Ralph “Dewey” Peterson passed away on Thursday, June 13. Dewey was the pastor/facilitator of New Beginning Fellowship a GCI home church in Crossville, TN for many years.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Georgia Peterson, his four children, Scott, Mike, Jennifer and Joel, along with 7 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren.
He lived a rich life dedicated to the service of others and faithfulness in Christ.
Condolence cards can be sent to:
Georgia V. Peterson 12 Mariners Pt. Fairfield Glade, TN. 38558
We are pleased to announce the engagement of our daughter Jessica Morgan to Johnny Zeng. They were engaged Saturday, June 15th in Los Angeles, CA. A wedding date has not yet been set. Both are currently working hard to finish their masters degree programs.
Have you ever wondered why you are the way you are? Why you own and appreciate the things that you do? I have thought about this. I wonder, why do I think, speak and approach life the way I do? Why do I love being outside whenever possible? When I consider this, I realize that besides my Creator, many individuals have influenced who I am, just as I will influence those who come after me.
Just like my grandfather and father shared their fondness of the outdoors with me, I have shared it with my children. My dad was a logger who loved the scent of the forest and healthy trees, and I enjoy walks in the woods. My mom loved and broke horses for years. I enjoy horses, sharing a juicy handful of grass or carrot with any horse who will accept. I also find myself appreciating Christ’s love and sharing it because of my mother’s devotion to him. She used to sing the song, “I Come to the Garden Alone” about spending quiet time with God in the morning. That song still rings in my head in the mornings when I go outside just like she did and appreciate each day fresh.
Have you considered what you want to share as your legacy? Maybe you have children, maybe you don’t, but you have more influence on others than you realize as you walk through life and even after death.
What will you and I be remembered for? Will people know when we are gone? No matter what age we are today, I would like to challenge us to think carefully about what we may want to leave for future generations.
When thinking about the future, I hope we consider the spiritual and physical needs of our families and those around us. We can make a difference if we plan. Think of that person who has made a difference in your life because they cared and had a plan to bless you. What if we plan to share with others? That is what God did for us (Romans 5). His plan is the reason we sit on this amazing blue planet spinning in the middle of the cosmos and experience his love, grace, and care every day.
Our Spiritual Legacy
Have we shared a spiritual legacy with our families and loved ones? Have we shared openly the love and faith that God put in our hearts with those inside and outside of our households? Jesus says, using the metaphor of the harvest for those ready to accept him, “Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest!” (John 4:35).
Have we thought about those in our families and neighborhoods who need to hear about the gospel and may be ready to accept Jesus as their Savior? Is God using us to reach them? We don’t have to be young and energetic to share the good news with those close to us. In fact, sharing the love of Jesus with just one or two people could change the world for them and the many others that they know. Have our lives been changed by knowing Christ? Why wouldn’t we want to share? Let’s help others experience this joy!
Our Financial Legacy
What about our financial legacy? According to LegalZoom, approximately 55 percent of American adults have not completed a last will and testament allowing for the orderly transfer of assets after death.
What happens without a will in place? Often the state and courts determine how assets will be distributed, at great expense and delay to the rightful owners. Family assets can go unclaimed and end up the property of the state, bypassing the surviving family. I hope we will not allow this to happen to our families.
If you do not have a will in place, please begin today. Speak with an attorney and take the time to get these important documents in place so those who you want to receive your assets will be blessed and not burdened.
A respected attorney who helps people with trusts, wills and estates every day and knows the laws within the state where you live is a good place to start. The expense you incur may provide you and your family with peace of mind that is far more valuable than the amount you spend. If you prefer to do things yourself, documents can also be found online. LegalZoom, LawDepot, and others provide such services. If you choose to do it yourself, please know that there are pros and cons to relying on online legal advice. Read reviews or get referrals for whatever option you choose.
Completing your will or trust could be one of the most important decisions that you make, and your family will forever be thankful to not have the burden of trying to discern your wishes after you die. Please start today! Also, ask legal counsel about a living will that outlines your health directives if you become unable to make these decisions later.
Sharing the Gospel After We Are Gone
For those who already have wills in place and for those who will be setting them up, please consider leaving a portion of your estate to Grace Communion International so you can continue to support the preaching of the gospel even after you are gone. Many people have generously supported the church over the years, and that support has been vital to the work of the church. However, not many of us have stopped to consider how we might leave a legacy of sharing the gospel after our death. Let’s consider how we can bless others with the gospel even after our physical life is over.
Examples of Generosity
I will never forget a modest trust that was set up by the Dulaney family in the mid-1960s with funds set aside to provide an annual payout to the church. This trust now pays over $100,000 to the church annually and that payment is growing along with the trust funds! Just think, you or I may have heard about the good news of Jesus as a result of this family’s thoughtful and generous gift to the church nearly 60 years ago! What a legacy!
