They’re off…

On a sunny Saturday morning, July 13, Cortez, 14, is up super early. He’s ready for an adventure. The Price Hill youth and several others are embarking of the journey of a lifetime, the Resiliency Ride.

The ride is organized by Lord’s Gym Ministries and involves a bicycle trek across 325 miles. The nine young riders and several adult chaperones left early Saturday morning for Pittsburgh, where they will pedal along the GAP Trail and C&O Canal to Washington D.C.

 Lord’s Gym Ministries is a faith-based organization serving adults and youth in Price Hill and Covington, many of whom are struggling with drugs, other forms of addiction, homelessness, and more.

 This is the second year for the Resiliency Ride, led by Lord’s Gym Ministries Executive Director Scott Bowers. Bowers, 67, of Cincinnati, rode his bike across America in 2021 to raise awareness of addiction issues among youth, as well as raise funds for Lord’s Gym’s youth experiences that include an array of sports programs and an after-school program. 

 “It’s an honor to share this biking experience from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. with these young men,” Bowers said. “We have prepared for this trip for several weeks, training during our cycling club meetings. They’re ready.  And, they will learn so much these next nine days.”

 Jair Montiel, who works with City Gospel Mission, is joining Bowers as a chaperone. 

“I hope to build a strong relationship with the kids,” Montiel said. “It is an honor to go on such an adventure with them. I hope they discover more about themselves, their resilience and capacity. I hope they build their confidence, as well as make lifelong memories.”

Chaperone Kelly St. James, who went on the trip last year, said she loves the Resiliency Ride because it combines her two passions: God and cycling.

“My most memorable bike tour was last year’s ride,” she said. “I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to be a part of this again. It’s so great to see the kids accomplish so much and be a part of that with them. This ride has brought so much more meaning to my love and passion for cycling. I hope the kids deepen their relationship with the Lord, that’s my biggest desire.”

Cortez, 14, went on last year’s ride. He said he’s looking forward simply to rididing his bike and growing with God.

“God was with us last year,” he said. “He’ll be with us and get us through this year.”

Xizallian, 15, is a first-time Resiliency Rider. He said he’s looking forward to cycling, camping, the wooded parts of the trail, and “of course all the D.C. stuff.”

“This is a great chance to see things I normally wouldn’t get to see,” he said. “It’s also a great way to connect to the environment and challenge myself. I love cycling, I have since I was a kid and this is a great way to take it to the next level.”

Lord’s Gym Ministries Board Chair Johnny Alexander said he’s looking forward to spending quality time with all the kids and getting to know them better.

“I’m looking forward to seeing them grow as they press through and become stronger and more confident,” he said. “I’m also looking forward to intimate time with the Lord while out on the trail. It’s really a great time to focus on God’s creation and step away from the stress of the world.”

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Throughout scripture we see a theme of relationships. The Lord created us as relational beings. Ecclesiastes 4:9 says: “Two are better than one…”

At Lord’s Gym Ministries we are about relationships. We build meaningful and positive relationships with the friends we serve. These connections encourage our friends to follow God and overcome the many barriers they face in a life of poverty, addiction and trauma.

We also cultivate relationships with our volunteers and supporters. We want them to be growing strong in the Lord so that they can be a blessing to our friends, as well as be blessed themselves. 

We are looking to grow our reach. So, we are hosting our Inaugural Pickleball Tournament, 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday, June 20, the first day of summer, at The Pickle Lodge in West Chester. Register here: bit.ly/LGMpickball24.

Bring a friend with you so they can learn about the ministry. That’s what this event is all about… spreading the word about the wonderful work God is doing in the Greater Cincinnati area. 

There will be plenty of fun to be had too with this friendly competition that will include a grand prize!! 

Sign up now and spread the word!

Spring Soccer 2024 Banquet

Sarita, a mom in Price Hill, has noticed a difference in her children.

They’ve been involved in the Lord’s Gym Panthers Soccer experience and it’s been, well… “Exciting!”

“My son is a lot more open,” she said. “He’s come a long way. It means a lot to have Lord’s Gym Soccer. There’s not a lot of soccer programs in the area and I really enjoy this one because the coaches really care about the kids.”

Micahel, 9, played in the spring league and “can’t wait until fall” to start playing again. This Panther said playing soccer gave him something fun to do and helped him make new friends.

Carteama, of Winton Terrace, said she loves that her daughter had this experience this spring. 

“It’s been awesome for her to find something she loves so much,” Carteama said. “The coaches really pour in to the kids. This program helps with the kids’ self esteem and helps them make new friends. They also learn important life ethics.”

Gabriella, 9, says she loves to play soccer.

