1. Pag« I B Daily Republican-Register, Mt. Carmel, IL - Friday, July 6, 2001
^ligion Jeanne Kendall talks
about miracles and faith
LOCAL AND NATIONAL BRIEFS
Second in a series profil- a child. said. "Fourteen years ago, in
Equestrian author to be guest ing women ministers. Kendall said the miracles 1987,1 was in prayer and did-
The Adams Corner Women's Group, "The Keepers of the that she had witnessed grow- n't even have the thought
Light," will meet Saturday at 10 a.m. at Adams Corner Unit- By Phyllis Bates ing up had become a reality about pastoring a church.
ed Methodist Church. DRR Feature Writer to her The Holy Spirit spoke to my
"Our speaker will be Edie Whittermeyer," a spokesman "The Lord called me when "It was real. Miracles were heart saying he was going to
said. "Edie and her husband have a horse stable in the Mar- I was 9 or 10 years old," said real," she said. open a door that would be
shall area where they live." local pastor, Jeanne Kendall. "After my mother was very strange."
Edie is author of a book called, The Equestrian Devo- "It wasn't the desire of my healed, she never had a back Approximately a week
tional, published by Wine Press. She will bring some of the heart to preach, as I never problem," she said. "She was later, Kendall received a
books with here to sell. liked to be in front of people. totally healed and she always phone call asking her to
"She has a powerful witness about what Christ has done 1 still don't today I'm a proclaimed her healing. I come to Allendale Christian.
for her and her family" behind-the-scenes person, began preaching at the age of They had lost a pastor and
All women are invited to the program. one who supports others. It 5 years old. My playmates were in need of lay people to
There will be a light luncheon afterward. wasn't something personally hadn't known my mother fill in. They asked her if she
I would have chosen, but the when she was experiencing would consider speaking on
First Baptist to host Youtii Rally Lord called me." all her pain, so when the chil- Sunday
First Baptist Church, 6th and Chestnut, will host a South- Kendall said for a long dren came to the house to "I first thought, 'This is
ern Illinois Youth Rally Saturday, July 14, and all 7th grade time she didn't share how far play I would say 'Jesus strange.' They really didn't
youth through college are welcome to attend. Activities will back the calling took place healed my mother'" believe in women in the pul-
be held 6-9 p.m. Jeanne Kendall
with her husband. Kendall said she was pit, and they knew of my
The drama, Stained Glass Jesus, will be presented along "I believe my heritage had thankful to have a "whole" Pentecostal experience back-
except grandma and me. My
with "fun, fellowship, and food.! a lot to do with it," Kendall mother so she said she was ground. They knew this was
grandma stayed on her
For more information contact Rob or Darla Windes at said. "My grandfather's three always witnessing about her a part of my life."
knees. She wouldn't leave
299-5241 or Mandy Goldman at 263-3157. brothers on my dad's side healing. Kendall was prepared and
until he was healed. I spent
were Pentecostal ministers hours listening to her pray "God brought Dave into my she cried, but she kept hear-
One-day VBS planned at EUM and my grandfather was in She didn't get up tiU a man life," she said. "He had grown ing the Holy Spirit telling
A one-day Vacation Bible School will be held July 11 at the lumber business, a car- came to the door and said he up in, I think, a Free her, "This is it."
Evangelical United Methodist. Kids ages K-6th grade are penter My grandfather built was going to live and he was- Methodist Church and had a "Dave and the Holy Spirit
invited to join the fun from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. the churches and his broth- n't disfigured. That's been woman pastor Dave has have been my support," she
Theme this year is Courageous Kids, Stepping Out for ers preached. He built some 40 years ago. He's in his encouraged me, and it has said. "He has encouraged me
Jesus! churches in Indiana and Mis- 80s now. My ^andmother been tough to be the husband and literally prayed me into
You'll learn Bible stories that describe courageous young souri. Even though I didn't was my inspiration," Kendall of a woman who stands in the places because sometimes
people who were willing to take risks to do what they knew know my grandfather who said. the pulpit." I would be physically ill. So I
was right and pleasing to God. died long before I was born, Kendall married young went to the Allendale Church
Like many who are called
"You will learn that you can live as courageous kids, too, and I was not raised in a Pen- and had two sons and a thinking this was my only
of the Lord, Kendall asked,
by following God and being examples in your speech, life, tecostal church," she said, "1 daughter She lost her second time."
