Memorial Services will be held
in the Activity Center
at America's KESWICK
Friday, July 25, 2008
12:30 - 1:45 PM - Visitation
2:00 PM - Memorial Service
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Ruth Raws is the wife of Pastor Bill Raws who went home to be with the Lord in July of 2008. Ruth has served faithfully alongside of her husband for 55+ years at America's KESWICK. We covet your prayers for Ruth as she has been diagnosed with cancer. Your prayers and encouragement will be much appreciated. We want to encourage you to write on Ruth's blog as often as you can. Thank you.
Ruth J. Raws
Wife of Pastor Bill Raws
Pastor Bill Raws
Pastor Bill Raws
Pastor Raws has been a part of the ministry of America's KESWICK for over 50 years. His life and ministry has impacted thousands of people through the Colony of Mercy (America's oldest residential addiction recovery ministry for men) and the conference ministry. To send a note of encouragement to Pastor Bill, respond to any blog post. For more information about America's KESWICK, visit our website @ http://www.americaskeswick.org/.
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July
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- Happy Birthday, Pastor Bill
- Video of Memorial Service at America's KESWICK
- MEMORIAL SERVICE
- Sunday Evening Update
- Saturday night Update
- Friday Morning Update
- Wednesday Evening Update
- Wednesday Afternoon Update
- Tuesday Night
- Tuesday Afternoon Update
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July
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28 comments:
In Loving Memory of Pastor Bill,
You were to me a spiritual example of JESUS our LORD as I went through the colony of mercy twice. I will never forget the effect your life had on mine. I Praise the LORD for HIS work HE did here through you. GOD Bless You Ruth and all of his family as we all grieve his passing. We were richly blessed by GOD to know such a man that Loved the LORD with ALL HIS HEART, MIND, SOUL, and STRENGTH. We Love You - Mike and Cindy Dulaney
Karen and family, what a legacy your father has left, to the glory of the God he served! His faithfulness is the personification of passages like Ecclesiastes 12:13 and Micah 6:8, and his passing will leave a big void in places where he so effectively ministered. We love you and are praying.
Eric and Marcia Strattan
Dear Raws family,
Pastor Bill and Ruth (Mrs Raws) were great people of faith to us. When we were hired on staff at Keswick they really helped us solidify of walk with Jesus. Not only were you both great examples of godly people you were great friends of our. We will miss Pastor Bill especially when we come back to visit. We are not going to be able to make the memorial service which is difficult for us.
Know that we love you all and are praying for the Grace of God to break through in your lives.
Love to you all,
The Bargers
Dear Ruth and family,
What a time of mixed emotions! Sadness and heartache at the "promotion" of Pastor Bill. And yet rejoicing that he is no longer experiencing the illnesses that touched his body at the end. Having spent time at Keswick since I was a child, I have differing memories of Pastor Bill. As a teen working in the dining room, I was in awe of him. Later as I knew him better, I was touched by his personal interest in me. Pastor Bill knew and interacted with thousands of people and yet when he talked to me, I had his full attention and knew he was interested in me. May the Lord raise up many others to follow in his footsteps--a spiritual giant because he had a humble spirit. I will be praying for you!
With love,
Lois Hammond
Dear Ruth and Family,
God has been so good to me. When I count my blessings, many of which have come by way America's Keswick, I number among them the privilege of knowing Pastor Bill Raws. His devotion to the Lord and his unwavering commitment to the message of Fullness of Life in Christ made a significant impression upon me. I thank God for Pastor Bill's faithfulness to the Lord and to His Word.
I knew of America's Keswick for many years before I had the privilege of visiting. Stephen Olford, my mentor, had preached there many times and held the ministry in highest regard. When I first set foot on the campus at America's Keswick I had an overwhelming sense of being on Holy Ground. I have been going to America's Keswick now for eleven years and I have never lost that feeling.
I pay tribute today to Bill Raws and to the Raws family for the investment of life, talent, treasure...many times sacrificial...in order that there might be a Colony of Mercy that provides men and their families a second chance and a conference center that still preachers the "Keswick Message'.
I will write and say more later, but for now please know that you are much in my prayers.
With Love and Prayers,
Roger Willmore
Trussville, Alabama
Bill Raws has been a friend and mentor for over thirty years, always quick with a smile, an insight, and a word of encouragement. Thank God for a life lived to its fullest in service to others. ROn Mattocks
We love all of you so very much and are praying for strength and peace and courage to make it through. We will always remember everything he taught us from God's word.
"Let the Holy Spirit lubricate our eyes" The oil of the Holy Spirit lubricate us".
Pastor Bill was a great example to us and we thank him for all he's been and done for us and Americas Keswick. He will be truly missed.
Love,
The Luzniaks
Ed, Karen, Eddie and Elijah
Dear Ruth, Judee, Cheri, Jan & Karen,
Words can not express our heart felt sorrow for your loss of husband and dad, but we also rejoice in knowing he is with Jesus. Please know that our thoughts and prayers have been with you and will continue to be during the difficult days ahead.
