31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' 37 Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' 40 And the king will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' 41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' 44 Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?' 45 Then he will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." 

Current hours of operation are:

Distribution of Bibles & Clothing: Tuesday & Thursday 2:00pm till 4:00pm (showers available at this time)
Fellowship:                                         Sundays 9:30am to 11:00am (Come and go as you please)
Bible Study / Prayer:                        Tuesday 5:30pm to 7:00pm (Come and go as you please)

Who We Are: 

Third Street Ministries, Inc.  is a “not for profit” (501- C - 3) non-denominational Christian outreach to the homeless and un-churched of Rome & Floyd County.  We are based on Wesleyan doctrine and belief that we are all called to ministry.  Operating as a non-denominational ministry (by that I mean that we will not stress the beliefs of any Christian church over another) we minister only in the name of the Holy Spirit.

Start Up: 

Third Street Ministries came into being about five years ago as the result of a conversation with my then current Pastor, The Rev. Mark Sargent. 

What We Do: 

In The beginning (that, by the way is not an original phrase) we simply took to the streets, walking the riverbanks, going into the woods, or where ever we thought we could find “the homeless”.

Then, we started going to areas of Rome known to be centers of illegal activity. We set up a tarp as close to the suspect location as possible…. we cooked lunch…we gave away Bibles, paying special attention to anyone seen going into or out of the suspect location…we prayed with and for those who asked…we showed respect and built trust.  We walked the neighborhood knocking on doors, giving away free Bibles and when people would talk with us we would invite them to come to our tarp and have lunch…when they asked us why we were there we explained the circumstances of their neighborhood – some admitted knowing about the problem – some seemed surprised.  Over the first three years we believe we were instrumental in either closing or forcing re-location of four drug dealers and three brothels. Two years ago we started a “clothing closet”…taking donated clothing to the streets and giving them on a limited basis those in need. 

In June of 2008, Trinity UMC and Third Street Ministries. Inc. signed a five-year agreement for the use of a duplex, recently purchased by Trinity – located at 514-B Avenue A – We opened in July, after volunteers completed comprehensive repairs to the house. Our intent was to use the house as a clothing distribution center, which it is, but through the Grace of God, we have grown past that and now hold Bible study and prayer meetings, as well as informal mediation time three time a week. We are again ready to grow and plan to ad classes on basic computer skills and adult reading skills by the first part of 2010. 

Just for an example of our scope, over the last two years we have averaged giving away close to 300 Bibles a month and 800 garments a month, with a limit of six garments per individual per month and allowing around 80 showers per month

 Who Are The Homeless & Un-Churched:

There is no single answer to this question, the people we attempt to help generally fall into three general categories, we love to pigeon-hole people don’t we, well another sermon for another day. There will always be sponges; those who absorb all they can and return little if any - the self-entitled - this is just a fact of life in today’s society. While they are most assuredly un-churched they are not homeless.  One of Mike Lester’s recent editorial cartoons hit that one on the head! 

As to the homeless, some are transported to Rome from other areas and evaluated at N.W.R.H. if determined to be competent they are released into Rome, at their request, because they have no place else to go. Rome is known as "a good place to be homeless" because of the shelters and food banks. Then there are the truly mentally ill, the physically of mentally disabled, the released addicts. There are the veterans from Viet-Nam who have returned to us dejected, rejected, and basically ignored by the government – unable to function in today’s society

 How Can You Help: 

The citizens of Rome and surrounding areas have opened their hearts and pocket books for this ministry.  All we are able to accomplish is made possible by their donations of time, clothing, and Bibles. 

Used clothing of any type or gender is always needed.
Personal care items are always needed.
A case of 24 Large Print Full Bibles costs $150.00.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” 
NRSV Ephesians 2: 8 

Works Do Matter

“For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand 
to be our way of life.” NRSV Ephesians 2: 10  We are not only expected to do good deeds but were actually created to accomplish them.  John Wesley’s union of justification by faith and going on to perfection does describe the biblical understanding of the life of those in Christ. We are both believers and dowers, people of both faith and good works. Either is barren by itself, as the letter of James reminds us: “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.”  NRSV James 2: 26

What Makes Us One Body?

One: The death of Jesus Christ has destroyed all distinctions of race and nationality. Where ever people are and whatever their background, they are now one people. “14 For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. 15 He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, 16 and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it.”    NRSV Ephesians 2: 14-16

Two: We are united even though we do different things for Christ. The differences do not matter. As individuals, groups, and denominations, we are gifted in different ways; yet we can all belong to the Body as long as we are serving the head, Jesus Christ. Individuals and denominations need not fight over their differences. They can rejoice that God has called each to do separate ministries, which, when combined, express the work of God.  “for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father.” NRSV Ephesians 2: 18

Jesus Christ has become the source of a new personal salvation and the center of a new universal kinship. We are all one body, one spirit, one race. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. Making the story known is the responsibility of each disciple, regardless of personal circumstances. It is also a responsibility of the whole Body, the church. “that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” NRSV Ephesians 3: 6 “so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.” NRSV Ephesians 3: 10

“Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” NRSV  Ephesians 3: 20-21.