on the KESWICK website.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
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/.
Blog Archive
-
▼
2008
(55)
-
▼
July
(26)
- 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
- Tuesday Morning Update
- Monday Morning Update
- Saturday Afternoon Update
- Friday Afternoon Update
- Thursday Afternoon
- Wednesday Evening Update
- Wednesday Update
- Tuesday morning update
- Monday evening update
- Sunday Evening Update
- Sunday Afternoon Update
- Saturday morning update
- Friday Afternoon Update
- Thursday Afternoon Update
- Wednesday noon update
- Tuesday Morning Update
-
▼
July
(26)
11 comments:
I was really touched by the service. I wish I could have attended but my disability prevented it. I really liked the encouraging portion of the sermon by Pastor Bill which was played. It was such an encouraging portion and is typical of the encouraging yet uncompromising messages that Pastor Bill preached. He truly will be missed.
Dear Ruth and family,
Attending Pastor Bill's memorial service today has truly been a blessing in that I have become emboldened to follow Christ with a whole heart. I fully realize that this is not a "once and done" kind of decision, but rather one that will be made on a day to day (if not moment by moment) basis.
For me, the service started to become moving when Howard Hendricks shared his thoughts. But when the family began to share I was overwhelmed. I knew Pastor Bill as a colony man but never had the opportuniy to become aquainted with his family side - until now! The man got it right: Christ first, family second, ministry third. His legacy was displayed before our very eyes as first his daughter, then grandchildren and finally sons-in-law described to us what Pastor Bill meant to each of them. And I loved what the one grandson shared about "standing in his legacy" (or something to that effect). In particular, the grandson learned that his behavior at Keswick (good or bad) reflected on his grandpa, and as Christians we have a similar impact on the Name of Christ.
Well, Pastor Bill's legacy impacted me while I was in the colony, after the colony, and it impacted me today as we celebrated his passing. In closing, as we sang in the last hymn, Pastor Bill is now "in that morn walking with Him in white." The Mercer's.
Dear Ruth and Family,
Glen and I had the privilege of attending the memorial service along with hundreds of others. The service was a beautiful tribute to a true man of God.
We attended to let you know that Pastor Bill was/is a special friend, he had an immense influence on our lives, and he will be missed. We attended also to let you know that we will be standing with you in prayer and friendship in the months to come.
The service was such a beautiful tribute, and we especially loved the short clip of Pastor Bill speaking. It was a remionder to us of the privilege we had so many times to hear him share God's word.
Thank you for sharing Pastor Bill with us. It was an honor to know him, and it is an honor to know all of you.
Thank you.
In His mercy,
Marilyn and Glen
Ruth and Family, What an honor it was for us to share the beautiful,
God-honoring service yesterday.
So many people came to be a part of the glorious memorial service. We were greatly blessed by the tributes and messages. Pastor Bill's legacy does indeed live on...Keswick will continue to be a place where God speaks to hearts and lives are changed because of the tremendous faithfulness and dedication of dear Pastor Bill, and the heritage of his ministry.
We will continue to keep all of you in our thoughts and prayers in the days ahead. God is so good, and
Jesus never fails. Diane & George Nichols.. Deuteronomy 31:8
I listened to Pastor Raws deliver a sermon two weeks before he went into the hospital. I was sorry to hear he was ill and sorrier to hear that he died. His sermon and his presence on the pulpit reminded me of my missionary grandfather. I had never heard my grandfather preach. But seeing and hearing Pastor Raws that Sunday reminded me that grandpa was a preacher who, like Pastor Raws, was saving souls.
I want to thank the Lord and Pastor Raws for that moment.
Dear Mrs. Raws, I have heard from many who have been blessed by the Keswick ministry as Colony Grads---we have a different perspective. Joan and I have been blessed by Pastor Bill's vision for the Keswick Campus and conference ministry. For many years we attended Keswick with our church family from Long Island at church retreats. We enjoyed fellowshiping on the beautiful grounds, enjoying the Activity Center, and staying in St. Memorial Lodge. These were both visions of Pastor Bill's---and we enjoyed the benefit of that vision. The last 7 seasons we have enjoyed the campground and Summer conferences. We have received such a blessing from God because Pastor Bill had a vision for Keswick being a place where Christians could be refreshed and challenged. Keswick is a special place because the Lord Jesus Christ is Worshiped, Praised, and Preached! We thank God for the priviledge of being able to walk the grounds of such a place, and thank God for the legacy of Pastor Bill. John & Joan Romero
It was so good to be able to be there via the web.
Christ was so honored and Pastor Bill's own words - wow - well, it was Pastor Bill giving comfort, hope and assurance to Ruth, the family and we the family of God.
A special thanks to all whose hands and heats and heads made it possible.
Laurel
As everyone goes back into their regular routine, We want each of your to know that the family continues in our prayers. As a Keswick family we will be finding various times when we will miss his presence and need to step into his very big shoes.
Thank you for all the years you shared him with us. May God help you through this time of grief.
Bill and Lynne Jahns
Dear Ruth and Family,
I desired to be at America's Keswick last week to be present for the memorial serice. Circumstances here prohibited me being away. However, I was with you in spirit. I prayed for you. I was able to watch a protion of the memorial service on Friday. I am so grateful Bill Welte has made the service available on the website. I will watch the entire service asap. I was touched by what I saw and heard on Friday.
Please know that I held Pastor Bill in highest regard. I have submitted a written tribute expressing my thoughts.
Know that I am thinking of you today, and especially tomorrow, Tuesday...and in the days ahead.
I look forward to seeing you soon.
Roger Willmore
Trussville, Al
Monday, July 28
Dear Ruth and Family,
We send our thoughts and prayers your way today as we think of you. I know the passing of our loved ones are a mixed blessing to us as CHRISTians. We want them with us, but GOD has the perfect plan and His thoughts are so far above our thoughts. One of His thoughts that I came across recetly is this:
Psalms 116:15 - Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His saints. OH How precious Pastor Bill is to our LORD and to us and we will miss him. But it is bittersweet because we know that now, Pastor Bill is with our LORD. What a glorius thought we can now have in that truth. GOD Bless You as you continue to grieve, and adjust now, but PRAISE BE TO GOD, for soon and very soon we are all going to be with our LORD.
Love Mike and Cindy Dulaney
Dear Ruth and Family,
Once again thank you for sharing Pastor Bill with us. He turly had a huge impact on our lives as we came to Keswick 13 yrs. ago. Our thoughts and prayers remine with you. But praise the Lord he is with Jesus whom he loved and served so faithfully.
May Deut.31:8 be your confidence.
Love Stan & DeEtta
Post a Comment