Dear Praying Friends,
Greetings in His matchless Name…
Hi There! Thank you so much for praying for me and my ongoing (?) ministry. Every time I think the Lord is done using me, He surprises me by opening another door of service.
My best friend of 63 years recently went to Heaven (without me). Brother Herb Brail and I had a pact that if he went to Heaven before me, I would preach his memorial service and vice versa if I went first. He left first so I just returned from my trip to Iowa to do so.
Shirley and I met Herbert & Marge Brail, the first day we enrolled in Baptist Bible Seminary in Johnson City, NY in 1960. We have been “besties” since that meeting. Herb and I graduated together and have had fellowship and a ministry off and on since that first meeting. We both pastored churches in New York State and then went in different directions, he to the First Baptist Church in Hammond, IN under Dr. Jack Hyles, and Shirley and I to Glen Burnie, MD. However, we often met annually in Cape May and Wildwood, N.J., where we would walk the outdoor walking Mall in Cape May and the boardwalk in Wildwood. There we would hold one of his rabbits or doves to attract attention and pass out hundreds of tracts, supplied by my nephew, the pastor of the Rio Grande Bible Baptist Church just outside of Cape May. We would often be surrounded with between 5 and 15 or more people who wanted to pet the rabbit or hold the bird on their finger. [“The bunny (or bird) don’t take money!” or “The only free thing on the boardwalk.!” etc.] It was a ministry created by Brother Brail who became a Gospel Illusionist (Magician).
Many years ago, we met in Wildwood and saw a magic shop on the Boardwalk. I said that we should both go in to look. (My uncle used to do simple tricks for me as a child growing up and I was intrigued.) We both purchased a small trick, and Herb was smitten from that day on. He would do illusions all over America in over 1000 churches over the years. It was when he and his dear wife Marge would come to visit Shirley and me in Levittown, PA. when he was scheduled each year to do Vacation Bible Schools on the east coast in various churches, parks, etc.
He elevated his skills to doing levitations, and even the unbelievable professional illusion known as
“Metamorphosis” (check this one out on the internet and be amazed!). He even owned his own magic shop while pastoring a church in Iowa (where he and his wife, Marge eventually moved to a beautiful [and spotless] home for veterans in Marshalltown, IA,). He shared many of the “secrets” with me and I too became a preacher/magician in several churches on the east coast. He showed me how to build some of the effects and I did so, and even went beyond Gospel magic to Ventriloquism and purchased my figure (or “dummy”) and named him “ZERO” (two “dummies” – me and Zero!). It was fun using these avenues to present the Gospel especially to boys and girls (and adults) wherever invited, usually for special events, like banquets, etc. The Lord alone knows how many people trusted Christ as a result.
I am now 89 years old, but I still usually work a full day, preparing messages (see attached), doing housework, etc. I do have some physical limitations. I feel weak at times, and I find it hard to breathe off and on (just old age symptoms, I guess). I still preach and teach as the Lord opens the doors. Shirley has gone on to the glory land going on 5 years in March, and I miss her every day! We had an ideal marriage of just short of 60 years and I was her caregiver for the last several years of her journey down here on earth. She has no more infirmities now, of course, for which I am grateful.
I am attaching a message the Lord laid on my heart this week concerning the War in Israel. I believe it places things into biblical perspective.
The Lord has not seen fit to reveal when I will be moving to Heaven to be with Him and to see Shirley and all the saints it has been my honor to meet and pastor over the years since getting into the ministry. I will see you “here, there, or in the air” soon, I hope.
Sincerely in the Savior,
Pastor (emeritus) Paul C. Fedena
Greetings in His matchless Name…
Hi There! Thank you so much for praying for me and my ongoing (?) ministry. Every time I think the Lord is done using me, He surprises me by opening another door of service.
My best friend of 63 years recently went to Heaven (without me). Brother Herb Brail and I had a pact that if he went to Heaven before me, I would preach his memorial service and vice versa if I went first. He left first so I just returned from my trip to Iowa to do so.
Shirley and I met Herbert & Marge Brail, the first day we enrolled in Baptist Bible Seminary in Johnson City, NY in 1960. We have been “besties” since that meeting. Herb and I graduated together and have had fellowship and a ministry off and on since that first meeting. We both pastored churches in New York State and then went in different directions, he to the First Baptist Church in Hammond, IN under Dr. Jack Hyles, and Shirley and I to Glen Burnie, MD. However, we often met annually in Cape May and Wildwood, N.J., where we would walk the outdoor walking Mall in Cape May and the boardwalk in Wildwood. There we would hold one of his rabbits or doves to attract attention and pass out hundreds of tracts, supplied by my nephew, the pastor of the Rio Grande Bible Baptist Church just outside of Cape May. We would often be surrounded with between 5 and 15 or more people who wanted to pet the rabbit or hold the bird on their finger. [“The bunny (or bird) don’t take money!” or “The only free thing on the boardwalk.!” etc.] It was a ministry created by Brother Brail who became a Gospel Illusionist (Magician).
Many years ago, we met in Wildwood and saw a magic shop on the Boardwalk. I said that we should both go in to look. (My uncle used to do simple tricks for me as a child growing up and I was intrigued.) We both purchased a small trick, and Herb was smitten from that day on. He would do illusions all over America in over 1000 churches over the years. It was when he and his dear wife Marge would come to visit Shirley and me in Levittown, PA. when he was scheduled each year to do Vacation Bible Schools on the east coast in various churches, parks, etc.
He elevated his skills to doing levitations, and even the unbelievable professional illusion known as
“Metamorphosis” (check this one out on the internet and be amazed!). He even owned his own magic shop while pastoring a church in Iowa (where he and his wife, Marge eventually moved to a beautiful [and spotless] home for veterans in Marshalltown, IA,). He shared many of the “secrets” with me and I too became a preacher/magician in several churches on the east coast. He showed me how to build some of the effects and I did so, and even went beyond Gospel magic to Ventriloquism and purchased my figure (or “dummy”) and named him “ZERO” (two “dummies” – me and Zero!). It was fun using these avenues to present the Gospel especially to boys and girls (and adults) wherever invited, usually for special events, like banquets, etc. The Lord alone knows how many people trusted Christ as a result.
I am now 89 years old, but I still usually work a full day, preparing messages (see attached), doing housework, etc. I do have some physical limitations. I feel weak at times, and I find it hard to breathe off and on (just old age symptoms, I guess). I still preach and teach as the Lord opens the doors. Shirley has gone on to the glory land going on 5 years in March, and I miss her every day! We had an ideal marriage of just short of 60 years and I was her caregiver for the last several years of her journey down here on earth. She has no more infirmities now, of course, for which I am grateful.
I am attaching a message the Lord laid on my heart this week concerning the War in Israel. I believe it places things into biblical perspective.
The Lord has not seen fit to reveal when I will be moving to Heaven to be with Him and to see Shirley and all the saints it has been my honor to meet and pastor over the years since getting into the ministry. I will see you “here, there, or in the air” soon, I hope.
Sincerely in the Savior,
Pastor (emeritus) Paul C. Fedena
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