Bridgeway congregation surprises pastor ...
twice
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October 26, 2013 |
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Bridgeway Pastor Bill Henshaw and his
wife, Tammy, feted Friday for their
service to their church and their
community. |
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After 10 years of service, it's hard for a
congregation to surprise its pastor, but at
Bonners Ferry's Bridgeway Assembly of God on
Friday night, it happened. Twice.
Pastor Bill Henshaw and his wife, Tammy, didn't
know why they were called to the church at 6
p.m., only that they were called and they had to
answer. They were stunned to find a crowded
foyer, not only of congregants and deacons, but
of family and friends there to celebrate their
10th anniversary in service to the church.
It wasn't the first surprise of the night.
Bill and Tammy were married July, 1984.
On a Sunday morning two months later, Tammy
insisted they go to church, unknowingly changing
their lives forever and setting them on a course
to become the servants instead of the served.
All it took was a roof and a raised hand.
"Our church needs a new roof!" their pastor
pled.
"I have the tools and know how to do that," Bill
cried out. Within a week, his church had a sound
new covering. Bill and Tammy never stopped
serving.
Bill became an ordained pastor, and he and Tammy
served congregations as far northwest as
Washington and Idaho, as far southeast as
Thailand and Vietnam.
They served in Japan, Burma, India, Thailand.
On an October day in 2003, they arrived in
Bonners Ferry to serve at the Bonners Ferry
Assembly of God.
In 2007, a new church was built on Highway 2,
Bridgeway.
Every day since, Bill and Tammy have shared the
congregation's joys and blessings, right along
with their hardships and pain.
And somehow, the congregation kept a celebration
two months in the making hidden.
"We held planning meetings here at the church
and just prayed they wouldn't pop in," said one
congregant, who asked not to be named.
Ushered to their seats at the head table, Bill
and Tammy at first appeared shocked, and later
humbled as a fine dinner was served and as the
members of their flock shook their hands or
hugged them, affirming their gratitude.
Spur of the moment, Bill's brother, Dan, a
pastor for 30 years now serving in Washington,
stood to both congratulate his little brother
and encourage him to keep enduring the
heart-wrenching times and the good, to never
stop serving.
Obviously moved, neither Bill or Tammy appeared
quite ready when Deacon Doug Jensen handed them
an envelope, and announced the congregation's
gift of gratitude ... bus tickets to and an all
expenses paid trip to lovely downtown Elmira,
Idaho.
He was kidding, of course. The vacation
reflecting so much appreciation will take Bill
and Tammy on a vacation to beautiful Friday
Harbor, Washington, come spring. |
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