Angelic Ministries, local officials cut ribbon for Zion’s Ranch for Men
By Jamie Schnell
schnellj@knoxfocus.com
Zion’s Ranch for Men, a men’s home of Angelic Ministries, had its ribbon cutting late last month. One of the missions of Angelic Ministries is to help men who have come out of homelessness or drug addiction and who desire self-sufficiency. Zion’s Ranch is a 20,000-square-foot home at 3430 Zion Lane in Knoxville.
Tony Earl, executive director of Angelic Ministries, welcomed the attendees and described the event as “a big deal to us, our supporters, our county, to the guys we serve. It is an appointed place of refuge.” And that’s what it is for those coming here. It is a beautiful place to see the Lord’s hands at work and what happens when people come together to see a change, a difference made in someone’s life. The goal at Zion’s Ranch is to “see a change, to see a difference in a man’s life, to see their family changed forever. A permanent fix in their life.”
Earl recognized and thanked the founder, Betsy Frazier, who founded Angelic Ministries in 2002 as “God spoke to her” and showed her a dream that, throughout the years, she followed to fruition.
Earl also thanked board chair Parker Bartholemew as a “man of integrity and resilience, that does not stop when there is a roadblock.” Earl recognized board members Joe and Brent Frazier, saying “God called them to be here,” and all of the respite volunteers, contractors, commissioners, and all those who attended, including Mayor Glenn Jacobs.
One of Angelic Ministries’ graduates, Billy Ipock, shared a special and motivational reading on hope. Billy also shared with The Focus how being raised in a broken home affected his life. Struggling with drugs, abandonment, loss of family members, alcohol and jail, he describes the one thing he hadn’t tried. “Angelic Ministries helped me with my spiritual growth so much that I’m on fire for Jesus right now. Angelic Ministries has taught me structure, it’s taught me how to live again, to be the man that I’m supposed to be, a man born again.”
Mayor Jacobs spoke on the housing crisis and housing struggles with vulnerable populations. “This is going to change the community, addiction and homelessness. And the way to tackle that is by all of us coming together.”
After the ribbon cutting, attendees were invited to tour Zion’s Ranch for Men and the first modular tiny homes available on the property after completion of the program.
To volunteer or donate towards the growth of Angelic Ministries, visit www.angelicministries.com.
