Vonda Erbele

Dear Family and Friends:

Merry Christmas to each and everyone of you. This is rather a melancholy Christmas for me. Vonda was such a Victorian Christmas Decorating Queen making this season so special for family and friends. In all our celebrations over the years we tired to honor the event of Christ entering this world as our King of Kings and Lord of Lords! I have such rich memories of all the family, church and community celebrations…how quickly those days ended!! Enjoy them while you can!

I am settled in Streeter but nowhere really feels like home yet. The community has received me well and I have had numerous occasions to be together with extended family. Thanks you all!
I was a part of the Community Choir. We gave a Christmas musical presentation to the prisoners at the Jamestown prison and last evening (Dec. 23) to the community. All total with children and youth…53 people were invovled. For a small community this was quite an accomplishment. This community does a lot of things together - PTL.
I also taught an adult Sunday School class for three weeks during the advent season.

This morning (Dec. 24th) I was planning on leaving for Minneapolis to spend some time with two of my Children and their families. (Korissa & Darren and John & Heather). However, due to the extreme weather conditions (snow and blizzard) I am staying put for another 2 or 3 days. (Some things never change in N. Dak.) After New Year’s I plan on driving to North Carolina to spend time with Kent and Kendra. On Jan 11 - 15 I will be take a class at Columbia International University on “Islam in the 21st Century”. (Hopefully God will open some doors so I can share this information with others). I hope to be home the end of January.

I am still trying to adjust and figure out my new identity and nitche in life. The following reading sums up the reality of life.
“One or the other must leave
One or the other must stay
One or the other must grieve
That is forever the way.
That is the vow that was sworn
Faithful ’till death do us part’
Braving what had to be borne,
Hiding the ache in the heart.
One, howsoever adored,
First must be summoned away.
That is the will of the Lord
One or the other must stay.

So goes the journey of life. Thankful for each day of life. Miss my children and grandchildren and old friends…but thankful for my new friends.

Thanks for thinking of me and my family and some of the struggles they are going through. Be blessed in 2010

Sustained by His Grace,

J. Dale Erbele

Hi cyber friends:

I left Nov. 8th for our Annual Conference session in Glendive Mt. and then on to Billings. Several matters to attend to in Billings…one being I am a long distant land lord. It is good to have someone in the house. I have a lease to own agreement. They are waiting for their house to sell in Seattle…so I guess we all have to be patient. I then visited our new church in Helena Mt. (I am still chairman of the Board of Church Planting). From there on to Missoula to spend time with the Luhmann tribe for Thanksgiving and beginning of advent…incredibily busy house hold (to busy). They have also taken in a neigborhood couple whose house burned the beginning of Nov. On the way back I stopped and met people in Billings, Fallon, Glendive and Beach. My sister, niece & family provided an evening meal before I returned home last evening (Dec. 5th).

I havd been invited to sing in a Community Choir in Streeter. Doing a Cantata to be performed in the Jamestown Prison on Dec. 20 and for the community on Dec. 23. On the 24th I will travel to Minneapolis to spend some time with Darren and Korissa and John and Heather. Then on to Charlotte, N. C. for the new year. From Jan. 11 - 15 I will be enrolled in Columbia International University (Columbia S.C.) in the Islamic Study Department taking a week of classes on Islam and all the implications it has for the Church and America at large.

This is a hard time of the year for me. Over the years this was such a high festive time for friends and family. Vonda was the Victorian Chritmas Decorating Queen every room in the house had her Christmas touch. The open house was always a favorite for everyone. I have no ambition to put up any decorations since no one will be home from the family and I will be gone most of the time. (I will enjoy the decorations of other families). Sure get melancholy at this time of the year and miss all the great Christmas celebrations we had as a Church Family and our own Family.

I do want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas!! Because of Christmas we do have hope!
Trust the New Year will be good to you. I am still trying to adjust and find my nitche in life…

Thanks for extending grace to me and keeping me in your thoughts and prayers. If you come my way do stop by and visit…you are even welcome to spend the night. I have extra bedrooms.

Blessing to all of you and trust you too are being sustained by His Grace!

J. Dale Erbele

Greetings everyone:

Some quick information on my life. On Oct. 5th - 16th I was with a tour group (two buses)traveling across the country ending in Washington D.C. and points of interest in between. It was led by one of our pastors and I knew about 2/3 of the poeple from Mt. and N. Dak. It was a bitter/sweet experience making the trip alone and also seeing the sights and sounds that Vonda and I had shared.

I will be spending the next three weeks in Mt. We are have our Evangelical Church conference in Glendive this coming week. I will then travel on to Billings. (My home there has been l”eased to own”. A family from Seattle has leased it until hopefully their home sells in Seattle) So this helps but I have become a long distance landlord. I will travel on to Helena to visit our new church plant. ( I am still our conference director of Church Planting) Then on to Missoula to spend Thanksgiving with the Luhmann’s.

John and Heather are going through a very difficult time in their life and we all covet your prayers for their marriage, family and ministry.

I am getting more settle in Streeter and still struggling as to what “feels” like home. I guess without Vonda it will never quite feel like home.

