Welcome Rick Widener RAY NETHERY

Rick Widener is currently serving Grace FellowshipChurch administratively as interim presiding elder andpastor. Since many of our GFC members do not know him, I have been asked to share a bit of Widenerhistory. Rick and his wife Joanne are two very exceptionalservants of God. Their devotion to the Lord and to hischurch is framed by their Catholic family background and by the charismatic renewal of the 1970s. Their pas-sion to serve the Lord and to embrace Biblical values resulted in the establishment of a ministry in Elyria,Ohio now identified as Harvest Church. This ministryhas been marked by a history of outreach and missions. The Wideners and Harvest Church have been part ofour association, The Alliance for Renewal Churches,since is inception. Early on, they and their wonderfulElyria colleagues were enthusiastic participants in theannual ARC summer conferences. These conferences were held in a large circus tent where we now have thesoccer field. Rain or shine the participants camped along the creek or in the Hickinbotham meadow. Ahearty bunch! One very significant ministry extension of HarvestChurch is the mission to Brazil established by Tom andKathy Padley and their family. This has grown to an ARC related association of over 100 churches of vari-ous sizes with mission extensions to the Amazon and to Europe. Because of the rapid growth of this minis-try, Rick and Joanne were asked to move to Brazil to help with both its administration and equipping minis-try to leaders. After four years of service to these Bra-zilian churches, the Wideners returned to the U.S. where Rick now serves as Missions Director for the ARC. Over the years, Rick has been a key player in leader-ship and administration for numerous overseas mis-sions. The annual summer Barnabas Ensemble mis-sion, founded and directed by John and Donna Kurtz,together with Donna’s college friend Karen Stahl fromArizona, took Rick and their team to Eastern and Western Europe, Africa, Cuba, Mexico, and Brazil. He has made numerous trips to Ghana and established a relationship with the Ghana Reformed Church. In

the summer of 1999 Rick took a ministry team of women to Brazil which included Pam Phillips,Donna Kurtz, and Karen Godsil from Grace Fellow-ship Church along with Joanne Widener, Monica Padley, and Elissa Padley from Harvest Church inElyria. Our summer ministry to high school and college youth known as DTS (Discipleship Training School) would not have flourished without Rick’s guidance and leadership. He has been a key player in encouraging, mentoring, and challenging youth. With laughter, many still recall his wake-up peacock calls to initiate a new day. In Rick’s current capacity as Mission Director for the ARC, he serves those in missions overseas as well as numerous church planters. In Ohio, he relates to church plants in Canton, Dayton, Strongsville, and Findley. Currently the Wideners live in Elyria, Ohio. They have two adult children and six grandchildren. Their daughter, Rachel, is married to Jon Nicholas who serves as worship and music director for a large Naza-rene church in Michigan. Their son, Mark and hiswife, Ginger, live in Strongsville, Ohio. Mark is leading a church planting team while he is fully emp-loyed in disaster cleanup. Rick and Joanne find greatjoy in their extended family. Until my retirement I related to Rick as his pastoral leader for over thirty years. It is my pleasure to com-mend him to you as he serves Grace Fellowship Church.

What I have learned about Rick Widener: DONNA KURTZ (after 10 years of traveling!) 1. He’s dependable. 2. He answers e-mails promptly. 3. He really likes Diet Pepsi. 4. He starts his day very early (with Pepsi no doubt). 5. He picked a great woman. 6. He loves high school kids. 7. He keeps in touch with people all over the world. 8. He can worship anywhere. 9. He’s an encourager. 10. He can be a leader or a follower. 11. He enjoys electronic gadgets. 12. He can sing soprano. (Have him demonstrate!). 13. He can drive the German autobahns with the best of them. (Ask him about that too!) Yorks prepare to leave for Brazil

Randall’s ordination “We unloaded a bunch of things,” laughed Randall York as he reported on a recent yard sale he and Paula had. They hope to be out of their house by August 31 and have a rent-to-buy arrangement on the house beginning October 1. There is still a need for moving expenses and $300-$400 monthly. In Brazil they have a lead on renting a portion of a house about a mile from the Padleys. This promises to be a good situation because the landlady could be a great help to them in learning Portuguese. Daughter Miranda will be starting The Ohio State Uni-versity in Columbus, majoring in linguistics and theatre. Son Jared will be finishing the culinary arts program at Madison High School and living with Curt Allen during his senior year. The Yorks hope to be settled in Brazil by the end of theyear. Support money can be sent to: International Association of Missions P.O. Box 383892, Cleveland, OH 44138-0392 *The Yorks’ e-mail will be randall_y-iam@yorkchops.com Recently Randall finished studying for his ham radiolicense--and he has located a fine ham radio for $500. (Themoney for this will not be coming from support so if you would like to help with this, contact Randall directly.) He’sexcited about this “new” method of communication!

