Newsletter — August-October 2019

August – October 2019 Newsletter

From the keyboard of Dr. Ross Jutsum                                                  

 “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14    

Clockwise from top Left – Ross with brothers and sisters from the Congo at Grace Communion, Calgary; Ross with a Congolese family he first met years ago in Ottawa; Ross gives a June concert for grand-daughter Grace and 100 of her 5-year friends; Evelyne and Isaiah with Solomon in the Middle East; Daughter Lisa enjoying our precious “Solo”

Family  Update  Tammy and I are looking forward to welcoming Heidi and Ryan and 6 year-old Grace and 3 year-old Gabriel for a 2-week August visit.  We will have to wait till November to see Lisa and Jon and their three (pictured above) in their new home in the Middle East, where they have been settling in well the past four months.

Ministry Visits – May-July 2019   May took me to serve as worship leader and guest speaker in Christian Fellowship Church in Chicago, IL and in Kenosha, WI.  Hosted by my dear friends of 48 years, Pastor Richard and Joyce Frankel, I was delighted to also lead a worship service at Meadowmere Nursing Home and give a community concert at St. John Lutheran Church.  The concert was videotaped and runs on Kenosha’s Community Cable TV station.  Back in Los Angeles, I was honored to once again provide music for the annual Armed Services Night Out at the Jonathan Club.  Then it was off to Williams College in Williamstown MA to help with music at three performances at the annual Alumni Reunion, hosted by our dear and long-time friend Martha Williamson, a Trustee of the college.  Tammy and I then spent a few days in Woodbridge CT with Heidi and family, where I was honored to give a concert for 100 plus Kindergarteners at Grace’s school.  This was definitely my youngest and most fun school audience ever!  The children really enjoyed my songs about unusual Australian animals beginning with the letter “k.”

I was honored to give a Father’s Day Concert at Villa Gardens Retirement Community in Pasadena CA and then take a ministry trip to serve in Grace Communion congregations in Phoenix and Tucson AZ.  The last weekend in June, I put more than 600 miles on the rental car to make return visits to Grace Communion congregations in Milwaukee WI and Fort Wayne IN.  I also enjoyed giving a Sunday afternoon concert at New Beginnings Community Church before driving back to Chicago and the home of my hosts Pat and Bill Giordano, near the O’Hare airport.  Thanks to Pastors Tracy Porter and David Howe, and my Fort Wayne hosts, Louise and Tom Jagielski.

In the month of July, I have been delighted to give concerts at 7 different nursing homes/retirement communities in the Southern California area.  The residents of these facilities are always so appreciative and love music so much.  It is very rewarding to bring smiles to their faces and see them singing along with their favorite songs!  I also made a return visit to the Ontario CA congregation of the Church of God Seventh Day.  Then it was off to the beautiful province of Alberta, Canada where I made return visits to three Grace Communion churches in three different cities – Edmonton, Red Deer and Calgary.   It was great to get to know the Congolese families in the Calgary congregation.  Our daughter Lisa and son-in-law Jonathan did missionary work in the Eastern Congo for four years and I wish they could have been with me to share in Swahili!  I am very grateful to my hosts, Pastor Bob Millman and Pastor David Sheridan.  I had a free day before traveling home and was thrilled to take a long hike with David to the amazing Johnson Falls near Lake Louise.   David and I go back 48 years to our time together as college students in England.

Ministry Contact Information

We are an established 501C3 California non-profit corporation and tax-deductible donations and CD orders can be done online at www.stateoftheheart.org or by calling 626-818-7113 or by writing to “State of the Heart Ministries” at P.O. Box 56, Sierra Madre CA  91024-0056

Ross’ Ministry Schedule – August – October 2019