Summer 2007 Newsletter
From the Keyboard of Dr. Ross Jutsum
“Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” I Thessalonians 5:18
July 1997–July 2007 – 10 years of “State of the Heart Ministries”!
July 15, 2007 marks the 10th anniversary of “State of the Heart Ministries” and the beginning of our second decade of full-time service in the Body of Christ. We are so grateful to our precious Lord who has opened the doors and lighted the way, and given us the strength and provision to proceed. And we are also very thankful to the many friends and ministry partners who have prayed for us and supported our work. Please continue to pray that God will make clear the vision He has for us as we begin the next ten years and that He will guide and sustain us always.
Family News
Younger daughter, Lisa, is home for the summer working hard to help pay for her tuition for her upcoming third year at Wheaton College in Chicago. She recently returned from a month-long intensive French language immersion in Paris and is planning to spend spring semester of 2008 serving in a French-speaking African country – either Senegal or Rwanda. Meanwhile, our older daughter Heidi and her husband Ryan will return home August 1st at the completion of their one-year humanitarian fellowship. They have been doing wonderful work in Central and South America (especially in Panama, Equador and Bolivia) and will return in late August to their adopted village of Panabaj near Santiago Atitlán in Guatemala to conduct a year of work helping the widows and orphans there. Tammy and I will enjoy having all three children home!
New Web Site Complete!
To check out our “new and improved” web site, please go to www.stateoftheheart.org. We are especially pleased with the 5-minute introductory video clip which gives an overview of the ministry. We are hoping to use the new site as an impetus to develop better and more effective
e-mail communication to friends, prayer partners and potential supporters.
July 4th -- Leading Worship in Kansas City at International Conference
On Wednesday evening, July 4th I enjoyed a wonderful opportunity to lead worship at the Biennial International Conference of the Church of God Seventh-Day in Overland Park, Kansas. At the invitation of the denomination’s President Whaid Rose, and Wanda Taylor, widow of my late pastor friend Lynn Taylor, I was honored to lead more than 1,000 enthusiastic worshippers in heartfelt praise and thanksgiving. After teaching the chorus of my song, “Now’s the Time to Worship” I was both thrilled and surprised when everyone spontaneously stood up and clapped joyfully together! Not only did we celebrate the wonderful blessing of freedom to worship in this country, but we celebrated our common citizenship in heaven as followers of our Lord and King! We closed the service singing “At the Name of Jesus” and then, with everyone joining hands, prayed together “Lord, Make Us Instruments of Your Peace.” Worshipping together with so many new brothers and sisters was an experience I will treasure for a long time.
June ’07 Ministry Visits
In conjunction with my sixth visit to Williams College in Williamstown MA to help our long-time friend Martha Williamson in some musical evenings, I was guest speaker and worship leader at the Albany/Schenectady NY congregation of the WCG. On a second trip to the north-east, I was privileged to serve as a guest at a diversity service in Stratford CT, give a community concert for Christ’s Family of Hope Fellowship in Windham, ME and lead worship at Sonlight Christian Fellowship in Loudon NH. Thanks to Pastor Larry & Connie Wooldridge, Bob & Carol Thurlow and Thom & Marlene Friedrich, and the Limannis, for super hospitality!
May ‘07 Ministry Visits
May began with a third visit to the House of Faith in Denver, CO, hosted by Tim and Maryann Snyder. Then it was on to Cheyenne WY WCG pastored by Shannon Fertig, where, joined by dear friends Katrina and Joe Weber, I led worship and then to Wheatland WY where I was guest worship leader at the United Church of Christ, and on Sunday afternoon gave a Community Concert of Praise attended by folks from a dozen different churches in town. Much appreciation goes to David and Rose Weber and the entire Weber family for their outstanding hospitality.
April ‘07 Ministry Visits
April highlights included a second visit to Lutheran Church of the Cross in Laguna Woods, CA. Once again, I served as guest speaker and worship leader at their 4 weekly worship services and then gave a Sunday afternoon concert. At the invitation of Pastor Leland Lantz (who, we discovered, plays a mean didjeridu!) I also shared music at the church’s very popular “Senior’s Day Out.” A busy weekend in Pennsylvania and West Virginia included revival services at Fountain of Life Church in Washington PA, worship services at the Wheeling WV WCG, the East Suburban Community Church and First United Methodist Church in McKeesport PA and an outreach community concert that Sunday afternoon. Pastors Todd Crouch, Tom Smith and Becky Patterson helped everything come together! And April ended with serving for the 4th time at the Toronto East WCG congregation, hosted by Pastor Richard Wilding, and then in Buffalo NY at Epiphany United Church Christ (for my 3rd time hosted by Pastor George Cushing) and at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Lancaster for a truly memorable first guest visit.
Donations to the Ministry
We are established as a 501C3 California non-profit corporation. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to help in the work of our ministry, our mailing address is State of the Heart Ministries, P.O. Box 56, Sierra Madre, CA 91025-0056. You can also call us at (626) 836-4686 (between 9 A.M. and 6 P.M. Pacific Time) or you can also visit our web site at www.stateoftheheart.org CDs can be ordered on-line at www.rossjutsum.com
|
