2024
Newsletter – November 2024
November 2024 Newsletter
The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them…for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Isaiah 11:6,9 NIV
From the keyboard of Dr. Ross Jutsum
Dear family and friends:
Greetings from Florida on a very warm and sunny fall (autumn) day!
The above picture was taken in August this year in Woodbridge CT. Grammy Tammy and Grandpa Rossy were so delighted to spend two weeks with our daughter Lisa and Jon, on the left side of the photo, and their five children (4-year-old twin boys Aaron and Noah being held by their parents) and 8-year-old twins Isaiah and Evelyne, and 6-year-old Solomon in front of Tammy and me. On the right of the picture is older daughter Heidi and Ryan and their two children, 11-year-old Grace and 8-year-old Gabriel.
As you read this newsletter, Tammy and I will be in The Villages here in Florida, about a 2- hour drive from us. The occasion is the 50th anniversary of the closing of the beloved campus of Ambassador College near London, England. At this Reunion, we will be joined by about 70 of our classmates and fellow students from those years from 1971 to 1974. Among the various activities, I will be leading a concert/singalong. On the very day of the announcement of the campus closure, we were all very sad and somewhat shocked.
I was on security duty in the main library building, Memorial Hall, and I looked over at the handles on the massive doors and saw a beautiful rendition of a lion, a lamb and a little child, reflecting the image evoked in the above-mentioned scripture in Isaiah 11:6. The college’s founder had chosen this as the symbol for the college, inspired by a late 18th century painting by the American artist, Edward Hicks, entitled “The Peaceable Kingdom.” After about 20 minutes of reflection and prayer, I completed one of my very first musical compositions, “It Won’t Be Long Now.” This song has been recorded and shared all around the world and I will be closing my program with it at the Reunion.
In late October we returned once again to Destin FL where I gave a Concert of Praise and led worship at a church conference. I shared with the children 0ne of my songs based on the story of Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego, who were thrown into the fiery furnace by King Nebuchadnezzar and miraculously survived.
I have a prayer request… our 8-year-old grandson, Isaiah, who lives in Guinea in West Africa with his missionary mother Lisa and missionary pilot father Jonathan and 4 siblings, recently suffered a clogged tear duct. The doctors thought that the procedure to correct it was a little risky to perform over there. Isaiah and his dad traveled to the US and, thanks to our Heidi and Ryan’s contacts at Yale University, Isaiah was able to get it taken care of in New Haven, CT. Ryan is the Associate Director of Yale’s Center for Faith and Culture, and Heidi had previously worked in Yale’s International Center. Isaiah is doing well and is back at home in Guinea. We ask for continued prayers for Isaiah and this amazing family who are doing such important work over there in an incredibly dangerous, challenging situation.
Meanwhile, daughter Lisa just returned from a conference for Mission Aviation Fellowship in Thailand, and daughter Heidi was recently in Istanbul Turkey, Philippines and Brazil!
We continue to pray for you and yours and really appreciate your prayers and support of our ministries and our family. With heartfelt gratitude, love and prayers for God’s richest blessings, Ross and Tammy.
2024
Newsletter – September 2024
(Pictured above is all 13 of us at the Statue of Liberty)
Newsletter – September 2024
Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise His name; proclaim His salvation day after day. Psalm 96:1-2 NIV
From the keyboard of Dr. Ross Jutsum
Dear family and friends:
Greetings from Florida on a very warm and sunny late summer’s day!
I served once again as Music Director for the Reunion weekend at Williams College in Williamstown MA. Our dear friend Martha Williamson has welcomed me for the past 22 years (except during the pandemic) to accompany and direct a Reunion Concert with alumni from the 1970s and 1980s. Martha is best known as the Executive Producer of the TV show “Touched by An Angel.”
In July, I was in the Midwest and led a worship service at New Creation in Christ in Ferguson MO and gave a concert at the home of my good friend and treasured ministry partners, Mike and Ruth Keller, in O’Fallon MO.
In August, Tammy and I traveled to Connecticut to spend two weeks with our daughters Heidi and Lisa, husbands Ryan and Jonathan and our 7 precious grandchildren and what a time it was! Lisa and Jon and their five children were visiting the US from Guinea in West Africa on sabbatical. It was two years since we last saw Lisa and family and there were lots of hugs and tickles and music with the entire family! Lisa and Jon are missionaries in Guinea working for Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) with Jon serving as a pilot and Lisa as the Country Director for MAF.
Heidi and Ryan with Grace (11) and Gabriel (8) hosted the family at their home in Woodbridge CT. Heidi continues her work with the NGO humanitarian organization BRAC (Bangladesh Rehabilitation Assistance Committee) and Ryan continues teaching theology at Yale Divinity School and as Associate Director of Yale’s Center for Faith and Culture.
(Lisa and Jon with twins Evelyne and Isaiah (8,) Solomon (“Solo” 6,) and twin boys Aaron and Noah (4.)
The children are thriving in Guinea and going to a French-speaking school. Guinea is a very dangerous place and the family faces a lot of challenges and we ask for your prayers for their safety and security.
One of the highlights of our visit was attending church at Elm City Vineyard Church in the heart of New Haven CT, where Heidi and Ryan serve as elders. Heidi and Lisa and Ryan invited me to join them in leading worship and it was a true delight, especially with Tammy, both daughters and sons-in-law, and all seven grandchildren worshiping together!
Coming up in October I have 2 concerts at churches in Satellite Beach FL and music at a church conference in Destin FL.
We continue to pray for you and yours and really appreciate your prayers and support of our ministries and our families.
With heartfelt gratitude, much love, and prayers for God’s richest blessings.
