Dear Friend:
One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" And He said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:35-40 (NASB)
The thrill of my life is to be part of a ministry that lives out these words every day! The commitment to “be Jesus” to our neighbors is an amazing thing to be part of. This is a special place of God’s love and grace and the community knows we are their neighbors to whom they can and do turn.
So many neighbors are touched daily because of what your gifts empower us to do-
- Over 500 children come to each day to be taught and loved in a healthily, safe school that offers academic rigor.
- Circle’s four educational “wrap around programs” provide enrichment and training that are reaping great benefits!
- These hard times can be seen by the long line stretching down the block waiting for the Food Pantry to open. In addition to the food they receive, each person has a personal time with a neighbor who offers prayer (nearly always accepted gratefully) and a genuine personal touch of spiritual love and caring. (Come be that neighbor sometime!!)
- A new ministry is joining the Circle Family that will serve released prisoners returning to the community (Austin receives more than any other community in Illinois). This redemptive program is exciting, and you will hear more about this in coming months.
- I want to note that our long term faithful partners, Circle Family Healthcare, Chicago Legal Clinic (begun as Austin Christian Law Center, the only legal clinic on the whole west side), and Rock Church continue to serve and minister God’s love day in and day out to thousands.
I know that you receive many appeals this season of the year. Circle’s needs are no different having gone through very hard times ourselves, our shelves are bare! But God has sustained us through you, our friends, partners and neighbors. Please give what you can to help us be neighbors together to the most needy on Chicago’s Westside.
Faithfully yours, Glen Kehrein
Executive Director
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Glen Kehrein
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