It is with a bittersweet heart that I write these words.  Pastor Don has gone home to Jesus.  Anyone who has had any interaction with him knows that he absolutely loved Jesus.  And he loved people.

He is now living the realization of his years of faith.  He’s seeing the awesome glory of our God right now.  And he’s waiting to see us all again.

It is such sorrow to have someone we all love so dearly taken from us.  But that sorrow is for us, the living.  Pastor Don would tell us all now that he’s doing just fine and we’ll be together again in a little while.

Last night we had our Tuesday night Bible study at Pastor Don’s house.  We were discussing Matthew chapter 24 and talking about the coming of our Lord.  It will be in the blink of an eye.  It’s amazing how quickly our world can change.  Today, in the blink of an eye, our lives were turned over.

But the grace of God is beyond our comprehension.  It is this grace that we must lean on while we are still on earth. It is the love of God that we must embrace and share.  Don was so very good at that.  I pray that Jesus pour out that spirit on us now more than ever.

Pastor Don’s testimony was a powerful one.  He was a tough, intelligent man who was saved by grace.  Just like me, and I hope, just like you.  His heart for the poor, the needy, the shut-ins, the homeless, the dysfunctional, the drug addicts and the hungry was contagious.  This love transformed the Church of God at Baden into a down and dirty, ministry minded church who sought to love ‘the least of these’.

The church will carry on in this ministry.  It is the mission that God has given to us.  We will continue to love people and help them, not because it’s what Pastor Don would have wanted.  But it’s what God has instructed us all to do (Matthew 25:32-46).

Pastor Don wouldn’t want me to write a bunch of flowery stuff that would glorify his life on earth.  But he would want me to ask you something…

Are you saved?  Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He was sinless but died on the cross for YOUR sins?  Do you believe that He was raised from the dead?  Do you recognize that you are a sinner and that you need this gift that Jesus is offering you?  Are you willing to follow Jesus?  Please think about these things seriously.  Our lives our just flickering candles and we never know when our last breath will be drawn.  It is of the utmost importance that YOU ARE SAVED.

Funeral arrangements and other church related items will be posted at the church’s website (www.cogab.net) when they are available.  For now, please pray for Deb, the family and the church during this time.

Peace and Love,
Rick Mester