"why me?"
love, faith and purify" have much heritage from and fifth babies. When her But this wasn't her only
"Because the Lord picks all
both sides of my family" third child was born she time. The Allendale church
of us, we're all chosen for a
Religious college eligible for grants Kendall's mother came came close to death. asked her back again and
task. But there's a price to
from a traditional church, "They were ready to cover again. She was in the church
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A federal appeals court has pay" Kendall said.
the United Brethren Church. me up," she said. "I was hem- eight years before the Lord
ruled that a Seventh-day Adventist college can participate When she was 9 years old,
Her father was raised in the orrhaging so badly I was los- called her out.
in a state program that pays for courses and programs at her family moved to Denver
Pentecostal church. ing blood faster than they "Every Sunday I honestly
public and private colleges. "Once in a while, we went
The state failed to prove that Columbia Union College in "My mother wasn't com- to an Assembly of God could pump it in, so I was lit- thought would be my last.
Takoma Park, Md., was "pervasively sectarian" and there- fortable with the Pentecostal church," she said. "One day erally fighting for my life. My The Lord spoke to my heart
fore ineligible for state money, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of church and my dad felt noth- through praise and worship and said, 'I opened this door
Appeals ruled June 26. ing in the traditional church. time, 1 looked up and I was a and I will shut it.' They did-
The appeals court upheld a lower court ruling rejecting
So we kinda floated. You 9-year-old chUd, the roof was 'God brought Dave n't understand, and they kept
never had a root of your asking me back. I was simply
the state's claim that funding the Christian school would
own," she said.
gone...there was no roof on into my life. He had supposed to plant the words. 1
violate the separation of church and state. the church and I was just
Kendall said she still looking straight up into the grown up in, I think, a just kept digging the ground
"We recognize the sensitivity of this issue and respect
the constitutional imperative for government not to imper- thinks the Lord used that in a heaven hearing angels sing. 1 Free Methodist Church and planting the words."
missibly advance religious interests," Chief Judge Harvie good way because she loved could see. 1 could hear and had a woman pas- "I knew the opposition was
all the churches and she had great. But, God was training
Wilkinson III wrote.
a love for the Body
"At first I thought 'Does tor. Dave has encour- me there. We had Dick
"Nevertheless, by refusing to fund a religious institution everybody see this?' It was
solely because of religion, the government risks discrimi- "On my mother's side of just like the Lord had parted aged me, and it has Reubon twice at Allendale,
nating against a class of citizens solely because of faith. the family my grandmother the heavens, and I was look- been tough to be the who had been instrumental
was such a prayer warrior," in the Pensacola, Fla. revival.
The First Amendment requires government neutrality, not
she said. "I've seen miracles.
ing straight up." husband of a woman After he was at Allendale
hostility, to religious belief." Kendall said she knew she
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1976 that it is unconsti- I've been told of miracles was seeing heaven and the
who stands in the pul- Christian Church in October,
tutional to provide public subsidies to institutions that are that happened before I was sounds she heard were so pit. ' the Pensacola revival broke
born. My grandfather was loose Father's Day
petvasively sectarian. beautiful that she couldn't
dying from leukemia and describe them with words. grandmother was praying me "Reubon said the Lord told
Religious program unconstitutional wasn't supposed to live long "I didn't even know what I home, and that's when 1 got him to go to Allendale,"
enough to see me born. He was seeing. When I looked up beside the baby crib and sur- Kendall said. And Reubon
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Christian-studies jail unit lived 16 years longer" it was gone and 1 never spoke rendered my life to God." added, "1 don't go just any-
dubbed the "God Pod," violates the constitutional separa-
Kendall called her mother a word of that to anybody I Kendall said she came into where."
tion of church and state, the Texas Supreme Court has
ruled. a "miracle" and an "answer didn't even tell my parents. It a Pentecostal experience. She He told Kendall that God
to prayer." Her mother took a • overwhelmed me," she said. was involved in the charis- had placed her at the Allen-
"The county cannot ... convey a message that endorses
fall while carrying her and From that point on, matic movement in the early dale Church to teach her and
the personal religious beliefs of county officials in attempt-
landed so as not to hurt Kendall said she felt a draw- 70s when all the churches train her
ing to rehabilitate criminal offenders," Justice Deborah
Kendall. ing in her heart to the Word came together under Father "There is no way you could
Hankinson wrote, in the unanimous ruling June 28.
