Meadowview Reformed Presbyterian Church: Home: ENTWISTLE UPDATE


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ENTWISTLE UPDATE Information from Entwistle Family .......................................................................... Thursday 07/31/2008 1:50 p.m. The funeral services were held at Meadowview Reformed Presbyterian Church on Saturday, July 26 for Ben Entwistle. A time of visitation with many family and friends followed this worship service in the fellowship area of the church. A private graveside service was held on Sunday, July 27th. The family extended thanks and appreciation for the love and encouragement that has been shown to them in so very many ways. Currently the family has gone away for about a week to spend some time together. Please continue to pray for them. ........................................................................... Wednesday 07/23/2008 12:05 p.m. Arrangements for Ben Entwistle's Funeral Service Ben Entwistle's funeral service is planned for Saturday, July 26 at 1 o'clock p.m. at Meadowview Reformed Presbyterian Church. The family will meet with friends and visitors immediately after the funeral service in the church fellowship area. There are no other public services planned. Based on the outpouring of love and concern that has been expressed there is a potential that the worship center could be full to overflowing for this service. Therefore, we would encourage you to arrive early to allow enough time to effectively manage parking and seating for everyone in attendance. Additional Information for Out-of-Town Visitors Several families from the Meadowview community have offered to complimentary host out-of-town visitors. Please contact Ginger Bitterman at 336-506-8162 or e-mail her at gbitterman@lexcominc.net to make arrangements if you have this need and would like to take advantage of this offer. Accomodations will be provided as available. Please feel free to contact the Meadowview Church office if you need further information. You can contact us by phone at 336-249-2680, by fax at 336-249-6313 or by e-mail at secretary@meadowviewpca.org . ........................................................................................................................................................... Tuesday 07/22/2008 12:22 p.m. Please continue to pray for the Entwistle family as they finalize all of the arrangements associated with Ben's funeral that is scheduled for this coming Saturday, July 26th at 1 o'clock p.m. at Meadowview. The immediate family is currently together in the Lexington area for a few days of personal and private time as they prepare for the days ahead. As soon as all details concerning family visitation and internment are finalized we will post an update with the information. Thank you for your prayers, kind words and generous deeds of encouragement, love and concern. Feel free to send any cards, correspondence or notes to the church and these will be forwarded as quickly as possible to family. ............................................................................ Thursday 07/17/2008 5:04 p.m. Funeral arrangements for Ben Entwistle are being finalized. The funeral is scheduled for Saturday July 26th at One o'clock p.m. at Meadowview Reformed Presbyterian Church. ......................................................................... Wednesday 07/16/2008 5:01 p.m. FROM Dan Entwistle (Ben’s Father) Dear Friends, Today is Wednesday, and I am home now with my family here in Kijabe, Kenya, and OH has it been good to be reunited again! It hardly seems possible that 6 days ago we knew nothing of the storm that was looming and sweeping down on us. Yet it has blown by, wreaking havoc in our hearts, and here we are...and as always God is faithful. We have each sensed His presence and moments of calm, then moments of intense grief. Yesterday morning I took off with Ben in the Netscape jet for Johannesburg, and all seemed so controlled. So quickly it changed. The commencement address at Jesse's graduation last Saturday seemed like it was scripted for us in these days. Dr. Harry Kraus, a surgeon and great friend, made 2 points. Number one: We are very small. How small I felt as I worked alongside the doctor doing CPR on Ben as the nurse frantically drew up medications to try and reverse what the CPR monitor was telling us! We had all the equipment imaginable, but we were very, very small. And of course our desperate efforts for about 20-25 minutes did nothing. Alone in the plane with Ben once we were on the ground, holding him and sobbing, I felt so very, very small again...and yet an indescribable love for God at the same time. He gives, and He takes away. And He knows exactly what He is about! That was point number two: Jesus is very, very, very big. This did not take Him by surprise in the least. I know it was planned and orchestrated according to His unfathomable design for good in our lives and in the lives of those touched by Ben's 20 years on earth and ultimately for the kingdom of the King. How great to KNOW the truth of that! We cannot imagine going through this without a firm faith in God's absolute sovereignty. And we are finding as we lean on Him, He is sustaining us. But there are moments my faith fails too. I look back and just ache, thinking what if I had only borrowed a stethoscope and listened to his heart a few days earlier. And then I have to be reminded that there are no what if's. We cannot go back, and of course God is more than strong enough to cover any failings on our part. But I suspect it is something I will have to work through for some time to come... Anyway, dear friends, thank you thank you for your prayers for Ben and for us during the storm. They mean more than you can possibly know. We are undergirded big time, and in the midst of the pain full of great