Ross and Tammy
(Pictured are Heidi & Lisa on vocals, Ryan on guitar, Grandpa Rossy on keyboard/vocals)
2024
Newsletter – May 2024
They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
John 12:13 NIV
From the keyboard of Dr. Ross Jutsum
Dear family and friends:
Greetings from Florida on a very warm and sunny spring day! Here is a picture of Tammy and I leading worship on Palm Sunday at the Grace Communion International congregation in Glendora CA. It was a wonderful time of fellowship, re-connecting with many of our long-time friends.
In June, I will be serving once again as Music Director for the Reunion weekend a Williams College in Williamstown MA. Our dear friend Martha Williamson has welcomed me for the past 22 years (except during the pandemic) to accompany and direct a Reunion Concert with alumni from the 1970s and 1980s. Martha is best known as the Executive Producer of the TV show “Touched by An Angel” and is now doing movies in the series “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” for the Hallmark Channel. In July I have plans to serve in congregations in Virginia and North Carolina. In August Tammy and I are thrilled to be traveling to Connecticut to spend two weeks with our daughters Heidi and Lisa, husbands Ryan and Jonathan and our seven precious grandchildren. Lisa and Jon and their five children will be visiting the US from Guinea in West Africa on sabbatical. It will have been two years since we last saw Lisa and family and there will be lots of hugs and tickles and music with the entire family! Lisa and Jon are missionaries in Guinea working for Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) with Jon serving as a pilot and Lisa as the Country Director for MAF.
While we were in Southern California, I visited the Rotary Club of Pasadena, where I have been a member since 1980 and am now an honorary member. I led the gathering in the singing of “America the Beautiful” and “God Bless America.”
In September I plan to visit churches in the St. Louis MO area.
Below is a recent picture of Heidi and Ryan with Grace (almost 11) and Gabriel (8.) Heidi continues her work with the humanitarian organization BRAC and Ryan continues teaching theology at Yale Divinity School and as Associate Director of Yale’s Center for Faith and Culture.
Also pictured below is Lisa and Jon with twins Evelyne and Isaiah (almost 9.) Solomon (“Solo” 6,) and twin boys Aaron and Noah (4.) Their family recently traveled to Antalya, Turkey where they lived and served for several years. The children are thriving in Guinea and going to a French-speaking school. Amazingly they did remember their Turkish language on their recent visit! Guinea is a very dangerous place and the family faces a lot of challenges and we ask for your prayers for their safety and security.
We continue to pray for you and yours and really appreciate your prayers and support of our ministries and our families.
With heartfelt gratitude, much love and prayers for God’s richest blessings.
Ross and Tammy
From the keyboard of Dr. Ross Jutsum
2024
Newsletter – February 2024
February – April 2024 Newsletter
“… I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries for tomorrow – not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.” Romans 8:38
From the keyboard of Dr. Ross Jutsum
Dear family, friends, and ministry partners:
Here are daughters Lisa and husband Jon pictured on the outside, and Heidi and husband Ryan on the inside. Then Lisa & Jon’s five of our clever grand-children – Aaron & Noah, the shortest soon-to-be twin 4 -year-olds; Evelyne and Isaiah, almost 8 -year-old twins, and almost 6- year-old Solomon, known as “Solo!” Pictured in the middle are Heidi and Ryan’s two: Grace, 11, Gabriel, 8! Wow –imagine the fun they had together for a week in December the beach at Senegal. Grammy Tammy and Grandpa Rossy are SO looking forward to being with all of them when Lisa’s family come to Connecticut when they are back in the U.S. on sabbatical in August from their amazing and incredible missionary work with MAF in Conakry, Guinea! We are so proud of all our kids and grandkids and the love and dedication they share in their respective ministries at Yale Divinity School, with BRAC and Mission Aviation Fellowship. Please continue to pray for them!
In December Tammy and I had the opportunity to serve in ministry in Southern California where we led a carol singalong and gave a “driveway” concert in our old “stomping ground.” It is amazing to see our audience of more than 40 friends and neighbors come to this program of mostly carols. During the Pandemic, Ross gave over 30 of these outdoor concerts on our cul-de-sac in Sierra Madre and the folks really appreciated the chance to get out of the house and enjoy some music and fellowship! While in town, Ross provided a Christmas program for the Rotary Club of Sierra Madre.
We are looking forward to ministry opportunities in the coming months here in Florida, in California and the Bahamas! In our 46th year of marriage, Tammy and I prefer to be in warmer climates in the winter time!
For the past fifteen years or so, I have been aware of having Dupuytren’s Contracture on the palm of my right hand below my 4th (ring) finger and my 5th (little) finger. This is a gradual thickening and tightening of tissue under the skin of the hand. It is apparently hereditary. I remember my grandfather had it to such an extent that he could no longer straighten out his 4th and 5th fingers. My brother and two of my three sisters have had this situation, and had some surgery. The surgery is rather risky, especially for someone like me who relies on my keyboard skills to accompany when I am leading worship or giving a concert. I used be able to stretch an octave plus two in both hands. I still have that reach in my left hand but my right hand is now struggling to make the octave.
I have been receiving some hand physical therapy over the past couple of years and it has helped to a certain extent. There is an injection called Xiaflex which can “fix” the problem but the fix apparently does not last for too long. I am sharing this situation with you, my treasured friends and family and ministry partners, as I would really appreciate your prayers for wisdom and guidance to decide what the best course of action would be. My hands are God’s hands and I fervently desire to use them for His praise and honor and glory!
Thank you all so very much for your continued prayers for our precious family, our ministries, and for your much-appreciated financial support. You and yours continue to be in our prayers.
With heartfelt gratitude, much love and prayers for God’s richest blessings
Ross and Tammy