Pastor Pat's Blog

Monday, November 17, 2008

Albuquerque

God is surely doing a new thing as doors are opening for a much more involved work serving missionaries and their sending churches who are using the services of Shepherd's Staff. We had a great day of meetings today in Albuquerque. My responsibilities could include ministry to more than 40 missionaries from all over the world. I'll know more specifics after the SS board meets tomorrow.

As of today, my speaking schedule is as follows:

Dec.1 Refuge Calvary Chapel in Huntington Beach - sharing with some of their mission support teams.

Dec 13, sharing at a men's breakfast at Calvary Chapel of El Centro

Dec. 14, sharing at both services at Calvary Chapel Escondido - Yeah!!!

In between the speaking opportunities will be establishing contacts and setting up meetings with the pastor's and/or mission boards of those churches in the western US who have missionaries from their churches out in the foreign mission field. Lots to do!

It will be really good to get back home on Wednesday after 12 days on the road. Thanks for all your prayers, I'm getting thru this trip pretty well physically.

In His Arm's,

Pat

Friday, November 14, 2008

Technical difficulties

The churches website has been moving this past week to a new server which has resulted in some challenges getting my blog back up and running. Thanks to Miles for his time working on it. Should be back to normal soon - thanks for your patience.

My visit with my family in the Chicago area is going well. Tomorrow I head back west to Albuquerque for the Shepherd's Staff meetings. Love and miss you all!

In His Arm's,

Pat

Monday, November 10, 2008

Back in my hometown

Been visiting my family in the Chicago area since Friday. Temps are about the inside of my refrigerator and the 'Windy City' has been just that!

It's been good for me to reconnect with my siblings. I have two younger brothers and a sister here along with their families. Seems like all us brothers have gone thru some pretty serious health challenges the past several years. Weird that so much of our conversation revolves around medical procedures and doctors and medicines. It wasn't too long ago that we thought, "That's all older folks seem to talk about!" Now we're the ones talking!

Today, my brother Mike and I drove into downtown Chicago, visited the Chicago Historical Society and had lunch at Grumps near Lincoln Park.

As we drove past the areas I lived and worked and partied in from '68-'71 before hitch hiking out to Southern California and giving my heart to Jesus, I was just so amazed at God's hand and purpose directing me back then. We drove past Moody Bible Institute and I thought of the two students there that helped me get out to the West Coast in Oct. of '71 to find the Jesus People.

I remembered many of the crazy things I did and was so thankful for the mercy of God in seeing me thru my blindness and rebellion. Nearly 40 years have passed and a whole other life has been lived. A really wonderful blessed life I might add. Though I always missed my family here in the mid west, God was gracious in giving me an additional family in California full of fathers, mothers, sister, and brothers - a hundredfold for sure!

Let's be sure to take some time this week to give thanks for all the Lord has seen us thru! And let's expect Him to continue to do great and mighty things - that we can't even imagine!

In His Arm's,

Pat

Thursday, November 06, 2008

Chicago bound

It's packing time again! Tomorrow morning I fly back to the midwest to visit with my family in the Chicago area for a week. Haven't seen my little brother (at 51 not so little) in many years. I also have another brother and a sister and my mom whom I'll be seeing a lot of along with a bunch of nieces and nephews.

I hope to meet with a couple of Calvary pastors back there as well before heading back west to Albuquerque for some Shepherd's Staff meetings. I'll be back in town a week before Thanksgiving.

The Lord is so good to us! Even tho the recent elections were discouraging to many, the basic core of who we are and what we are called to do has not changed. Another pastor friend of mine sent me this yesterday:

1. THE BIBLE will still have ALL the answers.

2. PRAYER will still work.
3. THE HOLY SPIRIT will still move.
4. GOD will still inhabit the praises of HIS people.
5. There will still be GOD-anointed preaching.
6. There will still be singing of praise to GOD.
7. GOD will still pour out blessings upon His people.
8. There will still be room AT THE CROSS.
9. JESUS will still love you.

10. JESUS will still save the lost.

Therefore let's gird up our minds and hearts and press on to know, love and honor our Lord in all we say and do - and let's keep loving the lost all around us.

In His Arm's,

Pat

Sunday, November 02, 2008

VOTE

A pivotal week ahead for our city, state, and country. Be sure to vote on Tuesday - and vote for righteousness and truth. To the best of your ability, vote guided by the Word of God. You've studied the issues and heard from the candidates and now it's time to exercise your civic and godly duty. The divisions in our country are becoming more and more extreme. It is my conviction that either one holds to Biblical absolutes or they succumb to the whims and desires and agendas of those who have chosen not to retain God in their hearts or minds. There really is no "middle ground" here. "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." Proverbs 14:34.

Pray for our land. Pray for one another. And no matter the outcome, be strong and courageous and stand for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and for the Truth and authority of God's Word. We may soon find ourselves as outcasts, rejected, ridiculed, resisted and restrained because of what we believe and the public way we stand upon what we believe. If our country continues to choose unrighteousness and giving it's stamp of approval to all forms of ungodliness and wickedness - then persecution of true believers will be upon us here in what once was "One nation under God."

I do look forward to the election outcome. Whoever and whatever wins or looses will still require us to live sold out lives for Jesus. Let's not be too elated or too discouraged. Let's press on to know the Lord and be a strong witness of His love to a desperate, needy world.

