By Wayne Hammel
Image credit: miamism.com
Every year we are bombarded about the ferocity surrounding Black Friday just before Christmas. In 2011 no one that I know of was trampled to death, or died by some other means, but there were several ugly incidents all across the nation: a woman in Los Angeles was so intent on getting at a crate of xBox video games that she pepper-sprayed 20 other customers to clear her path; crowds in New York decided they had enough “mob” power to forget about the “paying” part and looted a clothing store, taking whatever they wanted as the shopkeeper was helpless to stop them; shootings at stores from the West Coast to the East Coast; stabbings in Sacramento; police having to restrain customers who decided they didn’t want to wait for the store to open and stormed it early; arrests occurring all across the country; and so it goes, the list goes on.
What’s the deal with all this?
Many want to blame corporations or the shopkeepers who hype their sales to the point where people supposedly cannot possibly maintain control of themselves.
Maybe crazed consumers are to blame for the yearly uproar that runs virtually to the end of the year. The answer, of course, is a simple one: both are partially to blame. It is really ironic that America’s post-Christian nightmare reaches the height of insanity around the day that we honor the birth of Jesus.
The crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ marks a momentous sacrifice for sinners; but our Lord’s birth also is ample witness of the humiliation He bore for the sake of His people.
God intends the crucifixion and the cross to convey horror to better animate His people with the sense of magnitude of Christ’s sacrifice for His people; Christ’s submission to the will of the Father is the example of the Christian life, particularly as led by people who are homeless.
A group of Christian singers from Montgomery, Ala., gave a presentation for us on Memorial Day, the last day in May. The youth choir from Aldersgate United Methodist Church joined us for lunch and sang for our men, workers and supporters in the sanctuary of our church building at 124 Signal Hills Drive, Chattanooga. The [...]
In an alliance, the Union Gospel Mission is providing oversight and staffing assistance to an overnight shelter at Chattanooga Community Kitchen, giving care to men, women and children, though the mission itself for now is constrained in its operation to a long-term residency and spiritual training program for men.
We had a truly blessed Thanksgiving celebration in our basement dining hall, serving about 40 people, including our residents, several members of their families and three homeless families. We also had a number of volunteers and two groups of people come through Union Gospel Mission for an “open house tour.” Dinner was prepared in our [...]
Donating your car to Union Gospel Mission is a quick and easy to dispose of a vehicle and at the same time helping a Christian ministry. Simply call us at the office at 752-4998 and we will arrange to have your donated car, truck, boat or RV picked up. When your vehicle is sold, the [...]
By Wayne Hammel On a recent Sunday evening, Union Gospel Mission Church was blessed by Brother Steve Hunziker and his performance of a unique chalk talk. It was my first ever time actually seeing one done, and I was expecting just a chalkboard and some chalk, a good Gospel message, and a finished picture with [...]
Homeless men, like you, await God’s mercy and forgiveness under the power of the resurrection, which is powerful enough to cure fallen man of whinings and complainings that bring many to a low estate.
Some Union Gospel Mission men have taken to building birdhouses shaped like our mission’s beaconesque icon, the light house.
Our mission is overseen by Jon Rector, right. He has been the executive director since 2003. Prior to that Jon spent 3 years as chaplain with the Chattanooga Rescue Mission.
The other paid staffer is Wayne Hammel, our program director. Wayne handles the Bible study program (GRACE discipleship program) and chapel schedule. He began his involvement with Union Gospel Mission in 2000 as a volunteer.
Bro. Jon and Bro. Wayne share the preaching responsibilities for Sunday morning, Sunday evening and Wednesday evening church services.