We thank the Lord that we were able to minister along with Pastor Bill and Ruth over these last 13 years. We have grown spiritually in our walk with the Lord because of the example of their dedication to the Lord and the KESWICK ministries.
May GOD continue to sustain you all,
Stan & DeEtta
To the Raws family.....
My heart and prayers are with you at this difficult time in your lives. I have been there and there are no words to say so sending you a cyher "HUG" and let you know that I am there with you in spirit....
Barbara
The news of the Home Call of Bill Raws comes with sadness to all the Olford family. Our thoughts and prayers will be with you, especially Ruth, who has been by his side for many years. Even though we rejoice in knowing that Bill is with his Lord, there is the separation from a loved one which in the midst of joy brings a great sense of loss.
The continued message of Keswick Conference and the Colony and the blessing to many lives must go on. We know that would be the greatest memorial to the Raws family and to our Lord, Jesus Christ.
May God be your every strength as you praise Him for Bill's life and you go forward to fulfill the message of this powerful ministry.
With our love,
Heather Olford
David Olford and family
Jonathan Olford and family
Hi Ruth,
I just spent about 45 minutes writing a note of the Google Keswick Blog for Bill Raws, only to lose it when I tried to send it.
I first met Bill when our Trio was invited to sing for a Bux-mont Men's Retreat at America's Keswick. That was in 1980. Shortly after that I was asked by Bill Raws to consider & Pray about becoming part of the Ministry by serving of the Board of Trustees. Late in 1981, I was invited to fill the remaining Term for a Board Member that had passed away.
During my 27 year tenure, I have had the privilege serving on many Committees with Bill. I "Leaned" on Bill many times for his advice and God given Wisdom.
I have always appreciated his Sweet, Gentle Spirit as well as his "Servant's Heart."
Beryl and I have counted it a privilege to sit under Bill's teaching of God's Word, whether in Morning Devotions, the Colony Chapel or in the Pulpit. God gave Bill a very unique insight and method of presenting His Word in a practical way for everyday living. His approach Blessed our hearts on many occasions!!!
Even though Bill will be missed, we Praise the Lord for his Earthly Ministry, as well as his POMOTION to be with our Lord Jesus!!!
We will continue to Pray for you and the Girls. May you feel God's special presence and comfort during
this time.
Sincerely,
Your Friends,
Because of Calvary,
Jim & Beryl Becker
Dear Raws family and Keswick Freinds,
We are so Blessed to have known Pastor Bill. He was a friend of our our parents David and Elsie Harvey for many years. We know they are once again together in the presence of the Lord in our "Real Home" God bless you, Tim and Helene for all of the Elmer NJ Harvey's
Dear Ruth and Girls,
We are suffering with you over the loss of Pastor Bill.
We hope you are comforted in, that he is now and will always be, in the presence of Almighty God with his new life, rewarded for his faithfulness to the Lord while he was here with you.
In Christian Love, Rafael, Georgette and Ashley Santana
Pastor Bill was the example of what it is to be a servant. He always took time to chat with anyone who called out his name. His faithfulness and vision of what a Recovery and Conference Center should be showed his reliance on the Lord, and God in turn rewarded the effort and faith with good people coming to staff Keswick. His families' legacy will live on to help others for years to come. My family is deeply indebted to this ministry and I'm thankful to have meet and known Pastor Bill. I guess he heard the Lord call his name and they stopped to chat for a while. God Bless the future Work at Keswick, for God has blessed the man and taken him to Glory and left Good people in his place. May the Family be comforted and strengthened by God. In His favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but Joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5
Dear Ruth & Family
Pastor Raws was one of the great men of faith. His tremendous love of the Lord and desire to "walk in His ways" was evident to all who knew him. Several months ago we was particularly touched by his love and kindness as he, upon knowing of a particular trial our family was going through, purposely sought us out, let us know he was praying for us, and offered us encouragement that left us both smiling and grateful to know him. We will miss him. There is a great void this side of Heaven. Please know that we continue to pray for you and your family.
Love,
Bob & Kathy Garelick
Dear Ruth and Girls,
How grateful we are that we knew Pastor Bill for the past few years. We will always remember the "lively" conversation around the table in the staff dining room and the potluck dinners at the Keswick beach.
Pastor Bill not only preached the gospel, but he lived it, and we got to watch him. What a privilege we had. He will be greatly missed.
Ruth, it was so good to see you at dinner last evening and give you a hug. We are holding you up in constant prayer.
We are so glad we can call you, Pastor Bill, and the family our friends.
In His mercy,
Glen and Marilyn
"For God so loved the world, He gave us" Pastor Bill. He was an inspiration to all, mentor to many, but first of all a friend. I met him on several occassions, but he always treated me as if we had known each other for years. I know he will be sorely missed by the whole Keswick family, but we will all see him again.
Bill & Barbara Beatty
We are so glad for you all that you know your husband and father is now freely eating from the tree of life in heaven. This was freely given to him and it is so well deserved.