“It’s fun,” she said. “I like my coach because she’s fun and funny. It feels good too to learn about how God loves us. That’s the most important thing I’ve learned.”

Lord’s Gym Ministries held a banquet in honor of our soccer players, parents and coaches. Youth Athletics Chaplain Chris, mced the event that included about 150 in attendance. Coach Todd prepared the meal and volunteers from Men in Balance and Lord’s Gym staff served our families. Each Panther was presented with a medal and T-shirt. The shirts were provided by FC Cincinnati, who also trained all the coaches and provided equipment for the kids, and a medal. 

Chris and coaches shared a few words about the season, and expressed heartfelt gratitude to the parents who supported the players throughout the season. Master Provisions and Chic-fil-A also provided support throughout the season with food and snacks, and Roberts Academy allowed the Panthers to use their fields for practice at no charge.

“A top highlight of the season was the program itself,” Chris said. “There are not a lot of soccer opportunities in this area. It has been an honor to meet a need for that this season. Another highlight is that we created a safe place and did our best to maintain a safe place for our kids and families. 

“Our parents were a big part of that and were just  great. They were positive, encouraging and loud when they cheered from the bottom of their hearts,” Chris continued. “The No. 1 highlight is that we saw God’s love demonstrated in many ways.” 

One way that God’s love was demonstrated was through the relationships between the players and the coaches.

Coach Trevor said coaching the Panthers has meant “everything” to him. 

“It means a lot to be able to do this,” he said. “Many of the kids who I coached didn’t have the same opportunities I had growing up. It was good to love on them and to be able to teach them to be and do good on and off the field. I’m going to keep doing this.”

This was Coach Jen’s first time coaching and a great learning experience for her, she said.

“Most of our girls hadn’t played before,” she said. “They really jumped in and over the season they improved so much. That’s a cool feeling, to be a part of that.”

Jen also enjoyed seeing the girls become friends.

“Seeing them Bond and become friends with those they didn’t know was so great,” she said. “This team was so supportive of each other. It was not about the win, it was about working hard on something together.”

Chaplain Chris said he was proud of the coaches, parents and Panthers for seeing the season to completion. He said he is honored to have been a part of it all and hopes everyone feels that they have been a part of something special.

“No matter their background, or where they stand as far as beliefs, we want every child to feel welcome and to know that they belong with us,” he said.

Family Activity Center Director Danny, translated during the event for our Spanish speaking families. He also took time to remind everyone why we have our soccer experience.

“We want to transform lives for the glory of God,” he said “We do this by sharing the Gospel and at the center of that Gospel is Jesus. Yes, we do sports. It’s fun, the kids develop skills, but the main thing we want to pour into our parents and kids lives is we have a hope and that hope is in Jesus.” 

From Vicky Gentry

Enjoy a personal note from our long-time administrative assistant Vicky Gentry:

Who likes to have fun, meet people, and maybe enjoy a little competition? Is that you? Well then you need to participate in the upcoming Lord’s Gym Ministries Pickleball event on Thursday, June 20.

 Why pickleball? 

Because it is so much fun! I participated in a workshop in my community a year ago that taught me how to play. I learned how to play tennis when I was about 13 years old. I’ve always liked to play table tennis and I have fiddled around on a racquetball court a bit. So, pickleball is kind of like all three of these wrapped up in one. 

It’s a fun challenge

Pickleball is challenging, it keeps you on your toes and it is great exercise. It also feeds my competitive side that comes out occasionally. It’s another way to keep me active and I have only played inside. So, it is not affected by the weather. I can still be active in the winter. I have even been taking lessons to improve my game. It has helped. I’m now not afraid to go up to the kitchen line to play where balls are coming at you sometimes rapidly. Recently, with lessons, I have been playing at least three times a week with each session about an hour and a half. Another great thing is that it is a great way to meet people. I now feel more a part of my local community.

We need you

Enough about me and how much I enjoy playing pickleball. I want to now tell you why you should be a part of the community of Lord’s Gym Ministries and come and be a part of the pickleball event on Thursday, June 20.

Lord’s Gym Ministries has been around for 31 years. It is a wonderful ministry that helps men, women and children who are in need, who may be struggling with addiction, on the streets and homeless or just down and out in one way or another. We love them with the love of Christ and help them where we can by feeding them, offering a safe place to come to, involving the children in sports and an after-school program to help them grow in relationships and at the same time sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with them all. We all need Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life!

We need your help, and you need us! 

