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We Were Blessed!

Sunday at Maranatha Bible Conference

Our speaker for Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday is Dr. David Martin, from Evangelical Free Church, Hershey, PA

Are you truly listening to God?

Or is it similar to listening to someone while reading a newspaper and saying, “Uh huh, uh huh.”  But you have no real idea what they are saying.

Scott (TFC President) and Karen Weidner with David Martin’s wife, Sharon

Mary Ann and Chaplain David Roberts, Ephrata, PA

Worship leader and concerts – Sunday and Monday – John Schmid, Berlin, OH.  If you are familiar with him – you know we were blessed!

Touch of the Master’s Hand – “What am I bid, said the auctioneer?”

Cerwin made sure everyone could hear.

Mealtime is another highlight at Maranatha.

The four chaplains – from left to right:  John Mitchell, Denver, CO; Jesse Deems, Brunswick, GA; Bill Thomas, Alberta, Canada; Wayne Dunlap, Toledo, OH;

Rosa (our favorite waitress) and her husband.  She came out of Teen Challenge about the time we began coming to Maranatha Bible Conference – about five years ago.

 Remember the son and daughter-in-law we met at the airport on Friday – who were on a business trip to Southern California?

They were at the TFC chapel service in Ontario this morning!

Jere with Volunteer Chaplain Mike

I wish I had taken a picture of Chaplain Doug and Carolyn Young’s faces when Cerwin told our group about it!  And that Jerry Jackson, from Alabama (behind our daughter-in-law) rededicated his life to the Lord this morning.

Jere and Kristen had been at the Crystal Cathedral before coming to the chapel, and said they were more blessed by this service – with six in attendance – than the one with thousands! 

How neat is that for TFC staff to hear!

Transport For Christ Staff Conference

Maranatha Bible Conference, Muskegon, MI

Opening Day

Saturday, September 16, 2006

Rallyn and Carolyn Van Beek, Sioux Falls, SD, arrive

Staff from across the country arrived in a steady stream from late morning until late evening.

Two Carolyns

Carolyn Young (Ontario, California) and Carolyn Van Beek

The Welcoming Committee

Peg O’Hare (Mt. Joy, PA) and Janis Kemp (Lititz, PA)

Assistant to the President – Inge Koenig, Mt. Joy, PA

Some of the men kept an eye on the football game.

First Official Meeting

The International Leadership Team met to make sure we are all on “the same page” for the weeks activities.

I don’t know about this group!  Do they look like they are on the same page?

TFC President and CEO Scott Weidner, Hershey, PA, welcomes everyone before the evening meal.

Bruce Sparks, Guest Services Director of Maranatha Bible and Missionary Conference welcomes us to their facility.

Sam Rittenhouse, Office of Chaplain Care and Conference Coordinator, Lansdale, PA, opens with a few comments and prayer for the meal.

Following the meal, President Scott Weidner outlined some upcoming changes in the organization of TFC and gave us a preview of the week ahead.

An Evening By The Lake

It was a beautiful evening to sit around a fire and sing songs.

Jay & Karen LeRette, Rochelle, IL

Dixie and Jim Harkless, Greensboro, NC

Esther Landis, Lancaster, PA, plays in the sand.  Her mom, JJ Landis, is Highway News editor.

Carolyn and Rallyn Van Beek (right) share how God called them to ministry with TFC in Sioux Falls.

Wayne and Rita Foreman tell us how God led them to serve with TFC in Omaha, NE.

By the time the wood had become embers, we were ready for bed.

Come Along

I’m Walking to the Beach Again

It took only four minutes until we got our first glimpse of Lake Michigan.

Take off your shoes and put them in the shoe rack so we can feel the sand between our toes!  (Notice mine in the middle row – to the left.)

This is a great place to sit and visit, but I think we’ll have more fun walking this time.

The beach is full of seagulls – probably because we are the only people here.

Our presence eventually convinced every gull to move to another area of the beach.

Leaving only their foot prints.

Now that we are on our way back, notice the slight impression that had once been my footprint – before water washed over it several times.  It reminded me of the brevity of life and how little time we have to make impressions for Christ.

