SEPTEMBER 2022 NEWSLETTER
Dear 431 Family,
As we move into the second half of the year, we continue to see big changes in our world, and we recognize how blessed we are to have a God who is with us through them all. Recently the Supreme Court made the monumental decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. At 431 Ministries, we rejoice in the recognition that the federal government has removed ending a preborn child's life as an individual right and has given responsibility of decision-making back to each state, We also recognize the work ahead of us in our own Middle Tennessee community.
While we rejoice, we can also grieve at the new brokenness that could come as a result of this decision. It could overwhelm the foster care system. It could cause an increase of children who are born but now face a life of abandonment, disinterest or neglect. It does bring up a variety of emotions in women who have had an abortion and those who believe abortion is their only option. But now, we get to step in and continue offering "hope and a plan" to women in this situation as well as many other crises in which a woman may find herself.
In June, leading up to our Board Retreat, we asked for your prayer, and we definitely felt the Lord's hand on this event. The Roe v. Wade decision was announced in the midst of the retreat, underscoring the fact that our work in the community was undoubtedly about to increase. It was clear to us that to prepare to serve the community's needs, we needed to replace the roof on the building that will serve as the future headquarters of the ministry. It was unanimously agreed that with the timing of the Supreme Court decision, God was asking us to step out in faith.Inspired by the Biblical story of Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem in 52 days, we believed that He could pull a community together to provide funding for the project in 52 days - impossible by man's standards, but through its completion God would be credited and glorified. Through your generosity and God's provision, we were able to raise over $70,000! In comparison, it took three years to raise the same amount to purchase the building! We are moving forward with the roof replacement, and ask for your prayers as we do.
Even while we move forward with the roof, our services don't stop. In July, we hosted our first Job Fair and Career Advancement Event at Maury Hills Church. The event allowed almost 30 women who were looking to improve their skills in today’s workforce to do so, while searching for jobs or promotions. There were five companies in attendance looking to hire as well as three helpful resources that are available in the community. We held 11 unique breakout sessions to educate attendees on topics to make it easier to navigate the challenges of being a working single mom.
These sessions ranged from budgeting and financial planning, résumé tips and tricks, translating mom skills to job skills, continuing education, to information on nutrition and protecting mental health. We were also able to help many women get their résumés up-to-date and test their interview skills in mock interviews. We are looking forward to hosting this again next year! The feedback we received from vendors, teachers and clients all echoed how vital these events are to our community.
We held our second group Mentor and Budget Ally training in July and have now added seven mentors and five budget allies to partner with our growing list of Side-by-Side clients. Please continue to pray for wisdom and discernment for these volunteers who are on the front lines with our clients, and for our staff as we train and encourage the women and their program teams. The next Mentor and Budget Ally Training will occur onOctober 15, so if you are interested in learning more or taking part, please reach out!
We have seen two women graduate from our program this year, and many more have joined us. We continue to see such growth in each of our or Side-by-Side clients that we know that it can only be possible with God. The Bible Study we held gave women a chance to study 1st and 2nd Peter and see what hope the Gospel presents in the midst of hardships. We have seen exponential growth in attendance to our monthly Family Meals, and it has been such a blessing to see both the women and children spending time in conversation and getting to know one another and our volunteers. It is such a tangible way to prove they are known, seen and loved by 431, a broader community and their heavenly Father. If you are interested in attending one of these you can sign up on our website, see link below.
Finally, we had two other fundraising opportunities this summer. "A Community Thrives" ran from July 18 to August 12 and our Sidewalk Sale was held on August 13 and 14. Each of these brought in almost $4000, and we are qualified for a chance to receive an additional $100,000 through "A Community Thrives." We are so grateful for every donation!
As we look ahead to the final quarter of the year, it promises to be a busy one! We have our annual fundraising gala, A Masterpiece Gala & Gallery, coming up on October 1. This will be a wonderful date night that showcases the "Masterpiece Moments" from this year. You don't want to miss it. Reserve tickets at 431house.org/gala or sign up to volunteer at the event at 431house.org/gala-volunteer.
We have so many other things coming up that we have included a bookmark so you can be praying for each of the events. We'd love to see you as often as you are available!
As always, we are so thankful for you, our committed volunteers, staff and donors who make this ministry so successful. We want you to continue to be involved in events, programming and one-off opportunities. Visit 431house.org/volunteer to check out all of the opportunities to serve with us. We also have a monthly volunteer opportunities email, so make sure you're on the email newsletter list by signing up at 431house.org/newsletter.
Thank you again for your support and commitment to ladies coming out of crisis in Middle TN!