Month: December 2021

Pastor Jim Douglass

12/28 UPDATE:
https://www.ilesfuneralhomes.com/obituary/James-A.-Douglass/Des-Moines-IA/1888036
In God’s perfect time, He took my husband, Jim Douglass, home to heaven on December 24th, 2021, at the age of 76. He was born December 10, 1945, in Norristown, Pennsylvania, to John and Mildred Douglass.

Many years ago, Jim’s dear Sunday school teacher, Warren Bossert, faithfully taught the Bible to his class. One day after class, he took Jim aside to share the Gospel message with him personally. Jim loved to tell about that day when as a young teenager he bowed his knee on the basement floor of Bible Testimony Church, Norristown, PA, and received Christ as his Savior.

He went on to attend Prairie Bible Institute in Canada, where we met in the last semester of our senior year—just in time! Jim and I were married on July 13, 1968. Right after graduation Jim was called to pastor his first church, near Fairfield, Iowa. He pastored several churches during our 53+ years of marriage.

In 2011, Pastor Subra at Northridge Baptist Church asked Jim to come and help with the ministry. What a joy it’s been for Jim and I to fellowship and serve with our Northridge church family. Preaching the Word and serving others was all Jim ever wanted to do with his life, so he was always grateful God placed him into the ministry.

God gave us five really great sons—Rob, Steve, Tim, David and Mark. And then (yay!) we finally got some daughters… Rob’s Collette, Steve’s Kimberly, Tim’s Heidi, and Mark’s Missy. (David is not married.) Then God gave us 17 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. They were Jim’s great joy—and of course he teased them relentlessly, because that’s what he did so well!

Sadly, I never got to meet Jim’s parents—his mother Mildred died when Jim was 8 and his father Johnny when Jim was 18. His three siblings, Jack, Tommy and Joyce, also are no longer living. Jim has many nephews and nieces including a very special niece named Frida (Tommy’s daughter on loan to us). It was our joy to have Frida in our home for a short time as a teenager, see her come to know Christ as Savior, and grow up to make us all proud.

On December 7th Jim was hospitalized with Covid. On December 24th, Christmas Eve, my good husband stepped from earth into Glory to meet his Savior in person. So be assured, Jim is now and for eternity looking on the face of Jesus, the One who loved him and gave Himself for him—his great joy and my best comfort today.

Jim’s Homegoing Service will be at Northridge Baptist Church, 3700 6th Ave, Des Moines, IA, at 1:00 pm on Thursday (12/30) with visitation preceding the service at 11:00 am. Light refreshments/coffee during the visitation. Interment on Friday at 1:00 at Dunreath Cemetery near Red Rock Lake.

Arrangements by Grandview Park Chapel

12/25 UPDATE (from Dori Douglass): I shared on Monday how Jim was in ICU with Covid and promised to post an update when there was a significant change. That change happened yesterday around 3 o’clock in the afternoon when God took my Jim home to Himself.

So the one thing I want you to know is that Jim is today and for eternity looking on the face of his dear Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. That is my sweetest comfort and encouragement this morning. I have known and loved my Jim for 53+ years, and I can tell you he was and is a true servant and soldier of Christ who all his life wanted only to serve God by preaching the Word and by serving others – and he faithfully did so out of his big heart of love for God and the ministry entrusted to him.
Psalm 73… “Thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.”


12/23 UPDATE (from Dori Douglass): This afternoon, Jim’s numbers were pretty much all elevated – BP, rate, etc. The lung doctor explained a little while ago that, besides those numbers, these are the significant changes that tell her the Covid is getting worse in his lungs:
1- He is suddenly requiring considerably more oxygen support through the vent (50% at first, then 70, now 85% oxygen).
2- The pressure required to push the oxygen into his lungs has been the same since he got to ICU – now the pressure has had to be increased to give him better support/breathing.
3- He has suddenly spiked a higher fever than he’s had since he’s been there, either from the Covid worsening or a bacterial infection.

