And they will repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations. [Isa 61:1-4 NASB]”

It is, in fact, those who have been transformed who will be doing the rebuilding. They have received the good news; they have been healed, set free, and comforted; they have exchanged their despair for rejoicing; and they are now a mighty oak, glorifying God. And now that they have been “rebuilt”, they will go and repair the ruined cities. This is glorious. This is redemption. This is what Jesus came for. It is the end result of the good news He brings.

Isaiah 61 Initiative, pt. 4: Oaks of Righteousness

Why do you minister?

Are you involved in ministry? What does it look like? What were your motivations? What are your goals?

These are important questions for anyone feeling called to help others, in any capacity. These questions are directed at the core of our ego, our expectations, our desires, and our sense of worth.

This is a touchy subject because as humans, we all have emotional needs. These were created by God, and in His Kingdom, they should be perfectly met. However, we live in the world, where people sin and fail, and we all are subject to the thorns that have filled the land. Recovering from those wounds takes intentionality and time, and ultimately, surrender to God.

Isaiah 61 is a promise of healing and transformation, which is why we stressed that this work must start in ourselves before we could ever hope to walk it out into the hurting world. And as we, and those to whom we minister, receive this healing, we become something glorious. Oaks of righteousness. To our modern ears, this sounds silly. We're well-behaved trees? What does this even mean? There is a theme of trees in prophetic imagery throughout the Bible, but to simplify things, step outside and observe an oak. They are tall, strong, and rise above their surroundings. They produce an abundance of fruit (in the form of acorns) and house all sorts of animals. They beautify the landscape and fortify the ground. All in all, they are good and wonderful things.

But we're not talking about trees; we're talking about people. And in the end, we're not talking about people, we're talking about God. “...that He may be glorified.” God anoints a servant with His spirit, sends the servant to proclaim good news and grant blessings, so that the recipients may be transformed into oaks of righteousness. However, they are a “planting of the LORD.” He is the one planting and growing the trees, and He is the one who receives the glory. There are alternate readings of this verse, however the bottom line remains: God grows and God receives the glory.

And this is why we started with the question, “why do you minister?” Isaiah 61 is a work of God, and not a work of man's strength. And the end result is transformation of others and the glorification of God. You should not seek to minister for the purposes of status, personal fulfillment, experience, meaning, or any other goal that points towards you. Doing so is toiling in our strength, and will not produce much fruit. God works, and calls us to take part in it. We should hunger for the things God is doing, and like the worker in Proverbs, it will be for our good: “A worker's appetite works for him, for his hunger urges him on [Proverbs 16:26 NASB].” If our hunger is for our own fulfillment, it will urge us on towards endless striving.

It is so much better to desire God, and hunger to be where He is, to do the work He is doing, and to embrace the privilege of getting to wonder at the glorious oaks growing up around you.

A Fitting Encounter

     January 18th. Martin Luther King Jr. day. A day when the people of this nation remember the great struggles that have taken place on the battle front of racism. Many have lost their lives on that front and still do to this day. St. Louis stands as notably one of the most divided cities in the country, and as of late has been a hot bed for racial tension and violence.
     Where is this tension coming from? How did St. Louis, as well as many other major cities, end up in the condition it is currently in? What are the spiritual roots and impacts of the racism and oppression in these areas?
     These were the topics of discussion when we were visited by a group from Richmond, Virginia this week from the local YWAM chapter there. They set out on a trip across country with the goal of understanding, exploring and waging spiritual warfare against this longstanding racism that runs deep in our nation. They paid a visit to some of the key landmarks having to do with division and reconciliation in this area and we were able to share with them some of our experiences and struggles with overcoming the barriers of racism in our own ministry. We invited the group to watch the film "The Pruitt Igoe Myth" and open their eyes to some of the foundations of this generations old feud. I'm glad we were able to share this time with them and I hope that God continues to bless their search for reconciliation.


~Mark

Isaiah 61 Initiative, pt 3: Instead of Ashes

Transformation.

