Monday, July 30, 2007
A Message from Walter & Kim
Words simply cannot express our feelings of thankfulness and gratitude for the expressions of sympathy you have shown to our family since Austin's death. Austin was a fantastic young man. He was devoted to God. He loved his family. He left this life serving God and others. He built a legacy that will live forever. And in his death, he reached many he had never met—and who otherwise may have never heard the good news. As parents, we only wish we could have been there to hear the words of welcome, “well done, good and faithful servant.”Thank you for the prayers, words of comfort, kind expressions of sympathy, and thoughtful tributes you provided to us during this time of sorrow. Please know that our family finds healing in God's tender love and embrace and in knowing that so many people care so much for our family and loved Austin as much as we loved him.We are comforted by the words of Psalms 40…“I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit...he set my feet on a rock...He put a new song in my mouth...Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.”Our entire family deeply and sincerely appreciates your kindness. Your condolences will always be remembered with deepest gratitude. We only ask that in the difficult times ahead that you continue to keep Taylor, Trace, Emma and us in your prayers, and you join us in our prayer that God will give us the strength to live our faith.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Link to Audio File of the Austin Whetsell Funeral
We now have a link up to an audio file of Austin's funeral. Our apologies for taking so long to get this up and running. You can listen to it online or download it by right-clicking on it and choosing 'save target.'
http://www.lexpreschurch.com/downloads/sermons/AustinPWhetsellService.wma
http://www.lexpreschurch.com/downloads/sermons/AustinPWhetsellService.wma
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Copies and Audio Links to the Funeral Service
Some have been asking if we could post the funeral service on the web. We do have audio and video of the service and currently looking for a way to post that for folks. There are some complications due to copyright on the music played at the service (evidently you get one kind of license to play music and another kind of license to copy and post performances of that music... we have the former but not the latter). We are trying to work through those issues and get you access to at least the audio.
Please continue to lift up the Whetsell family in your prayers as well as the whole Mexico Team. Two team members who had originally scheduled to stay two weeks beyond the rest of the team are heading back this Thursday. They will continue working with Vida Nueva and head back to the States on July 28th. Remember them in prayer as well.
Please continue to lift up the Whetsell family in your prayers as well as the whole Mexico Team. Two team members who had originally scheduled to stay two weeks beyond the rest of the team are heading back this Thursday. They will continue working with Vida Nueva and head back to the States on July 28th. Remember them in prayer as well.
Clarification on the Lemonade Stand Story
As is often the case with 'developing stories' sometimes we don't get all the facts right. We have some clarifications on the Lemonade stand through the corrections don't make the story any less wonderful and sweet. Here is the story straight from one who was there:
"I just wanted to clarify the story about the Governors Grant Lemonade Stand. My daughter and children from 3 other families worked together to set up the stand. We did set $500 as the goal. We had just set up the stand when a man came by and we explained the Whetsell's situation to him. He wrote out a wonderfully generous check for $300. At that time we had just "opened" the stand and probably had about $50. We then raised $387 more for
a total of $637. But what was really nice was all of the people who stopped by not for lemonade, but just to convey their sympathy and to donate money. Our children learned a good lesson about helping others in their time of need, and they were very pleased to have been able to help the Whetsells in some way."
Thanks to the Stec family and the children of Govenors Grant for making the stand such a success!
"I just wanted to clarify the story about the Governors Grant Lemonade Stand. My daughter and children from 3 other families worked together to set up the stand. We did set $500 as the goal. We had just set up the stand when a man came by and we explained the Whetsell's situation to him. He wrote out a wonderfully generous check for $300. At that time we had just "opened" the stand and probably had about $50. We then raised $387 more for
a total of $637. But what was really nice was all of the people who stopped by not for lemonade, but just to convey their sympathy and to donate money. Our children learned a good lesson about helping others in their time of need, and they were very pleased to have been able to help the Whetsells in some way."Thanks to the Stec family and the children of Govenors Grant for making the stand such a success!
Seeing Jesus' Words Played Out
I wanted to share with the folks reading this blog (sorry for the several day hiatus) some of how God may be using this circumstance for His purposes. Jesus does not hold back from us the truth about this life. Sometimes we are led to believe that Jesus only preached about a sense of fulfillment and happiness in following Him but anyone who believes this simply hasn't read Jesus' own words. There will be pain and suffering. There will be fear and even death but this is the why He came.
