Trusting God Since 1954

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It was June 1954, Jesse and Nettie Miller had returned to the United States from serving as missionaries in the Philippines. In addition to their ministry with Filipinos, they had hosted meals and Bible studies for military men, and that outreach grew to where the Millers needed to decide if they would focus on local ministry or military ministry. Tom Hash and C.P. Tarkington were two servicemen whom Jesse led to Christ in those years. They and others gathered in Chicago that June for a reunion. Then Tom, Tark, Dick Patty, and Jesse and Nettie stayed on a couple of days to pray and seek the Lord. Tark described this time in a letter from 1955:

During our meetings at this reunion, requests were presented to our group from the Philippines, Okinawa, Guam, Alaska, Germany, and Japan to open up Servicemen’s Homes such as God has given us in the Philippines. These requests were heavy on our hearts and brought us to our knees before the Lord . . . Under God’s leading, the Overseas Christian Servicemen’s Centers was formed, to work and to represent Christ wherever God should lead, placing our faith in Him completely, and trusting Him to supply each need. (Courage and Faith, p. 23)

The Overseas Christian Servicemen’s Centers (OCSC) was later renamed Cadence International, and the work of sharing the gospel and our lives continues to this day. Cadence has nearly 200 missionaries around the world who are the “hands and feet” of this ministry.

We also have a Headquarters team who are the “backbone” of the ministry. Since 1954, Cadence has continued in the footsteps of the Millers (and three other founding couples— Pattys, Hashes, and Tarkingtons) and placed our trust in God to supply every need, including the financial needs of our headquarters which is sustained by The ’54 Fund.

The ’54 Fund celebrates Cadence’s founding and supports the organizational structure of the worldwide ministry. This fund provides for many of the behind-the-scenes expenses which are a necessary part of this vital ministry to the military and their families. This year, we are inviting you to give a gift of $54 or more to celebrate Cadence’s birthday and help sustain this fund. Learn more at Cadence.org/The54Fund. As always, thank you for partnering with us in sharing the gospel and our lives with the military community.

In the goodness of Jesus,

Brian Kleager
VP for Partnerships and PR