This is a common topic when discussing the Gospel or ministry. But it is not the byproduct of activity, service trips, bible study, or institutions. It doesn't “just happen”.

This verse of Isaiah 61 shows purpose and direction. Why did God give His Spirit? Why is He bringing favor and vengeance? The servant is being sent with a purpose. These are essentially the marching orders of the one who is accepting the mission of Isaiah 61.

Remember that these were the words Jesus quoted at the start of His ministry, and declared they were being fulfilled. This was His mission. And because it was His mission, it should be ours, for we are His disciples, and we should be like Him and walk the way He did.

However, has this happened to you? Have you received a garland instead of ashes, gladness instead of mourning, praise instead of fainting? Have you been transformed from a state of hopelessness to one of healing? If not, do not despair. This doesn't mean you are bad person, or unloved by God, or worthless. It simply means you need to pursue Jesus and ask for healing, ask to receive His Spirit. Like we mentioned before, the work of Isaiah 61 starts with ourselves first, so that we can be healed and transformed, and then empowered to go and repeat the works of ministry we've received.

But the bigger picture is that this is what God is doing. That He sent His Son to do it. And that His Son has a Body – the Church. As the Body of Christ, we should be doing the work of Christ. His hands should be working, His feet moving, His heart beating, His ears listening, His eyes seeking, and His mouth proclaiming. For some strange reason, God has decided to do so many things THROUGH His people, the Body of His Son. So the next time you ask Jesus to do something, remember that you might be the part of His Body that He tells to do it.

This theme of transformation is recurrent in scripture. You could phrase it as “from fasting to feasting”. Despair to rejoicing. Brokenness to healing. Desolation to habitation. Drought and famine to flowing streams and abundance. Transformation is what God does.

We are convinced this is the thing God is doing today. He is sending His Spirit on His servants, the different parts of the Body of Christ, to free captives and grant to them transformation, through these blessings: celebration, gladness, praise. They are proclaiming freedom and pointing people to what is beyond their misery and despair. Again, this is not a byproduct. It is accomplished through obedience to the Spirit, through work, through selfless and costly acts of love. Through this the Body really comes alive, as all the members get filled with blood, the joints begin to move and pull on each other, the muscles are worked and stretched, the heart and lungs grow stronger, and the feet become swifter. This Body becomes a real living organism, and accomplishes real ministry, which is the goal of Isaiah 61.

Isaiah 61 Initiative, pt 2: Vengeance

Few people like to talk about vengeance. As good Christians, we are to forgive, and let God repay. We would rather speak of justice. However, so many people's idea of justice is self-centered. Justice for whom, from whom, upon whom? Is justice having things fair for yourself? Is justice receiving the punishment for your sins? Is justice grace? Is your idea of justice the same as God's?

We are continuing our discussion of Isaiah chapter 61, which has inspired the Isaiah 61 Initiative, the name we've given to the work God has led us to in America's inner cities. Let's look now at verse two:

“[He has sent me] to proclaim the favorable year of the LORD and the day of vengeance of our God.”

NASB

So even though we might not like the word vengeance, here God is anointing people to go proclaim it. Jesus stops short of this line when He quotes the verse in Luke chapter 4. Is Jesus shying away from vengeance? A quick reading of His teachings would say no, He doesn't. So why stop? Maybe it wasn't time then. His work was the favorable year, the culmination of the ages when the Holy Spirit was returning to man, and anointing and empowering them to go and do the works of ministry found here in Isaiah 61. The NLT translation gives a little clarity:

“He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the LORD's favor has come, and with it, the day of God's anger against their enemies.”

So this isn't just blanket vengeance, it is upon the enemies of the mourners. This is a part of Isaiah 61 that we didn't understand until recently. God's heart is continuously for the afflicted, poor, brokenhearted, aliens, neglected. The Law of the Old Testament had numerous instruction for how to care for these people. In the New Testament, there is ample exhortation concerning loving our neighbors and enemies. This hasn't changed. The whole point of Isaiah 61, and therefore Jesus' mission (since He quoted it, saying, “today this scripture has been fulfilled), is to bring good news to the afflicted, to heal them, and set them free.

