Missions

Christian Men's Job Corp of Lufkin

Christian Men’s Job Corp of Lufkin exists to provide a Christian environment where men are equipped with life skills and job skills. The mission is to equip men for life and employment by teaching basic life skills necessary for self-sufficiency. Classes are held three nights a week for twelve weeks and conclude with a graduation. Clay Alverson is the executive director who manages the day-to-day operations of the ministry. The ministry is supported by an executive board and an advisory committee, several of whom are part of the Carpenter’s Way family.

Salvation Army Lufkin Soup Kitchen

The Salvation Army came to Lufkin in 1939 and has grown in strength every year since. For over 75 years, the Salvation Army has been committed to “Doing the Most Good” in Angelina County. When hard times hit, we’re here to help meet all basic needs within the community. The heart of The Salvation Army’s mission is providing care and aid for those living on the fringes of society. One of our outreach services includes the Soup Kitchen, which serves a noon meal, Monday through Friday, and is available to all Angelina County residents. Over 1,600 people are served each month.

Seasons of Hope

Seasons of Hope Center is a wellness and restoration program that assists women transitioning from various life controlling issues to a productive and healthy lifestyle. We offer a program dedicated to restoring the well-being of the whole woman. Our program goals are for each individual to find wholeness through biblical principles and the knowledge of Christ that can help bring change through good choices resulting in a healthy, productive and balanced life. We partner with many local agencies, churches, local courts, and judges as well as the Texas state prison system to accomplish this goal. While living at SOHC, the participants primary goals are to build their foundation in Jesus Christ, remain sober, become independent and work force ready. The program evaluates each individual person to identify the need for change and provides education, mentorship, and training to release destructive life patterns and choices. The key components of our program are daily morning devotions, Bible Study, Equine therapy, computer classes, life coaching and creative arts. Each participant shares in daily maintenance chores in the common residence and the grounds of the facility. If you have other question or are interested in volunteering please call us. Seasons of Hope Center 936-875-1900

Luis and Alyssa Barrundia: Students International Guatemala

Students International Guatemala, or “SI Guatemala”, began ministry in Magdalena in 1994 and continues to share the Gospel while meeting the physical needs in the community through various occupational ministry sites such as technology, creative arts, education, special education, sports, health care, media and communications, microfinance, veterinary, and social work. Alvaro, Noah, Luis, Victoria, and “Sheny” serve the people of Guatemala with SI in the city of Magdalena. Together, they provide everyone with the resources they need to succeed.

Alvaro and Marcela Diaz: Student International Guatemala

Students International Guatemala, or “SI Guatemala”, began ministry in Magdalena in 1994 and continues to share the Gospel while meeting the physical needs in the community through various occupational ministry sites such as technology, creative arts, education, special education, sports, health care, media and communications, microfinance, veterinary, and social work. Alvaro, Noah, Luis, Victoria, and “Sheny” serve the people of Guatemala with SI in the city of Magdalena. Together, they provide everyone with the resources they need to succeed.

Maria Garcia "Sheny": Students International Guatemala

Students International Guatemala, or “SI Guatemala”, began ministry in Magdalena in 1994 and continues to share the Gospel while meeting the physical needs in the community through various occupational ministry sites such as technology, creative arts, education, special education, sports, health care, media and communications, microfinance, veterinary, and social work. Alvaro, Noah, Luis, Victoria, and “Sheny” serve the people of Guatemala with SI in the city of Magdalena. Together, they provide everyone with the resources they need to succeed.

Victoria Flores: Students International Guatemala

Students International Guatemala, or “SI Guatemala”, began ministry in Magdalena in 1994 and continues to share the Gospel while meeting the physical needs in the community through various occupational ministry sites such as technology, creative arts, education, special education, sports, health care, media and communications, microfinance, veterinary, and social work. Alvaro, Noah, Luis, Victoria, and “Sheny” serve the people of Guatemala with SI in the city of Magdalena. Together, they provide everyone with the resources they need to succeed.

K.D. Warner: Students International (Global Bridge)

Love Inc.

Love In the Name of Christ (Love INC) is a ministry of the churches of Angelina County that links needs in the community to capable help. This was founded to connect the resources of the church with people in need. Christian believers of all denominations can contact Love INC and volunteer to share their time and talents. When Love INC receives a need, it connects them to someone from the church who can fulfill that need. Needs may include hunger, homelessness, child neglect, loneliness, or help running a household. In this way, Love INC can serve as a clearinghouse between those who are in need and those who can provide help.

