The Bible Story Family

  "If I should die before I wake..." Just two weeks ago, Dave Berger lay down for a nap and woke up in glory. As a fellow member of the board of the Missionary Retreat Fellowship for many years, he will be missed in that role. His final act that morning was to arrange for the purchase of an excavator for MRF. But Dave will also be missed on a personal basis. I shared an earlier blog post of accompanying him on one of his many trips to France to transform an orphanage into a youth camp for Word of Life. His creative expertise in areas of construction went beyond anything I had ever known. The camp operates today mainly because of the efforts of Dave and his family. Dave loved music. At the MRF board meeting just days before his home going he led us in two of his favorite hymns. He and Lorraine sang in the One Accord group which my wife directed when we ministered in Pennsylvania. After seeing Carmen's interest in a dulcimer, he personally created one fo

  Sergio served as the translator for my brother-in-law Neil Cadwell before Neil’s death several years ago. His work as a translator was invaluable since he speaks English, Russian, Ukrainian, Swedish, and Hungarian. Sergio continues to work alongside Derek Thomas and the Slavic Baptist Mission in Ukraine. My sister Peggy considers his children as her grandchildren. Since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the youth camp on the western border has transitioned into a refugee center. But plans are underway to use it this summer to hold camps for children from war-torn eastern Ukraine. Through the network of churches involved with the Slavic Baptist Mission, aid has been delivered to people on the very edges of the war. Living Hope for Ukraine , which Sergio founded, transports the aid received from the USA, Korea, Poland, Sweden, and the Netherlands among others. Often it is hard to know where funds can be given safely by compassionate individuals. The S.B.M. fund in America is c

  It was with great joy that we recently attending a concert sponsored by Bells of the Lakes. Over one hundred ringers, using somewhere between 600-800 handbells, filled a gymnasium with the sound of praise. Hymn favorites like Be Still My Soul and Praise to the Lord, the Almighty , echoed throughout the room. Hearing those bells brought back many memories. Thelma Cedarholm handing bells to the members of the Madrigal Quire at Pillsbury so we could play as we sang. Performing Ring the Bells under the direction of Don Scovill and his trombone. Gary Terrill traveling with the Majesty Bells when my wife Carmen directed them and introducing the group as the “Heavy Metal Band.” In retirement, bells have again become a vital part of the Allen household. Carmen directs Ring Fourth, the handbell choir of our home church, Fourth Baptist of Plymouth, Minnesota. This group of talented musicians practices early every Sunday morning and performs in worship services on a regular basis. The

  My alma mater, Central Baptist Theological Seminary of Minneapolis has been the recipient of a treasured gift. A complete Torah Scroll, containing the entire Pentateuch, has been donated to the school by God’s Ancient Library. The scroll features an Amsterdam script, coming out of the Dutch tradition. When unrolled, the handwritten scroll extends about one hundred and forty feet in length. It contains sixty-two panels with 247 columns. Approximately two hundred years old, it was transcribed by a scribe who spent an entire year carefully making this copy. “Ken and Barb Larson founded God’s Ancient Library, a collection of Torah scrolls from around the world,” according to their website at godsancientlibrary.com. “To date, they have given 40 Torahs to seminaries, museums, and other organizations for teaching research, and public engagement.” Central is planning a dedication ceremony and a library display for the manuscript. Dr. Matt Morrell, Dr. Preston Mayes, and Dr. Don Odens