Now that our beach walk is over, we can get our shoes, wipe the sand off our feet and from between our toes, and head back to the Conference grounds.

Thanks for coming along!

Some Pictures From Our Evening Walk to the Lake

Our motel is called Duneside, because it is just a five-minute walk to the eastern shore and dunes of Lake Michigan.

Interesting markings on the sand from the waves coming and going.

My footprint.

We asked a lady to take our picture.  She took several, but this one is our favorite.

Wal-Mart and Supper

Cerwin, Howard & Angie Moses, Tammy & Ted Keller, and Sam Rittenhouse

After the early birds were here, we decided to get a few groceries at Wal-Mart and go out for supper.  We do not get meals here until tomorrow supper – when the Conference officially begins.

Angie is in charge of Fun Night on Wednesday, and was trying to figure out what she could do with these kids hats – provided by The Old Country Buffet – where we ate supper.  She came up with a plan and asked the manager for several more – he complied!

I received an interesting call during supper.  Craig – from Hawaii called to ask about receiving pictures from the Truck Rally on June 24.  He saw some of them on a website and wanted to know more about the Rally and Transport For Christ. 

It is so interesting how God brings people into our lives. 

Our Day of Flying to Michigan

A few days ago we discovered that our son, Jere, and his wife Kristen were leaving Harrisburg Airport just 45 minutes after us – on the same airline, so we were pretty sure that we would meet. 

It was so neat to spend about twenty minutes with them.  They are on their way to a dairy conference in California.  He oversees a local milk testing lab, and coordinated this conference.

We left at 6:15 AM, they were leaving out of the same gate at 7 AM.

I love to watch sunrises from an airplane.

A short time later we were preparing to land in Chicago.  I was on the wrong side of the plane when we saw the Sears Tower.

We had a two-hour layover, so took time for breakfast, then went to our gate.  Just before it was time to board, we saw our chaplain from Columbia, SC, Ted Keller and his wife Tammy.  We were on the same flight to Grand Rapids. 

We used free air miles to Grand Rapids and rented a car to drive to Muskegon. 

The background is one of the buildings on the Maranatha Bible Conference grounds, where our TFC Conference is held.

We are staying in Duneside, the motel across from the main lodge.  Those who arrive early must stay here because another conference is still going on.

We choose the top floor – because we don’t have any trouble going up stairs, while some of the others do.  Our room is at the top right.

The view of the main lodge from the balcony outside our room.

Our bedroom

We would choose to be in Duneside, even if we arrived later, because the rooms are small apartments – instead of a motel room.  The benefit of the main lodge is that most of the people are there, and meals are served in that building.

Our kitchen and sitting area.

I am PLEASED to have WiFi in our room! 

We’re Off on an Air Trip

We are looking forward to spending time with the TFC Staff in Muskegon, Michigan.

I think the conference grounds has WiFi, so I will hopefully be in touch.  If not, I will be back soon.

Our 43rd Wedding Anniversary!

Forty-three years ago we were dreaming of growing old together, and here we are, amazed at God’s presence and guidance during the years.

We are so blessed!

We have been given the best four children in the entire world (our two sons and two daughters are seated with us) – and they’re married to our awesome in-laws!

Fifteen grandchildren on earth, one in heaven, and two “adopted” grandsons have captured our hearts forever.

When we were introduced to Transport For Christ in the late ’60s we never imagined that it would be the ministry that would fill our lives…

Full and Overflowing.

~~~

Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever.

Amen!

Revelation 7:12 NIV

Happy 89th Birthday to Mother

Cerwin and his mother, Ella

Mother, our sister-in-law, Pat, and Cerwin’s brother, Elvin

Our brother-in-law, Mel, Cerwin’s sister, Velda, and me.

We had a great time celebrating Mother’s upcoming birthday (Friday) at a local restaurant last night.

Eating Peanuts With Grandpa!

Cerwin usually keeps a can of peanuts in the drawer between us on our double Laz-E-Boy.

 When Jared wants to convince Grandpa to give him some, he gets the can, crawls up unto Cerwin’s lap, then encourages Grandpa to move over so he can squeeze in next to him on the seat (which is made for one person)! 

Then he and Grandpa eat peanuts!