Greetings Friends in Christ:
As I write this my windows are open the birds are all back and the spring flowers are all pushing to be seen in the flower beds. What a blessing to see winter in the rear view mirror and the dawning of warmer temperatures, green grass, and summer flowers. The seasons certainly are a picture of our own lives and the seasons we go through. The Scriptures declare to us in Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and time to pluck up that which is planted.”
On a recent encounter with a family who just lost a loved one I was asked to do a prayer of committal for them. As the Holy Spirit lead we struck up a conversation about the deceased and her love for the GreenBay Packers. It was the Friday before the Packers final game of the season and I was wearing my #15 jersey. The family shared of their mother’s love of the Packers. We had a beautiful life review, share time, and prayer of committal around John 14 and Psalm 23. To make a long story short they invited me to do their mother’s funeral service. What a privilege and responsibility to present the Gospel of Christ to this family with an invitation for them to receive Christ as their personal Lord and Savior through the “New Birth” John 3.
We would like to thank you all for your prayers and financial support to keep this ministry a reality. A local bank has also provided another way to help this ministry without having to send anything to us. A representative from the bank sent along the following message:
Forward Financial Bank offers an account called Charitable Money Market Account. All you have to do is go into any Forward Financial Bank branch an open an account. When you open the account you would choose the EHCI from a list of non-profit organizations. When you choose EHCI the ministry will receive a donation based on your year to date balance from the bank each year! This donation does not come out of your account, but rather is given to the ministry by Forward Financial Bank. You are able to choose EHCI anonymously if you wish. Forward Financial Bank has 2 branches in Marshfield as well as a branch in Medford, Greenwood, Withee, Thorp, and Stanley.
As a reminder, if you or a loved one is hospitalized at Ministry St. Josephs in Marshfield please list your home church and ask that Chaplain Randy VanDeLoo be contacted so that I know of your hospitalization. Please feel free to e-mail or call me to let me know of your admission to the hospital and I will make every effort to see you. It is our privilege to serve the Lord Jesus Christ through this ministry of visitation.
Because He Lives… we can face tomorrow.
Pastor Randy and Bev VanDeLoo