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February 8, 2013
Pastor eases grip on pulpit after 53 years Support for injured teen tops $40,000
By Garth Snow gsnow@kpcnews.net
Ben Keckler Jr. can’t be certain about how many couples he has married during his 53 years as pastor at Parkwood Church of God. Keckler still says he never agreed to move from Pennsylvania to build a church in a Trier Road corn field. But he’s sure of what he wants people to remember when he’s no longer around to help his son in the pulpit. That time will come “sooner than we think,” says the 85-year-old father of three. And when it does, he hopes his congregation will continue to bond with the community. “Well I just trust that they can be filled with the spirit and give guidance to all people,” he said as the church opened its doors for a public dinner on a recent Wednesday evening. “This is the thing. When we separate ourselves we lose out on the fellowship, the church and the public as well,” he said. “There’s just oodles of people that will be in church on Sunday. We have 85, 90. I feel that our job is to minister to them, and then
Online auction to help Noah Barbnecht By Garth Snow gsnow@kpcnews.net
Since early January, copastor Jim Keckler has taken primary responsibility for the Sunday service. “The voice is weak,” the elder Keckler said. “I help as much as I can.” Jim Keckler said he has received good, hands-on advice from his pastor father. “I’ve had years of watching him in action,” he said. “There are things that I’d like to change, but there are also some things
Businesses have donated $40,000 in merchandise for a fundraiser for an injured Fort Wayne freshman. Ticket sales have closed, but bidders can access the online registry for a silent auction until the night of the Feb. 9 benefit. “You don’t have to be at Courtesy photo the benefit to help,” said Noah Barbnecht Stephanie McCullough, who spearheaded the benefit that brought the outpouring of support. She said businesses in many corners of Fort Wayne contributed. After 15-year-old Noah Barbnecht was injured in a Christmas Eve skiing accident, McCullough and the Northrop Bruin Backers stepped forward to help the football player and his family. Plans for the benefit continued as Noah’s family moved him to Shepherd Center, an Atlanta hospital that specializes in treatment of spinal cord injuries. Noah continued his treatment at that Georgia facility last week. Barbnecht was injured at Mount Snow, near West Dover, in southern Vermont. According to fundraiser organizers, he suffered a spinal injury that has left him paralyzed from the breastbone down. He also had a broken neck, broken ribs, facial fractures and other injuries. McCullough said boosters immediately recognized the need to support the family financially and to support Barbnecht’s spirits. “We’ve been scrambling like crazy since a couple days after Christmas,” said McCullough, who is the event chairperson. “I thought this family needs
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Photo by Garth Snow
Jim Keckler, left, and Ben Keckler Jr. are now co-pastors of Parkwood Church of God. The elder Keckler scaled back his time in the pulpit beginning in January. they minister to others.” Keckler took the Parkwood pulpit each Sunday for more than half a century. Sons Jim and Ben III sometimes took part. “He wasn’t always here,” Jim Keckler said. “But when he wasn’t here I would fill the pulpit or my brother would fill the pulpit.” Just once, 45-year member Butch Kinnison delivered the message. “I can only remember two times there wasn’t a Keckler in the pulpit
here,” Kinnison said. The elder pastor said Kinnison contributes weekly. “He does the call to worship and the opening prayer,” the pastor said. Many people share that ministry, said Kinnison. “I do it whenever I get volunteered,” he added. “I’ve never seen anything come out of that pulpit that was not biblical,” Kinnison said. “Never has that been used for advancing another agenda.”
‘Fiddler on the Roof’ at Concordia teams veteran director with cast of 60 By Garth Snow
‘Fiddler on the Roof’ Saturday, Feb. 23, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24, 2 p.m. Concordia Lutheran High School, 1601 St. Joe River Drive, Fort Wayne $5 for adults, $4 for students in high school or younger For details or tickets, call 483-1102 State Park at an outdoor theater in southern Indiana. We definitely had the right students available to do this show, which is a large reason why I picked it to do again this year.” “We have a cast of 60, including adults and grade school children. We also have a live orchestra and a crew of about 10
students,” Murphy wrote. “I absolutely love working with all the people involved in this show!” In a news release, Concordia described the play as rich in historical and ethnic detail. The release said the play has touched audiences worldwide with its humor, warmth and honesty. “The
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Chris Murphy will direct a Concordia Lutheran High School cast of 60 in “Fiddler on the Roof.” The artistic director of drama at the Fort Wayne school said the theme of family is central to the play. “I love the show — I love the message and the family element. I love the ‘Traditions,’ ” Murphy wrote in an email. “This is the second time I have directed ‘Fiddler.’ The first time was 10 years ago,” Murphy wrote. “I first saw it as a child, but saw it again at Lincoln
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universal theme of tradition cuts across barriers of race, class, nationality and religion, leaving audiences crying tears of laughter, joy and sadness,” the school’s news release said. Murphy teaches eighth grade at Emmanuel-St. Michael Lutheran School in Fort Wayne. Outside of school hours, he directs two or three shows at Concordia each school year. “I spend the better part of two months at the high school for each show I direct,” he wrote. Murphy is in his 28th year of teaching, his 12th year as director of drama at Concordia. He graduated from Concordia High School and earned his bachelor’s degree from Concordia College in River Forest, Ill. Murphy earned his master’s from Indiana University. In addition to being in plays in high school and college, he has appeared in productions at First Presbyterian Theater in Fort Wayne.
Photo by Garth Snow
Athletes from the North Side High School basketball team help unload a truck at the clothing bank’s new location at the school complex on Catalpa Street.
Clothing bank moves; athletes get an assist By Garth Snow gsnow@kpcnews.net
Athletes from two high schools turned out to help move the Fort Wayne Community Schools Clothing Bank to its new home. Clothing bank manager Nikki Burns said the bank witnessed a dramatic increase in service during the first few months of the school year. According to a news release, the clothing bank served more than 800 students through mid-
January. “We’re just kind of bustin’ at the seams here,” Burns said as she packed up boxes at Memorial Baptist Church, 2900 N. Anthony Blvd. “They’ve been good to us,” Burns said of the church. “We’re thankful. They’ve housed us for 15 years now.” By day’s end, two box trucks delivered the remaining inventory to the school complex on Catalpa Street, just south of See CLOTHING, Page A4