Winter 2010 Newsletter
From the Keyboard of Dr. Ross Jutsum
Previous Newsletters

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to proper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you." Jer. 29:11-12

A New Year and A New Decade!

What a year 2009 was and what a decade!  Regardless of the very challenging times faced by the countries of the world, it is certainly comforting to know that our God does have “the whole world in His hands, and that He loves each one of us unconditionally, and so desires us to be close to Him as we seek Him as individuals, families and nations.  Our prayer for the new year and decade is that, by faith alone, grace alone and Christ alone, we can seek Him with all of our hearts in a fresher and more vibrant way and show many more the Father’s wonderful love!

Grace's Amazing Recovery
Our new year began by discovering Tammy’s dear mother, Grace, had suffered a stroke.  Fortunately, on a rare weekend home for me, we discovered her on the floor of her granny flat, adjacent to our house, having been prompted by the unusually early sound of running water.  We are so thankful that we found her soon after the stroke and that, with the incredible efforts of the paramedics, doctors and nurses, were able to get her the help she needed as early as possible.  Grace is now home, and we praise God that, in her eightieth year, she has no significant loss of speech or motor movement and is slowly getting back to her feisty self!!!  Tammy has been such a trooper through this whole situation, and we have been so grateful for the support of our children, Tammy’s sister, Linda, and the prayers of many friends and family around the world.

Update on Lisa, Heidi and Ryan
Heidi and Ryan were home from New Haven CT for the holidays, and we really appreciated their extending their visit by a few days to help keep vigil with Granny at the hospital.  They are as busy as ever back at Yale with Ryan’s graduate work, Heidi’s jobs with the university and Orchestra New England, as well as continuing to oversee their wonderful work in Guatemala (web site is http://www.justapparel.org) where they plan to go for a two-week visit in March.  Lisa is enjoying her work at the Braille Institute in Los Angeles and has also been a real blessing with Granny’s situation.  Between working out, gospel choir rehearsals, leading a bible study and a small group, and other service at Christian Assembly, we don’t see very much of her!

November '09 Ministry Visits
November began with a wonderful opportunity to serve congregations of Grace Communion in North Broward and Pt. St. Lucie in Florida.  A quick first-time side trip to Freeport, Bahamas made it possible to include a worship service with the GCI congregation there as well and the folks were so appreciative to have a visitor!  (Many thanks to Pastors Larry Hinkle and Calvin Parker)  Next, I served for the 8th time at a Thanksgiving service for the South Bay Christian Church in San Jose CA with Pastor Mel and Barbara Dahlgren.  The same weekend, I also led an inter-denominational worship service at Christ Presbyterian Church in San Leandro CA where 6 diverse congregations came together to join in worship and praise – thanks to Jim and Hazel Roberts of One in Christ Community Church who coordinated this wonderful gathering!     Return visits to Pleasant Hills Christian Church in Harrisburg PA, and New Life Fellowship of Baltimore MD were warmly received, and I was especially blessed to be able to visit and pray with dear friend and New Life Pastor, Peter Whitting, who was in hospital recuperating from a collapsed lung.  Peter is now home and able to return to pastoring, and I’m sure would appreciate our ongoing prayers.  God’s Church of Grace in Augusta GA invited me back for the first time in almost ten years, and I enjoyed a wonderful 5th visit with Church of the Living Waters in Charlotte NC, thanks to Pastors John Moskel and Martin Manuel.  November ended with Tammy and me traveling by car to serve the Church of God 7th Day and Grace Communion congregations in Las Vegas NV.  Tammy is definitely my favorite Powerpoint operator!!!

December '09 Ministry Visits
For the second time in ’09, I was able to visit the Grace Communion congregation in Glendora CA and lead this time in an advent service.  Then followed a trip to the Northwest which gave me the opportunity to serve again at Abundant Grace Fellowship in Vancouver WA and Grace Communion in Tacoma WA, as well as Living Faith Christian Fellowship in Tigard OR and also to give a concert at Parkview Christian Retirement Community in Portland.  The last weekend before Christmas took me to Richmond VA where the “snow storm of the decade” made it a challenge to drive down from the Dulles VA airport, and then to make it to the worship service of the Church of God 7th Day, a wonderful Spanish-speaking congregation comprised mostly of immigrants from El Salvador.  The Grace Communion worship service convened, due to the weather, at the home of Chip and Gilda Brockmeier, and included a number of neighbors from their cul-de-sac, who also couldn’t make it to their usual venues!  It was a wonderful celebration, more like the early “house churches,” but Pastor Bill and Davina Wynn would like me to return in 2010 to share with those who couldn’t make it this time!

January '10 Ministry Visits

This new decade’s visits have included to Iglesia Evangelica Ministerios Luz Y Verdad in San Fernando CA, the 7th Day Baptist, Grace Communion and Church of God 7th Day churches in Miami FL, Grace Communion in Bellflower CA and the Lutheran Church of the Cross in Aliso Viejo CA.  The last weekend of January has me leading worship for four services at the Lutheran Church of the Cross in Laguna Woods CA and an afternoon Concert of Praise.

Ministry Contact Information and Daughters' Web Sites
To visit our web site, please go to www.stateoftheheart.org   We are established as a 501C3 California non-profit corporation.  Tax-deductible donations and orders for worship CDs can be done online.  Also, for worship CDs or donations you can reach us by “snail mail” at 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.)
E-mail is rossjutsum@stateoftheheart.org