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“I’m a new member of Shadle Park Presbyterian Church. The first time I came here was around 1950 when I went to vacation Bible School and Sunday School. When I was 14, we moved and the only church within walking distance had strict rules and didn’t allow lipstick and dancing so I quit going to church.
The next time I went to church was 25 years later. I went to the Billy Graham crusade in 1982 and my name was turned over to the nearest Presbyterian church. I became a member and went there for about 6 years. I then moved and started going to a church closer to home. Things didn’t go very well there and the last straw was when they tried to make me a Sunday School Teacher. I told them I wasn’t qualified but they insisted so I did it for a few weeks. I tried to get out of it but they wouldn’t listen so I changed my work schedule so I worked on Sunday. That was the perfect solution because I had to quit church.
Fifteen years a go I moved to Portland and made sure I was working on Sundays. Last year I retired and my excuse ran out.
Six months ago I moved back to Spokane and 2 days after I got here I drove by the church and saw your sign “services at 9 and 10:45 a.m. I started coming here in November and in February the Alpha / Inquirer class started. [Alpha is a 10 week class that is an introduction to the Christian Faith (that includes dinner, a short film and discussion). The Inquirer Class includes information on being a Christian, being a Presbyterian, and if desired - being a member at Shadle.]
The third week of the class was about Jesus dying and forgiveness of sin. I completely fell apart because during all the years I hadn’t been going to church something terrible had happened and I felt really guilty. I had prayed for forgiveness but never felt forgiven.
I was married at 19 and had two children. After 20 years I got divorced. Two years later, my oldest son who was 17, went swimming in the Spokane River with friends and went out too far. The other boys made it to shore but my son drowned.
The thing I was feeling so guilty about was that I hadn’t given my boys any religious education and my son had died without knowing Jesus. He had never been to Sunday School or been baptized. The combination of losing my son and the guilt was overwhelming.
After the movie that night I asked the group for help. I asked them what you should do if you prayed for forgiveness and it didn’t happen. They were very helpful and decided God had forgiven me but I hadn’t forgiven myself.
The next week the booklet “My Heart, Christ’s Home” was given to us and the answer was in there. It compared our heart to a home and cleaning out all the rooms. Everything had been cleaned out but the closet. Jesus tells us we need to get rid of all the bad stuff in the closet and I knew that was what I needed to do. I couldn’t bring myself to try it in case it didn’t work. I asked Jesus to do it for me because it was too hard for me, so He did it for me. It felt like a weight had been lifted off me.
A few weeks later was the Alpha weekend about the Holy Spirit. My defenses were all down and I felt open to the message. I realized that even though I had believed in Jesus I had never truly accepted him into my heart. I talked with Dick (pastor) about it and we prayed together and I asked to be filled with the Spirit.
Since then my life has changed. I feel happy and energized. I used to hold grudges and had a lot of anger stored up that is all gone now! I’ve been spending a lot of time lately reading the Bible. I like the verses that are about strength and peace of mind it is very calming to read them. Every morning I pray to God and thank Him for bringing me back home and to Shadle Park
Phil. 4:13 I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.
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I’ve always had Jesus in my back ground but never really sought after him until I was told I had Pancreatic Cancer. It was then that I really started my journey to seek God and find peace. This journey started the day my medical journey started. The tumor was blocking my bile ducts and it all backed up into my system. I became very yellow. I looked like Bart Simpson. I lost 40 lbs in 3 weeks & literally lay in bed for 2 months. I lost all of my muscle & all of my energy. On March16th I had major surgery. When I came out of recovery and they brought me to my room, I remember looking up and seeing Jesus on the cross hanging on the wall. I had the greatest feeling of peace when I saw this cross. I just knew that Jesus was there with me & he would help me through this. After my surgery everything I ate came back up. I lived on soup & chicken broth.
We were very blessed with friends & family for support. I was also blessed with a dear Mother-In-Law, Patty Book. She was the one who encouraged us to come to Shadle Park Presbyterian. After I was feeling better my wife Barb & I decided to go to church with my in-laws, Bill & Patty Book. We talked & agreed that it was not all in our hands. The first time I went I was not very impressed. Barb said, “Don’t judge by this one time,” so I agreed to go again. I will say the second time was the charm. Soon after that we joined the Inquirers class for those who want to consider joining the church. Going to the Inquirers Class was a wonderful experience for us. We discovered that Christ was what had been missing in our lives and was the only one who could help us get through this. We also took the Alpha Course, a practical introduction to the Christian faith, which was very helpful in strengthening our faith. We became members of Shadle, and belonging to the Church has given me peace of mind & of my soul. My wife & I have become very close over the last year. It was the first time that Christ had been a part of our married life, and there are no words to describe what that has done for our marriage.
