What in the World Has God Been Doing through the Volkhardts BEFORE THE LOCKDOWN?

Between Christmas and New Year, Glen began the process of preparing the survey that allows Paraclete associates to submit their annual reports.  It's a long and challenging process.   The next step requires encouraging our busy associates to respond, sharing with us statistics and stories that capture what the previous year of ministry entailed for them. Glen and I fill one out too. When everyone has done their report, Glen begins the process of compiling the data, stories and photos, and putting together a 2020 Summary of Ministries that represents the scope of Paraclete's ministry through our associates.  The printing process was more problematic than normal this year resulting in a mailing date of about the time of this blog post.  If you have shared financially in our work in the past two years, a copy should be in your mailbox soon.  Click on the cover thumbnail photo above for an electronic version.  Extra credit: Identify the two silhouettes!

In mid-January we traveled to Boise, ID, where we taught a day-long seminar together on Crossing Cultures for Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) candidates.  It is a twice-yearly highlight for Glen and me.

MAF Staff and Candidates Participating
in a Cross Cultural Simulation

You may have heard of MAF pilot, Joyce Lin, who was killed in Sentani, Indonesia in May.  Joyce was one of the many candidates we had the privilege of teaching several years ago before she headed to Asia. 

Glen is actively involved on several ministry boards, besides Paraclete's.  He's currently chairman of the Bridge Builders International board.  The president of BBI is Chuck Kelley, a longtime friend, supporter and college apartment mate of Glen's.  Chuck loaned his car to Glen for our first date back in May of 1975! Glen has also faithfully served on the COICOM board for many years.  This year, he rotates off the board and though we are sad to lose the close contact, the people he has worked with will be life-long friends. 

He is also on the board of Palm Ministries.  We were able to be in Florida in February for Glen to attend the meeting in person (see our post titled: A Virus, But NOT Covid-19:  What's Been Happening IN the Volkhardts in Recent Months?)

(L-R) Professor & Spiritual director-Judy Glanz, Shelly, Shelly's sister and women's Bible Study leader-Milei Yardley, Grace Women's Ministry Director-Kathy Ellisen

Near the end of January, Glen and I traveled to Oregon to take my Dad home.  Dad spent a full two months with us over the holidays. While we were in Oregon I had the privilege and joy of teaching a morning-long Kitchen Table Counseling seminar to 35 women leaders at Grace Community Church in Eugene, Oregon.

The following day we  had a half-day women's conference at Grace titled A Living Hope.  180 women came.  It was the first women's event where they had more than 100 attend!  At the end of the day, one woman came to say she had prayed to receive Christ when I gave the plan of salvation!  She said, "I don't know much about the Bible, but I'm going to learn!" I believe other women also prayed that prayer.  That's why I do this work!  I long that all may come to a personal walk with Jesus!

 


Grace's Women's Ministry Director, Kathy Ellisen, was a longtime mentee of my mom's, and I was so thrilled to be able to participate with her in her role of developing the women's work at the church.

Shelly Speaking at A Living Hope

We were home from Oregon just a little over a week before heading to Florida for a multi-faceted trip, including some time with Glen's mom, visiting supporters and mentees, Glen attended the Palm Ministries board meeting, we met and did the face-to-face interview of a candidate, attended a funeral, etc.