Happy Easter!

In this issue of our newsletter we are happy to introduce to you Dan Rinke, one of the stalwarts of The Servant of the Word brotherhood in North America. We will also treat you to stories about a gathering of our affiliates—those investigating a longer term commitment to the life and mission of The Servants of the Word! We hope you will enjoy reading these articles!

I would like to share with you a couple more stories. On March 17 of this year, while I was visiting The Servants of the Word brothers in the United Kingdom, a 23-year-old professional soccer player, Fabrice Muamba, suffered a cardiac arrest while playing a game in England. For 48 minutes medics tried unsuccessfully to revive Muamba as they rushed him to a London hospital. After another 30 minutes the young man’s heart started beating again after receiving 15 electric shocks. “In effect, he was dead in that time,” said the cardiologist in the hospital. Today Muamba is on his way to recovery and exhibits none of the effects one would expect of someone whose heart had stopped for well over an hour. A doctor who attended to Muamba on the field said the young man’s recovery could be described as nothing less than “miraculous.”

This is an incredible story! It brings joy to Muamba’s family, friends and fans. It brings bewilderment and amazement to those of the medical field. It brings hope to others who are suffering from heart disease and other life threatening illnesses. A man who had been dead for 78 minutes is alive once more.

Slightly over 2,000 years ago another young man, 33-year-old Jesus of Nazareth, died. He had succumbed to execution—a gruesome death brought about by being nailed to a cross. After his death a Roman soldier went a step further and pierced his heart with a lance. There was no reviving him. His friends and his mother buried this man Jesus in a tomb carved out of stone. On the third day after his death, however, Jesus rose again to full life!

An even more incredible story! It brought joy to his mother, his friends and followers. It brought bewilderment and amazement to all who witnessed it or were made aware of it. It brings hope to all of us who live now but will one day die. Jesus lived a life without falling to sin. He therefore overcame the power of death! Unlike Fabrice Muamba, Jesus will never die again! In addition, we who follow him now look forward to sharing that everlasting resurrection. We too will rise to new life and we, through Jesus, will never die again!

Yes, happy Easter! It gives me great pleasure to greet you on this feast and season of great joy!
Ken Noecker
Presiding Elder, The Servants of the Word.

This article is from our 2012 Easter Servants of the Word Newsletter [7.5MB PDF].

With our nine affiliates scattered across the North American continent, we have had precious few ways of getting our younger brothers together in a regular way. We decided at the beginning of the year that we would aim to have an affiliates’ retreat and an affiliates’ mission trip (which will take place in May 2012). In addition, we decided to invite a set of young men in our various university outreaches to join the affiliates’ retreat to get a bit of a feel for our Servants of the Word life together and to meet some of their peers who are affiliates.

The Setting

In early January 2012 we gathered for four days of retreat: sixteen young men, three brothers from our formation house, and four lifelong brothers. We were fortunate and blessed to be able to use a stately vacation rental home called the “Rock of Ages” located on the southern shores of Lake Erie.

What We Did

The retreat was dynamic, to fit the zeal and energy of our younger brothers! We began the retreat at our brotherhood center in Chelsea, Michigan and then drove to the Rock of Ages in the late afternoon of the first day. We then spent 2 full days of retreat with some engaging teaching in the morning, and afternoons open for fellowship, recreation, and personal reflection. In the evenings we had some prayer together in small groups and some more fellowship. (In early January in the US, that word often hides the more secular reality: we did watch some American college football games together!) Then on the last day, holding to our dynamic pattern, we packed up after morning prayer and drove back together to Chelsea for an afternoon of work together on the property. Felling trees, hauling and splitting logs, and burning wood were fairly excellent men’s activities.

Will Cannon and Max Haben at work.

The combination of fellowship, good prayer together, and relevant teaching made for an outstanding retreat. My observation, as one who relates a lot to younger men, is that this kind of “more active” retreat is an effective winning environment for newer affiliates and for non-affiliates.