I also know that Christ has taken my sins on himself, has forgiven me, and has given me hope for my future. I put my faith in him that I am going to Heaven when I die. I look forward to going to Heaven now. I only wish that I had started this life with Christ earlier in my life. I’ve been told that I probably have less than 6 months to live. I thank God for this time to get my “ducks in a row”, for this Church and these people who are there for us, & to be able to talk about what I am going through to anyone. Yes, I do cry. Sometime I hold my wife & cry & wish I could die right now. But that’s not my decision. I can control the pain but not the time. When I wake up & the sun is shinning I say “Thank you, Lord, for this beautiful day”.
I want to encourage everyone to seek this life with Christ before it is too late. It has given me so much peace. Thank you to everyone who has been there for us and praying for us. May the Lord Jesus also give you peace on this day of his resurrection. Have a very blessed Easter.
Thank you,
Ray Kunze
Ray Passed away in May of 2007. His wish came true. He is with the Lord.
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My journey of faith isn't really a quaint story, rather, it's really summed up in my long struggle with one big word that took me quite some time to overcome: existentialism. Some of you may think that "existentialism" is a big philosophical word that only really smart people can understand. But in reality, it's quite simple to define: it is simply the belief that absolute truth is absurd and ascertaining it requires quite an illogical leap of faith. In one word, it is despair that there really is no finding absolute truth - our existence and what we make of it is all that really is. Or is it?
The scientific and pluralistic society around us, though most don't know it, thinks according to the result of the existential philosophy of several big-name European philosophers: Hume, Kant, Kierkegaard, and Hegel. (Philosophers really do have a much bigger impact than we give them credit for!) When people say, "You can't prove God's existence" or "there are many paths to God" they are basically affirming the existentialist notion that truth is either "whatever our five senses perceive" or "whatever any given person believes". The scientific community disregards recorded history and says, "You have to show me now". Pluralistic people disregard absolutes and say, "You can't assert that one way is any better than another". While both may seem quite different, they are both acting according to the existentialist notion that "truth is what I say it is".
Yet, is truth limited to our five senses? Is truth just a syntheses of whatever we want it to be? Fortunately, no. Existentialism is simply a precursor to hell: absolute separation from an absolute God. Think about it: existentialism asserts absolutely that there is no absolute. For some time, I thought like this and really despaired that my life only amounted to whatever I made of it. Fortunately, I finally discovered that God really is absolute, our universe really is a real place, and His Son Jesus is a physical and tangible personification of Himself. It's time to stop falling into the word traps and twisted logic that non-Christians set for us. When physicists acknowledge that there is a high probability that our universe is but one locality of a many dimensions of space, dimensions that we are not yet capable of perceiving or measuring, they acknowledge that there are realms supernatural to us. When they calculate that the energy that gravity is supposed to have is somehow missing from our local universe, they acknowledge that gravity is leaking into realms unseen to us. We, as Christians, are not illogical in believing in a very real and transcendent God that is outside of our universe. But we aren't left to transcendence, we have a physical manifestation of God that came into our local universe and was born on our planet as a human being: Jesus Christ.
When people ask me now to prove God's existence, I simply point to Jesus. When people ask me why Jesus is any better than any other way, I point to His love that gave up everything for us on the cross. When people ask to prove that Jesus really was God, I point to the historical evidence of the resurrection. Our Savior isn't just some myth in the grave, He is a living resurrected man whom numerous eye-witnesses saw. When people say, "Well, I don't see Jesus myself; how do I personally know that he is alive?"; I simply point to the countless lives throughout the world that He continues to transform from the gutter to the stars. His church on earth, not the dry institutions but living breathing loving people, is a shining reflection of His ongoing everlasting life. And, fortunately, we have the promise that He will one day return and make Himself quite physically known to all of our five senses. I will no longer be pulled down into empty scientific and pluralistic existentialism. I know my Redeemer lives and offers every one of us everlasting life if we will only believe and trust our lives into His hands. This is my faith, and it's far more logical than the cold emptiness and annihilation that existentialism offers.