This continues to this very day. God is looking to the oppressed and marginalized, sending His Spirit upon people to go and care for them, and bringing vengeance upon their enemies.

Let's back up. The year of favor is easier to take in and discuss. All the good works of Jesus, the gift of the Holy Spirit, this new life, forgiveness of sins, the Kingdom here, now, in our midst. And a way for all the people of the earth to come and know God. However, further than that, it is this mission that Isaiah 61 is presenting. “Fear not, afflicted, poor, and imprisoned. I am sending My Spirit to you, through my servants, to heal and set free.” These are all good and commendable things.  We like them.

So how does a minister of the mission of Isaiah 61 proclaim the day of vengeance of our God?

This is where things get uncomfortable.

Race. Class. Xenophobia. Pride. Comfort. Division. Standard of living. Escapism. Neglect. Insulation. Apathy. Corruption. Abuse of power. Faith without works.

God is shining light on dark, neglected and abused places. In doing so, He is tearing open long-hidden wounds and revealing secret sins. He is calling His people to live by the customs of the Kingdom, not the ways of the world. And one does this by laying down one's life, denying one's rights, and ridding oneself of expectations. And then going to the afflicted and serving. This is exactly what Jesus did. It is what He calls us to do. It is the mission of Isaiah 61.

Do not be mistaken. This is not a trendy call to social justice. Remember, your definition of justice may not be God's, and may have more in common with the world's definition. In being separate from the world, we have to realign our values with God's. Also, notice to whom the servant should be proclaiming: to those who mourn. “Take heart! God's favor is coming! And He is bringing vengeance upon your enemies!” And yet this isn't a vague, empty promise. As priests, we should be testifying to the works of God, and teaching people the difference between the holy and the profane. As we are serving and ministering, and watching God working, we should be communicating this to people, so they will know who God is and what He is like.

Have you witnessed this work of God in your own life? Have you witnessed it in the world around you?

Isaiah 61 is about good news and good works. Proclaim.   

Opportunity Center - An Arts & Technology Center in Hyde Park

Informational Meeting

Tuesday January 12, 2016 at 6:30pm.Hosted by Sun Cafe 1435 Salisbury Street St. Louis, Mo. 63107

Please join us as we present our plans for expanding our work in the Hyde Park neighborhood. This informational meeting will present our 2016 projects to the public. Light refreshments will be provided. Please sign up on our Facebook event page or email terry@sunministries.org with your plans to attend. Seating is limited.

Isaiah 61 Initiative, pt. 1: Good News

Sun Ministries is a missions organization. We seek to facilitate the training and relocation of missionaries to America's inner cities, in order to plant faith communities. Not churches, programs, or communes, these faith communities are just that – communities of believers living out their faith in real and active ministry. Our missionaries are taught to pastor their communities as they live and work in neighborhoods for healing and restoration.

We call this work the Isaiah 61 Initiative. We've been inspired by the words of Isaiah chapter 61. The next few blogs will explore these words and what they mean to us.

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners...”  Isaiah 61:1

These are the opening lines of Isaiah 61. These are the same words Jesus quoted at the start of His ministry, as recorded in Luke chapter 4. This was Jesus' mission. He is saying, “This is why I'm here.” We believe that Jesus' followers are called to this same mission. We believe the Spirit of the Lord is upon each of us to bring good news - good news of healing and freedom.

This first requires our own healing and freedom. We do not feel you can effectively minister to hurting people if you don't know your own pain, and have freedom from it. You can't lead someone to freedom if you continue to sit in prison. Overcoming this can be hard, and impossible on your own. Many today are held captive by pain, pride, fear, ignorance, or even traditions and ways of the world that set us on a course of activity or accomplishments that never see true ministry. We must become humble servants, willing to seek truth that frees us, so that we can follow our Lord to spread good news. These are the ministers that can take on the mission of Isaiah 61.