The news of Austin being lost in the waves came just at the end of our evening worship services on Sunday night, July 1st. Here is an excerpt from the sermon preached that night (Realism, Hope & the Future, Mark 13:1-11; 25, 26):
Things come that cause us great distress. They upset the current system and our present stability gives way to a turbulent future. How should we respond?
First, Jesus seems to be saying, ‘Get real about the future.’ The future for them was going to be quite awful. The future for us may hold uncertainty and pain. The church in America has difficulty in being realistic. Many churches teach Christ as way of being happy and secure. When reality finally does break in we often fall to pieces because we have not been taught and mentored in how to deal with those realities. The uncertainties of life are frightening. Think of the life of this church (Lexington Presbyterian). In 1996 our pastor of fifteen years and the man the Lord used to build this congregation left for another call. How could things get worse? Shortly thereafter the Christian Education Building was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. Things will come that cause us great distress.
The second thing Jesus is saying is: ‘Refuse to be distracted by these events!’ They fall within God’s purposes and in God’s control. Can you believe that in the tomorrow that holds upheavals? Can you believe that it is not a hindrance in seeing your true hopes fulfilled but actually a means to that end? If we can’t see this, perhaps our hope is in something other than the work of Christ to redeem us from the grave.
Jesus continues on with the bad news:
Mark 13:9 "You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them."
The disciples will be dragged before councils and beaten in synagogues; they will give testimony before Roman governors and eventual before Caesar himself. We see the fulfillment of this in the Book of Acts (Acts 4; 5; 7; 8; 12; 14; 16; 17; 19; 21; 22; 23; 24; 25; 26). But Jesus seems to say that even though - from a human perspective - the disciples will be on trial, they will actual give testimony on God’s behalf! Frightening, intimidating, but these things that cause us great distress are actually the means by which the Gospel will spread!
What happened in Mexico was not a result of persecution but it was a painful event in the life of the Whetsell family and the church. But Jesus told us such things would come. He also told us that through it the Gospel would be preached. This past Sunday at Austin's funeral, youth intern David Gentino preached as clear a Gospel message as I have ever heard in such a setting. On account of Christ David stood as a witness to the grace of God before friends and relatives certainly but also state legislators, a US congressman and a US senator. That very message was broadcast all over the Midlands through television and newspapers. What the Spirit will do with it is yet to be seen but God has remained true to His word on this score. It gives us reason to believe that He will remain true to His word on other matters. I look forward to the day He makes good on His word at the resurrection!
The news of Austin being lost in the waves came just at the end of our evening worship services on Sunday night, July 1st. Here is an excerpt from the sermon preached that night (Realism, Hope & the Future, Mark 13:1-11; 25, 26):
Things come that cause us great distress. They upset the current system and our present stability gives way to a turbulent future. How should we respond?
First, Jesus seems to be saying, ‘Get real about the future.’ The future for them was going to be quite awful. The future for us may hold uncertainty and pain. The church in America has difficulty in being realistic. Many churches teach Christ as way of being happy and secure. When reality finally does break in we often fall to pieces because we have not been taught and mentored in how to deal with those realities. The uncertainties of life are frightening. Think of the life of this church (Lexington Presbyterian). In 1996 our pastor of fifteen years and the man the Lord used to build this congregation left for another call. How could things get worse? Shortly thereafter the Christian Education Building was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. Things will come that cause us great distress.
The second thing Jesus is saying is: ‘Refuse to be distracted by these events!’ They fall within God’s purposes and in God’s control. Can you believe that in the tomorrow that holds upheavals? Can you believe that it is not a hindrance in seeing your true hopes fulfilled but actually a means to that end? If we can’t see this, perhaps our hope is in something other than the work of Christ to redeem us from the grave.
Jesus continues on with the bad news:
Mark 13:9 "You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them."
The disciples will be dragged before councils and beaten in synagogues; they will give testimony before Roman governors and eventual before Caesar himself. We see the fulfillment of this in the Book of Acts (Acts 4; 5; 7; 8; 12; 14; 16; 17; 19; 21; 22; 23; 24; 25; 26). But Jesus seems to say that even though - from a human perspective - the disciples will be on trial, they will actual give testimony on God’s behalf! Frightening, intimidating, but these things that cause us great distress are actually the means by which the Gospel will spread!
What happened in Mexico was not a result of persecution but it was a painful event in the life of the Whetsell family and the church. But Jesus told us such things would come. He also told us that through it the Gospel would be preached. This past Sunday at Austin's funeral, youth intern David Gentino preached as clear a Gospel message as I have ever heard in such a setting. On account of Christ David stood as a witness to the grace of God before friends and relatives certainly but also state legislators, a US congressman and a US senator. That very message was broadcast all over the Midlands through television and newspapers. What the Spirit will do with it is yet to be seen but God has remained true to His word on this score. It gives us reason to believe that He will remain true to His word on other matters. I look forward to the day He makes good on His word at the resurrection!
