More than Friends

Curtis, Sandra and Hayward Burton

One of the great things about the Christmas season is getting together with old friends and that is what we did last Sunday just before Christmas. We invited the Burtons over to share a traditional (for our family) pre-Christmas dinner of lamb. Hayward is an elder at the Livonia church and has been for over thirty years. He was also the elder over missions most of the time I was in Kenya and he and Sandra visited us several times over the years. They have a big house and everytime we came back on furlough we stayed at the Burtons. Our kids looked at the Burton's house as our home in America and still have many fond memories of our staying there.

Hayward and Sandra were more than friends to Diane and me, they were often sources of wisdom and advice when we faced various challenges in Kenya. They were our advocates at the Livonia church and were staunch supporters of missions. One summer while we were on furlough they came and took a course at the ACU Summer Seminar in Missions with us. It is hard to describe how much they mean to Diane and me and our life and ministry with and in the Livonia church but we are very thankful to the Father for their love, support and influence in our lives. Every missionary ought to have someone like them here in the States and yet so many that I knew didn't and their lives were harder as a result. It is great to have friends, it is even better to have friends in the Lord like the Burtons.

What to Preach

One of the challenges that preaching presents is the continuing question of what to preach. I've been at Livonia for seven and a half years and that means over 300 sermons preached during that time. There are always several issues to deal with. One issue is balance. It is fairly easy to neglect parts of scripture such as the prophets in the Old Testament. The narrative parts are usually easier to prepare lessons from but I have also done series from the Psalms and Proverbs. I have been looking at Zacharia and asking, "How would I preach from that book?" I still don't have an answer so I probably am not doing anything from there any time soon. But I'd like to. For me the prophets present maybe the biggest challenge for preaching. I will preach at least one series from the Old Testament this next year but I'm not sure what it will be or when.

The second challenge is preaching to the needs of the congregation. There are always various problems certain people face. Some issues are simply life issues that we all face such as sickness or why bad things happen to us. Some needs are things I see that the congregation does not see. Certain idols that we construct that we are not even aware of present one of the biggest challenges to preaching. For example in this country security has become an idol both individually and nationally. The desire to be secure causes us to avoid the very areas where we should be ministering and serving. Nationally our leaders make decisions that put security above justice and basic human rights. This is just one example of an area where preachers need to speak but often people don't want the listen.

There is also an even more important question, what does God want to say to the church? I am constantly aware that when I preach I don't speak for myself but I am God's spokesperson. What a privilage and responsibility that is. As I prepare a series of lessons this is the one question I pray the most about. So I read and study and pray that God will give me a message for his people at Livonia. I love what I do but the challenge is always before me.

Memphis Trip

This past week Diane and I traveled to Memphis for me to work in the library at Harding University Graduate School of Religion (HUGSR) and also to spend time with Laura, Rusty and Alex. We had a great time and actually stayed with Evertt and Ilene Huffard. The Huffards are long time friends from our first stay at HUGSR from 1972-75. Diane and Ilene are friends from our Lubbock Christian days. Evertt is now dean at the school and has been a friend and mentor to my two sons-in-law as they have prepared and entered into ministry. I always come away from time with Evertt encouraged.

We spent as much time as possible with the Campbells. Alex broke his arm a few weeks ago but it didn't slow him down. Grandkids are a blast! Rusty and Laura have a two bedroom apartment on the HUGSR campus. Diane stayed with Alex while Laura and Rusty worked and I was in the library. We had a lot of fun.

Couples Retreat

We had Dean's funeral on Tuesday and then Friday Diane and I led a couples retreat for the Livonia church. When we started planning the retreat we hoped to get eight couples, we ended up with sixteen so we were very pleased with the response. We met at a retreat center just a few miles from the Livonia building. Since it was a Catholic retreat center the rooms had no TVs which was a shock for several who came. I mean, a couples retreat and no TV so what do you do? I think most figured it out.

Even though we were tired the reteat was a real blessing for us as it helped to take our minds off the sad events of the previous weeks. We had a great time laughing and talking about how to understand our mates better. This was the third time we have led this particular retreat. The first time was for the team in Cochabamba, Bolivia and then again for the church in Windsor, Ontario Canada.