One of the brothers in training, Joseph Mathias, writes perspicaciously: “Perhaps the greatest benefit of the retreat is that it strengthens the affiliates’ support for each other in an environment that they “own” a bit more as young men. This alone made it a worthwhile undertaking, if a little hectic for those of us doing the “Triple Crown” of the Christmas, Affiliates’, and UCO Winter retreats. I hope we can continue to serve our younger brothers in this way during the coming years.”

I am deeply grateful for the chance to be able to work alongside my brothers in The Servants of the Word to put on this retreat – how good and pleasant it is when brothers work together!

-Nico Angleys

This article is from our 2012 Easter Servants of the Word Newsletter [7.5MB PDF].

Dan later completed an MBA at Eastern Michigan University and has served as our regional financial controller for the past 11 years. He certainly is not one to shirk work responsibilities and he can often be found working into the night diligently preparing financial accounts for upcoming audits. Making sense out of the numbers, analyzing financial data, and paying the bills keeps Dan busy whether it is at his office at the Brotherhood Center in Chelsea, Michigan or his home office in Lansing. During his busy day, Dan can regularly be found mid-day away from his desk where he oftentimes takes a few moments in prayer, remembering close friends, brothers, and relatives. Some of the people for whom he prays also receive neighborly visits from Dan who considers it his responsibility to regularly check on them to make sure they are doing well.

Dan has also worked many years with the youth of our Sword of the Spirit communities. Mindful of the values he has learned growing up while at Rinke Farms, he has worked tirelessly over the years serving in formative and character challenging environments in such venues as Ranch Challenge, Kairos Fellowship, and the Lansing-based Work of Christ youth group called CYA (Christian Youth in Action). He has enjoyed many a mountain view while on the hiking trail and especially finds enjoyment landing trout from those mountain streams and lakes.

A "Ranch Challenge" group, including Dan Rinke, middle in green shirt.

Anyone who has worked alongside Dan can attest to his dedication and faithfulness to complete the task at hand. Many young peoples’ lives have been enriched by having Dan involved in them. The young are encouraged to stay on the right track, those just getting started in adult life have received financial guidance and insights, and those more mature among us have been inspired by Dan’s daily witness. Those who live with Dan know that if there is something in the house that needs to be amended, Dan either already knows about it or is in the process of doing something about it.

Stuart Ferguson says, “Dan is one of the most conscientious, detail-oriented, and trustworthy men with whom I have worked. These characteristics make him a key member of The Servants of the Word financial staff and man in whom I have great confidence. Over the years I have considered whether there was someone else I would rather have working for me and have always concluded that Dan is the brother I would most want serving in this capacity.”

Dan is now taking a couple months away on a well-deserved sabbatical enjoying a needed rest from his many duties and responsibilities. You can be sure that his time away will include refreshing time with family members, brothers, and friends and will offer numerous opportunities for hiking many miles of Southwestern trails and enjoying the breathtaking vistas they offer.

–Mike Kramer

This article is from our 2012 Easter Servants of the Word Newsletter [7.5MB PDF].

Listen to Steve Clark address the North American brothers in 2007 on “The Incarnation from its Beginning Point,” including subjects such as:

• How does Christmas relate to “Day Alpha” in Genesis?
• Three kinds of light.
• 2 Corinthians 4:6  For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
• Christmas as the celebration of the important step of God’s light shining into all creation.

Download the Audio file:
2007-12-25_SBC_TheIncarnationFromItsBeginningPoint.mp3
[Size: 8.51MB MP3, Duration: 0:25:42]

or Download the Audio file in zipped form:
2007-12-25_SBC_TheIncarnationFromItsBeginningPoint.zip [Size: 8.39MB ZIP]

It gives me great pleasure to wish you a blessed Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year on behalf of all the brothers of The Servants of the Word!

