NORTHBROOK, IL (June 24, 2013) – Visitation will be observed this evening (Monday) for Ray Dahlberg, executive director emeritus of world mission of the Evangelical Covenant Church, who died Friday evening.
Visitation will be observed from 6 to 8 p.m. at Northbrook Covenant Church, 2737 Techny Road in Northbrook, Illinois.
A memorial service will be conducted at 7 p.m. tomorrow (Tuesday) at the Northbrook church. Click here to read a previous story. More information will be published as soon as it becomes available.
My Call to Ministry – “The Dahlberg Effect”
I didn’t know Ray well but he was instrumental in my call to seminary and ministry. At the time (1982) he was the Executive Secretary of Covenant World Missions. I was working in advertising in Portland, Oregon, active in the church and sensing God’s call to go into ministry. I DIDN’T WANT TO GO!!!
Then one Sunday, some missionaries from Japan gave their mission up date at church and ended with the traditional “invitation to the mission field.” I thought they were talking right to ME. (Dang it! I DON”T WANT TO GO!) So after the worship service I went up and talked to them a little. They told me I should call Ray Dahlberg back at Covenant Headquarters in the morning.
So, Monday I called Ray and told him about my proddings.
“Well, Jeff, we really aren’t looking for any missionary pastors in Japan right now.” (Whew! Off the hook!)
“What we really need right now is someone to work at our camp over there.” (Rats! I like camp.)
“And this person would need handyman skills to do quick fix-ups when needed.” (Double Rats! I could do that.)
“And in the off-season, we need someone who can do PR and promote the camp.” (RATS! RATS! RATS! I’m an ad man. He’s talking about ME!)
That summer I was off to North Park…a necessary hurdle on my way to Japan. It turned out that I wasn’t a missionary after all (I think I heard God and all the angels laughing…”You’re not really a missionary, Jeff, but I wanted to get you inspired so you’d want to come here to seminary.”
The rest is history. 30 years of ministry…and maybe more to come.
Thanks, Ray, for playing in a part in God’s bigger picture.
Pastor Ray was the Pastor of the Mankato Evangelical Covenant Chuch when we first met as a young couple moving to Mankato. He was a wonderful Pastor and friend as was Nancy. We are saddened at his passing and extend our sympathy to Nancy and family. We know where he is and that is a wonderful promise.
Our sympathy and prayers for Nancy and family. Ray was a wonderful man of God blessed so many lives around the world. We are thankful for his encouragement as we began serving with Covenant World Mission and his wise counsel over the years. He will be missed but leaves behind a wonderful testimony of love and service.