For us, this is the heart of ministry. The physical needs we can supply are good and necessary. But Jesus didn't come to bring us jobs and food. He came to set captives free and bind up the brokenhearted. All the programs and resources and opportunity can become meaningless if a person never receives healing, or if they are never told that they have been set free. And as we have been healed and set free, we can now come alongside others and share this good news.

10 Year Anniversary

2016 marks the 10th anniversary of Sun Ministries. We haven't used this BLOG much since we started our FaceBook page in 2013. It appeared to be a better format to engage people. We could see response and interact faster. What is lacking there is a format to discuss the deeper truths we see God teaching us here.

We have moved past proof of concept on our movement of inner city renewal and reformation. We are operating 5 businesses, own 10 properties, have 8 missionaries and are ready to expand all of our services in 2016.

This page will be utilized for communicating the more complicated things. You can follow this page for much more in the coming year. Here is to another 10 years and beyond!

Getting Online

We are finally getting our products online. Square recently opened the Square Market and made it easy for us. We will not sell everything online and we will not undercut our retail partners. The best place to purchase our products, when available, is through a retail partner. These are found on our web site.

The simple truth is that the majority of the country is not near a retail partner. We have no retail partners for our repurposed pallet wood products. Square Market will help us to expand our sales to areas we do not currently serve and through products we have never offered outside our local area.

Every purchase helps fund our work, bring employment and training to those who need it most, and is good for the environment as we make most things completely from repurposed materials.

Please take a few minutes and visit our market. https://squareup.com/market/sun-ministries

CoffeeFest Chicago

A team from Sun Ministries recently attended the CoffeeFest show in Chicago. We went to display our products and improve our distribution. We were able to meet a lot of really nice people that are very interested in using their businesses as tools to help those who may be less fortunate. We came away from the show with several new retail partners.

One of the most exciting things for us is finally getting exposure for our Coffee Bean jewelry. This item has the potential to change lives. As we increase our sales on these stylish pieces, we can offer hope to single moms that are stuck in the welfare trap. We can train a person in a few hours. We can supply them with the tools and materials for about $100.00. They can work at home from their kitchen table and make extra money while the kids are in bed. This requires no daycare, no transportation, and brings an extra source of income that will offer them choices for their future.

We are excited to have made the step up to promoting at this type of trade show. We have already booked our booth space for the next show in Seattle this October. We also reserved space for the show in St. Louis next June.

If you would like more information on how to partner with us you can call us at 636-544-2151.

Firming Up the Foundation

2013 has been all about firming up the foundation. We have located help for construction and a couple to run the opportunity Center. We have hired our first Narrow Gate participants and a neighborhood teen. We are scheduled to attend CoffeeFest with our coffee bag products. We hope to gain national sales exposure at this event. We are nearing completion on the Narrow Gate apartments. We have the keys to the cafe and painting has begun. The plan continues to unfold before our eyes.

We have added 10 new disciples in March. We have interns coming for the summer. The wood shop is getting organized and our product lines are coming together. As we finish some of these projects we turn our attention to the next steps of building. We look to train the next generation of disciples. We focus on building more sales to support more jobs. We are ready to add housing support for those that wish to join this work.

We have already hosted over 30 people at the leadership center this year.We have over 75 more scheduled for April. As we continue to host work groups and mission camps we see them working together to complete the work and recruit more laborers. As these projects launch we can turn our attention to the Mission Store and Narrow Gate Training Center. We can complete the Opportunity Garage and Community Development Center. Our goal is to have houses under rehab for all of our existing missionaries by year end.

If we can accomplish our goals and God continues to bless the work of our hands we will set our sights on a major addition to our efforts that will take place out of the city. We plan to have a farm. This will allow us to raise food for our missionaries and cafe. We will use it to help us train, refresh, and relocate people in great need away from bad situations. We will also begin a phase of upgrades to our facilities. We are making plans to become energy self-sufficient in our buildings. It may not be possible to get completely off the grid but we will try our best. This challenge is huge as we sit in the urban core and have the extra restrictions of a historic district designation.

