 | By Ron and Louise Maynard (Mankato Church of Christ) Ron and Louise Maynard’s Fishers of Men Newsletter November 25, 2014 58117 238th Street, Mankato MN 56001 fomrlm@aol.com 612-963-2808 |
Darrel O'Rouke (1933-2014)
A great soldier of the cross has gone home to be with the Lord. Darrell O’Rourke passed from this life on November 4th after valiantly fighting cancer for 20 years. Darrell was a co-founder of the Fishers of Men ministry in 1977 and served as its director for many years. He envisioned evangelizing the state of Wisconsin by teaching the Christians there to teach others. He did not foresee that the ministry would become an international outreach. Darrell worked tirelessly, along with his wife Jean, from their home in Rhinelander WI, driving thousands and thousands of miles across the Midwest conducting classes. He came to Mankato MN in 1983. That changed my life. I will forever be indebted to Darrell O’Rourke.
Darrell never stopped loving souls and reaching out to teach them. He and Jean relocated to Florence, AL due to his health concerns, but he continued to teach classes, write Search for Truth lessons, and teach Bible studies. When macular degeneration took away his ability to drive, someone stepped up and offered to be his chauffeur. Together they taught Bible studies and Fishers of Men classes. Just a few months before his death, he was teaching six home Bible studies a week.
These words, posted on our website, sum up his life: “Because of him, tens of thousands of names were written in the Book of Life; because of him tens of thousands of Christians were edified in the Truth; because of him tens of thousands of members of the church became soul-winners…You might not have known his name, but the Lord knows him.”
Darrell never stopped loving souls and reaching out to teach them. He and Jean relocated to Florence, AL due to his health concerns, but he continued to teach classes, write Search for Truth lessons, and teach Bible studies. When macular degeneration took away his ability to drive, someone stepped up and offered to be his chauffeur. Together they taught Bible studies and Fishers of Men classes. Just a few months before his death, he was teaching six home Bible studies a week.
These words, posted on our website, sum up his life: “Because of him, tens of thousands of names were written in the Book of Life; because of him tens of thousands of Christians were edified in the Truth; because of him tens of thousands of members of the church became soul-winners…You might not have known his name, but the Lord knows him.”
Fall Minnesota Class Graduation
Our classes in northern Minnesota ended last week with banquets in Hibbing and St. Cloud. These are always a highlight for us as students express their appreciation for the intense study of the Word and the skills developed or sharpened. In Hibbing 16 students made 78 Developing Interest Contacts and taught 25 Bible studies. In St. Cloud 10 students made 105 contacts and taught 82 Bible studies. Numerous Bible studies are still in progress; we look forward to the increase God will give.
St. Vincent in the Caribbean
Brother James Andrews, a veteran missionary to the Caribbean, and I journeyed together in October to St. Vincent to recruit students for the FOM2015 class we plan there in January-March and to make plans for a proposed evangelistic campaign there next summer. You can read an account of our Saturday Leadership Evangelism Workshop [HERE]. We received commitments from 24 Christians from eight island congregations to enroll in the Fishers of Men classes, and packets of commitment cards were taken back to home congregations to encourage participation in the three classes that are planned. Materials have been shipped for 90 students. Please pray for the success of this work.
Do you have year end funds available?
Can you commit to our work in 2015?
We need your financial support. In addition to our need to meet the regular salary and travel expense levels set by the Cordova church, we project the cost of the St. Vincent trip (housing, airfare, food, transportation on the island) to be $9,800. We have not been able to recoup our travel expenses for the last two years. Please prayerfully consider this need. Funds may be sent to Cordova church of Christ, 7801 Macon Road, Cordova, TN 38018.
Do you have year end funds available?
Can you commit to our work in 2015?
We need your financial support. In addition to our need to meet the regular salary and travel expense levels set by the Cordova church, we project the cost of the St. Vincent trip (housing, airfare, food, transportation on the island) to be $9,800. We have not been able to recoup our travel expenses for the last two years. Please prayerfully consider this need. Funds may be sent to Cordova church of Christ, 7801 Macon Road, Cordova, TN 38018.
Thank you to all of you whose prayers and financial support make this work possible.