Alex

While the funeral was stressful one blessing was the chance to see Rusty, Laura and Alex. They came up for the funeral and then stayed a couple of days with us before driving back to Memphis. We really appreciated their presence and support and of course the chance to spend some time with Alex is always special. Here are a few pictures.

Here is Alex with his cousin Ashley and in his Halloween costume dressed as a lion .

Pictures from the Funeral

Here a few pictures from Dean's funeral on November 6th. These were taken a Custer National Cemetary where Dean was laid to rest.

Dean's Funeral

Yesterday was Dean's funeral. It was an emotional time for all of us as we said good bye to a wonderful father and friend. Visitation took place Sunday and Monday with people coming from fairly long distances. It was a real encouragement to the family and I was introduced to some of Diane's relatives for the first time. Despite the sadness of the occasion it was a time of renewal of friendships and relationships.

I did the eulogy and centered my thoughts around Luke's comment about Barnabas, "He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord." (Acts 11:24 NIV) I really think this is a good summation of Dean's life. It would be great if all of us could have this said about us.

Since Dean was a veteran of WWII he was buried at Custer National Cemetery near Battle Creek, MI about an hour's drive from Coldwater. It was my first time to do a funeral with military honors and that was interesting. We came home yesterday evening and are quite exhausted. There is much before us in helping Diane's mother, Ruth, as she adjusts to life alone. She faces some limitations since her eyesight is very poor. Still, I believe she will do okay though I know it will be difficult.

To those of you who have been praying for us, thank you. I know it has helped us through a difficult time. We are thankful that Dean is with the Father and our prayer is that we will join him as we too live out faithful lives to our God.

Matthew Remembers Granddaddy

Matt doesn't blog so he wanted me to post his comments. The picture is of last Christmas. Matt is standing directly behind Granddaddy.

My Grandfather,

One of the disadvantages of growing up in Kenya was the fact that I never got to know my grandparents very well. Despite this fact when I think of my Grandfather there is so much that I love and admire about him. I remember the first time that I met him and mom warned me that he liked to tease people. When I met him I remember looking up into his warm smiling face and the first thing he said was "There's a bug on your nose!" I remember watching him laugh as I finally caught on to the joke.

I remember going fishing with Granddaddy every time we came back on furlough. On the way back into shore he would let me drive the boat. I remember the shelves he made for me and my sisters. Mine are still hanging in my room in Michigan and I will take those with me wherever I go when I graduate from college. I remember learning to play pool in his basement. I remember his blue eyes as they sparkled with joy and laughter in everything they did.

There were so many wonderful things about him. The thing that I am the most appreciative of, however, is his faith. I cannot imagine what my life would be like without that. He was a devoted Christian in everything that he did. He raised my mother to be a Godly woman. She married my father and helped pass on that same faith to me and my two sisters. His devoted preaching and working for the Kingdom of God for over 60 years was and is an inspiration to me. His life as a humble servant of God is an example to me everyday in what I do. It is humbling, inspiring, and a bit intimidating for me to look back upon the life that my Grandfather lived.

I am so thankful for my Grandfather. I am even more thankful for the promise we have in God of eternal salvation and the fact that I will see him again someday. I know that he is with Christ in Heaven right now and has been received with a "Well done good and faithful servant." The hope we have in Christ is incredibly powerful. "So it will be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable, it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory, it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power, it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 I love you Granddaddy.

Matthew Stephens

Goodbye to Dean

This picture is of Dean and Ruth, Diane's parents, taken last summer at Lake Erie. Dean returned to his Creator Monday evening 7:12 PM. Diane and I were there along with Ruth, Cindy, Diane's sister and her daughter Rochelle and Cindy's husband Gary. It was sad to see Dean go but we are thankful for his life and his over 60 years of service to the Kingdom. The funeral is November 6th.

Besides Ruth and his family Dean loved two things, preaching and fishing. He was active in both right up until this illness put him in the hospital. Ruth thought the more he fished the better he preached so he was improving right up to the end. I've never known someone who took fishing as seriously as Dean. The result was it was rare when he didn't make his limit. He loved fishing for Walleye though he would fish for anything that could be eaten. No catch and release for Dean. We could be certain of a constant supply of Walleye just about year round.