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First of all, we are very glad to be back in Spokane. We really do consider this our church home. This past year has definitely been a roller-coaster ride. When the ride was cut shorter than we expected, I started to look back and try to understand why it was that God sent us to Colorado. They say that hindsight is 20/20. When I look back at a very peculiar series of events, I began to get clearer picture of what I think the answer is.
I lost my job quite suddenly at the beginning of this past June. As we got into July we really had no worries. We had thankfully built up a good savings prior. I figured I’d be back to work very shortly so I really didn’t worry. But, by August the pressure began to build. Now, here’s where I’d like to tell you of the first real big blessing…disguised as stress. You all remember the Economic Stimulus package we received beginning in May…well we didn’t get one! We were expecting it sometime in May, like everyone else, but it never came. We stressed because the IRS told us that it may take 4 months to receive. Now, here’s why this was actually a blessing. Our check was supposed to be $2100. Back in April and May, like most people, we already had a plan to spend this money. It was a thankful surprise when the payment arrived August 15th. We were able to make our September rent, which was almost $2000.
Of course, we had been regularly attending our church down there, tithing on what little money did come in. We’ve always remained faithful in that regard. I knew somehow God would guide us through this valley, I just didn’t know how. Things were getting pretty stressful at home. We worried if we’d have a place to stay much longer. During those summer months we’d heard a number of unusual sermons at church. Unusual I say because week after week they seemed to be directed right at us! It was like the pastor got up there with a megaphone and made an announcement at the beginning of his teaching that, “TODAY’S LESSON WILL BE FOR THE COX FAMILY, SO I HOPE THEY’RE LISTENING!” Some of the lessons talked about: Remaining faithful, God’s provision to the Israelites in the desert for 40 years, Being a good steward with our money, Not worrying, and Flying blindly. After each service, as we drove home, Annette and I asked each other, “How come that was like he was talking to us?” and “What did you take away from that?” Week after week, the same thing, and though the stress level was high, I began to sense a very strong message from the Lord… “Just hold on. Wait it out a little while longer. It’s gonna be OK.”
Shortly thereafter, I did begin to receive a few unemployment checks from WA state, but they soon ran out.
I still had no job, but still had bills, including rent, which again I didn’t know how I was going to pay. I had applied for unemployment through CO, but I was in a 4-5 week waiting period. We both prayed long and hard for a “financial miracle”. I decided, as they say, to “let go and let God”. I told God that I was sincere in my letting go. He had the reins, and I let him take over.
I contacted Dick and let him know of our situation. We needed to make our October rent, which would be the last of our lease. I also let him know that the job search had yielded nothing and we had decided to move back to Spokane, but again we didn’t know how that could happen financially. Through your gracious generosity the church was able to send some money to help us through this latest bind, and almost immediately after that I was approved for further unemployment benefits, including all the back pay I was due while waiting. We did the math and concluded that we were able to bring our bills current and have enough to make the move. Again, as I look back in hindsight, I can clearly see God’s hand at work.
One more hurdle remained as far as the move itself was concerned. We really had no place to move TO. The suggestion came that we may be able to live in a house Annette’s Dad owns that is very near here. Over a number of days and phone calls, we came to find out that the house had been pretty run down and may need some renovation before we could live in it. There was a small hope that we’d be able to live on the main floor while the basement was redone, but when we showed up late Sunday night with our van and the moving truck, we realized the house was in much worse shape than we thought. Enter another blessing…Jeff and Jeanne Mitchell. Dick had arranged as a backup in case this happened, for us to stay with them. This was no small venture either. They graciously and openly took in a family of five, with two young boys AKA tornados, AND a small dog. They opened their doors to us for 5 or 6 days, until God again opened a door for us to move into an apartment on the northside while the renovations on the house take place.
And that’s what my hindsight of this journey has led me to: FAITH. Our faith in God and His steadfast love for us. The Greek word for faith, PISTIS, means “trust” or “firm persuasion”. Jesus’ own words to Jairus in Mark 5:36 remind us, “Do not be afraid, only believe.” To have faith is to relinquish trust in oneself and to put that trust in another. I believe the reason He sent us to Colorado was to test and stretch me and my family’s faith. I am reminded that we, all of us, learn the most from the valleys of life, not the peaks.