As I write this short note, the year 2011 is rapidly drawing to a close. At the moment, according to my high-tech watch, 341 days have passed and there are only 24 left in the year. We are in the 49^th of 52 weeks. No matter what I do I cannot slow down the march of time or change the inevitability of a new year being so soon upon us. Where has the year gone?

I recently completed a month-long trip to India. Upon my arrival back in the United States, I went directly to my parents’ home to join them and all of my siblings’ families for the Thanksgiving celebration – our first together in 26 years. When Thanksgiving Day arrived I was flat on my back with a viral infection I had picked up during my travels. Although physically in the same house I was not able to join the celebration. The day came and went. My siblings, their spouses, and my nieces and nephews came and went. I was there, but both my arrival and presence were non-factors for that day!

The realities we celebrate in this Christmas season are timeless and do not come and go! Jesus, whose birth we commemorate and celebrate, is a factor for this day and every day! He, the child born in a manger, is the Word of God made flesh. He came into this world over 2,000 years ago, yet was with God from the beginning of time and rules as King for all ages. He who would die on a cross lives eternally to give life to all who call upon his name! Let the year pass and a new one begin. Let seasons and celebrations come and go. Because of Jesus, we have in our lives him who is our life “yesterday, today, and forever!”

We hope and pray that you and your loved ones have a great Christmas celebration! We also ask that you pray for all of us in The Servants of the Word.

In Christ our Lord,
Ken Noecker
Presiding Elder, The Servants of the Word.

This article is from our Christmas 2011 Newsletter: 2011ChristmasServantsoftheWordNewsletter.pdf [2.3MB PDF]

This feature will allow you to browse each brother’s profile according to our household locations. If you want to see who’s living in Belfast, you could click on Belfast. Each brother has a profile image and a short biography. Various links are indicated if a brother has written website articles, has a major article written about him, or he has a personal website.

We hope this feature will help keep you up-to-date on our mission and we invite you to pray for our brothers as you view their smiling faces.

Though many brothers may have changed locations or service positions this year, below are a few of the more notable changes:

Ken Noecker: Ken was recently installed as the new presiding elder of The Servants of the Word, following John Keating who served in that position for the past eight years. Ken spent the last twenty-five years based in the Philippines, where he served our brotherhood there and also served The Sword of the Spirit communities throughout Asia. In addition to his role as presiding elder, Ken will continue to be involved in community-building work in Asia, with a special emphasis on India.

John Keating: Having completed two four-year terms as the presiding elder of The Servants of the Word, John has recently moved to Manila in the Philippines, where he will serve as the regional elder for The Servants of the Word in Asia over the next several years. From Manila, he will continue to serve as the vice-president of The Sword of the Spirit. He will also assume some responsibilities in Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon (The Joy of the Lord) – the local community in Manila – and in the Asian region of The Sword of the Spirit.

John Keating, Bruce Yocum, Francisco Aguilar, Steve Clark, and Ken Noecker.

John Yocum: After serving seven years in the Philippines, John has returned to the United States. Having spent the past twenty-two years abroad, he is now living in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he leads our international formation household and serves as a coordinator in The Word of Life community. In addition, John is teaching at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit and will work part-time on the teaching team for The Sword of The Spirit.

Dan Keating: Dan has now moved to Lansing, Michigan, to lead our household there in the Work of Christ community. He will continue as the regional elder for The Servants of the Word in North America, and as an associate professor of theology at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit. The “new” parts of Dan’s service – which he expects will stretch him – are teaching an online course for community leaders and serving on the teaching team for The Sword of the Spirit communities.

Please keep our brothers in your prayers as they adjust to their new roles and reestablish relationships with those serving alongside them in their new assignments.

This article is from our 2011 Fall Servants of the Word Newsletter [653KB PDF].

Our new site feature called, “The Brothers” will show you more info about where all our brothers live and what they are doing.

