Herman L. Hoeh
By Thomas C. Hanson
Herman Hoeh, 67, retired from Media Operations, and Dean Blackwell, 64, and Norman Smith, 66, retired from Church Administration in April.
Herman L. Hoeh
[Photo: Herman and Isabell Hoeh]
Herman Hoeh was born in 1928. He entered Ambassador College in 1947 and was a member of the first graduating class in 1951.
Dr. Hoeh continues to serve on the boards of directors of the Worldwide Church of God, Ambassador University and Ambassador Foundation.
Pastor General Joseph Tkach said: "Retirement does not mean that a person no longer serves or that one stops working in the service of advancing the kingdom of God. Over the many years, Dr. Hoeh has been a blessing to our family. I am delighted that he will continue to serve on the church board of directors, as well as the board of regents for Ambassador University."
Norman Smith
[Photo: Norman and Charlene Smith]
Norman A. Smith was born Feb. 18, 1930, in Burnt Prairie, Illinois. He heard The World Tomorrow as a teenager there in 1946.
He enrolled in Ambassador in 1950. In November 1951 Dick Armstrong, Mr. Armstrong's son, hired Mr. Smith to work in the radio studio recording the World Tomorrow broadcast. He became manager of the radio studio when Dick Armstrong went to England to open an office there.
"When Mr. Armstrong needed to do a broadcast, I had to be available even if it meant leaving a class," Mr. Smith said. "That happened countless times and all the professors were accustomed to my missing classes."
Mr. Armstrong did a local, daily broadcast that was shipped to all the stations that aired the program daily, and usually his schedule was to do a Sunday broadcast on Friday evening.
The editing, duplicating, addressing of labels, packaging the tapes and taking them to Los Angeles International Airport had to be done that same Friday night. By the time Mr. Smith returned from the airport it would be 3 or 4 in the morning.
"As some time passed, other men joined me in this responsibility and I had the opportunity to work with some fine men: Paul B. Smith, Edmund C. Smith and Ken Swisher to mention a few," Mr. Smith said.
Mr. Smith married fellow student Charlene Glover of Holland, Arkansas, Oct. 1, 1953, at the Feast in Big Sandy. Herman Hoeh and Isabell Kunkel were married in the morning, and the Smiths in the afternoon of the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith graduated in 1954. Mr. Smith was ordained into the ministry in January 1955. He was ordained an evangelist in 1957.
The Smiths remained in Pasadena after graduation where Mr. Smith continued working in the radio studio. During the early years Mr. Smith occasionally drove to San Diego, California, to give sermons and then to Fresno, California, when that church was started. In addition to his broadcast studio responsibilities, he was the first pastor of the Redlands church; pastor of the church in Sherman Oaks when it began; and then pastor of the El Monte church.
Mr. Smith was instrumental in designing and installing the television studio on the Pasadena campus. He became director of the Television Department when it was formed in 1967. Mr. Smith served in the Radio and Television departments for 25 years. He received a master's degree in management science from West Coast University in 1976.
"In the early '70s, our department personnel were instrumental in helping me to direct my actions away from the workaholic, sacrifice-the-human-needs, get-the-work-done approach to one of listen to the cry of the people," Mr. Smith said.
"Although I had willingly spent an excessive number of hours in technical and managerial responsibilities, these kept me from becoming familiar with the employees' and church members' mental and spiritual problems."
In 1976 the Smiths were sent into the field ministry to pastor the Chico, California, church and serve as area coordinator for the church's Northwest region.
"It was a rewarding experience to be involved so personally in people's lives," Mrs. Smith said. "From this involvement began a desire to become more knowledgeable and better equipped to help people."
In 1979 Mr. Smith was transferred to the San Diego church, where he served for 71/2 years. During this time, he taught marriage communication classes, marital preparation classes, started a church support group for alcohol and drug recovery and taught child-rearing sessions as well as communications in a group format within the church.