Wedding bells again for King family! Jerry and Laura King announce the engagement of theirdaughter Joanna to Brian Malachowsky. The Pennsylvania wedding will be held in connection with a family reunionover Thanksgiving weekend. Joanna is teaching in New York City and Brian is a graduate student at Rutgers School of Law. Some of us got to meet Brian when he joined Joanna for Naomi and David Burleigh’s wedding in May.Hearty congratulations!

Joanna King and Brian Malachowsky

Next on the agenda for the Kings is getting Isaac settledinto a new school. He and Jerry will be visiting four schools that Laura and Jerry especially liked in Virginia and North Carolina. Evie will return to Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan and Ben will be a freshman at Mt. Vernon Nazarene University. Pray for the right positions for Jerry and Laura--andpeace in the meantime!

BRAD WEAVER I’m amazing, ‘cause I’ve got the force To hold down a cow, a house, a horse; As you’ve doubtlessly found, By walking around, That I’m constantly working, of course. What am I? (Answer next issue)

(Previous Month’s Answer - “salt & pepper”)

Trail Break - Think About It:

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Seeking Wisdom JUDY NICHOLS You’ve probably heard the story of the successful businessman who was asked the secret of his success. He said it was in making good decisions. When ques-tioned further as to how he learned to make good deci-sions, he said, “By making bad decisions.” Experience is an excellent teacher, but there are limits on what experience can teach. We are fallen creatures and, at least from my vantage point, it seems there is no end to our ability to make new bad decisions. The vicissitudes of life test us, the enemy tempts us, and our sin nature falls prey to both of them. There are many ways to make decisions--listing pros and cons, asking advice from others, researching avail-able data on the various possibilities, but when it’s time for the final decision to be made, we just have to make a choice. In some decisions we are facing right now, I’ve been praying for wisdom and revelation so that we will make the right decision. Proverbs 9:10 says “The fear of the Lord is the begin-ning of wisdom.” Wisdom is inextricably linked with knowing God. We cannot gain true wisdom apart from

Pastoral Search Committee reports STEVE McKEE The Pastoral Search Committee has been busy meet-ing and praying about our next pastor. The committee consists of nine members (Larry Andrzejewski, SusanBuzza, Rick Jacox, Fred Linger, Steve McKee, Judy Nichols, Steve Phillips, Ben Stauffer, and Nyssa Tucker), with Rick Widener serving as a facilitator. Asour first meeting (July 7) the committee shared some frank, honest, friendly discussion about the process,the candidates and where we go from here. There was a healthy diversity of perspectives, as you would expectwith nine people. At the second meeting (July 19) we met with WaylonClemmons for about two hours and asked a broad spectrum of questions about his background and aspi-rations. Our third meeting (July 26) will be to “meet”with the other candidate, Jay Shifley, via skype. Thereare no other candidates being considered at this time.The committee is eager to keep you informed.

by learning from one’s mistakes. And I certainly wouldn’t advocate ignoring such lessons. But if we wantto make the best decisions, we will need the godlywisdom and revelation that only come through knowing Jesus Christ.

Him. Likewise, revelation is something we gain fromoutside ourselves. The prophet Jeremiah issued God’s invitation to seek Him for revelation. “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things which you do not know” (Jer. 33:3). (There isrevelation from sources other than God, but their power is not from Him and we should not expect posi-tive outcomes from seeking them.) My devotional reading one day this week was from Ephesians 1 and the verse that stuck out to me was verse 17. Paul prays for them that God will “give [them] a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him” (that is, Jesus Christ, italics mine).Wisdom and revelation are worthy things to seek, but seeking them anywhere other than in Christ will provefutile. They are by-products of knowing Him. The better we know Jesus, the more wisdom we have and the more able we are to receive revelation from God. So now my prayer is just to seek God’s face and know Himbetter, knowing that the “all these things shall be added to you” that Jesus spoke of (see Matt. 6:33) includes wisdom and revelation in our decision-making processes. It may be possible to build a successful business just

Mark your calendar Aug.1-31...Discernment period regarding the new elder nominees: Matt Godsil, Steve McKee, Tom Russell. Contact Larry Andrzejewski or Rick Jacox with questions. Aug. 1.........Matt Godsil preaching. Aug. 7.........Women’s “Treasure Hunt Prayer Adven- ture.” Meet at the church at 10 a.m. returning at 11:30. Aug. 8.........Rick Widener preaching. Aug. 13-15.Family Camp Aug. 14.......Hamburger Cook-off during Family Camp. 12:00 noon. Get your name on the sign-up list! Only 10 contestants accepted. 14.......Community Meeting, 7 p.m. Aug. 15.......Steve McKee preaching. Aug. 21.......Christian Ed. training 8 to 11 a.m. Aug. 22.......Rick Widener preaching.

