MARION, Ill. - A ribbon cutting was held Saturday, September 22, for the grand opening of The Stable of Darkhorse Ministries at 210 East Union Street in Marion.
Mayor Anthony Rinella welcomed them to the community with open arms.
Over 150 people were in attendance for their first service with speaker Jason Forby from the Southern Range Cowboy Church in Goreville, who brought a wonderful message of hope and love.
It’s a come-as-you-are setting where you will be made feel welcome, loved and accepted no matter what.
Services are held every Saturday evening at 5 p.m. and they hold weekly Bible studies.
In the past, they have been bounced around from holding services in Johnston City, The Cross Church, the Boy Scout cabin, and a clubhouse in Elkville; now, they have their own building.
Chris Ianotti
In the summer of 2015, founder Chris Ianotti began going to Vienna prison every Sunday teaching an addiction class. Other men and women wanted to get involved but didn’t feel comfortable going into prisons, so they started going to Hands Of Hope in Herrin and area nursing homes. Then they started going to the Marion VA hospital and have been volunteering there for the past two years, doing bingo once a month. They go to Mt. Vernon children’s home and hang out with the kids and have a yearly Christmas party for them and taking them shopping.
Marion Police gave the group of more than a hundred riders an escort out of town during a yearly memorial run for a deceased member. Ianotti stated it was kinda nice to be behind the police for a change.
Their goal is to spread the love of Jesus and show the love and kindness shown to them in the past. Helping addicts get into to treatment and those going into prison or those coming out they help to find housing and jobs are just a few of the things they are doing for the community. They aren’t afraid to go into a bar to spread the word or even a drug house to get someone out that needs help. They work with many local organizations such as Centerstone, Marion Ministerial Alliance, Gateway treatment center in Carbondale and several others. They hold weekly Alcohol Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings for those in need.
Myself along with first-time attendee JoAnn Kaminski and Teresa Morris from Marion Ministerial Alliance