In 1986 Mr. Smith was transferred to the San Bernardino and Banning, California, churches. There, he offered information, help and encouragement to those who had endured any type of abuse in childhood whether it had been verbal, emotional, physical or sexual. As one person said, "You not only threw me a life raft, you sent a whole battalion of ships to my rescue."
Mr. Smith completed a master's counseling program at California State University in San Bernardino in June 1993. The Smiths moved to Texas and he was accepted at East Texas State University in 1994 to work on a doctorate in counseling and guidance.
During this time of taking classes, he has also been available to speak in the Dallas area churches and to do some individual counseling with church members.
Mr. Smith expressed his full support to Mr. Tkach Sr. from the first sermon he gave on the new covenant and has encouraged people to remain with the church.
"The emphasis on Jesus Christ as our Savior, his free gift of salvation, his grace, and unconditional love will inspire us all to respond to him with gratitude and a desire to reach out with this knowledge to a needy world," Mr. Smith said.
Mr. Smith offered encouragement to Mr. Tkach Sr. and continues to offer it to his son.
The Smiths plan to relocate to Oregon.
"After the call from Richard Rice [assistant director of Church Administration for the United States] about retirement, Charlene and I have done a lot of talking and praying about the decisions we need to make.
"I developed a health problem about eight months ago, which is not resolved yet. Charlene is concerned that I need to take time to work on my health. "I have worked for the church for 44 years. We have three adult children, Deborah, who lives in Escondido, California; Kyle in San Jose, California; and Kevan in Portland, Oregon.
"Most of Charlene's immediate family live in Oregon. We have two grandchildren who need us to be more involved in their lives," Mr. Smith said. "We look to Jesus Christ for guidance regarding how we can best serve the church in the future."
"I try to be aware of Satan's schemes to prevent members from having a trusting, secure relationship with Jesus Christ," Mr. Smith said. "It is rewarding to see people change and grow as they are offered acceptance, love and empathic concern. The new programs of the church to serve the needs of the members are rewarding and encouraging.
"I attempt to look at both the great progress the church has made since I have been a part of it and also admit the mistakes that have seriously hindered some people's ability to see the love of Jesus Christ.
"Admitting the mistakes does not mean to dwell on them. But, admitting the mistakes is a form of reaching out to those who have been hindered and have faltered. Focusing on the foundation that has been laid and actively participating in the innovative programs of reflecting the love and mercy of Jesus Christ is the task that will bring great rewards.
"I hope to give more attention to the needs of my family and serve in whatever way Jesus Christ leads me."
Mr. Tkach said: "Norman Smith is a gifted man who has always had a heart for the people he served. He continues to take classes toward completing a graduate degree program and I know that he and Charlene will be of continuing service to the church and perhaps the university as well. While they are entering their retirement years, I know they will continue to serve as God gives them the talent and gifts to do so."
[Photo:
Dean and Maxine Blackwell]
Dean Blackwell has served in a variety of positions in more than 43 years in the ministry.
Mr. Tkach said: "Mr. Blackwell has a special gift of encouragement. He has developed this talent in learning from many and varied experiences while serving in the ministry.
"He has long been a loving inspiration to me, and I have known him as `Uncle Dean' for many years. His family has always been a part of our family and always will be.
"His energy to grow and never stop learning has left a lasting impression on me. Even now, in retirement, he is working on a graduate degree in theology. I believe that in many ways, his greatest ministerial work lies ahead of him, even in retirement."
Dean Blackwell was born Oct. 12, 1931, in Longview, Texas. He graduated from Kilgore, Texas, High School in 1949. His wife graduated from Sabine, Texas, High School in 1953.
Mr. Blackwell wrote to church headquarters in 1952 during his junior year at Texas A&M after hearing the World Tomorrow broadcast.
He was baptized in 1952 and began attending Ambassador College in Pasadena in 1952.
On June 1, 1953, at the end of his first year at Ambassador, Mr. Blackwell was ordained into the ministry.