Our idea of a firm foundation is to lower our cost of operation so we can use our resources to rebuild lives and the community. If you would like to help in any way please contact us for more information.

Looking Back, Looking Forward

Again, a long time has passed since an update. And again, it is because we have been busy. Christmas season was full of activity, and this year started out with a bang. So here is a bit of a summary.

Christmas Happenings

Our glad carolers, on the porch of the Leadership center

We enjoy serving our community around Christmas. This was our fourth Christmas season in the Hyde Park neighborhood. This year, we again volunteered at the Third Ward Christmas Party, helped bag up food for the needy, and helped deliver food to a retirement home. We also went caroling around the neighborhood and had a great time. We had a few people join us, including the alderman's family. We love caroling because it brings joy and hope to the area. So many people were surprised to see a bunch of people singing down the streets.

January Work Explosion

Dr. Terry Goodwin talks to a youth group from First Baptist O'Fallon about spiritual disciplines



Last year, we had over 250 volunteers, with work groups coming from Tulsa, Wichita, and various places in Missouri and Illinois. We hosted a mission tour, a fall retreat, and numerous youth groups. This year, we've already had nearly 40 volunteers come through, with 4 groups scheduled for March. All these workers have accelerated everything so much. Extra hands are always welcome and needed with so much work before us, and it was a special blessing to have some really skilled people come through, including a contractor, plumber, and electrician. Not only does that help us overcome tasks that seem daunting or impossible, it increases our skill set and understanding so we can continue plugging forward. So far this year, one of our buildings got plumbed, MUCH drywall got hung, and the attic at the Leadership Center is almost completely finished. That space will increase our capacity in so many ways. We'll be able to host groups more comfortably, we'll have room for training and teaching, and our band, Reformation Sound, will have a place to practice!



the attic, before



the attic, after drywall and painting.  Almost done!

We love hosting work groups. We usually take time to communicate to our visitors the importance of the work. We don't want them going away thinking they got dirty and moved heavy stuff. We want them to walk away knowing that they took part in a work that God is doing, that they accelerated everything going on here. We also share testimonies, sing songs, and usually present teaching for them to take back to their own communities.

Moving Forward

We have been in Hyde Park since 2009, and have had a working facility here since May of 2010. Today, we have 5 properties, including our original building, the Opportunity Center, and our house, the Leadership Center. We have tried different things and learned a bunch. We feel we are close to having a very good foundation for bringing real renewal to the inner-cities of America. With so much work being accomplished so quickly, and better tools and material goods being donated and acquired, we feel confident that 2013 will be a very dynamic year. In just the past two months, we have encountered exciting opportunities and have progressed greatly in our understanding of how to minister and let God build. Our new projects will be covered in more detail later on, but they include ways to increase our creativity and sustainability, our (re)use of resources, and our ability to bring empowerment, encouragement, and employment to those who need it.

So coming up in the next few months, besides hosting many work groups, we will be opening a cafe, developing new products, and having great opportunities to cast vision. We will be displaying products at 4 craft shows, and will continue to communicate the possibility of people becoming interns or missionaries.

If you are interested in volunteering or bringing a work group down, you can contact Mark at mark@sunministries.org

If you are interested in becoming a summer intern or learning more about becoming a missionary, you can contact Dr. Terry Goodwin at terry@sunministries.org

If you have tools or material goods that you'd like to donate, you can contact either one of them.

Laborers!!!

work!

It has been a long time since an update...mostly because we have been rather busy. Recently we had many friends and visitors in the Leadership Center helping out with all our work. One was the youth group from Ballwin Baptist Church. They came to the Leadership Center for their fall retreat. About 20 young men and women stayed overnight in our attic and spare couches. We shared teachings, testimonies and songs.