We are sorry we can't be with you now and for the service, but we are visiting our youngest daughter, Faith, and her family near Dallas, Texas. We will surely see you when we return next month. We continue to hold your family in our prayers.
In His Love,
Jim and Eileen Patterson
Dear Ruth and family,
Our deepest sympathy goes out to all of you and the Keswick family. We will be continuing to hold you up in prayer and ask the Lord to pour out His Spirit abundantly upon all of you as you gather on Friday. We wish we could be with you in person. We have so appreciated and respected Pastor Bill and will miss him very much.
Sincere love and prayers,
Martha and Ted Barnett
Dear Ruth and family...our loss is certainly Heaven's gain...I think of Pastor Bill face to face with His Lord and can only smile as I think of God smiling back at that wonderful face of His faithful servant....may you all be sustained in these coming days surrounded by those who love and care for you...God bless, Melanie Vara(Whiting Bible)
I have been blessed that for my short time working at America's Keswick, God gave me the gift of getting to know a man after His own heart, Pastor Bill Raws. Keswick's loss of Pastor Bill, I'm sure, will be felt for some time. I feel just as confident to say that I'm sure heaven is rejoicing, as it welcomes back home a servant that has done the Lord's work well.
I will pray that our gracious and loving Father will bring to Ruth, the children and grandchildren strength and peace at this time of loss. May you all feel the Lord's prensence as He wraps you in His loving arms and comforts you at this time.
Bernie Bostwick
Bill Raws is a hero of faith in my mind. I have represented Africa Inland Mission at Keswick for 21 years and each year he expressed genuine interest in the work and ministry of AIM, gave helpful suggestions, asked obout our missionaries, always seemed glad that we were there to be a part of presenting mission to those who attended. Africa Inland Mission and Keswick have had a partnership that has gone back since Keswick began. Some of our missionaries made their full surrender to Christ when they were at Keswick. We loved Bill and we thank God for each of one in the Raws family and in the larger Keswick family. We are praying for God's comfort and peace at this time for each one of you.
In Christ,
Ted Barnett
U.S. Director
Africa Inland Mission
A beautiful, kind, concerned human being. The epitome of Humility and Grace. It was a privlidge to know him and be taught by him. I pray for comfort for Ruth and the family.
He will be missed.
Love always Steve and Carol Gioglio
Dear Ruth, family and friends,
On behalf of nearly 1,000 Christian camps and conference centers, and more than 8,000 individual members of Christian Camp and Conference Association (formerly Christian Camping International/USA) we express our deepest sympathy in the passing of your beloved Bill. In the same breath we express deep gratitude for one who served so faithfully, along with you, Ruth, in the cause of Christ. Truly it is unusual for one couple to have such high impact in such a broad range of Christian ministries, including the local church; conference and retreat center ministries; addiction recovery; and higher education. Indeed the legacy is broad and deep. Many of us are inspired by this model of faithful Christian leadership for so many years.
In the formative years of Christian Camping International, Bill, along with a handful of other leaders, were instrumental in establishing our organization in the northeast. Today, more than 6.5 million campers and guests annually attend a gathering in one of our member camps and conference centers, with hundreds of thousands making life-changing spiritual decisions. Undoubtedly Bill is meeting many of these right now.
So, today, we join with you to mourn, but also stand with you to remember an extraordinary life, lived for the glory of Jesus Christ. May our hope and joy be rekindled until we too meet our Savior.
With condolences and love…on behalf of thousands.
Dear Ruth,children and grandchildren.
We are so sorry to hear of Pastor Bill's passing. But we rejoice that he is seeing his blessed Lord Jesus face to face.He's no doubt received a bear hug from Ken Brown and shook Ken's new hand with all of its five fingers. And what a reunion with his parents, grandparents,former staff members and all those friends of Keswick. I'm getting jealous just thinking about it.We have previous commitments that we can't avoid so we will not be able to attend on Friday.We have many fond memories of Pastor Bill and pray that the "God of all comfort" will minister to all who remain.Our love and God's blessing to all of you.
Warren & Phyllis Groen
We are just weary travelers here, our Home is on high. Lord, please continue to give Pastor Bill's Family comfort, knowing that Pastor Bill is there with You.
Pastor Bill was a great help in guiding the SOWER Ministry in it's early years.
Thank you Jesus for your blood, your work, and your love.
In HIS Love
Frank n ANN Varga
Sower #1
Dear Raws Family:
I have long admired the anointing of the Raws Family. God has used this gifted family for the upbuilding of God's Kingdom and compassionate domains of addition recovery and transsformation of lives. Our symphathy and prayers afre extended to all the framily at this ime of grief and loss. YOu are in our hearts and prayers.
Robert and Pauline Dallenbach
Dear Ruth and family,
Pastor Bill was a great example to us of a man of God living his life for Christ and others. You both were an encouragement as you faithfully partnered in ministry exalting HIS name together.
We are praying that the Lord will comfort with HIS peace and encourage you with HIS presence.
In HIS love and
our deepest sympathy,
Charlie & Janet Anderson
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