He returned home to Kilgore that summer and married Maxine Tankersley June 16, 1953, in the Redwood Building, which is now the library of Ambassador University. They started a church that summer, which met in the Redwood Building.
Since there was no salary for being the pastor, Mr. Blackwell worked in the oil fields during the day.
The Blackwells returned to Pasadena in the fall as married students.
Mr. Blackwell graduated in 1954. He was the 11th to graduate from the college since it started in 1947.
After graduation the Blackwells were sent to Eugene, Oregon, to pastor the church there and the one in Portland, Oregon.
In January 1955 Mr. Blackwell was ordained a pastor. The Salem, Oregon, church was added to his circuit in the summer of 1955.
In 1956 the Blackwells were transferred to pastor the Chicago, Illinois, and St. Louis, Missouri, churches. After six months, he started the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, church.
Mr. Blackwell said: "We'd leave at noon on Friday and get back at midnight on Saturday night, traveling 850 miles plus preaching about six hours.
"Sometimes I would take a train to St. Louis for Friday night church and then take an overnight train back to Chicago for Sabbath morning church, and then go to Milwaukee for afternoon church.
The Blackwells spent nine years in the Chicago area--from 1956 to 1965 with the exception of a semester of courses in Pasadena in the fall of 1957.
Mr. Blackwell was ordained an evangelist in 1964. In the fall of 1965 he went back to Pasadena for a semester of classes. Then in January 1966 they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where they remained for 61/2 years.
Mr. Blackwell was an instructor at Ambassador College in Big Sandy from 1972 to 1977.
From 1977 to 1979 the Blackwells pastored the Midland, Abilene and San Angelo, Texas, churches, and had seven Bible studies in West Texas, and one in Hobbs, New Mexico.
After returning to Pasadena he taught homiletics to ministerial candidates and Senior Bible at the church's Imperial Schools until 1985.
From January to Dec. 31, 1985, he conducted a Ministerial Education Program for Philippine ministers in Baguio City, because most of them were unable to attend Ambassador. Upon his return to Pasadena he again taught homiletics and Senior Bible.
Mr. Blackwell also pastored the Pasadena headquarters church for a couple of years.
When asked what he is doing now, Mr. Blackwell replied: "Studying, studying, studying." He is working on a master's degree in theology from Azusa Pacific University.
"Taking 12 hours of graduate school work is tough, tough, tough. I really love the classes and the atmosphere at Azusa Pacific."
This semester Mr. Blackwell is taking Theology II, Church History and Gospels Witness to Christ, which is taught by theologian and author Ralph Martin.
Dr. Martin, who is in his 70s, is from England, and "assigns homework as if his is the only class you're taking."
The Theology II class has a variety of students, Mr. Blackwell said: one Lutheran minister, two Korean women, a Japanese woman and young man, a minister from Ventura, California (about two hours from campus), and his assistant, who is also a lawyer, a computer guru who served as a missionary eight years in the jungles of Brazil, a Pentecostal pastor who works in southeast Los Angeles with gangs and a woman who does social work with disabled children.
"They all stated their desires to serve God wherever and in whatever way he wishes them to," Mr. Blackwell said.
"Everyone is so polite, respectful to gray hair, and the atmosphere is much like Ambassador."
When Mr. Blackwell graduates in May 1997 they will move back to East Texas.
Over the past few years he has served as a peacemaker and troubleshooter as he and his wife church sat in many congregations.
About changes in the church Mr. Blackwell said: "How nice not to be so judgmental and negative about other Christians.
"What a relief to know grace and to have the gift of righteousness and salvation from God. I still love the Sabbath and Holy Days, and they mean more than they ever did.
"Thank God for the faithful brethren who have stood behind the church with their prayers and tithes and offerings."
Dean and Maxine Blackwell have four children: Regina Ann Martz (who died in 1992 at the age of 37), Rhonda Gail Massey, Bonnie Lynn Hackman and Jeffrey Dean Blackwell; and four grandchildren: Jordan Martz, Michelle Marie Massey and Brent and Brian Dean Hackman.
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