I do have some ministry opportunities. Serving our Conference Supt. as an assistant working with the Dakota Churches. Last week my daughter Korissa Olson from Minneapolis and her accompanist Karen Atwood from Minot and I were the special guest musicians and guest speaker at the Streeter United Methodist Harvest Festival celebrations. Great celebration!

To all who check on this blog I pray a covering of blessing over your life!

Sustained by His Grace,
J. Dale Erbele

Hi Everyone:
This may not work. Trouble getting messages through this blog. I am mostly settle in Streeter. Spent 11 days in MIssoula in Aug. And another 10 days in Minneapolis in Sept. supporting John and Heather in a most difficult time they are going through.
Kendra and Korissa were here in August to assist in my house decor…greatly appreciated. Currently the house is being painted. Come and visit me or drop me a card or sent me an email. Box 188 121 Florence St. S. Streeter, N. Dak 58483. Cell 406-670-9738 E-mail:jdale@westconf.net.
I have some ministry opportunities but mostly living here by my lonely self and sorting a library of materials.

J. Dale Erbele

Greetings to all! And I trust you are having a Blessed Easter…Resurrection Sunday.

“Because He lives I can face tomorrow”. I can face tomorrow but it is not easy. Last year on Good Friday Vonda went into a coma and passes away on Easter Monday morning. Since Easter was early last year the dates do not correspond but the event does. She died on March 24th. Nevertheless this is a difficult weekend with all the visions of her struggle as we stood helpless by as she passed from life into death.

The children were all home (except two spouses and three grandchildren) the last week of March. It was painful sorting through all the stuff of life and dividing it up among the children and deciding what I will be taking to N. Dak. We got a lot accomplished…the house is all tore apart…each making their piles of stuff to get later or have it shipped. (Joihn & Kroinda were able to take some to Msla…but the rest flew) Much was also given to chairities. Now I am living in the midst of chaos…has to get worse before it gets better.

Sunday I leave for our “Ministry Staff and Spouse Retreat” in Cody Wy. We have 73 registered. Vonda so enjoyed pampering the pastor’s wives.
Her touch will be greatly missed. This will be my last time in this role. June 30 I will transition out of my position and assume some lesser roles to assist the next Supt. Hope to be moved to N. Dak. by the middle of July.

I have also committed myself to a missions trip to Brazil June 22 -28. A team of 9 people will be going…including John & Heather and John and Korinda.

From all indication my Litotripsy (blasting of kidney stones) on March 31 was successful. More x-rays will be done next week.

Our conference office will also be moving. The conference office will be consolidated into the Faith Evangelical Church by June 15th . This is another added pressure getting all those matters in order.

Taking one day at a time and sustained by His Grace,

J. Dale Erbele

Dear Cyber family and friends:

Time marches on…March is a very painful reminder of what we were going through last year in watching Vonda lose her battle for life. She died on March 24th and the emptiness and pain I feel is still very real.

On Monday we had a special session of Annual Conference to elect a new Conference Superintendent. Rev. Steve Strutz senior pastor of our Faith Evangelical Church in Billings was chosen as our new Supt. I will continue to serve until June 30th. Steve will assume his duties July 1st. This will take considerable pressure off of my life. My limited responsibilies will be serving as Chairman of the Conf. Board of Church Extension…dealing primarily with planting new churches.

Sometime in July I will be moving to Streeter, N. Dak. I have purchased an older smaller home. Now I will have to get my house ready for selling and dispose of a lot of the “stuff of life”. All of my children wil be here the week of March 23 to assist in the settling of this estate…there are inheritance items that they will all take…and I know what I will take to enhance my living in Streeter…the rest will be put on a grage sale or given to charity.

This will be another major life changing endeavor for me…sometimes I get emotionally exhausted just thinking about the uncertainty that lies ahead. I live one hour at a time and try to make the best of it. Covet your prayers!

Sustained by His Grace,

J. Dale Erbele

Hi Cyber space family:
I know many of you have been praying and concerned about my recent biopsy. At 6:P.M this evening I received word that my protate biopsy turned out NORMAL…meaning no cancer! Praise the Lord and thanks for your prayers and concerns. The Dr. said I should be good for at least another 10 years.

However, the x-rays revealed that I have a 6.7mm kidney stone in my upper right kidney. This stone is getting to the size where percentage wise it is extremely difficult to pass…if at all. So, he recommend I have a lithotripsy (sp) done…in other words blast the thing out of there. I have had numberous kidney stone attacks over the years…including a lithotripsy!
I guess I am building some kind of monument rich in minerals.

Enough of my problems…trust all is well with all who read this…God’s richest blessings to you!

J. Dale Erbele

I am busy with life and ministry. Feb. 7th would have been Vonda’s 66 birthday. Life is incredibly short. Next Tues. Feb. 10/09 I will have a prostate biopsy to determine if it is cancerous. Somehow I have had my fill of dealing with cancer…covet your prayers. March 9th we elect a new Supt. but I will continue to serve until the end of June.

I came across this parable about life that I would like to share with you in the hussle and bussle of it all.