Youth leader Sam Tunnell (right) moves some cinder blocks

Youth leader Samuel Tunnell first met us three years ago as a student at Lindenwood University. He came with a group of students to help pick up trash. Now, as a youth leader, he's been bringing his youth group and friends down to volunteer in our work. They even helped us with the Hyde Park Festival.

They all arrived Friday evening. We hung out in the backyard around a fire and Dr. Terry Goodwin, our executive director, shared with them some teaching about spiritual disciplines. The next day, we all went over to the future Opportunity Garage, where they moved a massive amount of trash and did some tuckpointing.

Some kids remove staples from the used table tops that will go into the Sun Cafe

At lunch, some of our missionaries spoke about the importance of prayer in our work (prayer was their focus for this retreat), and then we went back to work for a few hours.  We also spoke to the kids about the opportunity to become an intern with Sun Ministries, and a few expressed interest.

Tuckpointing!!!

We are grateful to receive so much help. Each time a group of workers comes through, it accelerates this work that God is doing. If you are interested in bringing a work group in, contact Mark Goodwin at mark@sunministries.org.

Hyde Park Festival: Sept 8 2012

We are all so excited about this year's Hyde Park Festival. It's so crazy that we first got involved by simply serving 3 years ago, and now this year we are organizing and sponsoring the Festival.  We've been planning since last year, and have been trying to get as many people on board as possible. We've got some great stuff lined up for the festival, including free kids' games, great music, door prizes, excellent food, and other fun stuff. The festival will be Saturday, September 8, 10am-8pm in Hyde Park, which is just 2 blocks off I-70 at the Salisbury exit. You can also check out the Hyde Park Festival website.  Here's a rundown of what to expect this year.

All day music!!!

We've got a great lineup, including bluegrass, hip-hop, soul, and acoustic. Headlining is GRITS, Dove Award-winning national hip-hop duo!

Cumberland Gap Band

Performing at 10:30AM

Since the beginning Cumberland Gap has stayed true to its roots. Their acoustic renditions of classic folk, blues, and bluegrass along with their inspired list of original songs have gained a steadily growing enthusiastic audience. They were named as the best bluegrass band in St. Louis by the Riverfront Times in 2004 and again in 2009. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch named Cumberland Gap one of the "17 local bands you ought to know about" and had this to say about their live shows: "With their three-part harmonies soaring over strong, inspired string work, Cumberland Gap captures the soulful, upbeat side of American folk and bluegrass."

Reformation Sound

Performing at 1:00PM

This is our band. Made entirely of Sun Ministries missionaries, who are also all residents of Hyde Park. Features an interesting blend of guitar, banjo, hand drums, bass, dulcimer, and many voices. We write music to testify to what God is doing. Our sound is somewhere in the mix of folk, indie, rock, with occasionally a bit of blues.

Andre Williams

http://www.dre-dre.com/

Performing mid afternoon

Excellent jazz, soul, gospel, etc. Remarkable musicians, and great friends of us here at Sun Ministries. Andre can shred with the best of them, and has a fantastic falsetto.

Bingham Family

Performing mid afternoon

Soul and gospel

Commission Heirs

Performing mid afternoon

These guys are committed to using the gift that God gave them. They refer to it as "flip-hop", because they used to use it for the things of the world, but now they've turned it around and are preaching the gospel through rap. They are not full-time performers, as they are balancing their music in the midst of lives spent following God.

GRITS

Performing at 6:00PM

A personal favorite of many of us at Sun Ministries. Fantastic hip-hop duo from Nashville, recording since 1995. They've won several Dove awards, have songs on many soundtracks, and have toured extensively.

Free Kids' Games provided by Life is Good

Last year, Jake's on Main in St. Charles, MO lent us the games used for the Life is Good festival. They're letting us use them again this year. The games are free, and we've got some great prizes.