A schoolteacher, Ms. Elizabeth Giordano, gave approximately $500,000 to support the gospel by naming the church as a beneficiary of a stock portfolio. Though of modest means, she thoughtfully invested in the stock market during her career and her investments were a significant blessing to the church. Perhaps you heard the good news of the gospel because of this wonderful teacher and her generous gift!
Many others have given and continue to give in various and meaningful ways in support of the gospel. Thank you all for your love and concern for others. Your donations of a widow’s mite or large estate are all appreciated and make it possible for us to join with Jesus in sharing the good news of the gospel!
Ways to Give
After we have properly taken care of our families, let’s consider how to leave a financial legacy that would bless others after we have passed. Important ways you can support GCI and leave a legacy of sharing the gospel around the world:
Regular or recurring donations. Regular donations allow GCI to budget thoughtfully in support of the gospel. When regular donations are given, we can plan further ahead and avoid the uncertainty of future support. Thanks to all faithful and regular donors – you are a blessing!
Designate GCI as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy. If you are in a place where your family doesn’t need a life insurance benefit, since the children or other family members are on their own, consider changing the beneficiary on the policy to name GCI. This is one of the easiest ways to support the gospel after your death.
Designate GCI as the beneficiary of your investment or retirement accounts. Members often name the church as a beneficiary of their IRA, 401(K), 403(b) or other investment accounts. Upon their death, ownership passes directly to the church.
Designate GCI as a beneficiary in your will.
Designate GCI as a beneficiary of a trust that supports the church in perpetuity. This is the option that was used by the Dulaney family in the example above.
Donate a house or other real estate to GCI with the right to live on the property until after death. This allows the donor to receive the tax benefit of the donation now but live on the property until their death.
Thank you for taking the time to thoughtfully care for your family first by preparing a will, trust or other legal instrument(s) to transition your hard-earned assets to your loved ones.
Thank you also for supporting the gospel now and after your death by using one of the methods mentioned to bless those who will hear about Jesus through your gift.
We are happy to help or to answer questions. Please contact us at legal.office@gci.org or by calling 980-495-3963. If you decide to leave a gift to the church that will continue your legacy of generosity for the gospel, please contact us and let us know what you have done, so we can know about it and send our appreciation to you. It is a joy to be on this mission with you.
We Are GCI Series is a collection of videos where various GCI leaders and members are highlighted.
In this episode, GCI Secretary-Treasurer Mat Morgan, shares why he has enjoyed the move to the east coast with the GCI Home Office, and the health of GCI’s finances.
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9 (NIV)
My granddaughters love the story of Cinderella, and I love reading it to them. The rags-to-riches story of the young servant girl has inspired many movie plots and fired the imagination of children around the world.
The Bible discusses the sacrifice of Jesus in terms of a rag-to-riches story: our rags to his riches. “All our righteous acts are like filthy rags”, it says in Isaiah 64:6. In this, Isaiah is explaining our need for grace. There is nothing we can do to gain or maintain salvation. All the rules we follow to that end, all the good things we do in order to try to qualify for salvation, are as filthy rags.
The problem is that, as hard as we may try to change and clean ourselves up, we remain stained with sin. It is only God who can remove those stains. Through the sacrifice of Jesus, God says to us, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you” (Zechariah 3:4). It is in Jesus that “we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Ephesians 1:7).
Cling to this promise today! Because of the cross, we go from our rags to his riches.
Prayer: Loving Father, thank you for Jesus, who died for me and rose for me, and has clothed me with the riches of his righteousness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
By James Henderson National Director Edinburgh, Scotland
Throughout my letters and articles, you’ll notice I continually circle back around to the vision of Healthy Church. With Jesus as our chief cornerstone, Healthy Church is the clear path that the Holy Spirit is taking GCI. I am pleased there is enthusiastic support for this journey forward.
As I travel the globe building relationships and sharing a vision with pastors and churches in the 78 countries where GCI has a presence, I have my eyes open to Healthy Church sightings. I recently had multiple sightings on my trip to Accra, Ghana.
Under the leadership of African Superintendent Kalengule Kaoma and Regional Director of West Africa Emmanuel Okai, we held a wonderful three-day conference over the Easter weekend. During our leadership meetings, while sharing a story of one of the healthier churches in his region, Pastor Okai used the alluring word “vibrant.”
Vibrant means: energetic, bright and full of life. Energetic in the sense that there is passion and determination; bright refers to being brilliant, attractive and striking; full of life implies a life that is stimulating, dynamic, and life-giving. Vibrant is a powerful adjective to describe healthy church.
I quizzed Emmanuel on what factors fed into the vibrancy of the church he was praising, and he didn’t hesitate. He spoke freely about the following attributes:
This church is not only multi-generational, but they also have active families with youth. Did you get that? Families where parents and children are actively participating and serving in the life of the church.