"Mom was in pain the first of God. Braun. stand in the pulpit without
"Such an endorsement of religion is, by any test of which the Lord," Reubon said. "I
five years of my life," she "I would read the Word," "I just loved it," she said.
we are aware, unconstitutional." would hold on to the pulpit,
said. "That's all I remember" she said. "No one studied the "You know he has his hand
The court said some religious programs may be allowed, and I would cry out and 1
Kendall said the experi- Word in my house, but I was on your life."
such as hiring a chaplain to help inmates study their own would say God don't let my
ence will always be fresh in always praying the Lord's The Lord then took her
religion. The Tarrant County program, however, went too flesh or the devil move me
her memory and consistently Prayer, reading the beati- into "Women's Aglow" where
far, Hankinson wrote. from this place until it's your
asks why all of it happened. tudes." she was an officer locally for
The Christian Education Unit opened in 1992. The pro- seven years. She also served time.
gram was voluntary and inmates would participate for up "It was to prepare me," she Kendall said she would
said. "In fact they said she read them over and over on the Southern Illinois Area Week after week for eight
to 120 days. Board and Women's Confer-
would be in a wheelchair as again and the Lord kept years I remained," she said.
Two former inmates, one Jewish and the other a Jeho- there was nothing they could ence for over seven years. "1 just wanted to be a mother
vah's Witness, sued, claiming those who refused to partici- drawing her to the Word.
do for her She was in a steel She calls the experience a and a wife. But 1 think God
pate were treated as second-class citizens within the jail. "I didn't really have a
brace, and she was on pain "preparation" and is where wanted me to have a pastor's
The sheriff's office moved the unit's inmates into the church that was teaching
medication continually" she began teaching Bible heart; a shepherd's heart.
general population after the high court issued its decision. me," she said. "I know the
Then, Kendall said, one study It was a women's con- "There are so many that
Lord was bringing me to that
morning she woke up and ference training women to don't believe in women min-
Vermont, Massachusetts congregations of Sisters of St. place. It wasn't anything I
her mother was totally love again the Body of Christ isters," Kendall said. "In
Joseph merge did. 1 was just a 9-year-old
healed. The family believed it and its unity growing up, I would have
HOLYOKE, Mass. (AP) — A congregation of Sisters of St. child. It is very important
happened through prayer that we encourage the chil- "Women could come never thought, 'Jeanne, you
Joseph based in Rutland, Vt., has merged with a Massachu- "She took her brace off. together of all faiths and will be standing in a pulpit
setts community of the Roman Catholic order. dren into these places," she
One leg had been shorter said. focus on and love Jesus," she someday' But God asked me
The Vermont nuns said their numbers had shrunk to 39 than the other and one arm said. "We were involved in all to do this. He chose me,"
with a median age of 79. They will remain in Rutland, Vt., Kendall said her teaching Kendall said.
partially paralyzed. She the chapters from Springfield
with the administration of the congregation handled by the and her ministry are her
grabbed me and we ran to and down across the state. I Editor's note:
360-member community of Sisters of St. Joseph based in "thing." The Lord has put a
grandma's. Mom was scream- feel like that was a key place Jeanne is the daughter of
Springfield, Mass. love for the Word inside her.
