Issue 2008 #2
Table of Contents:
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In Memory
of
Jacob Hoeppner
of
Altona, Manitoba
August 18, 1916 to February 4, 2008
Mr Hoeppner was a representative of Western Tract Mission for many years. He has done much to spread our name and goals in many parts of North America.
During the early days, Mr. Elliott the founder, travelled to schools and churches to share the burden of literature mission. When he retired Mr. Rice became the Director and Jacob Hoeppner was invited to join this mission as Deputation Secretary and Evangelist. He traveled all across Canada and into the United States, and everywhere the Lord blessed his ministry with souls saved, and Christians challenged to use the printed page for personal mission work.
Letters like the following would come to the office from places Jake and Dora had visited;
Reedly, California - "Even though we have never met you, yet 'we are labourers together with God.' Brother and Sister Hoeppner were in our church lately and told us of the great work the Western Tract Mission is doing. We thank the Lord for such a good work, where thousands of souls are being reached, and many saved. Our prayers are with you."
Buena Park, California - "I enjoyed very much meeting Brother and Sister Hoeppner, as did my two children in Salt Lake City. I think they are leaving good will and blessings where ever they stop. God bless them."
In our history book, Still Spreading the Word, one of Jake's reports is quoted. "At another time a contact was made with a hitchhicker. One of the WTM workers explained to him the way of salvation. When the hitch hiker had to get off, he asked, 'What must I do to have salvation?' He was told to call upon the name of the Lord for salvation. At once he stretched his hands towards heaven and prayed, 'O Lord, save me.' After having held his hands like that for a little while, he laid hold of the WTM worker with gratitude. Then he went his way." (You see who the worker was).
Even after retirement, he used to put up the WTM Display table at various missions conferences in his vicinity in Manitoba, and represented the mission faithfully.
Notes from his obituary;
Peacefully Jake passed away February 4, 2008 at the Altona Community Memorial Health Centre at the age of 91.He is survived by his wife Dora; one son Ken (Kathleen Hogan); one granddaughter Chrsitine Hoeppner; his brother Henry and his sister Sarah Krueger.
Jake walked humbly with God, doing justly and loving mercy (Micah 6:8). His life off service began with the music ministry of the Hochstadt Quartet in 1932 and developed through his work as a Sunday School teacher and occasional preacher at meetings featuring the quartet. Through those meetings he met Dora Banman and their love for each other grew throughout the more than sixty-eight years that they were married. They lived in Altona, farming and operating a cement business until 1953.
When he was called to the ministry by the Bishop of the Rudnerweider Church in 1952, Jake did not feel that he was ready or qualified, but he and Dora followed the leading of the Lord and accepted appointment to the mission at Dominion City in 1953. Church planting work continued in Kamsack, SK. (1958-61). Jake then accepted the call to serve as traveling representative for the Western Tract Mission in Saskatoon, returning to pastoral work and church planting in Leamington, ON. in 1970. He subsequently served a congregation in Niverville before retiring to Winnipeg.
The twenty-five years of retirement in Winnipeg were not years of idleness for Jake. He ministered to the sick, the homeless, the aged, and the distressed as he maintained a regular circuit of visits to hospitals, seniors' lodges, and street ministries. With the return to Altona in 2004, Jake continued to find opportunities to serve.
He enjoyed carpentry and appreciated the natural world, but his greatest joy came from following Jesus and doing what he could for others.
In Jake's memory, donations may be made to the Western Tract Mission Inc. 401 33rd Street West, Saskatoon, SK. S7L 0V5, or to M.C.C.
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