Brother Don Fortner, a friend to many of you in this congregation for decades, passed away Wednesday morning, April 29th about 1 AM.

    What a blessing Don has been to us. Some of us may never have become acquainted if it had not been through Don.

    I thank God personally for him. What a faithful friend he has been to me. Don and I traveled together, studied together, cried together, laughed together, and preached together, and remained friends for forty years or more.

    How many of you can recall times when Don was sick himself, yet he took the time and effort to reach out to encourage you.  He did this right up to the end.

    Who can tell the thousands of miles he has flown or driven to preach the gospel - even to a hand full of God's people. And he never grew tired or weary of doing it.

    Don was a faithful Pastor to his flock. A faithful Evangelist to the world, and a faithful preacher of the free and sovereign grace of God, to all he had opportunity to speak to - He will be sorely missed by us all.

    The  last  communication  I  received was on Monday, April 27. It was a short note Don had just written to someone which said:

“What a great privilege it has been to serve our Lord with you and this people these forty years. His grace is sweeter by the moment.  There  is  nothing on this earth so sweet, so blessed, so delightful as walking into eternity leaning upon Christ, trusting His blood, His righteousness, His Grace. Oh wonderful gift of Grace, the gift of faith."

"But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption; that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” - 1 Corinthians 1:30-31

    Of all the books Don has written, my favorite is "Going Home." Don has died in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is resting from all his labors. Our dear brother and friend has truly gone home to the Father's house.