John and Charlene Lotzgesell: Rio Grande Bible Institute

John and Char are teaching at this accredited College where Spanish-speaking students come from 15 – 18 nations for biblical training. These talented young people are preparing to take the Gospel around the world as pastors, teachers, and missionaries. They are the future leaders of the Hispanic church. John teaches the book of Ephesians, Ethics from a Biblical Worldview, and Spiritual Life. Most of the classes are taught in Spanish but Char is teaching English as a second language for those who anticipate needing both. They also seek to build personal relationships with the students to encourage them in their Christian walk. A strong tie also exists between John and Char and the Quichua people of highland Ecuador where they lived for 12 years to translate the Bible into their language. They are hoping to make a summer trip there for John to participate in teaching an intensive Bible course for Quichua pastors.

Kassidy Eberlan Hyppolite: Living Waters Missions

Kassidy is one of our own from Carpenter’s Way. She grew up in Lufkin and began traveling to Haiti in 2015. Kassidy has been living in Haiti full time since January 2018 and has been going to Haiti since 2015. Since living in Haiti she has started her own organization called Living Water Missions. Living Water Missions is all about building relationships, feeding, loving others, educating and most importantly sharing the love and word and Jesus Christ. Kassidy has a preschool where she has 30 kids. This is for kids who can not afford school. This is a great way to reach out to the kids and their families. Living Water Missions provides over 600 meals a month for the kids in school. Kassidy continues to do community outreach and holds a kids club is a close by community. Kassidy asks you please keep her school kids, the community, her family, and the country of Haiti in your prayers.

Evans and Chelsey Okeyo: International Mission Board

God has given the Okeyo’s a heart for the Church and a heart for children living on the streets. They desire to see the Church in Kenya rise up in sound Biblical doctrine and missions, to reach Kenya for Christ--so that every person has an opportunity to see, hear and experience the love of Jesus Christ. They will be working with the International Mission Board (IMB) as Team Associates to church plant, train pastors, and minister to children living on the streets.

Joshua and Karen Clark: Ethnos 360

Hello, Carpenter's Way family, we are the Clarks: Josh, Karen, Abel and Zion! Around one-third of the world’s people groups are still unreached. Meaning they have no bible in their language, no church near by, and no Christians around them to share who Jesus is. It’s because of this fact and that Jesus calls us to “Go” in Matthew 28:18-20 that our family has decided to be a part of what God is doing to reach these people. We are missionaries with Ethnos360. Ethnos360 exists to see a mature and thriving church for every people. We trained for 4 years to become cross-cultural church planters, but the Lord led us to serve in a support role here in the states before we go overseas. Currently, we serve at our Home Office for Ethnos360 in Sanford, FL. We are the directors of the “Encounter" program. Encounter is Ethnos360’s short term trips with the goal of mobilizing people who want to be involved in missions and need somewhere to start. We pray God will use us to grow this program to send hundreds of people per year on short term trips so they can LEARN, SERVE and EXPERIENCE first-hand what it takes to reach an unreached people group. We could be one family who goes, but how much more of an impact can we have if we mobilized 50 people to go as well.

The Mosaic Center

The Mosaic Center, Inc. of Lufkin, TX, is a non-profit ministry which offers education, guidance, and hope for women in Angelina County, helping women who have not had opportunities… financially, emotionally, or spiritually. This ministry was born out of the hearts of a handful of women who wanted to offer “a hand up, not a hand out.” By partnering with many local churches, businesses, agencies, and individuals, The Mosaic Center is dedicated to strengthening women and their families by bridging the gap of dependency to economic self-sufficiency in a Christian environment. While accomplishing this mission, The Mosaic Center offers ministry opportunities for Christians to serve on the local mission field of our community. Women enrolled in Mosaic programs learn essential business and life skills like budgeting, computer skills, healthy habits, interview skills, how to set boundaries, and how to have a relationship with Christ. If you are interested in volunteering or have questions, please call The Mosaic Center 936-639-5068.

Rosina Ferdinand: African Inland Mission

Rosina Ferdinand is a native of Madagascar and lives on Nosy Be, where she assists the Church in Madagascar but also serves the AIM International missionary family. Rosina is the Unit Leader for AIM in Madagascar and is responsible to provide support for the missionary team on the island; to develop and implement strategic ministry planning with other leaders; to ensure member care; and to oversee administration. As a young high school girl, Rosina became a Christian through the ministry of UGBM (Union des Groupes Bibliques de Madagascar) in Morondava. It was during Rosina’s university studies that her mother, a medium inhabited by a “Sakalava king’s spirit,” came to know Christ as her Lord and Savior. This is another amazing testimony of the power of God and his ability to transform lives. NEEDS: Please pray. AIM is in the process of translating the Bible into the Sakalava language. Pray that good people would commit to the project. Pray also that God would guide all the efforts and arrangements being made during the translation process.

Rev. Mario & Jaciara Silva: Amazon River Brazil

Mario and Jaciara Silva live and work in the Amazon River basin in Brazil. Their primary ministry is planting and discipling churches in towns and villages in the Amazon River basin. Mario serves as pastor of a church and mentor to other pastors in the area. The Silvas also work closely with Amazon Outreach, facilitating groups of foreign missionaries as they travel by riverboat on the Amazon River and its tributaries, reaching out to villagers along the way with medical care, women’s ministry, children’s Bible programs, and gospel presentations.

