Joe’s heart was always with the church family in Rock Valley. All of you have been our church home for the past 37 years. You have served as our  mothers, our fathers, our sisters and brothers.  

    We took pleasure in seeing our young people growing up under the sound of the gospel, which is the gospel of saving grace for believers of all ages and though all ages.  Christ is the end-goal for young believers all the way to old believers, and continues to be for our church members who have fallen asleep in Him. 

    The joy of ministry in our church and surrounding community was all consuming for him.  He spoke the truth in season and out. He was used mightily by God. And he loved you all, and considered this congregation a gift of God to further edify and build up in the bonds of peace. 

    Our conversations while driving during this, our last vacation with each other, would touch on the upcoming baptisms or points of interest in the scriptures he planned to preach. This is where his mind was. 

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe in Me as well. In My Father’s house are many rooms/dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” - John 14

    And where was Christ going?  He was going to the cross in order to prepare a place in a holy, perfect heaven for an unholy, imperfect people, those blood washed sinners made wholly acceptable by Christ’s finished work on the cross.  

    Now, another one of God’s dear saints has been welcomed into God’s presence through the blood of Christ, to be loved and accepted unconditionally by God, to live in peace and to worship eternally at the feet of the One Whom we love.  In one short step, this believer in the sight of God left this sin cursed world, and was led safely to his eternal home by the hand of our Eternal God, Himself. His eyes now behold God’s glory in the face of our dear Redeemer. Forever at home, forever at peace, forever accepted, forever loved.  Well done, thou good and faithful servant.