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.
“Not very long,” answered the fisherman.
“But then, why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more?” asked the American.
The Mexican fisherman explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.
The American asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”
“I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go to the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. I have a full life.”
The American interrupted, “I have a MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.”
“And after that?” asked the fisherman.
“With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York City! From there you can direct your huge new enterprise.”
“How long will that take?” asked the fisherman.
“Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years,” replied the Harvard MBA.
“And after that?”
“Afterwards? Well my friend, that’s when it gets really interesting,” answered the Harvard grad laughing. “When your business gets really big, you can start buying and selling stocks and make millions!”
“Millions? Really? And after that?” asked the fisherman.
“After that you’ll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend you evenings drinking and enjoying your friends.”

The moral of this story: KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING IN LIFE…YOU MAY ALREADY BE THERE.

To all my friends in Cyber Land…thanks for caring and listening to my blog. Sustained by His Grace, J. Dale Erbele

Greetings to all who check this blog:

I know that a number of you still check the blog…thanks for caring and checking! It has been a month since I have last updated you. I trust you all had a Spirit filled holiday experience. My journey to visit my children over the “Holy”days was a bitter/sweet experience. This was our first Christmas without Vonda’s physical presence and it was painful for all of us…I missed my wife, the children missed their mother, the grandchildren missed their grandmother. It just wasn’t the same and we have to adjust to the new reality that it never will be the same. Since coming home it seems the emptiness and pain of my loss has intensified…not sure how long it will take to work through all this grief process, but I am working on it!

During the holidays my children encouraged me to also get on Face Book…so a number of pictures and comments can be seen on that. The housing situation has been an issue for Darren & Korissa Olson and for John and Heather. Thankfully in the midst of our country’s economy the Olson’s house sold and they are now fully settle in their “new” house. John and Heather have sold their house in Missoula but are still somewhat in limbo in securing a home in the south Minneapolis Metro area. (They are currently leasing a town house). The Husbands are doing well in Charlotte…I experienced a heat wave…leaving Minneapolis on Christmas morning at -4 below and arriving two hours later in Charlotte with temps in the 70’s was almost to much…but it did cool down. In Minneapolis and Charlotte I was able to attend some Christmas festivities and enjoy some holiday gathering. Korinda Luhmann called me on Christmas day to extend their Christmas greetings and told me that my Christmas gift would be the fact that their sixth child would arrive in July!! That would make 14 grandchildren…so sad that Vonda will miss all this on this earth…and I am a poor substitue for a grandma.

I arrived home on January 2nd. and on January 4th I flew to Portlan, Or. to speak at the Pacific Evangelical School of Ministry…it appears that the messages were well recieved. While in Portland I was able to connect with my cousin Mary Wagoner and her family, former youth pastor in Missoula (Dan & Precilla Hochhalter) and also some long lost friends from High School. I arrived home on Jan. 10th to an avalanche of work in the home and in the conference…everyday I feel somewhat overwhelmed and have to try and pace myself. It seems that there are days when depression lies just around the corner. I am trying to finish well my ministry role in the Conference until June when a new Superintendent will take over. At that time I will be making some significant transitions. I will keep you posted…in the mean time I covet your prayers and hearing from you.

Sustained by His Grace,

J. Dale Erbele

Merry Christmas - To all my cyber space prayer partners:

Trust you are all celebrating and enjoying this season of the year. It has been an unbelievable year for me and my family. Still can’t believe the changes I am having to deal with and adjust to. This is especially a hard time of the year. Vonda lived for the Christmas season. Our home was always transformed into a Victorian Winter Wonderland Extravaganza to be shared with family and many friends. For over thirty years we hosted an open house for our Church family and also shared fellowship and refreshments with many people such as youth choirs, orchestra members etc. This has all come to an abrupt end. The only ornament I put up was the one given to me last week at the Hospice Luminary Remembrance Christmas Celebration. It was a sad but memoable time as 232 families were remembered who lost loved ones this past year.

Just because it is not the same for me or my family one thing remains constant…the fact of Christmas has not changed. God stepped out of heaven and gave us His son to show us the way back to the Father…the supreme gift of love for a lost humanity. This gift to be meaningful must be “opened” received or it does no good. If you recieve a gift this Christmas and do not open it…it will be an insult to the giver and of no value (or blessing) to you. Our purpose on earth is to keep on sharing “The Gift”. A good book to read this season is: “The Purpose of Christmas” by Rick Warren.

Sunday I leave for a 17 day trip. First stop Minneapolis to spent time with Darren and Korissa Olson and John and Heather (and of course the grandkids). On Christmas Day I fly to Charlotte, N.C. to spend time with Kent and Kendra and three granddaughters. New Year’s I fly back to Minneapolis and the next day back to Billings. I will be home for two days and then I fly to Portland Oregon where I willl be speaking at the Pacific Evangelical School of Ministry.

Thanks for coming along side of us this year in bearing our burdens in the loss of our dear Vonda. Your cards, e-mail, calls, visits and medical financial support are all appreciated more than you will ever know!!

I do desire for all of you to spend time with your family…enjoy them while you have them. May you all have a very Merry (Blessed) Christmas and a good New Year.

Until Next Year,

J. Dale Erbele