Franciso Aguilar

This past August The Servants of the Word celebrated the lifelong commitment of our Mexican brother, Francisco Aguilar, at the brotherhood center in Chelsea, Michigan. On the same day, Luis Arce (Costa Rica) renewed his full commitment. Also, renewing his full commitment June 18 in Northern Ireland but unable to attend the commitment ceremony in Michigan was our Bavarian brother, Michi Schöberl.

Making their first full commitments this year were Dale Arconado (Philippines), Noel Delgadillo (USA), and Joseph Fahd (Lebanon). God has blessed The Servants of the Word by adding to us men who are making fervent and wholehearted responses to his call. Adding greatly to the significance of this event is the fact that the six men who made these commitments hail from six different countries!

Some have asked, “How long does the discernment process take, and what does this process look like?” The lifelong commitment culminates what is typically an eight-year period of discernment that begins with the initial investigation and “trying out” of our life as an affiliate and is then followed by two years of being an affiliate in training. At that point, the brother comes to our international formation house in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for a period of two years. Toward the end of these years of guidance and formation during which the brother matures in his understanding of our call, he discerns whether he desires to make a more significant commitment. That commitment is called the “full” commitment, meaning that the brother is fully a part of the life of The Servants of the Word. However, the full commitment is made for one year at a time for at least three more years, so that during this extended period the brother can gain experience in living out our life apart from the formation process. At the end of that time, the brother may request to make a lifelong commitment.

After having made his lifelong commitment, Francisco Aguilar, affectionately called “Panch,” now resides in Monterrey, México, where he is a member of the local Sword of the Spirit community, Jésed. He will continue his service working with university students in Monterrey.

Of his first full commitment, Noel Delgadillo said, “On the day of my full commitment I felt a deep sense of peace and at the same time an excitement that is hard to explain. If you’ve ever gone bridge jumping, you know there is this moment when the senses are heightened and you realize that you are fully alive. It can be exhilarating and dizzying all at once. I felt fully alive when I made my commitment to live with The Servants of the Word. I’m very grateful that the Lord has given me peace, joy, and grace to take this step in my life.”

This fall Luis Arce will travel with Luis Manuel Bravo to Honduras (four months), Costa Rica (four months) and Quito, Ecuador (four months) where they will run temporary households. Michi Schöberl will continue his work in Belfast leading the faith development work for Youth Initiatives, bookkeeping for The Servants of the Word, and leading the GAP program in Belfast.

An international grouping of brothers at our recent commitment ceremony at Chelsea, Michigan.

Of the three brothers who recently made their first full commitment, Dale Arconado will be handling bookkeeping duties and serving in our university outreach in Manila. Noel Delgadillo is living in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and serving as the Grand Valley State University UCO chapter leader. Joseph Fahd has moved to London, where he is helping to start the Koinonia mission school and juggling various responsibilities in our brotherhood household there.

Our Servants of the Word Covenant states, “We believe that he has called us together to be a brotherhood where men of many Christian churches and of many races and nations can live and serve the Lord.”  Looking back over the past forty years, we see that God has certainly done this.

–Mike Kramer

This article is from our 2011 Fall Servants of the Word Newsletter [653KB PDF].

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.

John Yocum (second from right) is leader of the 2011 Formation House.

Download the Audio file:
2011-10-08_JohnYocum_Humility.mp3 [Size: 6.16MB MP3, Duration: 0:17:56]
or
Download the Audio file in zipped form:
2011-10-08_JohnYocum_Humility.zip [Size: 6.08MB ZIP]

Cave exploring with a young Kiwi.

This past January, I had the opportunity to travel to New Zealand to lead a short-term summer household of young men ages 15–25 from The Lamb of God Community. In the land of “down under,” their summer is during our winter in Lansing, Michigan, so the timing for me could not have been better.

Many New Zealand youth are facing a severe loss of faith. One study suggests that religion there will die out within this generation. This is what was on my mind as I asked the Lord how I could serve the young men living there. I decided that the opportunity to take such a trip was a total gift from God, but I knew I’d need to receive more from him in order to be a servant down under.

