The month of October is special to me for many reasons in October 1961, I surrendered my life to Christ in Tucson, Arizona. The next 20 years were filled with learning experiences and discovering how to hear the voice of God. Twenty years later, in 1981 I heard the Lord saying, Cincinnati. It was then GayNell and I found ourselves moving North to Northern Kentucky. The first three years we thought we were going to freeze to death. If you remember that was the years following 1978 and the Big Freeze, temperatures in the winter were subzero for weeks and shoveling snow became an undesirable hobby. I spent the first three years at Heritage hid away in my office in the children's building. I would spend all of Saturday and late into early Sunday morning, sometime only to go home and change clothes for the Sunday services. Kyle, told his Mom that the office was going to be my tomb. I knew there was a price to be prayed and God was gracious to hear us and lead us in paths of righteousness for His namesake.
Through the years I have coined a few phrases born out of the long nights of prayer and intercession. Recently, I realized that Favor is a Force and the favor of God has been making a way for us through the past 4 decades. I started preaching shortly after I was converted and when you do the math you realize that when I came to Heritage I was turning forty and that was forty years ago. I celebrate 60 years of preaching this month and 40 years of serving the people of Heritage, as your pastor.
One of the greatest joys I have ever had is to have Kingdom Business of Bismarck, North Dakota express their appreciation to Heritage by presenting a humbling gift to the church body, for your faithfulness in allowing the ministry of our fellowship to reach beyond the walls of the church. Ken and Cara continue to teach me the beautiful value of giving. It is a part of the culture of the First Nations and it is a privilege to walk with them in ministry. God has truly blessed us with friends that complement our mission's callings throughout the world. We are presently in the midst of facilitating through David Mudd and God's Outreach in Owensboro, Kentucky the distribution of several million dollars' worth of new clothing to several ministries throughout the U.S. The first week of November we are all systems go in packing and give away of over a million dollars' worth of clothes on our church campus the week before Thanksgiving. I cannot think of a better time to be a part of something so monumental. We will need your help and only God deserves the glory. Having been a part of over 9 million dollar's worth of new clothing in Bismarck over the last 4 years we know the impact it can have on a community. I want to thank you beforehand for your help in blessing the community only eternity will be able to tell what the true results are of our cooperation with the mercies of God Himself.
I realize that this weekly letter goes out to people of all ages and I thought I would take a moment to acknowledge that Heritage was not born in a day and the memories we cherish as a church are as real today as they were yesterday. To my older friends I wanted to acknowledge that if it were not for you Heritage would not be what it is today.
Thanking you for 40 wonderful eternity filled years.
Still your loving Pastor's, Cleddie and GayNell,