As much as Dean was a fisherman he was even more a fisher of men. He loved ministry and touch countless people for the Lord. He was involved in prison ministry in Coldwater as well as his church work. I've started going through his library and I believe he has copies of every sermon or lesson he ever taught, over 60 years worth. It is overwhelmning. I have been truely blessed by his example of faithful service and his encouragement in my ministry.

We really don't know a lot about what heaven will be like but I have to believe that we will serving and working. I believe that this life is preparation for greater responsibilites there though I have no idea what those will be. I do know that Dean has prepared himself for whatever the Lord wants him to do. Dean, we will miss you.

There are times

It is funny how different things strike you. Diane was speaking to one of our members here at Livonia just inquiring if they were okay since they weren't at worship on Sunday. She was told they had been very tired from things on Saturday and had decided to sleep in on Sunday. I guess I just didn't expect that of this particular person. The result was I told Diane I was ready to go back to Africa. It is just discouraging to see how low a priority so many Christians in the United States place worship and Bible study. If that person had said they were sick, or their children were sick I wouldn't have thought about it. Maybe I shouldn't judge fatigue as an illegitimate excuse but it did hit me wrong.

I don't know that I'm ready to run away to Africa over this. There were plenty of problems there, Christians who were not very committed, but I also saw a lot of enthusiasm for God and for his word. Just as people are hungry physically in Africa there is a spiritual hunger that makes them want to study God's work, want to know what God wants in their lives. It seems that people in the US are bloated not just with fast food but everything that fills up their lives and leaves little space for God.

Dean's Surgery

Yesterday was another busy day. Diane called me at 5:30 AM to tell me that Dean's surgery had been moved from noon to 6:30 AM. Since she and Ruth were staying in Kalamazoo they were able to go over and see him before they took him to begin the prep for the surgery. I drove over (it is about a two hour drive from Livonia) and got there about 9:30. The surgery ended at 12:30 and he came through in good shape. The doctor did three bypasses because there were some complication including an enlarged heart and hardening of the aorta. For those reasons they were unable to stop the heart as they typically do in this type of surgery so they did the work on a beating heart, amazing. Dean was still unconscious when I returned to Livonia that afternoon but his color was good and the doctor was very pleased with the surgery. Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray for his recovery.

A Busy Weekend

This past Thursday (Oct. 11) we received a call that Diane's father, Dean Clutter, had been taken to the hospital with heart problems. Dean is an active 82 years old, still preaching at the church in Coldwater, MI and is a walleye's worst nightmare. The doctors discovered four blockages and so Dean is to have by-pass surgery. We have made several quick trips to Kalamazoo where the hospital is. The surgery has been postponed once due to some lung issues and so we still do not have a definite date for the surgery. We ask your prayers on his behalf and for his wife of 60+ years, Ruth. It promises to be a stressful time but Dean is in the Lord's hands, as we all are. Whatever the physcial outcome the spiritual outcome is already decided and in that we take comfort.

We also just found out that we will have another granddaughter sometime in January or early February next year. Julie and Josh will have three girls less than three years (thanks to Josh and Julie who caught my typo 'months') apart. We are excited for them and rejoice in our fourth grandchild in less than three years. Diane and I will be traveling to Bolivia in late January to visit the family. You can visit their blog blog to see the first picture of Baby Marcum #3.

I Repent

Dear Friends,
This past week I was reminded twice that I have a blog and than I haven't posted anything in a year. Shame on me and apologies to you who occasionally check to see if I have added anything. Life is good and it is not because anything bad has happened that I have failed to post anything, just procrastination. Since my last posting we took a three week trip to Bolivia to visit Julie, Josh, and our two granddaughters Michaela and Eliana. Diane and I went on a five day spiritual retreat to a retreat center in the Amish country of Ohio. It was free for full time ministers so if there are any reading this contact me and I will provide the information. I have continued to preach at the Livonia congregation and have started my eighth year in that role. Julie is expecting and we will have our fourth grandchild sometime in late January. Diane and I are planning another trip to Bolivia around the time the new baby is due. So all in all life is good.

I am currently preaching a series from the Beatitudes in Matthew 5 using material from Tim Woodruff's book, "Walk this Way". I really like the material that Tim puts out and highly recommend him as a writer and thinker.

Thank you to those who reminded me of my blog and asking why I never post any more. God's blessings on all you.