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Ruth Clark Obituary
Ruth Clark
July 18, 1935 – November 6, 2012
Dear Members and Friends of Northern Plains District,
Last week a prayer request was sent to District Pastors, Board Members and Churches concerning the hospitalization of one of the pillars of Northern Plains District, Ruth Clark of Froid, Montana. We have received word from her pastor, Neil Knudsen, that Ruth passed away on Tuesday, November 6. Ruth’s funeral service will be Tuesday, November 13 at 10:30 a.m. at the Big Sky American Baptist/Brethren Church in Froid, MT. Condolences may be sent to her husband Ralph Clark, 1045 Country Line Rd., Froid, MT 59226. Memorial gifts honoring Ruth Clark may be sent to Northern Plains District, P.O. Box 573, Ames, IA 50010.
-Tim Button Harrison, District Executive
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Ruth Clark Obituary
Ruth Clark, age 77, of Froid, Mont., passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 6, at Trinity Hospital in Minot, N.D. Ruth was born July 18, 1935, at the family farm in rural Cherokee County, Kan., the oldest child of Jacob and Opal Davidson. She graduated from McCune Rural High School in 1953 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from McPherson College in 1957.Ruth was committed to a life of church and community service and as an advocate for peace. After college she entered Brethren Volunteer Service, serving in Refugee Camp Friedland and in the Church of the Brethren teacher/student exchange office in Kassel, Germany. After returning home, she was a youth fieldworker for the Central Region of the Church of the Brethren. She attended Bethany Theological Seminary in Chicago/Oak Brook, Ill., earning a Masters in Religious Education in 1964. After a summer of working with the Grandview Church of the Brethren at Froid, Ruth served for 10 months as Director of Christian Education with the First Church of the Brethren in Roanoke, Va.
On July 10, 1965, Ruth was joined in marriage to Ralph Clark of Froid. To this union, two children were born. She was a loving mother and grandmother, but her care for others extended well beyond her immediate family. She was well known for her card ministry, never forgetting to send a birthday or anniversary card to her cherished family and friends and even the generations following them.
Throughout her time in Northeast Montana, she was active in the rural Grandview Church of the Brethren and later the Big Sky Church in Froid, serving as youth counselor, teacher, lay person, deaconess and on most church boards. She held leadership roles for the Brethren Women’s Fellowship and the Big Sky Church Women. For several years, she served as a board member of the RMC’s Institute for Peace Studies in Billings. She also served as an FHA Chapter Mother and Music Mothers’ Chairman at Medicine Lake High School, a 4-H leader for l5 years, a member of the Sheridan County 4-H Council and occasionally as a substitute teacher in the Medicine Lake and Froid schools.
In May 2009, she was recognized by the Northern Plains District of the Church of the Brethren for serving that district for more than 35 years in various roles, including several terms on the District Board, the Standing Committee of the Church of the Brethren, and as a Heifer International representative. In addition, she served two terms on the General Board of the Church of the Brethren in Elgin, Ill.
Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, six brothers-in-law, Robert, Gerald, James and Howard Clark, Charles Beach and Glen Crumpacker; and two sisters-in-law, Ann and Gladys Clark.
She is survived by Ralph, her loving husband of 47 years; a daughter, Kristi Jamison (Billy), of Jefferson City, Mo.; a son Russell Clark (Brandi) of Bozeman, Mont.; seven grandchildren, Perry-Anthony, Ellanie and Cilicia Jamison and Caitlin, Colby, Carisa and Cash Clark. She is also survived by three sisters, Donna (Al) Schmidt of Mission, Tex., Doris Crumpacker of McCune, Kan., and Betsy Holland of Carthage, Mo.; four brothers, Harvey (Marilyn) Davidson of Hays, Kan., Kenneth (Dorothy) Davidson of Welda, Kan., Carl (Dianna) Davidson and Tim (Nicky) Davidson of McCune, Kan.; a brother-in-law Don (Marilyn) Clark of Ramsey, Minn.; a sister-in-law Dorothy Clark of Froid, Mont.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
That Woman Is a Success…Who loves life
and lives it to the fullest;
who has discovered and shared
the strengths and talents
that are uniquely her own;
who puts her best into each task
and leaves each situation
better than she found it;
who seeks and finds
that which is beautiful
in all people…and all things;
whose heart is full of love
and warm with compassion;
who has found joy in living
and peace within herself.
and lives it to the fullest;
who has discovered and shared
the strengths and talents
that are uniquely her own;
who puts her best into each task
and leaves each situation
better than she found it;
who seeks and finds
that which is beautiful
in all people…and all things;
whose heart is full of love
and warm with compassion;
who has found joy in living
and peace within herself.
~ Barbara J. Burrow
District News and Announcements – November 2
Click here to read this month’s edition of District News and Announcements.
