I attended two memorial services recently—one in Missouri and one in Michigan.

The service in Missouri was to grieve the sudden loss of a young man tragically killed in a car accident on his way home from work. He had been married for only two months to the daughter of one of our Cadence couples.

The chapel was filled with young people seeking to somehow trust God and celebrate Caleb’s life while also wrestling with the fragility of life here in this broken world under the curse.

It was very difficult.

The service in Michigan was to celebrate the life of a former Cadence missionary who had lived a long and fruitful life for the Lord. He suffered for about 24 years with the slow digression of the central nervous system caused by Parkinson’s Disease.

This chapel was filled by mostly older people celebrating Steve’s well-lived life and the joyful hope of heaven.

Two lives. Two deaths. Two services. One hope.

“Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling.” 2 Corinthians 5:1-2

As I write these words to you now, I’m processing additional difficult news of a different kind of loss. I’m groaning today, longing for the day when death, sorrow, and tears will be no more.

Friends, each moment on this earth is truly a gift from God. I pray that you will find your strength in the One who not only gave us this life but made our eternal life and destiny possible. As we sang in church this past Sunday:

Man of Sorrows what a name for the Son of God who came, ruined sinners to reclaim! Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Yes, today I again choose to sing Hallelujah!

David Schroeder
President

We Stay.

Thank you for your prayers for our recently completed Cadence worldwide staff conference in Green Lake, Wisconsin. Our theme, Unhindered, the last word Luke penned in the book of Acts guided our time together. We celebrated and took courage in the truth that the gospel will not be stopped, thwarted, or hindered in its advancement around the globe.

Just as this word describes Paul’s two-year ministry in Rome, it also was a capstone and exclamation point to the entire book of Acts and the impact of the Holy Spirit and growth of the early church.

In addition to powerful messages from our guest speakers, I spoke on the four verbs in our theme verses that conclude Luke’s account in Acts 28:30- 31. He describes Paul’s ministry like this: “And he stayed two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered.”

In my opening message, “We Stay,” I reminded our team of the vital ministry they have in staying strong in a military community that is in a perpetual state of transition and change. Every year on average, our staff farewell a third of their military people and their families as they PCS (Permanent Change of Station) to another location and duty assignment. Because of this constant rotation and change, our staff provide a place of stability, security, and strength to that military community.

This staying power comes with a cost, though. My four key points to this talk were that staying requires Grit (perseverance that takes the long view), Gathering (community that grows them and us), Going (love that always moves towards people), and Grieving (tenderness that mourns perpetual loss).

Our staff know the cost of giving their hearts to their people and being willing to hurt and grieve as they move away. Each of them understands well the experience of “farewell fatigue” as we often call it.

You know this reality as well. The word “transition” describes so much of life for all of us. Defined as “changing from one state or condition to another,” it seems like this is a constant reality. In our transitions there is often growth, excitement, and adventure, but there is also frequent loss, grief, and suffering.

Friends, even as I ask you to pray that our Cadence staff stay resilient amidst the ever-present transitions in their lives, so I pray for you that God would give you a spirit of perseverance as you trust Him with the change and loss in your lives as well.

Stay Strong.

David Schroeder
President

We gather.

Joyce and I recently gathered with the family and friends of Wilma Porter for her memorial service. She and her husband Ralph, who went to heaven in 2018, served military people through Cadence for over 50 years. We were honored to speak at her service, be with the family, and celebrate her life.

We gather. Important moments require people come together. Whether it be funerals, weddings, birthdays, graduations, or other celebrations, being together with family and friends is the essential element of these experiences.

Gatherings are at the heart of all our Cadence ministries as well. We bring military people and their families together in our homes, youth groups, retreats, coffee houses, Bible studies, small groups, and excursions.

Why? We were made by God for relationships and connection, and biblical community is the primary space and environment where the Spirit does His transformative work. Yes, we all need time alone with God, but raw and real change has its genesis in our relating to each other. The fruit of the Spirit is significantly activated as we connect with people.

As the church was being formed soon after Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension, gatherings were at the center of New Testament life. “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.” “All who believed were together and had all things in common.” (Acts 2:1, 44) Gathering descriptions are often recorded throughout the story of the Bible.

