You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all; and you show that you are a letter of Christ, prepared by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
2 Corinthians 3:2-6(NRSV)

Through my Baptism and His people who have written on my heart, our Lord has engraved my heart with a passion to serve.  My Mom and Dad especially influenced me – my Mom by her care for us and others, my Dad by his silent observations, his Words of faith, and by his encouragement for me to become a Deaconess. Professor Robert Weinhold at Valpo really helped me to discover what the “grace of God” really meant and was a wonderful mentor for my fieldwork at the State Mental Hospital. One of my treasured “Letters” was The Reverend Edwin Nerger with whom I served at St Paul’s in Fort Wayne. He was such a wise loving servant of the Gospel for so many years, who demonstrated “Faith and Service in Christ” and gave me a blessing towards the end of his life by referring to me as “the hands, feet, and voice of Jesus” to him. Being a part of this Deaconess community reinforced my passion for service with a “bias for the broken” and  I have discovered along the way that we are all “broken” yet still able to serve God and others by the power of His grace and by the power of His Spirit.

I am so thankful for the joyous opportunities of being a “Letter” of God’s grace and compassion with others throughout my 50 years as Deaconess, who have in turn been “Letters” to me and others: A woman I walked beside as she faced her long history of abuse as a child, who shared God’s grace through the beautiful poems she wrote. Stephen Ministers offering grace and empathy with their care receivers and family members. Hearing the stories of shut-ins who have taught me so very much about life and the deep love of God. Hospice patients becoming sure of their salvation and coming to peace with death.  When one walks alongside people in their brokenness there is personal pain also yet much joy as wholeness in Christ shines through.   I have had so much joy in serving as a Deaconess!

Deaconess Joann Underwood Grepke, Pensacola, FL