After the long travel and a mandatory session with my host family where we covered the rules of cricket and rugby (you have to get over jet-lag somehow!), I was ready to see some young people. My main purpose of the trip was to lead a household of young men in the city of Christchurch. Household move-in was Saturday, and we were immediately thrown into a big event together called “Summer Oasis” on Sunday. Can you imagine being thrown in to lead a group of eight young guys from four New Zealand cities, without ever having met any of them? Questions hit me, like, “Where’s the grocery store?” “Have they even heard of Jesus?” “Are these guys going to be bored?” I prayed, “Lord Jesus, I need your help!”

Brian and one of the young men look over valleys near Mount Arthur in the Nelson area.

By the grace of God, I was able to deliver some meaningful material to the 75 youth at the Oasis event. One presentation was on the Christian martyrs. To introduce these heroes from history, I used some multimedia profiles that I helped make for a previous youth conference. Not only did the students learn what a martyr is, but each student learned about a particular figure through a creative activity. Each group had to use only newspapers, tape, and sticky notes to transform a group member into a famous martyr of old. The best costume was one of a martyr from the Boxer Rebellion in China. Of course, according to local custom, that team was rewarded with a big bag of “lollies.” (From what I can tell, all candy isn’t “candy” there, but “lollies.”) The Summer Oasis for me overall? It “went off a treat!” as they say.

New Zealand Youth dressed as martyrs during an activity for the "Summer Oasis" retreat.

My personal highlight of the whole trip was the second-to-last day in our household. I gave the men the story of the prodigal son along with a frank discussion about sin. We considered James 5:16: “Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” We did just that, taking a time of confession and prayer for one another. For most of the men, it was the first time they’d ever opened up like that. Later that night, we visited two fathers in the community, Darren Humphries and Mark Challies, both of whom had spent time living with us in The Servants of the Word. We did an evening of “ask anything,” and the young men received some great advice for living out a Christ-centered life. That was “Sweet as!” (Everything is “something-as” down there, so I always asked them, “Sweet-as what?” “Funny-as what?”)

Sadly, after I left New Zealand, a devastating earthquake hit Christchurch in February. Another Servants of the Word brother, Bruce Yocum, arrived in New Zealand the day I left and was there during the quake. He described the experience:

On Tuesday 22 February at 1pm we were in the midst of a planning meeting when a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck the Christchurch area. This earthquake was not as strong on the Richter scale as the September earthquake, but was far more violent and far more devastating. The September earthquake caused no loss of life, in part because it hit in the very early hours of the morning when people were at home. This time many people were on the streets or at work in the city center, and there were many deaths and injuries as a result. But also the nature of this earthquake made it far more destructive than the first.

Thanks be to God none of the brothers and sisters in The Lamb of God Community were harmed in the quake. A number of them were at work in the center of the city, where several large buildings collapsed, and a number of children were at school in the center, but all returned home safely. We quickly made a round of the cluster area to see how the brothers and sisters were doing. (There was no availability of mobile phone or internet communication at that moment, and only some land-line contact.) All were safe, but several of the homes have had to be abandoned as unsafe, and a few families are now camping out in temporary locations: by my reckoning at least seven homes are uninhabitable. The community center is badly damaged and probably unusable. Normal life will not resume for quite some time. In addition, there is the great uncertainty that results from the nature of this earthquake activity, including almost 5,000 aftershocks.

Our brothers and sisters in Christ living in and around Christchurch remain in my prayers. My personal connection with them has continued and so, when I heard of the quake, I built a website to connect our network of Christians here in North America with those in Christchurch. If you’d like to read more about their reactions to this earthquake, visit http://christchurchquake.posterous.com.

–Brian LaLonde

This article is from our 2011 Easter Servants of the Word Newsletter [1.1MB PDF].