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Christ at the Center of Recovery in Downtown Melbourne

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16 Oct 2025 — 3 min read

Amy Lyon and Buddy Morrow sit outside 407 E. New Haven Avenue during “Conversations on a Bench,” inviting the community to join in honest dialogue about homelessness, recovery, and faith.

MELBOURNE – Undeterred by the wet weather, two of Brevard County’s leading homeless ministries, CITA Rescue Mission and New Life Mission, teamed up for Conversations on a Bench, a 24-hour livestream of unfiltered talk about homelessness, addiction, and mental health hosted in Downtown Melbourne last week.

From 3 p.m. on October 9 to 3 p.m. on October 10, CITA CEO Buddy Morrow and New Life CEO Amy Lyon sat on a bench outside 407 E. New Haven Avenue, welcoming anyone to join them for honest conversation. Leaders from churches, nonprofits, and local government stopped by to discuss how Brevard can better meet both the physical and spiritual needs of those experiencing homelessness.

The first conversation set the tone. Speaking with Florida Today editor John Torres, Lyon and Morrow explained that neither mission accepts government funding. “We’ve been around for 56 years now and we’ve not taken a penny from the government,” Morrow said. “One of the reasons we stay that way is because we want to keep Christ the center of our programs, because we truly believe He’s the one who does the transforming.”

Amy Lyon and Buddy Morrow of New Life Mission and CITA Rescue Mission explain why they don't take government funding in a conversation with Florida Today's John Torres.

Guests throughout the day and night included Dr. Mike Ronsisvalle of LiveWell Behavioral Health, AnnMarie Belyus Gustke of Agape Women’s Center, Palm Bay Councilman Kenny Johnson, Linda Johnson of St. Mark’s UMC, Melbourne Councilman Marcus Smith, and Kristy Stuart of Love INC of Brevard, among others.

Conversations on a Bench is part of a national storytelling initiative coordinated by the Citygate Network to coincide with World Homeless Day. “Each bench becomes a platform for raw, authentic conversation, shifting public perception, fostering collaboration, and reflecting the way Jesus saw and heard those He encountered during His time on earth,” Citygate’s online promo reads.

CITA Rescue Mission has served Brevard County for 56 years through its Christ-centered recovery and housing program for men. In 2024, the organization expanded to include Helen’s House, a shelter for women and children escaping domestic violence. New Life Mission, founded in 2008 as Brevard Rescue Mission, helps homeless mothers rebuild their lives through parenting classes, financial coaching, and a two-year residential program where 90 percent of graduates do not return to homelessness.

*The 24-hour livestream was made possible through the support of John Lopez of Real Kingdom Media, who sponsored and produced the broadcast on Facebook and YouTube.*

The theme of the event was resoundingly Christ-focused, with tough conversations and practical solutions brought to light through the lens of Christian love and mission.

The faith of many conversation guests and listeners throughout the 24-hour event was perhaps best echoed in Torres’s response to Morrow’s proclamation of faith in the transformative power of Christ in the stream’s opening conversation:

“If it’s not Him, who?”

Visit CITA Rescue Mission at their website or on Facebook @CITARescueMission.

Visit New Life Mission at their website or or Facebook @NewLifeMissionBrevard.

*Staff and volunteers from New Life Mission gather around the bench in downtown Melbourne at the close of the 24-hour Conversations on a Bench livestream.*

— Christians of Brevard is a multi-church initiative that seeks to amplify the voices of local churches and ministries for the purpose of encouraging the local body of Christ and advancing the Kingdom of God. Join our Facebook community @ChristiansOfBrevard