DON & JANICE SCHESKE - NEWS & VIEWS

2012-01-16T20:48:00.003-06:00

2012-01-16T20:33:00.001-06:00

DONALD and JANICE SCHESKE, A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY

CRY OF INDIA MISSIONARIES, Affiliated with the Indiana District of the Assemblies of God.

Don and Janice Scheske, Assemblies of God Missionaries, returned back to America, in August 2006, after completing their fifth successful four year term in the Caribbean and Belize, Central America. In January 2007, Don and Janice transferred to the cutting edge Assemblies of God World Missions Internet ministry, Network211.

In December, 2011, Don and Janice were invited to transfer to the India field of ministry to become the Operations Managers for Cry of India. They will be managing the sponsorships of children and the communications that needs to flow back to the sponsors. What a challenge! Jesus Christ's commission to go into "ALL" the world has never been more achievable and it includes India with more than 1 billion people.

Don, who was born in the mid-west, says he felt a calling to missionary work as a young boy. "My parents were prairie farmers," he relates, adding that he was born second-to-last in a family of six. Even before he was born, his mother, 38 years old and his father 42, dedicated him to the Lord. They desired that at least one of their children would enter full time Christian ministry.

Don was seven or eight, he recalls, when missionary Jock Wallace, a large, broad shouldered man, visited his small country church. He "wept" as he described his burden for the Japanese people. At the end of the service Wallace laid his hand on Don's head and prayed. In those moments 'Donnie' (as he was called then) saw a vision of a faraway place with black people waiting to hear the gospel, he says. This vision propelled him through his growing up years and into Bible College to prepare for the ministry. Approximately twenty years later to the day, Don and his wife were serving as missionaries in Dominica, an island in the Eastern Caribbean, when he decided to conduct a series of outdoor evangelistic crusade meetings. He filled large metal fuel drums with sand to provide a foundation for a platform. He obtained stadium-style lights and a sound system, and prepared a large banner printed with the words "Christ Is The Answer" to hang above the platform. He says that on the night of the first meeting, he walked onto the platform to open the crusade service with a special greeting. As he looked out at approximately 5,000 mostly black people, suddenly, it struck him, "I've seen this scene before!" The vision he had experienced as a young lad was before him in reality and he felt overwhelmed with emotion. So moved was he by this experience that he could not begin the service. God had mightily confirmed the 'call' that he was in the right place at the right time doing the right thing that God had ordained for his life. One of Don's associates had to officially open the crusade service that night.

Janice, who says she felt called to be a missionary as a teenager, was born in Ontario, Canada, in 1945. Her missionary parents, who spent 43 years in total in Africa, took her to Kenya, when she was one. She attended boarding school at Rift Valley Academy from age seven through high school. Janice continued her education in Canada and graduated in 1967 with a Registered Nurses Degree.

The Scheskes have three grown and married children, all in ministry. Darryn & Loree and family are church planting in Indianapolis, IN. Kimberley and Greg Roane and family are home on furlough from India where they just completed their second four year term of missions ministry. Erika and Jon and family are located in Indianapolis, where they both are very active with Darryn in church planting ministry. All together Don and Janice have eight grand children.

Don graduated from Northwest Bible College, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 1966. Since then he was granted a Bachelors in Theology degree from Faith Seminary, Tacoma, WA and is currently working on a Masters program with The Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, Springfield, MO. The Scheskes, who have three children (all in full time ministry) and eight grandchildren, married in 1968 and spent three years in pastoral work before serving from 1973 to 1986 in the Eastern Caribbean Islands of Dominica, St Lucia, St. Kitts and Haiti. From '87 to '91, they pastored in British Columbia, Canada and from 91 to 94, Don did extensive ministry in Eastern Europe, Russia and Siberia. In 94 they transferred to the Assemblies of God, USA, and were appointed to Belize in 95.

In January 1997, the Scheskes landed in Belize City, Belize, the former Belize capital and main port which has a population of about 70,000. The city was devastated in 1961 by a hurricane, and in 1966 a British grant financed the building of a new capital, Belmopan, located about 50 miles inland. Don says, "One of our major challenges was to go back to Belize in January, 2002, to plant a new vibrant English language church in Belmopan." A nucleus of people was meeting in a home forming the basis for this new church. This has now been accomplished and a vibrant multi ethnic congregation is growing rapidly and was transferred to the General Council of the Assemblies of God of Belize, in June 2006, to continue with its development and leadership. This is the what missionary ministry is all about, "working ourselves out of a job," Don says, so that the National people who've been trained can take over leadership roles.