Friday, July 6, 2007
Memorial Fund Details
The response of giving to the memorial fund has been amazing. It is not so much the amount on the checks but the number of them that is so encouraging. The opening of your hearts to the Whetsells is simply wonderful. I wish there was some more grandiose or even sublime way to say it but you have just been wonderful.
I wanted to share one story with you all about a young lady (with perhaps sibling or friends from the block) in Governors Grant (a Lexington neighborhood) who started a lemonade stand to raise money for the fund. They set a goal of raising $500... a lofty goal indeed for a lemonade stand. When they reached just over $200 (which in itself is amazing) a gentleman 'happened' by and asked, "How much farther to go before you reach your goal?" They shared with him that they needed about $300. He then wrote them a check for that amount. Again, what can be said about such kindness except that it is wonderful.
In keeping with the idea of setting goals, the family has given us a bit more definition for the memorial fund. As I wrote before, some of that money will be used to defray costs incurred during the search for Austin and in bringing him home. The family however wants the emphasis on supporting the mission work in Zihuantanejo (Iglesia Vida Nueva). They are looking to purchase a piece of property near the church that would help them expand the scope of their ministry in the community. The property costs ~$50,000 US. Combined with the expenses Walter had, we are tentatively setting a goal of $70,000 for the fund. We have not done any tabulating of the money that has come in but you have made a good start in reaching that goal.
In the end, however, this is not about money or reaching goals... it is about honoring the work of God's grace in the life of Austin. And as the story above shows, many of you are doing just that using the means and gifts God has given you. That is a precious gift to the family. Thank you for your kindness.
I wanted to share one story with you all about a young lady (with perhaps sibling or friends from the block) in Governors Grant (a Lexington neighborhood) who started a lemonade stand to raise money for the fund. They set a goal of raising $500... a lofty goal indeed for a lemonade stand. When they reached just over $200 (which in itself is amazing) a gentleman 'happened' by and asked, "How much farther to go before you reach your goal?" They shared with him that they needed about $300. He then wrote them a check for that amount. Again, what can be said about such kindness except that it is wonderful.
In keeping with the idea of setting goals, the family has given us a bit more definition for the memorial fund. As I wrote before, some of that money will be used to defray costs incurred during the search for Austin and in bringing him home. The family however wants the emphasis on supporting the mission work in Zihuantanejo (Iglesia Vida Nueva). They are looking to purchase a piece of property near the church that would help them expand the scope of their ministry in the community. The property costs ~$50,000 US. Combined with the expenses Walter had, we are tentatively setting a goal of $70,000 for the fund. We have not done any tabulating of the money that has come in but you have made a good start in reaching that goal.
In the end, however, this is not about money or reaching goals... it is about honoring the work of God's grace in the life of Austin. And as the story above shows, many of you are doing just that using the means and gifts God has given you. That is a precious gift to the family. Thank you for your kindness.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
The Austin Whetsell Memorial Fund: Supporting the Mission in Mexico
It has been humbling every time I have spoken with Walter this week as I consider what he and Kim are experiencing and hear of his passion for the people and the mission of Christ in Zihuantanejo. As friends, people want to contribute to the fund to ensure that Walter & Kim don't face any financial burdens coming from this tragedy. Walter & Kim really appreciate this kind and loving motive, but want the emphasis on supporting the mission he and Austin went to help in Mexico. Specifically, the church has hoped to purchase some property near its main building in order to expand the ministry. Walter & Kim want the fund to primarily pay for that property (we have put some requests in to determine what it would take to purchase the land but are still waiting to hear back). This spirit of generosity speaks for itself.
Folks have expressed a desire to purchase flowers for the funeral. The Whetsells wanted to pass along to you all that they too love flowers and there will be flowers on Sunday but in lieu of purchasing flowers please make a contribution to the memorial fund.
It has been an honor and a privilege to serve this family. I hope you feel the same. Please continue to serve them by lifting them up in prayer.
Folks have expressed a desire to purchase flowers for the funeral. The Whetsells wanted to pass along to you all that they too love flowers and there will be flowers on Sunday but in lieu of purchasing flowers please make a contribution to the memorial fund.
It has been an honor and a privilege to serve this family. I hope you feel the same. Please continue to serve them by lifting them up in prayer.
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