At the end of this month, Cadence has a very important gathering, and we would so appreciate being covered by your prayers. From June 25 – July 1, 2022, about 350 of our Cadence staff and family members will come to Green Lake, Wisconsin for our once-every-five year worldwide staff conference. Having been delayed from gathering the past two years because of the pandemic, there is a great deal of excitement and anticipation for this conference.

Our theme is Unhindered. It’s the very last word Luke penned in finishing the book of Acts, referring to Paul’s two year stay under house arrest in Rome and to the general advancement of the gospel, not only in that place, but around the world.

We intend to celebrate this unhindered gospel!

Would you pray our staff and families richly experience God and each other, be deeply encouraged in their hearts, and be better equipped to go back to their military ministries. Everything at our conference is designed around these three foundational goals.

Your prayers and financial support make this vital gathering possible—thank you! And may God richly bless you and accomplish His work in you and through you in all your gatherings this month as well.

David Schroeder
President

Joyce and I met Senior Chief Sonar Technician Joy Chase at the Cadence hospitality house in San Diego. We were encouraged by her love for the Lord and impressed by her service as an exceptional Sailor.

Five years ago, Joy achieved a career milestone and made history by becoming the first woman in the U.S. Navy to qualify as an Acoustic Intelligence (ACINT) Specialist. She was the 58^th Sailor to qualify and the 266^th overall in the program’s 55 years. As part of this highly select group of Sailors, Joy is an expert at identifying and classifying acoustic signals in the ocean.

Joy has been greatly impacted by Cadence hospitality house ministries. As she shares:

I first learned of Cadence International from a shipmate at my first duty station in Yokosuka, Japan. I felt so welcomed and at home from the first night I stepped into The Lighthouse Hospitality House. Sam had told them I was coming and two women, Yukie Ida and Tabi Ekvall (Cadence staff and volunteer), were waiting at the door with hugs when I walked in. The Lighthouse became my overseas family and helped me grow in my faith and knowledge of God. As my family, The Lighthouse helped me through the ups and downs of my first duty station including the passing of my brother.

The friends and connections I made at The Lighthouse I still have to this day. I transferred from the East Coast to West Coast last summer and 95% of the people I stopped to visit on my road trip were friends I had made at The Lighthouse, including former directors Matthew and Jill Bachali and Lou and Cathy Rozmiarek. I now attend The Bridge Cadence house in San Diego with the Bissonnettes, and again I have found a family. I am incredibly thankful for Cadence international and their service to the military. They have played a major role in the past 13 years of my Naval career, shaping me into the woman and Sailor I am today. I love you guys!

We love you too, Joy!

And because of you, dear prayer and financial partners, Cadence staff is ministering to Joy and hundreds of military people and family members around the world.

Joy is up for re-enlistment next year and asked us to pray for God’s clear guidance and, “that regardless of what His answer is, I have the courage to act on it.”

On behalf of Joy and all those whose lives are being transformed by Jesus in the military community, we thank you!

David Schroeder
President

Every year in March, the leaders of various military ministries gather at the FCMM (Fellowship of Military Ministries) conference. Cadence recently brought a team of leaders (photo above) to San Antonio, Texas to connect, collaborate, and coordinate with other ministry leaders.

This event draws staff from CRU Military, Nav Military, OCF (Officers Christian Fellowship), MCYM (Military Community Youth Ministry), and other ministries with a heart for the military and their families. At the end of our gathering, MMN (Military Ministries Network) hosts a Community Dinner which includes all the conference attendees plus local pastors, lay leaders, chaplains, local military people, and anyone else with an interest in ministry to the military.

Joyce and I spoke at this closing event— what a joy to be in a room with people who are full of passion for God, His kingdom work, and the strategic and fruitful ministry to the military and their families.

Philippians 1:3-5 says, “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”

Your partnership in the gospel: this describes well these ministries and the collaboration we seek as we minister to the military. This also describes you, our faithful prayer and financial partners.

This month we celebrate the heart of this gospel—the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Cadence could not take Jesus to the military without you joining us in this great purpose and ministry, and we are so grateful!

You also live and spread this gospel in your families, communities, and churches. I want to encourage you with the wonderful truth of I Corinthians 15:58.

“Therefore, my brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

It’s not in vain, friends. Keep working for our resurrected Savior!