Funeral Service Set for Matt Key

The funeral service for Matt will be this Thursday, Oct. 2, at James River Assembly in Ozark, Missouri. Viewing will begin at noon, with the service at 2:00. Ministers conducting the service will be: Hal Donaldson, Carl Miller, Steve Adams, and Randy Hurst. I will be privileged to conduct the graveside service.

Hal Donaldson, Marc McBride and I were privileged to pay tribute to Matt this morning at a special chapel service at Assemblies of God Headquarters in Springfield, Missouri.

There is a Matt Key Memorial Fund set up at the Assemblies of God Credit Union for anyone wishing to make a contribution. Just state Matt Key Memorial.

AGCU
1535 N Campbell Avenue
Springfield MO 65803
417-831-4398

Remembering Matt Key

This was an emotional day for the staff of Today's Pentecostal Evangel. Our first day without Matt. When I arrived in the morning, I walked into his office. All the little things that made this Matt's space were still there, just like he left them last week.

This staff loved Matt. The TPE staff is genuinely a family and no one was a more integral part of that family than Matt. General Superintendent George Wood, General Secretary John Palmer, and Communications Director Juleen Turnage joined our staff for prayer early this morning. We will have the opportunity to pay tribute to Matt during a special chapel service tomorrow. Later in the day, our staff gathered to process the loss together. We planned a special tribute to Matt in the magazine.

One thing we are all in agreement on: We were blessed to know Matt Key.

As hard as this is on his friends, we must all remember his precious family and what they are going through. Please continue to keep them in prayer.

Matt Key Is With Jesus

Our TPE art director, Matt Key, after suffering a severe boating accident yesterday, has gone into the Lord’s presence. Matt was a real man of God and a consummate family man. Please pray for his family and look for TPE’s tribute to our co-minister and friend.

Pray for Matt Key

Matt Key is the art director for Today's Pentecostal Evangel. I am biased but I don't think you can find a better graphic designer anywhere. Matt is also one of the finest Christian men you will ever meet. He had a boating accident Saturday and was air lifted to Springfield. The waiting rooms at the hospital have been packed with family and friends. He had surgery and he needs a miracle. Please pray for Matt, and for his family.

This is a picture of Matt with his wife, Robin.

Spider

Shot this a couple of weeks ago near a trail I walk. Spiders are really ugly when you get this close.

RK Video Clip

RK (Rescued Kitten). Still trying to get the 2 cats to get along.

Rescued Kitten

Trying to get her and Perky to coexist peacefully. Perk is actually doing great, but the kitten isn't. She likes being here but is wary of Perkitty.


Making herself at home.


Our longsuffering resident cat.

Stockton Lake Twilight

From a couple of years ago.

Convoy Team Returns to Springfield

Peggy drove one of the motor homes home last night, a day ahead of the rest of the team. They are now waiting to see if Ike hits Texas, as it is currently forecast to do on Saturday. It's good to have her home.

We got final changes on my book Theology in a Nutshell. It is scheduled to print on Thursday.

We also rescued one of the little gray kittens I've been feeding for 5 days at the plant trail where I walk. Looking for a good home for her. People are dumping animals in our area more than ever because the local humane society quit taking them.

Waiting for Hurricane Ike

Peggy and the Convoy Disaster Response team are on their way to Jackson, Mississippi, to decide a course of action.

A couple of her shots of the Houman, LA, site that distributed supplies and aid to thousands.

Peggy's in Her 6th Day of Disaster Response in the Gulf

I'm so proud of her. No one loves people more or works harder than my Peg. She's been in both New Iberia and Houma. They have already served hundreds this morning and they're trying to decide what to do about Ike.



Here's the latest from the Convoy site:

First Gustav Distribution Site Opens to Full Capacity

“We didn’t know what we were going to get into when we volunteered to help, but it’s been extremely rewarding” said Convoy of Hope volunteer Travis Spencer. “Pulling into town with a fleet of Convoy of Hope trucks, the State Police escorted us, putting squad cars at every intersection so that we could sail right through. Sirens were blaring, people looking out of their doors and windows and seeing a caravan of the red, white and blue flagged Convoy of Hope trucks.”

Spencer is part of a five-man team from Mattoon, Illinois, that is volunteering to help Convoy of Hope with its response to Hurricane Gustav. You can help!

Convoy of Hope established a Point of Distribution (POD) to serve victims in New Iberia, La., which has a population of 33,000. The POD has experienced nonstop traffic since it opened at 7 a.m. Wednesday. “It’s been a bumper-to-bumper line of vehicles that has no end – it’s at least a mile long.” Spencer said that the team served more than 2,000 families by mid-afternoon. He’s been told that power and clean running water are not expected to be available for at least another 7 to 14 days.

Additional relief supplies — water, food and ice — are being distributed in Baton Rouge, Donaldsonville, and Houma, Louisiana.

Convoy of Hope continues to monitor the development of potential hurricanes – Hannah, Ike and Josephine — which could increase demands on our fleet of trucks and relief workers.

“When disasters occur, our first impulse is to respond with all the force we can to help as many people as we can,” said Hal Donaldson, President of Convoy of Hope. “We worry about how we’re going to pay for it later, believing that people will give generously if they know that others are getting real help.”

Your online gift will be put to immediate use bringing help and hope to the victims of Gustav and the storms that are following closely.

Spencer said that people in the Gulf are appreciative of the help from Convoy of Hope, “So many people have been expressing gratitude for receiving something as simple as ice. Some are diabetics and need to keep their insulin cool.”

“When victims learn that we came from other states just to help them, they’re amazed and say how much they appreciate us and the people who are making this possible,” he said.

More From Gustav

This is a photo of the truck Peggy drove down, loaded with MREs. See Peggy's blog for her latest update.

Peggy's Photos From Louisiana

She uploaded several. I've included a few here. See her Flickr set for more.

Chasing Hurricane Gustav

Peggy is in Jackson, Miss., with the Convoy of Hope Disaster Response Team. She got up this morning and drove a large Convoy pickup loaded with MREs down. They rendezvoused with other CoH personnel part way and now they are splitting up again. Heading toward Baton Rouge and then Hammond, LA. Hopefully the good news continues and the storm is not as bad as expected.

Peggy says FEMA and other response personnel are stacked up in Jackson, waiting to decide where they should go.

Let's keep praying.