In this issue:
1—RUTH CLARK AND FAMILY IN OUR PRAYERS
2—A THANK YOU FROM CAROL LELAND
3—SONIA HIMLIE LEAVING ROLE AS CAMP PINE LAKE DIRECTOR
4—VITALITY EMPHASIS CONTINUES WITH WORKSHOP AND JAN/FEB GATHERINGS
5—WINDOWS TO WITNESSING: BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
6—STOVER LAP QUILTS: A BLESSED TIE THAT BINDS
7—HOLINESS IN OUR MIDST: ON ‘KEEPSAKE’ LETTERS
8—LIVING FROM A SENSE OF ABUNDANCE OR SCARCITY
9—CLEAN-UP BUCKETS NEEDED FOR DISASTER MINISTRIES
10—STOVER LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS AND A PIANIST
11—PANORA NATIVITY WALK: NOVEMBER 17-18
12—SPIRITUAL JOURNEYS BOOK NOW ON SALE
13—2013 DISTRICT CONFERENCE PREVIEW
14—2013 BRETHREN WORKCAMP SCHEDULE
15—COB SEEKS DIRECTOR OF HISTORICAL LIBRARY & ARCHIVES
District News and Announcements – October 5
Click here for this month’s edition of District News and Announcements.
In this issue:
1—CENTRAL IOWA LOVE FEAST AT PANTHER CREEK THIS SUNDAY
2—CONGREGATIONAL REVITALIZATION WORKSHOP AT CAMP NEXT WEEKEND
3—HELP IDENTIFY OUR FUTURE DISTRICT AND DENOMINATIONAL LEADERSHIP
4—HOLINESS IN OUR MIDST SESSION II: ON LOSS
5—LEADING BY BUILDING ON A PERSON’S STRENGTHS AND PASSIONS
6—PAUL’S PONDERINGS: YOUR BILL HAS ALREADY BEEN PAID
7—FALL YOUTH RETREAT AT CAMP PINE LAKE – NOVEMBER 2-4
8—STOVER MEMORIAL LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS AND A PIANIST
9—SPIRITUAL JOURNEYS BOOK AVAILABLE FOR DONATION
District News and Announcements – September 14
Click here to read this month’s edition of District News and Announcements.
In this issue:
1. IN OUR PRAYERS: THE KIRBY LELAND FAMILY
2. HOLINESS IN OUR MIDST – A NEW SERIES BY JANIS PYLE
3. HONOR THY PASTOR IN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER
4. MINISTRY SEMINAR AT STOVER MEMORIAL COB – SEPTEMBER 15
5. PEACE DAY VIGIL IN WATERLOO – SEPTEMBER 21
6. PARENT TRAINING WORKSHOP AT PANTHER CREEK COB – SEPTEMBER 22
7. SPIRITUAL RETREAT AT PRAIRIE CITY COB – SEPTEMBER 22
8. CENTRAL IOWA LOVE FEAST AT PANTHER CREEK COB – OCTOBER 7
9. CONGREGATIONAL REVITALIZATION WORKSHOP AT CAMP PINE LAKE – OCTOBER 12-13
10. FALL YOUTH RETREAT AT CAMP PINE LAKE – NOVEMBER 2-4
11. STOVER COB LOOKING FOR MENTORS AND A PIANIST
12. SPIRITUAL JOURNEYS BOOK NOW AVAILABLE
13. DISTRICT CALENDAR OF EVENTS
15. ARCHIVES, DOCUMENTS AND RESOURCES
District Conference Report Now Available
Click here for a full report from this year’s District Conference.
In the report:
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District Conference Videos
Highlights of District Conference 2012
Stan Noffsinger shares at District Conference
District News and Announcements – August 18
Click here for this month’s edition of District News and Announcements.
Featured in the issue:
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Reminder to bring fundraising money to District Conference
Dear Congregations and Members of Northern Plains District,
Last year at District Conference we introduced a multi-year fundraising campaign for the Northern Plains District with the theme: These hands, This voice, These times. These hands that can reach out, welcome, comfort, create, provide and repair. This voice that can speak with honesty and truth, share stories of life, love, loss and faith, inspire hope, challenge wrong, and offer wisdom and counsel. These times in which we live, times of change and complexity, times of great human suffering and global problems, times of searching for faith, hope and love, times ripe and ready for the work and witness of our church.
We are sending this note as a reminder to bring your fundraising dollars to the 2012 District Conference and, just as importantly, bring your stories of how you raised the money. We have an anonymous donor that will match your congregation’s contribution. Our budgeted goal for 2012 fundraising is $10,000, so don’t hold back on creative stories even if your fundraising approach was rather boring. It’s all in the delivery, so have some fun and help us reach our goal; $5,000 with creative stories is all it will take.
At the Saturday evening service at District Conference, we will gather the monies raised – from containers distributed last year and other fundraisers. Please label the offering you present so we can keep track of individual and congregational contributions. And if you wish to present your container, it can be returned to you.
If possible, send your fundraising stories in advance of District Conference so they might be shared as part of the Saturday evening service. Email them to janispyle@yahoo.com.
Thank you for your support!
– Mark Gingrich and Janis Pyle
District News and Announcements – July 6
Click here to read the July 6 edition of District News and Announcements.
The following articles are featured in this issue:
DISTRICT CONFERENCE NEWS
1. REGISTRATION INFORMATION
2. PACKING CHECKLIST
3. USED BOOK SALE FLYER
6. LISTING OF INSIGHT SESSIONS
OTHER NEWS
8. LAUGHTER, A GOOD MEDICINE
9. TALES FROM THE TOOL TRAILER
10. DISTRICT CALENDAR OF EVENTS
11. DISTRICT STAFF CONTACTS
12. ARCHIVES, DOCUMENTS AND RESOURCES