Her general assessment is that he is worsening and may not make it through the night or the next few days. (Because of all these changes, they will not do a CT scan at this time.)
Please pray for God’s will to be done and for God to be glorified. I continue to rest in the Lord, knowing He is a kind, loving Heavenly Father who today holds Jim in the palm of his hand. I know beyond any doubt that He does all things well. And I continue to thank Him for His nearness and peace and for His grace for this moment.

Thank you for praying…

12/22 UPDATE (from Dori Douglass): There is not much change in Jim’s condition. His lungs are about the same, lots of damage from Covid (fibrosis in the lung). For the past couple days his heart rate has been high and blood pressure has been staying high (175 systolic). Also started taking on fluid a couple days ago – they give him Lasix for that, but the swelling comes back pretty fast. 

ICU staff continues having trouble with the daily ventilator trial to assess the possibility of vent removal and have not been able to complete a trial since last Wednesday because of his blood pressure and heart rate going up so much when they try. To do the trial, they turn down the sedation and check to see if he obeys commands – squeeze a hand, etc. – and he is still able to do that.
On Friday he is to have a CT scan of his lungs to get a better idea of their condition than chest-xrays provide. His doctors and ICU staff will then assess his condition and meet with us on Friday morning. 

 

The lung doctor’s general assessment last night is that he is not improving, is holding his own, but is still very sick. 
We continue to commit Jim to God’s good care – there is of course none better – and we rest in Him tonight, trusting Him to accomplish His eternal purposes in Jim and in every life affected by his illness. Romans 12 makes it clear that God’s will is good and perfect and acceptable, and we believe that with all our hearts.
The goal as we pray is that God gets glory from all of this… Thank you again for praying for Jim and our family… We’re so thankful for how our Northridge church family and so very many others have shown their love and kindness in so many ways! 
 
God remains my very personal Refuge and Strength, a very present help in trouble.


12/17 UPDATE: Psalm 71:14 says, I will hope [trust] continually, and will yet praise Thee more and more.

The staff did two trials today to reduce Jim’s sedation and the oxygen thru the ventilator in an attempt to see if he could tolerate the ventilator being removed. He did not do well with either trial and did not “pass” them as he did the ones Tuesday and Wednesday. He was not responsive until they reduced the sedation a lot more, and then he became agitated – resulting in raising the sedation level. So as they put it, he has taken a “couple steps backwards” and is not “out of the woods.” He developed a low fever late this afternoon when I was there, and they will allow it to fight whatever infection is present until his fever gets to a certain threshold when they would give him Tylenol to lower it. 
 
His numbers remain stable, and we are thankful for that. They keep telling me this is a marathon, not a sprint. To me it seems a little more like a “roller-coaster” with the ups and downs. Even so, I rest in Him, knowing that before he has ever been in the care of mere human caretakers, he has been and will always be in the strong and mighty arms of the Lord Jesus, who does all things well. 
 
The psalmist David said in Psalm 119:75-76, I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant. That is my confidence and my prayer for Jim.
 
Steve and Kimberly continue to improve – Thank You, Lord. 
 
Rob and Tim plan to be here until their Dad’s ventilator is removed… What a blessing they are to me… They have taken care of countless little and big things for me just since they arrived on Monday…
 
Thank you for your faithfulness in prayer and in so many kindnesses to us. A wonderful supper was provided for us again tonight. The body of Christ continues to be our joy and rejoicing in the midst of all this…
 
Love you all so much,
Dori and Jim


12/15 UPDATE (from former Northridge Baptist Church Pastor Kevin Subra): I just talked with Dori, and she had just returned from visiting Jim in the hospital. Jim is improving, but very slowly (“baby steps”). His lungs are damaged from COVID, but it may or may not be permanent. Jim is sedated some, but can respond to commands and cooperates well with the nurse. He does not respond to family. Dori said they are hoping to remove him from the ventilator off tomorrow (Thursday). Jim will have to be in the hospital several more days. Once he does, he will likely have to be on oxygen for awhile when he is able to go home. All his numbers are looking better. Praise the Lord! Thank you for praying!