joy for our Ben-man who at this moment is indescribably ecstatic, as REAL life has really just begun for that great "son of our right hand"!! With great joy in our GREAT God!! Dan for Lynda, Ben (you'll never not be a part of us, buddy!), Jesse, Lucy, Seth, and Michael Wednesday 07/16/2008 3:28 p.m. ................................................................. Wednesday 07/16/2008 3:15 p.m From Meadowview Church. We received word today that there will be a Memorial Service for Ben this Friday in Kenya. As we understand it, the family will then travel to Lexington, NC for the foreseeable future. That means they could be here late this weekend, or early next week. We are guessing that we will be having Ben’s funeral here sometime the following weekend (26th); we do not know it will be then, but we anticipate something close to that. .................................................................. Tuesday 07/15/2008 9:15 a.m. Last night, God in His wisdom, took Ben home while he was being flown to South Africa. He is now with his Lord. Here is the latest update information from Dan and Steve’s parents concerning Ben. Listed below this update is a letter from Pastor Bitterman to the Meadowview congregation. .................................................................... Tuesday 07/15/2008 8:01 a.m. Subject: Ben Home with the Lord Dear Family and Friends, We just had a call from Dan in South Africa. He reported that Ben did really well for the first 3 1/2 hours of the flight. Then, his heart developed problems. The team on the plane did everything possible to revive Ben, but the pulse stopped and nothing could be done. The plane had been on the ground about 20 minutes when Dan called. He was still at the plane and trying to determine what to do. He really has no one in South Africa to turn to for help. He needs immediate prayer for wisdom and he desperately needs God's presence and strength. Judy found this wonderful verse in Psalm 54:4. "Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one that sustains me." We are praying this for Dan and Lynda and for the dear children. We are also claiming it for our entire family. At times like this it is so wonderful to have Jesus, whose eye is on the sparrow. We know He is grieving with us. He has not failed. Once again life has triumphed over death. We have total confidence that Ben is 100% well and we will see him again. God is good all the time and even Ben's passing comes through His loving hand. If any reading this message do not know the Lord or has wandered from Him, we plead with you to come to Him. At such times in life, there is nothing like knowing that one's sins are forgiven and that Jesus is able to present us faultless before the Throne of Grace. That is what He has done for Ben. He has done it because He loves Ben, not because Ben deserved it. Oh what comfort we have despite the tears. Our family wants to thank all of you who have prayed us through this time of pain. Your messages have brought solace and encouragement. We have felt the love of literally thousands and have thanked God over and over again that we are part of the family of God. To God be the glory! Much love to all, Roy and Judy on behalf of our family ................................................................................................................ Tuesday 07/15/2008 8:01 a.m. From Pastor Bitterman: Dear Congregation, Last night, God in His wisdom, took Ben home while he was being flown to South Africa. He is now with his Lord. Dan was with Ben when he stepped from the Med-evac plane into eternity; Lynda and the children were still in Nairobi but have been notified. Following is the word we received this morning from Dan’s father, Roy Entwistle: “We just had a call from Dan in South Africa. He reported that Ben did really well for the first 3½ hours of the flight. Then, his heart developed problems. The team on the plane did everything possible to revive Ben, but the pulse stopped and nothing could be done. The plane had been on the ground about 20 minutes when Dan called. He was still at the plane and trying to determine what to do. He really has no one in South Africa to turn to for help. He needs immediate prayer for wisdom and he desperately needs God's presence and strength. Judy found this wonderful verse in Psalm 54:4. ‘Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one that sustains me.’ We are praying this for Dan and Lynda and for the dear children. We are also claiming it for our entire family. At times like this it is so wonderful to have Jesus, whose eye is on the sparrow. We know He is grieving with us. He has not failed. Once again life has triumphed over death. We have total confidence that Ben is 100% well and we will see him again. God is good all the time and even Ben's passing comes through His loving hand.” I know that you will continue interceding for the Entwistle family; you have been so faithful thus far. I remind all of us of the words from king Jehoshaphat’s prayer when Judah was in great trouble and they cried out to the LORD, “O LORD, God of our fathers…we do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you” (2 Chron 20:6, 12). “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). We will keep you posted on the Entwistle family’s needs as we are made aware of them, and you can check MPC’s web site for immediate updates. If you intend to donate toward their financial needs, now would be a good time to do so. You can send any donations to Meadowview Presbyterian Church and attach a note signifying that the gift is for the Entwistle family. Grace & peace to all of you, Chris Bitterman Assistant Pastor Meadowview Presbyterian Church cbitterman@meadowviewpca.org www.meadowviewpca.org Last Published: July 31, 2008 2:00 PM
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