Don & Jan Scheske are five term veterans of missionary ministry in the Latin America & Caribbean Region, serving in the Caribbean basin countries of the Commonwealth of Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Kits, Haiti and the last 2 terms in Belize, Central America. In mid 2006 they returned from Belize and accepted a ministry position with Network211 (twenty-one/one), a new cutting edge evangelism ministry that uses “21st century technology to communicate the 1st century gospel.”

In December 2011, Don and Janice were asked by the Director of Cry Of India, an Assemblies of God Missions child sponsorship ministry to be the Operations Manager. They will also be traveling to India hosting team of people who will assist with the up-grading teachers and providing health care to the children of Cry Of India schools.

Anyone wishing to contact them regarding volunteering to go to India for ministry can do so via e-mail at don.scheske@gmail.com or call our cell phone # 417-496-1827 Thank you for your interest and support and more importantly, your prayers!

Don & Janice Scheske

2012-01-15T16:00:00.001-06:00

2012 TRANSITION TO A NEW MISSIONS CHALLENGE

In response to the unprecedented human need in India, the Assemblies of God working together with the Indian Church has launched Cry of India - a child sponsorship program to change the destiny of these children. Cry of India focuses on providing education, nutrition, healthcare and spiritual formation to meet the urgent needs of extreme poverty and children at risk.

FOUR FOLD FOCUS OF CRY OF INDIA

With sponsorship of children in the slums and ghettoes of the largest cities and unreached areas of India there is hope that they will be able to break out of the cycle of poverty and reach their God-given potential.

God has opened a new door for Janice and me that is both challenging and tremendously fulfilling. We have been invited to transfer to the India Field based ministry of Cry of India. Gaining invaluable experience in computer technology during the past 5 years, Don has been prepared for the task of managing the Sponsorship commitments and making sure that our sponsors are keep abreast of the progress their adopted child is making in the four focus areas of their lives.

Please pray for us and thank you for your support of us as we continue to depend on the generosity of God's people to carry on this incredible work of reaching the children and families of India for Christ.

Erika Cawston - Easter 2011 - Our Youngest Daughter

2011-05-05T14:54:00.000-05:00

Rev. John F. Lynn (1915 - 2008)

2008-02-27T21:03:00.003-06:00

Eulogy of Reverend John Frederick Lynn (1915 – 2008)

Funeral Service, Feb. 13th, at Evnagel Church, Kelowna, BC, Canada.

John Frederick Lynn was born on May 11, 1915, to William and Margaret Linn, of Owen Sound Ontario. John had two brothers, Harvey and Hugh and two sisters, Marian and Dorothy. Unfortunately, John’s father died when he was only 5 years old. Life was difficult for Margaret and the family, however, she was a deeply spiritual women who trusted in the providence of God. He was her strength and her support. Many years later she told the family, "If it hadn't been for the Lord I couldn't have made it."

In 1930, during John’s last year of High School, he and his brother Harvey were invite by some relatives to attend some special meetings conducted by a young evangelist named C. M. Ward, who years later became a famous radio speaker of a broadcast called Revival Time. One Sunday night Harvey and John knelt together with about 10 others, and gave their hearts to the Lord. John later said,
“It was the most momentous decision that I have ever made in my life. It was the beginning of an entirely new life. It was good to no longer be afraid of God; now He was my Father; I had new purpose and direction; I was on a new track; I knew where I was going. Jesus was Lord and it became my joy to serve Him. Shortly after my conversion I was baptized in the Holy Spirit and a new boldness came into my life and greater love for the Lord. Jesus became very real to me and it was not difficult to surrender my whole life to Him for whatever His will was. Hence, the following year, the Lord very clearly made known to me that I was to be a missionary in Africa”

In 1935 John was invited to go north to the mining towns of Timmins and South Porcupine in northern Ontario. There he worked to earn money to go to Bible College, however, this was the time of the Great Depression and funds were scarce. John never did make it to Bible College, however, this did not deter him from preaching the gospel on the street corners and later in rented halls. Many people were drawn to these meetings and in the course of just a few years he planted two churches that are still very much alive today.

In 1938, on a trip south to Toronto, John was introduced to Edna Jolly by one of his cousins who had become a Christian many years before and attended Stone Church. Edna was a Sunday School worker and she deeply impressed him. John was never the same after this introduction, but it wasn’t until 1940 that he felt ready to seriously pursue the relationship. John says,
“After several dates, while walking her home one evening, right on the street, I asked her to marry me. She agreed at once, possibly from surprise! But I stopped and said, ‘Edna, Just a minute, I have been called as a missionary to Kenya, Africa!’ To which she replied with excitement, ‘Me too am also called to be a missionary to Africa!’ How incredibly God directs our lives when He is given control!

