Dave Loewen to be guest speaker
Dave Loewen of Farmington, Michigan, will be the guest speaker at Holy Week services for First Mennonite and Bethel Mennonite Churches of Mountain Lake. Now retired, Dave, and his wife, JoAnn, focused their ministry on Japan for 24 years.
While in Japan with SEND International, they were church planters and Dave served at Evangelism Coordinator.
The theme for the services will be, “Connecting with Jesus as He Faces Death.” Service times are Palm Sunday morning (March 20) at 10:30 a.m. and Sunday, Monday (March 21) and Tuesday (March 22) evenings at 7 p.m.
All services hosted by Bethel, located at 301 9th Street North in Mountain Lake.
Although the Loewens retired at the end of 2012, relationships continue. Together, Dave’s former assistant, Linda, and he are the bridge between the office and SEND International retirees. Together they send birthday and Christmas cards, and connect with people on the phone and internet. In addition, they send out a paper called, “Beautiful Feet.” The two also make certain there is a representative at funerals. This has resulted in Dave attending memorial services in Hawaii and Alaska; last month he was at a funeral in Meade, Kansas.
Also keeping Dave busy is his duty taking care of two houses of people who own houses in Farmington, but are now serving in Japan. As well, the Loewen’s Japanese pastor maintains his house in Farmington, and arranged for Dave to manage it. Currently a Japanese family is rending the home.
In addition, Dave drives a senior citizens’ van for people in Novi, Michigan, a town west of Farmington. His duty is to transport them from their home to the doctor’s office, shopping, etc. As driver, Dave is often asked what work he did before retirement, and he replies by saying that he was amMissionary in Japan. This results in conversations about church, etc. (one lady told him “I am afraid to die”). In the short time she was in the van and sitting beside Dave, he was able to tell her about Jesus and by A (admitting we are not perfect), B (believing in Jesus Christ), and C (confessing A and B to Him we do not need to fear death.)
Meanwhile, JoAnn teaches Japanese women private English conversation on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and Dave teaches one man on Wednesday.
These weekly events keep the couple busy and active with Japanese people, whom they love.
Dave the son of the late Peter N. Loewen, while Joann is the daughter of the late Paul Dahlenberg.