| Two Questions [message #397] |
Tue, 26 December 2006 12:36  |
 tim hortons man
Messages: 1
Registered: December 2006
Location: Madrid Spain |
Junior Member |
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I just about fell off my chair when my brother (hardbones) sent me the link for this and the other websites. It has been sooooo many years since I've even thought of Freeman and Faith Assembly. But since he sent it to me I have two lingering questions I'm hoping someone can answer. Since I was not part of Faith Assembly and our pastor (Jerry Eccles) had moved to Canada about a year before only heard what happened via the grapevine.
How did Dr Freeman die, what happened in the hours and days following Dr Freemans death? Who announced it, how did the church take it. Why didn't anyone attend his funural? You get my point.
Secondly did Dr Freeman change his position on Divorce shortly before his death? Jerry Eccles announced that he had and it set off a flurry or marriages in the church. It also created a huge schizm which split with some of the hardcore Feemenites leaving. Shortly there after the church fell apart. This all happen around the time of Dr Freemans death. Although I can't remember the exact time line (Mark any help on that one?)
I know there are alot of people from the chruch who'd be interested.
Thanks Robert Lederman
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| Re: Two Questions [message #403 is a reply to message #397] |
Tue, 02 January 2007 21:53  |
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william
Messages: 1464
Registered: January 2006 |
Senior Member
Administrator |
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Hi Robert,
Sorry about the delayed response... I've been on vacation.
I'm not sure about the divorce question; my views have changed over the years... I think I've got a couple of posts in the Bible Issues section that outline what I believe concerning the issue.
I do remember that there were many in FA that would have certainly been affected by divorce... at least one couple who had a family, decided to live together, yet apart, if you know what I mean. I always wondered how they managed.
Brother Freeman did make an announcement toward the end that he didn't want any of the five-fold ministry dealing with the issue. I assume he was referring to either teaching on divorce and/or counseling those who were divorced. I didn't get the impression that he had changed positions, but hey, it is possible.
Maybe some of the others can give a blow by blow about the last days, it is pretty fuzzy in my mind, but if someone can jog my memory, perhaps I can offer more details.
Someone, maybe it was Duncan? said that there was stunned silence at the announcement. I can certainly believe that.
I seem to remember we got a call before the service that told us of the news.
Hopefully someone else has a better memory and can fill in the gaps.
Jerry Eccles... I haven't heard his name for a while. His name is familiar. Didn't he live at the glory barn at one time?
More later!
William
I want to believe!
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| Re: Two Questions [message #429 is a reply to message #397] |
Sun, 28 January 2007 06:09 |
a barn kid
Messages: 14
Registered: November 2006 |
Junior Member |
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I was attending Faith Assembly at the time Dr. Freeman died. When he became gravely ill, however, I was on vacation.
We got a phone call that Dr. Freeman was sick and the church had called some sort of 3 day fast as I recall. For those who might want to say otherwise, this was the FIRST and ONLY time that any such fast had ever (I attended the Glory Barn and Faith Assembly from the early 70s through late 80's.) been called at the church. We joined in the fast, although I admit we only fasted 2 days on our trip.
We came home from vacation and I recall sitting against the Mark 11:24 wall and having, gosh, you know I can't swear, but I think it was Jack Farrel who got up and announced that Dr. Freeman had died. I remember looking over at my dad and a single tear came down his face. This was a shock in itself for me because I'd never seen my dad cry before...and frankly, only twice in the 20 years since.....but I digress.
That is really all I recall.......I guess I seem to remember rumor that he had actually been dead for a few days and that maybe some people had continued to fast and pray that he would rise from the dead........but I have no firm proof of that and no personal knowledge of anyone who actually may have had any part of that. It is only rumor. To be frank, I have to question the veracity of that story as my parents were "old timers" at Faith Assembly and I'd find it odd that they would not have known someone who had been there. :shrug:
I remember crying, not so much that Dr. Freeman was dead, but that Jack Farrel would be in charge because I remember, as a teenager, thinking he was the most boring man in the world.
I actually liked listening to Dr. Freeman. Hey, what can I say. As a kid, and not knowing anything but Faith Assembly and the Glory Barn, I liked being there. I loved the song services most of all. I remember Rick Wilson playing the drums. Carolyn playing the piano. I loved Jerry Ervin leading singing. I loved Carl Seitz doing special music and how the approving "Praise the Lords" would ring out as he sang. I remember crazy Jim Brenneman teaching a new song. I remember the old old days of waiting in line on the steps at the Glory Barn so that we could get a good seat.
I loved those days...........in spite of being stabbed with pencils on the school bus for being a "babykiller" and a "Glory Barner".
I loved it in spite of the dresses I had to wear and not watching TV.
I loved the "community" of the place.
As for Jerry Eccles. He was a friend of our family for a time. In fact, we had a yellow barn cat that we named Jerry Eccles. Jerry Eccles was a nice man, as I remembered him. He put in the geo thermal at my parents house. As I remember it, he had a house over on Chapman Lake in Warsaw. I've no idea what's become of him.
As for the divorce question - I've heard rumor that he changed his stance on divorce late in his ministry. I've heard that the reason for that was that Becky, his daughter, had or was going to remarry.
Either way, I don't recall a message about that change - although I can't be certain. The subject of divorce and remarriage was not high on my list at that time in my life.
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| Re: Two Questions [message #583 is a reply to message #397] |
Mon, 30 July 2007 18:37 |
tomax7
Messages: 44
Registered: August 2006
Location: Calgary, AB |
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...well I'm late in discussion, sorry 
We got news up in Grand Centre/Cold Lake (I put both towns down because since they've amalgamated into "Cold Lake", but were distinct towns back when I lived up there then.)
I got the news from Mark Yotter, who phoned us on the Sunday Afternoon, next day after Bro. Freeman passed away.
I fly down there, (can't remember the next week or month), and Steve Hill was telling me they are still believing for Bro. Freeman to come back from the dead, sorta like how Jesus did.
I had mixed emotions. Sure He raised others, but not on their own power. While one side of me was hoping that would happen "justify this faith walk to the world" the other side of me felt in my spirit "this was necessary".
I guess like all great revivals, it is sad to see it come to an end, like Azuza(?) street, big tent revivals, and pockets of revival like we had up here. Proverbs says a time for this and a time for that.
The thing is to know what time it is. Be in tune with the Holy Spirit and listen to that small still voice.
As a close evangelist missionary (www.tonyabram.com) said to me in the last days will we know someone is really a Christian only by the small still voice of the Holy Spirit.
**********************************
Remember to Smile! God loves you!
www.tomax7.com
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