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Phil Altmeyer, Executive Director

Jim and Ken

2 min read

In His Likeness: A heart-to-heart message from Phil Altmeyer

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.” Ephesians 2:10 Friends, I don’t know if your garage or shop looks like mine, but I have a lot of tools and they’re used for a lot of different reasons. I’m sure the individual who...

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2 min read

The True Light of Christmas

“In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overpower it.” (John 1:4-5)...

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2 min read

Go and Do Likewise: a heart-to-heart message from Phil Altmeyer

“But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.” (Luke 10:33) Although the paths that brought...

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1 min read

A New Course for Life: A heart-to-heart message from Phil Altmeyer

“Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.” (Proverbs 4:13) It’s hard to think long term. In today’s culture of...

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1 min read

The Power of the Gospel

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power God uses to save everyone who believes.” (Romans 1:16a) Here at the Mission, we teach...

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2 min read

Decades of Faithfulness: A heart-to-heart message from Phil Altmeyer

While 2022 was a year of exciting new partnerships and profound love and sacrifice in our community, I sit at my desk this New Year and marvel at the...

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Phil Altmeyer

2 min read

As a Mother Loves Her Child: A heart-to-heart message from Phil Altmeyer

“As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you.” (Isaiah 66:13) For the past ten years, I’ve been teaching the UGM women’s Bible study. I...

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2 min read

Heart to Heart with Phil Altmeyer: Louder Than Words

The articles in our recent newsletter are all about words—words that changed the course of people’s lives, words they want to speak into the lives of...

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2 min read

An Irresistible Invitation

Sometimes I think of this ministry and all the resources you have provided like the great feast Jesus describes in the gospel of Luke. Because of...

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2 min read

The Ultimate Work

If you’ve been reading this column over the years, you know I think “work” is one of the best four-letter words around.

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1 min read

The Miracle of Selfless Giving

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own...

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1 min read

Bringing Us Home

“Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you.” (Isaiah 49:15)

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2 min read

Imago Dei - The Image of God

“God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27) At UGM, we believe every...

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Here at UGM, we talk a lot about the reverberations that go out from one changed life.

1 min read

The Source of Change

Here at UGM, we talk a lot about the reverberations that go out from one changed life. A mother who becomes the parent her children need affects...

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James baptism 2

3 min read

Thanking God for Real Change

During November, a lot of people take time to reflect on gratitude. We see our friends making daily social media posts expressing specific things...

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Phil at forum

2 min read

Homelessness: Defining the Problem

In his book “When Helping Hurts,” Dr. Brian Fikkert explains the far-reaching consequences of defining poverty incorrectly. He likens it to a doctor...

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Phil Altmeyer talks about how the Bible makes clear God's heart for the poor.

1 min read

God Loves the Poor

What better phrase to describe one’s life than the one God used to describe David, “a man after my own heart.” What do we know about God’s heart? How...

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Spokesman article.jpg

2 min read

Freeman Shooting Drives Us to Our Knees

“Not here, not here – not tiny, bucolic, safe Freeman, where the schools and the store are just about the whole town. Not here.” Those words from...

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5 min read

Untying Heart Knots

Every industry develops its own lingo. Shelters and recovery programs are no exception. We talk about “old wounds” and “relapse” and “triggers.” Our...

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Phil-in-day-room.jpg

3 min read

Charity that works

The recent tension between the City of Spokane and Blessings Under the Bridge actually points to a positive bottom line: Spokane is an extremely...

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2 min read

Heart to Heart: Compassion and Accountability

After 30 years in homeless ministry, you'd think I would have it all figured out, that I could coast along to retirement. I'm chuckling at the...

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Phil-3

2 min read

Heart to Heart: The Heart has Eyes

Sometimes we are blind. The problem (for most of us) isn’t with the function of our actual eyeballs, the cornea or the retina or the optical nerve....

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chapel.small

2 min read

Why Go to Chapel?

For the majority of people coming through the doors of the Union Gospel Mission, the most pressing issues are shelter from the cold, a warm meal, the...

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2 min read

What do You have in Common with a Drug Addict?

“Addiction” is a strong word. Most of us probably wouldn’t use it in reference to ourselves or we’d use it in a joking manner like, “Yeah, my...

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2 min read

The Root of Our Joy

This sentence from the cover story struck me: “The day after Rachel was baptized, she received news that her father’s cancer had returned for the...

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