So I hope this little story of our journey and what it has taught me can help you in some way. I sincerely thank you again for all your love and support.
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My name is Jamie Blomberg. I’m a mom, a wife, and God’s child. I didn’t grow up knowing the Lord but was introduced to him in Junior High. My boyfriend, now my husband, invited me to Jr. High Youth group at Shadle Park Presbyterian Church. We were too young to date so this was a good way for us to spend time together and our parents were okay with it, because it was church.
We started to invite as many friends as possible and turned our youth group into the greatest social hour ever. Kids don’t really care where you go as long as you have a place to be together, and what better place than church where you can intro duce your friends to you Lord and savior.
My husband and I also got married at Shadle by Pastor Dick Avery in December 94. Then we married again in 2000 and decided to come back to raise our Son in the Church.
This time we were welcomed by Lily hare - she asked my husband Corey if he would teach Sunday school. Then Dick and Judy Avery invited us to Alpha where I met May Luhr.
So now I knew 4 people in the Church besides my husband that taught Sunday school every other Sunday. So I sat by myself unless my mother in law came to church or I found May.
Then Lily Hare asked me if I would get up in front of the congregation with her to kick off the Billy Graham promotion. I did, and before I could get our of the Church building - Margaret Hansen stopped me to say “you’re my girl - I need you to help me with kids at the Billy Graham festival I was flattered that she saw something in me - I said yes. I had no idea what I was doing the entire time, but she invited me to a conference and into her home and bought a whole bunch of Pampered chef stuff from me - so I loved her and I knew she was a christian by her love.
After meeting Margaret, I knew 5 people in the Church. Then we did Alpha again and me Ann Borneman, and Trina and Tracy Johnson. They invited us to be in a Christcare group in 2003 where I met Brenda and John. They showed me that God is in control not me and it was suggested that I seek out Cindy Carter.
Cindy taught me to seek the truth through Christ in my times of betrayal and anger. Most importantly her counseling helped me mend a relationship with my mom that had been sour for about 10 years. Now I can’t wait to tell her I love her next time I see of talk to her.
Then things started to change around Church for me - I’m not sure if it was the people or me.
There are several people in our church and outside our church that have been a part of my walk with Jesus.
Eileen Wilmot reminded me the things I’m good at are a gift from God so use them. Her husband John came up to me one day and whispered God bless you in my ear - Did he know I needed to hear those words that day?
Mary Clements made me comfortable leaving my newborn babe in the nursery with her when I hadn’t left her with anyone but my sister.
Betty Thompson just had fun with me and let me know its okay to be short and sassy, even at Church.
Judy Avery asked me to decorate the children’s hall down stairs when no one had told her I love to decorate.
Greg Carter taught me the verse in Corinthians about wives submitting to their husbands just means you have to love them. And Duck tape works great on kids.
My sister in Christ - April Ross asked me to be a part of Mops, she invited me to Bible study, she’s key part of the cook night we I’ve organized at church, and she reminds me daily to pray - “give it to God”
Lily Hare showed me the power of prayer when a bunch of believing women get together.
Kristen Renz reminded me to be confident in who I am - a Harley Davidson biker babe sometimes. Her husband Steve invited us to go on Harley road trip with them - its something I won’t forget and I felt safe being among other Christians that enjoyed the same things we do.
Tawny Stillar has reminded me to let my young spirit out. I don’t have to show anybody how old I really am - Let them guess…it helps relate to all ages.
My sister Darcie always listens to answered prayer stories and reminds me that we are the Church - not because we go to Church but because we share our love for the LORD.
My sister in law Michelle taught me to imagine Jesus’ with his arms around me when I feel alone.
My mother in law Tana - may not come to Church every Sunday, but she talks with me weekly about her love for the Lord. She has prayed with me in tough times and most of all has taught me the healing power of the Lord when we forgive.
It has taken a lot of people to do God’s work in me, therefore we can not rely on a few people that greet people at the door of our Church or answer questions at the information table to make people feel warm and fuzzy inside or crave the Lord’s love. We all need to be a part of bringing people to the kingdom of God. Invite people to all you do that is for God or because of God. They will know you are a Christian by your love and want to be a part of it.
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Shadle Park Presbyterian Church * 5508 N. Alberta St. * Spokane, WA 99205
Phone: 509-327-5522 * Fax: 509-327-4850 * Email
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