ing, 'I have been healed' and God put me in. I've never the late Bernard and Lourine
It is the second merger for the Springfield community, grandma said, 'I know.'" "He's given me a hunger expected any step I've taken, Deckard. She and her hus-
which in 1974 joined with a community of Sisters of St. for the Word," she said. "It but God has opened the door
Kendall's grandmother was band, David, are the parents
Joseph in Fall River, Mass., and Rhode Island. just came from heaven." He always spoke to my heart
almost 90 when she passed of John and Matthew Kendall
The Sisters of St. Joseph arrived in Rutland in 1873 to Kendall was in her early telling me to be obedient and and a daughter, Cathy
away 20s before she gave her life to
staff an elementary school. Their numbers peaked at 167 in trust him to walk through Schroering. They have five
"I'll never forget the last the Lord. She had seen many
1966. the door They were prepar- granddaughters and another
words she said, 'I'm going miracles, but she didn't
home to heaven.' 1 knew ing times." expected in August. Jeanne
Book Review when my grandmother died
understand the process. She
believed she was seeking him Kendall said she thinks works at the Mt. Carmel Pub-
the mantle would fall on me. I God chose her because he lic Library as a librarian.
because she had given her She just completed a 12-week
A small, thin book titled, "The Prayer of Jabez," has cre- was not a speaker, and I did- heart to the Lord long ago as knew she couldn't do it.
ated quite a furor among readers of Christian literature. n't want to be in front of peo- "Once the Holy Spirit takes "Coming Into HisPresence
Following is a brief review by DRR Feature Writer Phyllis ple." over, God uses the foolish and and Praying His Heart"
Bates. Her grandmother told her, weak things so that he can be prayer meeting. The group
however, that she would be seen," she said. "God knows I has been diligently praying
The book, The Prayer of Jabez, by Bruce Wilkinson and her voice. Her grandmother can't do it. I think that is for revival in America and
published by Multnomah Publisher Inc., definitely should loved going to all the church- probably one of the key rea- the Wabash County commu-
be on your "must read" list. es, and she loved the body sons he has called me. nity
Although the simple prayer, recorded in 1 Chronicles 4:9, but didn't feel like she could "I prepare myself as well Jeanne has a Bachelor's
seems ordinary and just a little selfish at first reading, express herself. She was very as I know to prepare myself," Degree from Midwest Theo-
author of book. The Prayer of Jabez, states that the prayer powerful in prayer she said. "But I know it has logical Seminary and is
shows that Jabez wanted to do more for God. By the end of The same year mother was to be him. I know in my flesh, presently working on her
verse 10, God granted him his request. healed, Kendall's uncle was I can't do it. My trust has to masters. She taught Founda-
Clearly the outcome can be traced to his (Jabez's) prayer. in a gas explosion and totally be in him. I'm not confident tional Studies for three years,
Something about Jabez's simple, direct request to God burned. in myself." taught in Kentucky for two
changed his life and left a permanent mark on the history "There was no way he was The Lord called Kendall to years and was pastor of
books of Israel. going to get through that," the First Christian Church in Allendale Christian Church
His prayer? "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my she said. "Everyone went to Allendale. for eight years.
territory, indeed, that your hand would be with me, and the hospital to watch him die "I love those people," she
Two Mennonite denominations vote on merger
that you would keep me from evil."
Wilkinson says, "At first glance, the four requests may
strike you as sincere, sensible, even noble, but not terribly
remarkable. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — On Thursday about 10,000 nearly 20 Mennonite organi- unresolved then were expect-
"Yet just under the surface of each, lies a great paradigm For two decades, the country's members of the denomina- zations in North America, ed to be taken care of during
breaker that runs exactly opposite to the way you and I usu- two largest Mennonite tions plan to formally vote on have explored a possible the weeklong meeting under-
aUy think." denominations have held merging the Mennonite merger since they began way in Nashville.
Wilkinson adds, "... in the pages to come I want to show joint meetings and talked of Church based in Elkhart, meeting jointly in 1983. In Cynthia Snider, spokes-
you just how dramatically each of Jabez's requests can bringing together their Ind., and the General Confer- 1999, the delegates voiced sup- woman for the emerging Men-
release something miraculous in your life. 125,000 members into one ence Mennonite Church port for reorganizing into a nonite Church USA, said the
I suggest you visit your nearest Bible bookstore and pur- church, a Mennonite Church based in Newton, Kan. single group. Some member- union was expected to be a
chase this fabulous book! USA. The two churches, among ship issues that remained success.