We are commanded to make disciples of all nations. We cannot do all that we do without our partners and volunteers. Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV) says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

So, come out to the Pickleball event and find out more details about the ministry and have a blast playing pickleball! Bring a friend so they can learn more too. I can’t wait to see you there! Register today: bit.ly/LGMpickball24

From the Desk of Melissa Reinert

“For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country.” Hebrews 11:14-16

A friend of mine recently lost her husband suddenly. He was in his mid-sixties and had so much life in him. It’s hard to imagine him not being here with his family who he loved so dearly. It’s heartbreaking. It reminded me of the loss of my father, someone who left what I consider to be too soon, at age 59. My dad was a family man too. And it was so hard when he left us. I would think often too of the things my father has missed, my marriage to a really wonderful man, and especially having a relationship with his grandchildren.

My friend wrote something to someone in a comment on Facebook, however, that recently changed my entire outlook on this. She said that it’s hard. She misses her husband, but she knows, without a doubt, he is with Jesus and given the opportunity, he would not want to come back to this earth.

Oh, how I needed to hear this. Such a burden was lifted from me. This was a man who loved life. He lived it to the fullest. He loved his family and spent every moment he could with them. Still, after being in the physical presence of Jesus, he would not want to come back.

My dad may have missed out on some things down here, but those things, as wonderful as they are, do not compare to being in the presence of Jesus. He would not want to come back here either.

I love life. I do my best to live it to the fullest, but I also can’t wait until I see my Jesus face to face. That’s going to be the most wonderful experience. I hope this brings comfort and encouragement to anyone carrying the burden of grief or fear of death. 

Jesus tells us to come to Him with our heavy burdens. He defeated death. Our best moments on this earth pale compared to eternity with Him.

Fowling Tournament in Review

We are thankful to everyone who participated in the Fowling Tournament April 6. It was such a blast. Check out some pics below give the interview above, with a member of the champion team! We’d like to encourage you to join us for our next event, our Inaugural Pickle ball Tournament. It will be held 1-4 p.m. Thursday, June 20 at The Pickle Lodge: https://bit.ly/LGMpickleball24

Covington Lord’s Gym Welcomes Youth with Boxing 

From the desk of Melissa Reinert…

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

This past session of my Sunday School class, the kids had fun decorating a wooden heart sign with all kinds of sparkly sticker jewels. It was quite a therapeutic craft, very relaxing, peeling the stickers and finding a spot for them; and very meaningful, reminding us of the lesson that told us we are the treasure of God’s heart.

My son and I hung his decorated wooden heart sign at home. It’s a reminder to all of us in the house just how much we are valued by God.

I wanted to share this with you this Friday with FOCAS, to hopefully encourage you. You are most precious to the Lord Almighty, the Creator of the universe! 

This world is big. It can be a scary place. But, you – just that one single person you are – are of the utmost importance to God. He cares for you. He sees you. He sent His one and only Son to die to save you. As Paul writes in Romans chapter 8, NOTHING can EVER separate us from God’s love. 

UC student making a difference at LGM

Henri is an incredible blessing. 

For the last 18 months, he  has worked closely with Lord’s Gym Ministries staff and volunteers, and been intimately involved with many of the families we serve. He has been on staff as part of a co-op program through the University of Cincinnati.

“Henri is a natural with the kids,” says Valerie, a mother of two of Henri’s young friends. “I love that my boys have a man like Henri walking with them. They are 17 and 15 just starting their journey with God. They watch Henri; how he responds and engages with others he is showing them so much without ever speaking a word to them. Henri is a change-maker for our kiddos in the community. He impacts their life with his love for God that just shines through when he engages with them.”

Henri has exhibited maturity beyond his years and remarkable servant-leadership.

Finding adults who are reliable, committed, and wired to work with children who, on average, have higher numbers of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), is very challenging, says Chris, Youth Athletics Chaplain.

Henri has developed a beautiful bond with so many kids in our programs and has earned their trust and established himself as a positive male role model by remaining consistent and believing in them. 

According to Zach, 15, a youth in our activities, Henri has influenced him to “be better and try harder.”

Henri has harnessed his passions of faith, fitness, and sports to create new programs within the Lord’s Gym, such as strength and agility training. He has also been instrumental in the implementation of a third-party Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) survey that assesses our youth’s response to our programming.  

The SEL results, so far, show that 93 percent of Lord’s Gym youth assessed in 2023 are advancing in one or more of the four core SEL areas (Self-Control, Desire to Learn, Improved Academic Success, and Social Skills). Ninety percent of all young people said “YES” they would recommend FOCAS/Lord’s Gym programming to a friend. This success is due to people like Henri, showing up and connecting with our kids – fueling their resilience against the many barriers they face.

LGM Board member Johnny says: “Henri lifts my spirits and encourages me to spend more time with our friends. He is a kind, humble, and God-fearing young man with a heart for our impoverished friends. His ability to connect and demonstrate empathy is a strength.”

Henri has made an indelible impression on our staff and on the families we serve.