Ryan.....engaged! I feel like I am dreaming!

As well as Anchor Boston being launched, something else happened last week! Ryan asked Lauren Quackenbush to be his wife. Denny and I are thrilled! Ryan is loved. Ryan won't be alone. Ryan will be a wonderful husband. Lauren is equally wonderful! Beautiful, inside and out. We are gaining a daughter! We are more than happy! More details to come!

Here are some pics!

Anchor Church Boston Launch

One of the wonderful things about having a son in the ministry is watching him do things we have never done! When Ryan graduated from VFCC and headed to Boston, it was a real step of faith. He went with no job, however a pastors family took him in, so he had a place to live and a church to volunteer his gifts. The journey has been amazing.


In the beginning, he landed a job at Marshalls, then through a music school began teaching private lessons to guitar, voice and piano students. He substituted in the public school sytem and did odd music jobs. He worked on his A/G credentials and passed his test to become Rev. Ryan Seler.


A year later he met a new pastor coming to start a chuch in Boston and with the blessings of the first pastor became a member of the "Dream Team" for Anchor Church. Planning, dreaming, preparing for the launch consumed the team for a year or more. Anchor Boston has now become a reality. God is so good.


When we first started in the ministry we volunteered at a new church plant in Illinois. We remained there for 18 months and watched the church take off, however we didn't have the pleasure and pain of birthing it! There is so much that goes into starting a new church. So much strategy that we missed out on.


Ryan has more experience at 23 than we do for starting a new church! This past Sunday was the launch and it was an experience we will never forget. What an incredible night.


Dr. Randy Quackenbush has a burden for the city, especially for the Berklee College of Music students. The first service was held at the Sheraton right next door to the college. There were 136 people and 3 salvations. The place was filled with students, what a sight to see.


Ryans official title is Arts Director and we are so proud of his journey of faith.

When you first walk in the Sheraton this is the sign we saw.






You had to use the escalator or elevator to go to the meeting room. There goes daddy and Renee!



When you get to the meeting room, well really the entire walk had signs! There had been so much buzz on facebook and twitter about the new church. It was a joy to be there!



Ryan leading the team.






Randy preaching, "What's in a Name?" a terrific message!

Newtown, CT.

None of us will forget for a long time, December 14, 2012 when children and teachers were killed by Adam Lanza. Since we lived and travelled in Southern New England for many years I kept wondering where Newtown was located and if we had passed through the area. Sure enough we had. Denny preached in Naugatuck, Ct. on Sunday. Looking at the map I could see that Newtown was close by. When we got near the exit, sure enough I recognized seeing that towns name on the exit sign all those many years. We pulled off the exit and with the help of the GPS we drove right to Sandy Hook Elementary School. What astounded me was how close houses were to the school. It was a very tight road and on December 14th, the chaos that had to have ensued certainly must have stunned everyone, whether they had children in the school or not. Just picturing the emergency vehicles crowding onto that road must have been very intense. On the back road where I would presume the busses would go, there are blockades and a no trespassing sign. There are bears and gifts made into a memorial.

To actually see the school you leave the back entrance and go down a bit and up another road where a fence now closes off the school but you are able to see the building, the basketball hoop and court, classrooms, etc. It was actually still very solemn, very quiet, very sad. Thinking of all the news clips and remembering the details that came across the airwaves at that time makes one to feel very confused when actually sitting on the premises. The children, so scared, the teachers, so brave, the administration, no fear, makes one to evaluate what you would do in a situation like that.

Happy Birthday to Ryan!

It has been 5 years since we celebrated Ryan's birthday in person. A long 5 years for him and for us. In 2008 when we left Ryan at VFCC we didn't realize how difficult it was going to be to be apart, but we did it! We all did it! It was hard for mom, for dad, for Renee and for Ryan. He was the one that was alone. The 3 of us had each other. That's why this 23rd birthday was so very special! We had to make up for the 5 we missed! Den had a service booked in Connecticut for February 3rd so we took advantage of the weekend and left Phoenixville on Friday, February 1st to be in New England for his actual day, Groundhog's Day! Ryan had a full day with a rehersal for the worship band but we were able to drive from each direction and meet at 4 in the afternoon at a favorite chinese restaurant in Sturbridge where we used to live. A great celebration and we give God all the thanks for our son. He loves Jesus, He loves us, and God has a special plan and a future for Ryan, of this we are sure.