12/14 UPDATE: Jim is responding today! This morning they did a trial of cutting back on his meds, sedation and the oxygen thru his vent, and he “responded appropriately” and is not fighting the vent. He can move to show he understands (can’t talk with the vent in, of course). They may try taking out the vent later today or tomorrow. Our son Tim saw him right after the trial this morning, and when he walked in, he said to Jim, “This is Tim, your number 3 son,” and Jim immediately tried to sit up in the bed. He is able to understand for sure and has good color. Tim says he is not out of the woods yet but is definitely getting better. We are so encouraged. We’ve all been saying Jim is very strong, and that is so true, but it is so much more true that our God is the really strong one, and we’re so thankful He has chosen to be so gracious to Jim. “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of HIS might.” No one can match HIS might! God is sooo good and faithful to His own, and you all have been so faithful to Him and to my good husband. We both so appreciate you! Thank you again!

I was especially blessed to find Tim Capon at our door yesterday… to read the Word and to pray with me and our sons. What a special man of God He has placed in such a strategic spot in the IARBC! And Tim is only one of so many who have meant so much to us for the last couple days. I was so blessed to hear Pastor Kevin’s voice on the other end of a phone call yesterday morning – assuring us of their prayers and then contacting churches and Tim Capon for me. (It was getting harder and harder to repeat the news about Jim over and over to so many people who needed to know.) Our sons have been such a blessing that way too, because they know so many of our friends and family who needed to be contacted, and they have taken a lot of pressure off me that way…. (Then Dr. Kober called and will be here later today or tomorrow…!)

My heart overflows!!! – can you tell?! God has never been so near and so dear to me personally, to my dear husband and to our family. We are overwhelmed and so grateful.
Sorry for the length of this one, but… you already knew Jim is not the only talker in our house.
We love each and every single one of you so much!

Dori and Jim

12/13: The IARBC received this urgent prayer request earlier today. Please be in prayer for Pastor Jim Douglass and his family.

Pastor Jim Douglass, Associate Pastor of Northridge Baptist Church, is on full life support in the ICU of Iowa Lutheran Hospital. The medical staff has called in his family. All are praying for healing, but are resting in the Lord. He has had COVID for several days, and has been in the hospital for multiple days. Last night his systems shut down, and he was moved to the ER, and then to ICU. His wife, Dori, their family, and their church family would appreciate your prayers. Thank you for praying, and for sharing this request with others.

Updates will be posted above as we receive them.

Pastor Dan and Barb Eloe

UPDATE 12/29 (from Beth Paulsen, First Baptist Church Administrative Assistant): Pastor Dan is home! And likely back in the office today or tomorrow! We serve an amazing God.  He protected him for many days, likely close to a week, of having a collapsed lung! He was in the pulpit preaching with a collapsed lung.  This could have taken his life at any moment.  But God had other plans.  Last Monday they discovered his lung was collapsed and about the size of a baseball. A team of 8 Drs and nurses met him at the ER and inserted a tube to save his lung and potentially his life.  He remained in the hospital for the next 5 days, getting out on Christmas Eve.  Not before talking walking and praying with as many as he could in the hospital wing and with the workers, of course.  *smile* Thank you so so much for your prayers.  His recovery belongs to the Mighty Healer and Protector!

UPDATE 12/22 (from Pastor Cole Glanzer, Assistant Pastor in Waverly):
* Dan is doing well and is in good spirits.
* He will stay in the hospital for a bit (length of stay yet to be determined).
* There seems to be no medical explanation for him doing this well after experiencing a collapsed lung.

UPDATE #2 12/20: Pastor Dan had a procedure done as soon as he got to the Waverly ER.  While this was an emergency situation he is doing well. He has been admitted to the hospital and should be there a couple of days.

UPDATE 12/20: After getting an x-ray earlier today, Pastor Dan received a phone call saying he has a collapsed lung and he is on his way now to the Waverly ER. Please join us in prayer for him!

UPDATE 12/17: Good news! Pastor Dan preached his first message last Sunday! He is still a long way from recovering completely but is progressing well! He is so very thankful for God’s goodness through this trial and very thankful for your prayers, cards, and letters!

