Window on the World
From Randal Dick, superintendent of missions
Pastor's vision
to reach
the least of these
I wrote that enthusiasts generally don’t remain enthusiasts permanently. But there are exceptions. The late Ron Robinson of Newark, New Jersey, was the finest example of a lifelong enthusiast I have ever seen.
I first met Ron and his wife, Doreen, in 1983 at the festival in St. Lucia. This was a difficult year because the hotel we were using had gone bankrupt, and the already leisurely pace of service had ground almost to a halt. Most of us were concentrating on suffering gracefully. Ron, on the other hand, was a constant generator of joy and goodwill.
Ron would get up every morning at dawn and go out to walk the beach and pray. It seemed that every day he would report seeing the most beautiful and inspiring rainbow (it was a rainy year, so this was entirely possible) while he was out praying.
Of course, most of us were fast asleep as the sun rose, so we didn’t see the rainbows. But Ron did, and it earned him the title of Rainbow Robinson among some of his friends.
The nickname stuck, not so much because of the rainbow sightings in St. Lucia, but because Ron, though a level-headed realist, never failed to see how God could use a situation to his glory.
Ron went on to become an elder in the church, and remained a pillar in his congregation. Every time I would hear from Ron, he was looking for ways to make his own life more effective as an instrument of the kingdom of God.
I ran into Ron Robinson again, along with several other WCG leaders, at the Crowns of Beauty Conference in 1999. Ron, now showing some gray in his hair, was more enthusiastic than ever. He was determined to find a way to reach out to the distressed poor in the inner cities where he lived. He came to this conference to be equipped to penetrate that community.
I spoke with Ron on several occasions after that conference. Each time, he had become more involved with the most downtrodden of the unbelievers around him. He was ecstatic that there had been enough response to begin a new, very poor, but very joyful congregation in Newark. Ron grew with them to the point where Senior Pastor Dan Bierer appointed Ron as pastor of the new congregation.
Then, Ron was taken from us. While I feel a sense of personal loss whenever a friend or loved one dies, I found myself particularly burdened when Ron died unexpectedly of a heart attack Nov. 27.
It was like what happens when one of a group who are carrying a heavy burden drops out and those who remain feel the additional weight descend upon them. One thing is certain—when you see someone like Ron living his life as a true enthusiast in Christ, you come to appreciate and treasure what they bring to the Body of Christ.
Ron was involved with World Impact, an outstanding domestic mission dedicated to helping Christians reach poor unbelievers in U.S. inner cities. They had been coaching Ron and the team of members who committed themselves to this ministry. With the kind permission of World Impact, I would like to reprint excerpts of the tribute they paid to Rainbow Ron Robinson of the Worldwide Church of God.
AN ENTHUSIAST IN THE WCG—
The late Ron Robinson (left) with
missionaries Eric and Anna Sponheim
and their daughter Abigail.
24-7 COMMUNITY CHURCH—Ron Robinson wanted
to let people know that Jesus is available any day and
any time—hence the name 24-7 Community Church.
World Impact tribute
After attending the Crowns of Beauty Conference in 1999, Ron Robinson, an elder in the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) in Montvale, New Jersey, was led by God to start a new church in Newark to evangelize and disciple the poor and unchurched. Starting with a core of WCG members, the church grew into a viable body, seeking to reach others. The church is partnering with World Impact missionaries to explore planting a sister church in the Stephen Crane Housing Community.In November, only six months after being installed as the pastor, Ron Robinson suddenly passed away. In spite of losing their pastor, the church is continuing Ron’s vision of making the gospel known to "the least of these." Ron had been training Franklin Howard to serve with him as a church leader. With Ron’s passing, the mantle of church leadership has fallen to Franklin.
Ron was an electrical supervisor with the Essex County Public Works, an adjunct college teacher, and a businessman. He was active in the National Day of Prayer, Promise Keepers, the reconciliation movement, Concerts of Prayer, and Cooperative Community Development Association. He was well known in the black community for his Black Inventors’ Exhibit, which showed children many of the inventions made by African Americans.
Ron served on our Newark advisory board. He wired our computer lab and new classrooms for our Newark Christian School. He cochaired our summer festival. Ron had a special burden for the education of community students at Newark Christian School.
Ron felt that having people from the Newark community serve in the Newark Christian School helped our students see the value of a godly Christian education. The board began an endowment to help pay the salaries of our minority staff. We will further Ron’s vision by setting up the Ron Robinson Memorial Endowment Fund for gifts of more than $10,000 to support our minority staff.
Vanuatu cyclone disaster
Our members in the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu need our prayers. Here is an excerpt from Rod Matthews, regional director for Australia, Southern Asia and the South Pacific Region.
William Davies, Vanuatu elder, visited the small congregation at Rory, Malekula, which was hard hit by Cyclone Paula Feb. 27 to March 1. He reports that the situation is bad, with 90 to 95 percent of crops destroyed and an invasion of millions of mosquitoes. Most of Malekula has been declared a disaster zone by the Vanuatu government, but the government is financially hard-pressed and hasn’t yet done anything to help those affected. The Australian and French governments are helping with medicine and tents.
Two member homes are still standing, including including deacon Billy Taren’s. But the houses of 12 member families were leveled. In response to a query about what the church could do to help, William said that the brethren will rebuild their houses using local materials and begin restoring their gardens, but the most pressing need was for food. He said that if we could supply some money to purchase food (particularly sacks of rice), Billy Taren will purchase the food and distribute it to the members.
The congregations in New Zealand took up an offering for Vanuatu cyclone relief; and several contributions have been promised by Australian churches. Rex Morgan, pastor of the members in Vanuatu and Auckland office manager, wired to them the funds collected so far. I told Rex that once we know what these funds are able to accomplish, we will be better positioned to assess the type and quantity of assistance needed as a follow-up.
Rex mentioned a couple of specific prayer requests—for Rory member Alphonse Poumalis, who is suffering from serious asthma as well as stomach and back problems, and William Davies, who injured his knee just after the cyclone struck.
The members on Malekula will be most encouraged to know that their Christian brothers and sisters are so supportively praying for their welfare and keen to offer material assistance as needed.
Fiji
We tend to envision the South Pacific as a region of peace and tranquility, but our brethren in Fiji have been, and continue to be under a great deal of stress in the aftermath of a government coup, which brought about military rule and renewed racial tension among the Fijians.
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 2001