Monday, October 29, 2012

Our Co-workers

(Missionaries and the Pastoral Care Team at the Member Care Retreat 
in Monument, Colorado October 2012)

We don't often talk about having co-workers, but Cadence has about 200 missionaries, as well as some great office staff.  At the beginning of October we were blessed with the opportunity to spend 4 days with some of these great people at the Member Care Retreat. The retreat serves as a time to rest, reflect, share with each other, encourage, and pray for each other. All of us are on Home Assignment, or have just finished it.  I'd love to introduce them to you, and share a little about their ministries to give you a better picture of Cadence's mission (it goes to say that we love all of them, lots!).

Starting in the front row left, Dick & MaryEtta Reynolds:  Dick is the VP of Human Resources MaryEtta is the nourisher of all things creative, homey, and hospitable. They have experience directing Hospitality Houses in Europe and raising children "in the field".

Front and center, Milt and Jeanie Bryan: Milt has been a counselor in private practice in Denver for many years and has recently joined Cadence in the capacity of Pastoral Care. He and his wife cared for us very well while we were in Denver, providing lots of counsel and friendship.

Front left, Gene and Anne Poppino: Initial Pastoral Care team with Cadence. Its their job to love us, even pastors (missionaries) need pastors. Gene visited several times in Alaska, meeting with us as a Team (with the Evans') and as couples. They live in Oregon and travel the world helping to make sure Cadence missionaries are healthy and growing.

Back Row from Left to Right:
Jim & Martha Bowden: They have just returned from 4 years as Hospitality House Directors at The Lighthouse in Yokosuka, Japan. They have served as fill-in missionaries since 2002.  Jim is a property owner/manager by trade and Martha a homemaker. All of their children are grown and live in Michigan with a bundle of grandkids. My (Elaine's) initial contact with them was at Moody Bible Institute. Their daughter was an MBI student who came to England as a Cadence Intern one summer (in a way, they are the reason I ended up at Moody and in turn, serving with Cadence).

Dave & Andrea Hutchings: Andrea is the daughter of Cadence Missionaries and has grown up in Hospitality Houses around the world. In 2008, after 2 weeks of marriage, they went to Okinawa, Japan to begin working with Marine Corps kids through Cadence Student Ministries. They established a fruitful ministry there through all of its growing pains, as well as started their own family. They plan to return to Okinawa next year (they are also MBI alumni, although none of us knew each other as students).

Rick & Jan Utecht: Rick is an F-16 pilot retired from the US Air Force. They have just served 4 years in Misawa, Japan.  This was their first assignment with Cadence.  Their ministry included Americans and Japanese.  They were forced to leave the field due to major health issues. Thankfully Jan has recovered completely and they are doing well in Wisconsin now.

Eric & Janet Thimell: They have worked with Cadence for 28 years. They've served as Hospitality House directors in Panama, Europe, and South Korea. for the last 12 years Eric has worked at Headquarters in the IT department. They have recently moved to Mountain Home, Idaho to minister to the Air Force there.

Wes & Elaine Auldridge: Missionaries Extrordinaire, Novice Parents (or something like that.) After college they served for three years in Alaska, having each completed internships in England as single people. Their hope is to return to Europe to minister the the Soldiers there, stationed far from home. They have been assigned to Wiesbaden, Germany to establish Cadence's first Hospitality House ministry there. Please help spread the word about their ministry and the plans to plant this ministry! (also, they have the cutest kids ever!)

Thanks for reading. I hope this gives you a little broader picture of who Cadence Missionaries are, and our heart for serving military communities.
God Bless,
Elaine

p.s. most of this is written from my memory, as I met most of these people on the retreat. So, some of the numbers/details might not be exact but they still paint the broad picture of the people who make up "Cadence".