For those of you keeping up with this blog, John is still with us. Please come back often to check his status as this will be the easiest way to inform everyone.
We're keeping him out of pain as much as possible and he seems to be comfortable. He has one foot in this world, and one with Our Father in Heaven.
Mom asked me to post the following for everyone in the hopes it will bring you some comfort:
"I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads his white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. He is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch him, until at length, he hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says: "There, he is gone!"
"Gone where?"
Gone from my sight. That is all. He is just as large in mast and hull and spar as he was when he left my side and he is just as able to bear the load of living freight to his destined port.
His diminished size is in me, not in him. And just at the moment when someone at my side says: "There, he is gone!" there are other eyes watching him coming and other voices ready to take up the glad shout: "Here he comes!"
And that is dying. --- Henry Van Dyke
We believe God and all the Saints and our loved one who have gone before us are there waiting to welcome him home.
With love,
The Dutcher Family
9 years ago
18 comments:
Nila, Heather, Jenny, and Sarah.
I love John like a brother.
I pray for all of you.
Mary
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy on us, have mercy on us.
Glory be to the Father and Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.
Holy Immortal One: have mercy on us, have mercy on us.
Holy god, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One: have mercy on us, have mercy on us.
FDE and Kathy
I love you Dutcher family. You all are in my thoughts and prayers.
Sarah Kallail
John, Nila, and the Dutcher Family,
You will always be in my thoughts and prayers. We love you.
John, you are a wonderful, caring, and compassionate man. We love you.
Thank you for making me such a beautiful cross when I joined St. Elijah's in May of 1992. I will treasure it forever!!!
We love you and will continue to keep you in our thoughts and prayers.
Love the Raschtschenia Family, John, Teri, Alex, and Nik.
Nila, Jenny, Sarah & Heather,
We are praying for John's peace and comfort.
Jeff, Jennifer & Emerson
Dutcher Family ~
John once gave me a hug as I was exiting St. Elijah’s that I’m still feeling right now . . . and will continue to feel forever. It was in late February or early March -- the exact time seems irrelevant because it was more than just a warm hug John gave me, it was truly a timeless encounter. Afterwards I sat in my car trembling, sobbing, I was so moved by his spirit. The power in his embrace I cannot describe... so full of joy, so full of strength, so full of gratitude! . . . It certainly wasn’t a hug given by a “dying man”. As a catechumen at that time I felt as if I had just been embraced by all of Orthodoxy, past, present and future. Overwhelming.
John truly is and forever will be a conduit for Christ’s love, a true servant of God. We are all so incredibly blessed to know him. A friend and brother for eternity.
Beautiful, beautiful Dutchers, may God comfort you and now and ever and unto ages of ages.
Mark L.
A great big hug to all of you. Please give "Squeaky" an extra one for me.
I love you all, Stevvi
John,
Denise and I are praying for you and your family.
Yours in Christ,
Mike Mettry
Dear Ones,
John will never die - his spirit will live on in the hearts of those who love him. And he will always be watching over us. I wish that our young folks could have the opportunity to know John -and to pattern their lives after his. Let us keep his integrity and spirituality alive.
I love all of you. Hugs and prayers always.
Joan Shock
Be assured of my love, prayers and blessings for Subdeacon John and all the Dutcher Family.
+Bishop Basil
Wichita, KS
Hi Godmomma... Thank you for showing me how to be at peace and have faith in God's will...I will have to be the strong one for my little family someday for the same reasons and I have been inspired by John's story and your faith in God. Know that you have all been in my prayers. Love to you all.
Nila, Heather, Jenny and Sarah:
Thoughts and prayers are with you and your families. Please remember the following verse:
Psalm 68:19
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.
My prayer is that you feel God's hand today.
Kathy Sawyer (Heather's co-worker)
Dear John, Heather, Jenny and Sarah:
We continue to pray for you and your family.
"Lord, hear our prayers. Amen.*
Bill and Lee
John, Thank you for setting up the recording system at St. Elijah. The sermons are now broadcast all over the world and if it wasn't for your dedication, it wouldn't have been possible to this extent.
Thank you for everything you do and stuff I know you mean a lot to so many people.
You are in my prayers. Love Phil Nasr
Please know that the thoughts and prayers of many, many people are with you.
May John be comforted in his struggle and may God have mercy on us.
-Karim
Memory Eternal
Nila and Family,
All our love - may God comfort you.
Heather - Can we help with the boys?
Michael and Katy Powers
Thank you for that - that is comforting and brings hope for all of our futures.
Love,
Joni
It is often said that you cannot have that you cannot have too many prayers from others.
Know that John and all of you are in mine.
Noel
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