There is outstanding worship with lively worship music. Not just a few songs that serve as an introduction for the sermon to come, but music where people are singing loudly, passionately and from their hearts. In Africa, the worship includes all ages dancing up the aisles to the front, waving their handkerchiefs, and worshipping with their entire being.
Vibrancy hinges on the value of including all members in places where they best fit, with an eye on the younger emerging leaders. Emmanuel is keen about seeing the existence of “farm systems” where younger leaders are being groomed to take on significant roles in the church. This is more than a value or system; this is a culture that is formed over time.
I loved how Emmanuel shared these signs of health and vibrancy. He was passionate in wanting the other leaders to move in this direction, and I am fully on board with this goal. A great reminder he shared with the group is that many of our younger ones hold responsible positions in their workplace, and yet we tend to hold them back from greater responsibilities in the church. He asked the group “How old were you when you were ordained or asked to pastor your first church?” It gave me pause to think. I was 26 when I was ordained an elder, and I pastored my first church at age 30. I am grateful I was given the opportunity to participate in ministry at an early stage in my life.
I encourage you to thoughtfully consider these attributes of vibrancy. I invite you to join me in the quest to identify even more signs of good health as we live out a Christian life in this community called church.
Registration Open for Crossing Borders Summer 2019
Crossing Borders provides twice-a-year mission trips into Mexico. Here are some important reminders and requests:
We have openings for anyone age 15-99 to come along on our summer mission trip to Mexico. Our 27th trip will be June 22-30. Please consider for yourself and let others know about this opportunity. Details at: www.cbmission.org
We need a camp host(s) for the summer trip — one or two people to stay at camp on the U.S. side of the border and cook meals and do some laundry. Very important support for the mission trip! Let us know of anyone interested and we can discuss in more detail.
For our winter trip Dec. 6-9, we need additional shoebox gifts for children in Mexico. We thank God for people in various churches, clubs, school groups, neighborhoods who send/bring us shoebox gifts every year. But our number of boxes has decreased lately, and we could use an additional 400-500 boxes. Could you organize a group to pack and send gift boxes that we hand-deliver to needy children in Mexico? For more info, click on Shoebox tab at: www.cbmission.org.
Contact Lee Berger for details at Lee.Berger1@gmail.com or 903-746-4463.
It is with sorrow that we share the passing of Paul Kurts, father of former Southeast Regional Director Paul David “PD” Kurts. Please pray for PD, his family and all those who knew and loved Paul. Many of you have known Paul through the years because of his visits and preaching in GCI. We are deeply grateful for his service as a minister of the gospel and his passionate desire for people to know Jesus Christ and the love of the Father. The following announcement was written by his daughter Allison.
Paul Kurts (far right) pictured here with family.
Paul Kurts, 74, of Madison, AL, passed away on May 21, 2019. He was survived by his wife, Pat, and three children, Paul D. Kurts (Emma L. Kurts) of Hickory, NC, Michael S. Kurts of Madison, AL, and Allison K. Meadows (Paul W. Meadows) of Alabaster, AL; his five grandsons, James P. Kurts, Michael D. Kurts, Maxwell W. Meadows, John P. Meadows, Jones W. Meadows; his twin sister, Pattie K. McGee; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Mr. Kurts was a 1966 graduate of Mississippi State University, where he attended on a full golf scholarship and was in the Air Force ROTC. He served in the ministry for 40 years before retiring in 2009. Mr. & Mrs. Kurts were married in 1965 in Jackson, MS, and celebrated their 53rd anniversary last September.
Through the years, Mr. Kurts touched many lives through pastoral care, children’s ministry, and teen ministry. He enjoyed spending time with his wife, children, and grandsons, playing golf and giving golf lessons, fellowshipping with his high school friends regularly, encouraging other people, writing about trinitarian theology, composing poetry, and staying busy with his entrepreneurial endeavors. He liked Mexican food, perhaps a little too much, and made the best homemade salsa you’ve ever tasted.
Throughout his entire life, his love and passion for dogs were unparalleled, having cared for many, including Schnauzers, Yorkies, Beagles, Rat Terriers, and Dachshunds. He was richly blessed and will be greatly missed. Plans for a Celebration of Life gathering will be communicated in the coming weeks.
Cards may be sent to:
Mrs. Pat Kurts 243 Rainbow Dr Madison, AL 35758-8776
Hans de Moei, Jeanine, Jester and Selah Vrijmoeth.Hans and Denise de Moei, Matthias, Yvonne and Ezra den Hartog.
In the Netherlands, we celebrated two blessings of the children. On April 28 we performed the blessing for Selah Vrijmoeth, the daughter of Jester and Jeanine Vrijmoeth from The Hoeksteen congregation and on May 26 we had the blessing of Ezra den Hartog, son of Matthias and Yvonne den Hartog from The Hoeksteen congregation as well. Ezra is the first grandchild of Hans and Denise de Moei, pastor couple of The Hoeksteen.