In His Arm's,

Pat

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

300 miles

Yesterday I put another 300 miles on the car driving up to Huntington Beach to visit a young man who, with his wife and two little boys, are preparing to go to Kenya, Africa as missionaries sent out by Refuge Calvary Chapel and supported thru Shepherd's Staff. What a joy and an education it is listening to the heart of one called to leave it all and follow the Lord's leading to serve a people so different and far from anything familiar. Pray for Jonathan and Adrienne as they make ready.

From HB I then headed up to the San Fernando Valley to spend some time with another Calvary Pastor in Encino. David Cuff has been pastoring the church there for 13 years. We had a great time of fellowship, sharing ministry joys and sorrows, and prayer.

I have written in past posts of my desire to be an encouragement to other pastors in this new season of my life. After more than 32 years in full time pastoral ministry there are a lot of stories to share - and not much that I haven't experienced in church life. So it's such a blessing to connect with other brothers in the "trenches" and watch God at work!

Then after Encino I drove a little further north to have dinner with my daughter and son-in-law in Valencia. Got home around 11:00 pretty tired but grateful for a good day full of ministry and serving. Thanks for praying!

In His Arm's,

Pat

www.shepsstaff.org/kenney.aspx

Sunday, October 26, 2008

New addition

As I was closing the book on my 59th birthday happenings yesterday, a brand new life began. At 11:40 pm on the 25th little Ethan David was born to Andrea and Miles DeBenedictus! Baby and mom are fine - not sure what shape Miles is in but I'm sure he's just ecstatic with his firstborn son. I and my family wish them all the best blessings God can give!

On a ministry note, Yesterday I was asked if I would be able to minister at a small church in Tahiti for a couple of months beginning around Christmas! I had to decline due to my health and responsibilities with Shepherd Staff. At another time, in another season, that could be a very exciting thing to do. That's the kind of thing Joyce and I would have loved to have done together. But honestly, I just couldn't imagine going to a place like Tahiti to minister for an extended time without a helpmate.

Attended church at CC Escondido this morning and, as always, it was such a blessing to see and hug so many good friends. Josh gave a great message out of Ro. 12. Listen to it if ya missed it.

This coming week I have several meetings with local pastors and of course the Harvest Celebration - only this year I'll be hanging with all my grandkids up in Menifee at Revival Christian Fellowship's Harvest bash.

Hope your week just overflows with His peace and goodness!

In His Arm's,

Pat

www.shepsstaff.org/kenney.aspx

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Docs

Yesterday I had a couple follow up visits with my docs concerning that recent hospitalization a few weeks ago. Basically, I'm changing my diet and need to have an incisional hernia repair surgery in 4 to 6 months. They want to give me a little more time to heal from the last surgeries before going in again. How do I feel about all that? God has a plan and whatever He wants me to do is in His hands. And I have peace in that.

In the meantime, I have lots to do! I'll be meeting with a bunch of pastor's over the next couple of months to share more about Shepherd's Staff and learn how we can assist them in the care of their own missionaries as well as help them in preparing more folks for the mission field.

I'll be in town for the next couple of weeks before heading out to Chicago to visit my family, followed by another trip to Albuquerque for the annual Shep. Staff board meeting. That journey will be from Nov. 7 thru Nov 19. Then home for Thanksgiving and, as of now, staying local thru December.

Love you guys and hope you have a blessed and joy filled weekend!

In His Arm's,

Pat

www.shepsstaff.org/kenney.aspx

Monday, October 20, 2008

Supporting Cast?

Happy Monday Good Friends!

What a whirlwind past few weeks! With travel, speaking, hospitalization, more travel and more speaking it's time for a few recuperation days :-) Which simply means I'm staying in Escondido for a little while. I'm really blessed that God allowed me to do so much the past month in spite of my ongoing medical issues. I think about the many people with much more serious handicaps and disabilities who are pressing on in living full and fruitful lives and I want to do the same. God uses us in spite of our weaknesses, trials, or fears. He's a great loving powerful God who can and will do with us plenty beyond what we could even ask or think!

Sharing at Calvary Chapel Vista's three morning services yesterday was an awesome privilege and I was so blessed by the warm welcome from the staff and congregation. I taught on "The Walk of Love" out of Ephesians 5:1-17. You can get a link to the audio on CCV's website.

So on with the show - to God be the glory great things He has done (and will continue to do!)

I'm now officially on board working with Shepherd's Staff Mission Facilitators and would appreciate your continued prayer for my new responsibilities in building relationships with the Sr. Pastors and Missions Teams of the 20 or so sending churches on the West Coast that have missionaries serviced by Shepherd's Staff. As with most mission agencies, I'll need to raise most of my own support - so, if you'd like to help financially, you do so by making your check out to Shepherd's Staff Missions Facilitator's and reference #515 on the memo line, then mail it to the address below or you can also donate online at http://www.shepsstaff.org/give.aspx

By mail: Shepherd's Staff, PO Box 53640, Alburquerque, NM, 87153-3640

Raising support is something very new to me. I've helped many missionaries over the years raise their support but never had to do my own. So I'd appreciate your grace in receiving this unpolished request.

Love to hear from you if you need more info and, of course, I will be continuing to post details of what I'm doing here on my blog.

In His Arm's,

Pat

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Home safe.

Made it back to Escondido this afternoon and am now preparing my message for the services at Calvary Chapel Vista tomorrow morning. Services are at 7:30; 9:15; and 11:10. I'll be talking about "The Walk of Love" in Ephesians 5:1-21.

God has graciously gotten me thru this last week of travel and conferences and meetings. I'm grateful for His mercy and strength. Your prayers were answered!

In His Arm's,

Pat

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