UPDATE 11/19: Here’s an update on Dan. Dan was able to come home from the hospital yesterday. We feel blessed that he was able to come home without oxygen. He is still pretty weak and his lungs have to continue to heal, but we are thankful that the rest of his recovery can be done at home. We are so thankful for all the prayers and concern on his behalf. Continue to pray for strength and healing for a complete recovery. -Barb

UPDATE 11/12: Pastor Dan is on day 7 in the Waverly Hospital with covid pneumonia.  He is on high-flow oxygen that pushes air into his lungs. His lab results continue to show improvement. And his lungs continue to improve.  This illness requires much patience and rest.  He and Barb would like to thank everyone for the prayers, cards, and texts as they are on a difficult road right now! Please continue to lift them up in your prayers! God is always faithful!

UPDATE 11/9: Pastor Dan remains in the Waverly Hospital. His oxygen level continues to be a challenge. He will remain in the hospital until his oxygen flow level improves and he is able to wean off the oxygen he is currently getting.  Barb is gaining strength but remains very weak and would also appreciate your prayers.


From First Baptist Church (Waverly): Please be in prayer for our senior pastor, Pastor Dan Eloe.  He is in the hospital with covid pneumonia.  His wife Barb is home and is very sick as well. 

Let’s bring the Eloes before the throne of grace and lift our voices to the Lord on their behalf.

Updates will be posted above as we know more. Thank you for your prayers!

Alathea Baptist Church Open House

We are rejoicing with Alathea Baptist Church in the completion of their new church building! They were able to host an open house on November 20th. See below for a note from Pastor Doug DeFord, as well as pictures of their new church.

We are praising God for a wonderful open house celebrating the completion of our building on County Line Road!  We were so happy to see many representatives from sister churches as well as many unbelievers from our new neighborhood! ~Doug DeFord, Alathea Baptist Church

2022 Men’s Prayer Advance

An invitation from Walnut Park Baptist Church, Muscatine:

We invite you to spend Saturday, January 29, 2022 with us focused in prayer. Please take the opportunity to invite as many other men as you can to come pray with you that day. Also, we encourage you to bring with you your sons and other young men for this valuable investment in prayer. Dr. Les Ollila will speak in the morning and afternoon sessions. Dr. Ollila has invested his life mentoring men as followers of Christ. His Scriptural challenges will help equip you to the ministry of prayer. Recently, Les wrote this about prayer:

“When approaching the subject of prayer, this writer still feels like a pre-med student attempting to lecture on the particulars of brain surgery! Regardless, our heart is burdened to pour out in desperation the need for prayer that is effectual and fervent, not only in my own daily life but also in the body of the church.“It was our privilege as a family to travel with a revival-focused ministry under Del Fehsenfeld and the Life Action Revival Team. Still fresh in my mind are the all-night prayer meetings where grown men and women cried out to God as the conviction of sin led to confession and change in personal lives and the churches. Meetings that were scheduled to go for ten days would sometimes extend to two or more weeks. One meeting in memory lasted thirty one days with no man-made manipulation, but with a lot of honesty…which brought freedom to many who had been bound in bitterness, pride, and many other sins which choke any progress toward sanctification. It is easy to become settled, satisfied, and smug in our Christian life and to be like the church at Ephesus, busy, but left their first love.“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed; the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. (James 5:16-18)”

2022 Prayer Advance Schedule:

9:00 am. Continental Breakfast
9:30 am. Dr Ollila
10:30 am. Break
11:00 am. Jordan Allen/prayer time
12:00 noon Lunch
1:00 pm. Dr Ollila
2:00 pm. Panel Discussion/prayer time

Please register to attend at https://www.walnutparkbaptistchurch.com/events-page .
A $15 donation per person at the door will help cover the expenses of the breakfast and lunch we plan to serve.

If you plan to bring a group from your church please notify us of the number attending in your group by January 24, 2022. Doing so will help us accurately plan for the meals.

You may email Dave at pastordavewood@gmail.com or text 563 506-7617.