On September14th, 1940, in Evangel Temple, Toronto, John and Edna were married. They immediately took a pastorate in Wiarton, ON, just north of Owen Sound. In five years they took this church from just a hand full of people to where there was only standing room left in the building. It was clearly evident that God’s blessing was upon their lives.

In 1946 John and Edna accepted an invitation from the Foreign Missions Sec., George Upton, to seriously consider accepting a Missions Appointment to Kenya East Africa. John did not seek appointment; He wanted an invitation to go to Africa, and that would prove to him that God was “in it.”

God was surely “in it,” as I do not have enough time to tell you about all the exploits for God and His Kingdom that were accomplished during their more than 43 years of missionary service in Africa, the Seychelles and a short stint in Irian Jaya, in the South Pacific. In Africa John and Edna served with great distinction in Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Mozambique, and Namibia. He had a deep love for the African people and learned several languages fluently. Over the years John was asked by the PAOC Missions department to give leadership in many critical areas and was always highly respected by both his missionary colleagues and the National Pastors.

Upon their return to Canada in 1987, John and Edna served on staff and in numerous volunteer capacities at Evangel Tabernacle. He was always grateful for the privilege to serve. A phrase often heard at Evangel is what epitomizes the life and ministry of John Lynn. He had a “passion for God, and a compassion for people.”

John and Edna had 3 children together - Jesse, Janice and Jillian. Jesse married Virginia Thompson, of Edmonton, AB. Tragically, Jesse was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and died in 1987 at the age of 42. At the time he was the pastor of the Pentecostal Church, in Wainwright, AB.

John is survived by his wife Edna of 67 years, and two daughters, Janice Scheske, my wife, residing in Springfield, MO and Jillian Lawson married to John, of Couley, AB. He is also survived by one sister Dorothy Hilsden of Peterbourgh, ON, 6 grandchildren, 14 great grand children, and numerous nephews, nieces and extended family.

In his memoirs John Lynn wrote,
“I have had a wonderful, fulfilling life. God called me early to Himself at the age of 15. He filled me with a mighty Baptism in the Spirit when I fully and completely surrendered myself to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Since then, I have not counted myself as my own but my desire has been to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness” and He has indeed added to me, “all things.”
He gave me Edna, the best wife I could have ever desired; three wonderful children and 6 grandchildren, and 14 beautiful great-grandchildren. Besides all these blessings, he honored Edna and me with His call to ministry in Africa where we had over 43 fruitful years of ministry.
Then how many friends the Lord has given us in many parts of the world … Truly we have proved His promises.
I express my appreciation to the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada for the privilege of working with this wonderful organization and so many fine friends and colleagues.
I cannot thank the Pastors and church family at Evangel enough for opening their arms to us when we came from Africa to Kelowna. My time with you all has been immeasurably blessed.
Finally, thanks be to God, Our Father, and our Savior, Jesus Christ, who has honored me and mine for calling me into the ministry where I have had such fulfillment. All the glory be to Him, to whom belongs the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory … what more could I ask?
With all these blessings, when my pilgrimage is finished here on the earth, I shall enter the presence of Jesus, the One who has been the object of my affection all these years, My Lord and My God! Hallelujah!”

We will never know the number of people John Frederick Lynn impacted during his life time. Each one in this room was touched by his ministry, his godly example and his mentoring spirit. He will be sorely missed.
John’s expectation for his journey’s end is reflected by the words of a song that was the theme and expectation for his life, “At the End Of The Journey is God” a song made popular by Big John Hall, many years ago. Dad Lynn requested that this song be sung at his funeral. It is my privilege as his Son In Law to share this honor with you today!

AT THE END OF THE JOURNEY IS GOD

There’s an end to our heart ache our troubles and cares
There’s an end to our trials and crosses we bare,
Like the Prodigal son, after far lands were trod.
At the end of his journey was God

At the end of the journey, the journey is God
Though we’re foot sore and weary our feet poorly shod.
We will lay down our burdens our staff and our rod.
At the end of the journey is God.

Weary pilgrim you’ve stumbled, you’ve oft been despaired,
But new hope came by knowing your father still cares.
You will step through His portals from earths barren sod.
At the end of the journey is God.

Written by Don Scheske, Son in law, Feb. 13th, 2008.