Historic Walking Tour

historic Divoll branch Library

Hyde Park is a registered historic district.  There is fantastic brickwork and architecture.  Most of the buildings are over 100 years old.  And we have some notable places, such as Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church, two stand-pipe water towers, a stop on the undergroung railroad, historic public school and library, old barracks, and of course, the Bremen Theater.

Beep Baseball

A version of baseball for the blind and visually impaired. The bases buzz and the ball beeps. There are some rule differences, which the website explains. They will be doing a demonstration. Sighted people are welcome to participate, but they have to wear a blindfold.

Attendance Prizes!

We will be raffling off several attendance prizes at the festival, all FOR FREE!

Here is a sampling of the prizes

• Life is Good T-Shirts - donated by Jake's on Main and Life is Good
• 4 tickets to the Missouri Botanical Garden
• Gift Certificate to Jazz at the Bistro - donated by Jazz St. Louis
• Signed St. Louis Rams picture - donated by the St. Louis Rams
• Boutique gift items donated by Looking Glass Desings in Lafayette Square

St. Louis Police and Fire Department

The police will be bringing out the helicopter and swat vehicle. The fire department will have a hook and ladder. While you're at the festival, be sure to check out the historic firehouse at the corner of the park.

Pottery Demonstration and Lesson

Tim and Christy Sawyer have been making pottery for years.  They make a wide variety, from historic recreations to modern, artistic pieces.  Not only will they be selling their wares, but they will have a portable turning wheel and will be teaching kids, and whoever else is adventurous enough, some pottery basics.  And the kids get to take home their creations!

Other Fun Activities

3-on-3 Basketball

Bounce Houses

Sack Races

FREE Face Painting

Awesome Food!

Jubilee Community Church - They will be selling fantastic, eclectic rice dishes, including Indian, Mexican, and Chinese

Mi Hungry - Jamaican and American Barbecue

La Mancha Coffeehouse - A local coffeehouse located just to the south of us in the Old North neighborhood. Serving tasty cafe sandwiches

Faith Hope and Love Ministries - They will be serving some great grilled items as well as a few pasta dishes

Our Partners

ND Consulting

AmerenUE

Alderman Freeman Bosley, Sr.

Third Ward Housing Corporation

Jake's on Main/Life is Good

Jubilee Community Church

Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church

Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Ballwin Baptist Church

Faith Hope and Love Ministries
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department

St. Louis Fire Department

More Pews

The organic nature of our ministry offers some unique opportunities for creativity and collaboration. We heard that Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church had some old pews taking up space in their soon-to-be-demolished shed. The church has been in the neighborhood since 1848, and we've worked with them on the Hyde Park Festival and gardening. We already have some experience making furniture out of recycled pallets, so we were interested in getting the pews. So we called them up and checked them out, and they looked usable. Everyone agreed that the craftsmanship on the old pews was too good to waste. Plus, they were a great piece of history (although no one's sure on the exact age, they're at least 80 years old). But we didn't have a place to store them, or a product to make with them. Also, I was getting married and wanted to use the pews for my outdoor wedding in Hyde Park. So Holy Trinity held on to them for a few weeks. In that time, they also invited us to sell our products at their trivia night fundraiser. We decided to build a custom piece out of the recycled pews and sell them at the trivia night, giving half the cost to Holy Trinity (plus a portion of our other sales).

After some thinking, we decided on a hall shelf; something a little more unique than a bench, and a little smaller, too. The construction is pretty basic, but sturdy, and retains the original, aged finish of the oak. So after the pews did their time at the wedding, we broke them down, denailed them, cut the seats to our shelf sizes, and assembled it. After scrubbing them down with some Murphy's oil soap, the wood shone wonderfully.



The finished product.  The photo on the left shows it in action!




What else have we made of pews? Well, we've made a conference table. One lady custom ordered a bench.

Pretty much just a short pew, but with a shelf added to the bottom.

I made a storage bench for my wife.



The seat lifts up to reveal a storage area.



And, we've made a pretty fantastic candle holder.

Actually made from the same pews as the conference table.  It's the base of the end of the pews.