Pregnancy Help Center

Offers needed information, resources, and loving support to sexually active, pregnant and mothering women of all ages to encourage positive responses to some of life’s difficult choices. Our primary focus is to provide positive alternatives to abortion for those facing an unplanned pregnancy. The Pregnancy Help Center of Lufkin is a safe place for sexually active, pregnant, and mothering women in the Lufkin and Angelina County area. They provide love, advice, mentoring, education, and material assistance as an alternative to abortion for those facing unexpected pregnancy. Staff members counsel mothers and fathers emotionally and spiritually while providing medical facts and services such as an ultrasound and other medical tests. Throughout the pregnancy, mothers can get information on adoption, parenting, and healthy pregnancy choices. Once their baby is born, mothers and fathers can take advantage of parenting classes, material support, and advice. If you are interested in volunteering or have questions, please contact The Pregnancy Help Center: 936-632-9292

Love-N-Care Ministries International

Founded in 1990 as a Christian charitable, non-profit organization by Yesupadam Paidipamula, Love-n-Care Ministries International has planted over 7000 churches in southeastern India mainly in previously unreached tribal areas, trained over 2,000 pastors and lay workers, and touched the lives of countless impoverished children, disabled young adults, elderly, AIDS victims, and more. Ministries include orphanages and schools, a hospital, nurse’s training school, home for the elderly, disabled vocational training center, church planting ministries, pastoral training, evangelistic crusades and more. Love-N-Care Ministries International has locations in the US, Canada, Germany, South Korea, and Madagascar. Ministries in these nations include discipleship training, practically helping refugees and immigrants, minister to drug addicts, alcoholics and homeless, education through schools, planting churches, and feeding the homeless. The focus of Love-n-Care International in every nation is to reach the unreached with the gospel, using whatever means possible to show the love of Jesus.

Kent and Amy Embleton: Mission Aviation Fellowship

"Hi Carpenter's Way family! We are Kent and Amy Embleton, and we serve with Mission Aviation Fellowship in Papua, Indonesia. Kent works as a pilot and aircraft mechanic, and Amy takes care of our three boys at home. For our first five years of ministry with MAF, we lived and worked in Mozambique. Through those years, God helped us to grow in faith and to discover how to use our passion for ministry through MAF. In Indonesia, MAF airplanes connect missionaries, medical teams, and local communities with locations that are otherwise very difficult to reach. We are very thankful for the partnership of Carpenter's Way in our ministry, especially the opportunity to know some of the missions team over the past few years. We think of Ephesians 1:15-23 when we ask you to continue to pray for us and the safety of MAF's aviation operations worldwide. God bless you! "

Joshua and Alli Ferguson: Campus Crusade for Christ

Joshua and Alli Ferguson work with Cru, formerly Campus Crusade for Christ, serving with the Ministry Partnership Development (MPD) Team. This team trains, equips, and coaches both new and senior staff on how to properly build and maintain a team of ministry partners that prays for them and supports their ministry financially. Joshua works as an MPD coordinator with growing ministries in Cru that don’t have a coach. He supports them by coaching staff, developing resources, and overseeing the financial health of senior staff. Alli works as the Executive Assistant to the Directors of MPD. Cru onboards around 300 missionary staff each year. Joshua and Alli support the overall mission of Cru and they help send new missionaries out into the field, so that everyone knows someone who follows Jesus.

Godtel

GODTEL Ministries is a private, non-profit, religious organization that is committed to sharing the love of God in a practical way. GODTEL houses the homeless, feeds the hungry, provides clothing and household items as available and needed. They also offer spiritual guidance and counseling to help meet the deep inner need of the people God sends. GODTEL publishes a monthly newsletter, which is sent to those people who have shown an interest in this ministry. GODTEL News is supported through Christian advertising. If you would like to help support GODTEL by advertising in the newsletter, please contact the Nacogdoches office so that they may be able to accommodate you. If you would like to know more about GODTEL Ministries and its various programs as well as volunteer opportunities, please write or call.

Daniel & Ksenia Chersunov: Campus Crusade for Christ Russia

Daniel and Ksenia Chersunov, along with their four children, live and work in St. Petersburg, Russia with Campus Crusade. Their primary ministry focuses on university students, and they use a variety of strategies from campus-based festivals, discipleship groups, and digital initiatives to reach this large population. Recognizing that most young people have very active online lives and utilize social media for networking, socializing, and information gathering, the Chersunovs are developing internet and social media based outreach tools and cultivating digital relationships. As native Russians, the Chersunovs have the ability to reach Russians and Russian allies that are not open to foreign, particularly American missionaries, and their hope is to use these opportunities to reach the young people of their city.