Next TrailNotes Deadline: Fri. Aug. 20 If you have something to submit for the September TrailNotes, please e-mail it to John and Donna Kurtz at bucytalent@aol.com

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Editor’s Note: Recently Judy Nichols shared in worship that she had been praying for wisdom and revelation“because we won’t know who our pastor is going to be unless the Lord gives us wisdom and revelation. However, we won’t find these by looking for them, but only by looking to Jesus.” Here are her expanded comments.

Introducing: Steve and Deb McKee In 1971 six Miami University students squeezed into a VW beetle for a 3-1/2 hour trip from Oxford to Mansfield. One of the girls sat on Steve McKee’s lap the whole way. They didn’t know each other very wellat the time, but ten years later Debbie Ankney becameMrs. Steve McKee. The years since have been full of“bliss, botany, bugs, birds and boys!” says Deb. Here are some details about the McKees you mightnot know: • Steve has been charged by a rhinoceros. • Deb did her student teaching in Greece at an American Air Force base (and loved it!) • Steve swam in a race against Mark Spitz. • Deb is known as the Muffin Queen. • Steve’s grandfather was Red Skelton’s brother. Steve was born in Mansfield. As a child he watchedhis dad drive off to his office every morning. “I real-ized I did not want to sit behind a desk for my occu-pation. This decision led me to pursue a career in marine biology, but somewhere along the way I gotdistracted by leaves and flowers,” Steve explains.He went on to receive bachelor’s and master’s degreesfrom Miami in botany. He knew Jerry King’s father, Charlie, when he was head of the Ohio Biological Sur-vey, but Steve never met Jerry until the family came to Grace Fellowship Church. Debbie was born in Upper Sandusky. Her parentsowned a Stewarts Root Beer stand in Galion and as a young child, she helped make onion rings and filled the change drawers in the cash register. At Miami she ma-jored in education with emphases in special and early childhood education. Her first job was at New Hope where she taught daily living skills to 18-21 year olds. She was 22! After years of teaching preschoolers,she retired recently.

Steve, Brian (recently back from Rome), and Deb McKee

Deb was part of the early days of Grace Fellowship.In 1975 she lived with Robin Rothaar and Linda Kelsoand was in Grace Family Church, one of the seven home churches. (She remembers meeting on the Nich-ols porch snapping beans!) After the McKees weremarried they were members of Berean Baptist and then Park Avenue Baptist. They came to Grace Fellowship Church in 2004. Steve’s first job was in the mountains of Kentuckywhere he directed an environmental education school.For 33 years he has been the director of Gorman Na-ture Center. Their sons are Brian, 25, and Cory, 22. Brian, also aMiami graduate, is pursuing a teaching position. He has just returned from two years in Rome with CampusCrusade for Christ. Cory is in Utah at Zion NationalPark where he is a hotel front desk clerk. “Nothingdraws me closer to God” he comments, “than the mist rising off a lake, the call of a loon, balsam firs lining the shore, and a dip of the paddle in the water.” He will be returning to Mansfield in January to begin nurse’s training. During his eldership training period, Steve has especially appreciated working with the other elders. “I already have great respect for them and trust,” he says. Steve also enjoys teaching his Sunday School class and serves on the Pastoral Search Committee.

Grace Fellowship Church 365 Straub Rd East • Mansfield Oh 44903

Rick Widener Interim Pastor

Larry Andrzejewski Elder

Rick Jacox Elder

John Hickinbotham Administrator

John Falls Board Chairman

Mark Tucker Benevolence

Cynthia Tracy Nursery

Angel Vega Children

Luke & Anna Allen Youth

Ben & Amy Stauffer Peace House

Kay Berry Women

Dan & Karen Gates Worship

Nancy Solon Dance

Mary Lou Andrzejewski Prayer

Sue Jacox, Judy Nichols Prayer Chain

Nancy Solon &

Jackie Nethery Office

Al & Becky Roggio Greeters

Gary Deschner Ushers

Deb Deschner Communion

Randall York Graphics

John Hickinbotham Sound

Anne Bender Library

John & Donna Kurtz Trailnotes

Matt & Karen Godsil Home Groups

Tom & Kathy Russell Home Groups

Aaron Zhu Treasurer, Missions

Tom & Judy Nichols Hospital Visitation

Sue Yates Hospitaliy

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