Honoring Forgotten Heroes
The Bert & Sharon Carpenter StoryBert and Sharon Carpenter are a happy couple, evident by the glow on their faces. Sharon shares readily with rosy a smile. Bert bestows a solemn, pondered, conversation. They both serve in a small growing church in South Jersey. She does special music and often opens in prayer. He is an usher and shares prophetically from time to time. I’m sure, it’s not their last name alone that expresses their diligence to the Lord, who was also a carpenter, [smile] but something deeper. They’ve been faithful to God, each other, church, and ministry over the years. Ironically, it’s their faithfulness to God that keeps them out of church—every third Sunday. And, whatever day—Memorial Day, Independence Day, or Veterans Day this article is being read, their story is fitting to be told. This interview was conducted, with honor, in their home. Sharon’s from Barnsboro, New Jersey. Bert is from Glassboro, another South Jersey town. He’s lived there all his life. “It’s where I was born,” said Bert. “We are still here doing God's work.” Their ministry--Honoring Forgotten Heroes. “We are a ministry that recognizes the heroes, continued Sharon. Those that are forgotten, mostly veterans. A lot of this was birthed from when our son served in the military. We saw a lot of people that didn't have families or a connection with anyone. The Lord birthed a Sunday dinner out of that. A lot of these older veterans had memories of having dinner around the table. We're trying to recreate that for them, make them feel secure, loved, and comfortable, in a loving environment. Unique Ministry Other ministries minister to vets but Sharon testifies of the uniqueness of their calling. “It’s because the Lord broke our hearts for this,” explains Sharon. “And when he breaks your heart for something, you gotta do something about it. You just can't let it go. It’s what wakes you up in the morning and puts you to bed at night. It's the thing where you know that this is your call. This is your lane. This is where God's called you to be. |
“In addition to that,” added Bert. “We both are children of military fathers. Both our fathers served in the Navy. Mine made a career out of it. Sharon's father came out of the military, went to college, and then he went into ministry. Both fields, both calls of duty, involve sacrifices, and we've had them. We both grew up in lean times. We saw the downside of life. I came through the Vietnam Era, missing it because I was still in school.
“I watched what this country did as it tore itself apart with protests. Sharon on the other side, having to travel. Again on the battlefield, living just like they were in the military, seeing the downside. It puts something into you that you just can't forget. We take that with us. Then, we watched our son go through it. We saw all his friends. We became mom and dad to them, right in this house. It just reaches down inside of you, pulls something up that you didn't realize was there. We were given an opportunity to make a difference, we took it and ran with it.
It’s a Ministry The couple referred constantly to their assignment—as ministry. And it was ministry, but outside of the four walls of the traditional church. |
“Well, it is a ministerial outreach,” says Bert. We are a support group. We provide comfort— a place for them to relax, cool down, be in a family environment. We've had them (Veterans) here for Thanksgiving dinner. We've had them stay with us during other times, including weekends. It just gives them a sense of belonging. Because one thing they don't want to do is eat in a galley or a mess hall around backward banquet tables with trays. Here, they're at a table, in a home setting, with a home-cooked meal, eating off plates, and feeling like they have somewhere to be.
“A ministry doesn't have to be within four walls,” reminded Sharon. “It has to be a one to one encounter with Jesus Christ to the person that's speaking to them. I think that unfortunately, we miss our opportunity as the body of Christ thinking that the [geographical] church has to be the only vehicle. No, we are the church and that's been spoken quite a bit lately. We are the church. We're called to go out there and go ye and teach all people. We're called to call people in. So, if we stay in the four walls, there's a lot of kids in the military that won't cross that threshold. They will not come into a church, but they will come into a home. And, that's where Jesus Christ was too.
“A ministry doesn't have to be within four walls,” reminded Sharon. “It has to be a one to one encounter with Jesus Christ to the person that's speaking to them. I think that unfortunately, we miss our opportunity as the body of Christ thinking that the [geographical] church has to be the only vehicle. No, we are the church and that's been spoken quite a bit lately. We are the church. We're called to go out there and go ye and teach all people. We're called to call people in. So, if we stay in the four walls, there's a lot of kids in the military that won't cross that threshold. They will not come into a church, but they will come into a home. And, that's where Jesus Christ was too.
“And still, it goes beyond that,” said Bert. “It really does. We've expanded to include 'first responders'. With all that's going on in the world right now with this Coronavirus, the nurses are running themselves into the ground. All of them are —the support crews, the paramedics, the EMT,'s probably the firefighters as well. Seeing the need to continue, we've expanded it out to the clergy. Towards the end of last year, when my eyes were open to it, we extended it out to missionaries—people who see the ugly side of life. We try to be there for them.
The Lady, Wife, And Mother of the House
Typically, it's a big thing for a lady to open up her house and to let strangers come in. Sharon says she’s never had any reservations.
“No, because the Lord's assured me that it's him. He’s doing it. He's going to take care of all of it. I've always had that sense of an open-door policy. Even before we were doing this ministry, our son used to bring all his friends over. He used to bring all the wayward lambs over. I was the Kool-Aid mom. So, I never knew who was going to be coming in the door. When he came in the door with his friends, I'd just determined that this is your will Lord. All we're going to do is unlock the door, make a meal, and let you do the rest. Because, you know, if it's his will, it's his bill. It's his provision. It's his peace that he gives us to be able to do this. There isn't any reservation about that. I'm not afraid of it because I know that this is what the Lord wants us to do.
The Lady, Wife, And Mother of the House
Typically, it's a big thing for a lady to open up her house and to let strangers come in. Sharon says she’s never had any reservations.
“No, because the Lord's assured me that it's him. He’s doing it. He's going to take care of all of it. I've always had that sense of an open-door policy. Even before we were doing this ministry, our son used to bring all his friends over. He used to bring all the wayward lambs over. I was the Kool-Aid mom. So, I never knew who was going to be coming in the door. When he came in the door with his friends, I'd just determined that this is your will Lord. All we're going to do is unlock the door, make a meal, and let you do the rest. Because, you know, if it's his will, it's his bill. It's his provision. It's his peace that he gives us to be able to do this. There isn't any reservation about that. I'm not afraid of it because I know that this is what the Lord wants us to do.
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Prayer Is Huge
Sharon says prayer is a big part of all this—in the preparation and also during the meetings? “It's huge,” shes says because it's him, who we seek through this process. So, we have communion the day of, which we normally have anyway. On the day of the meal, we take time to have communion and spend time with the Lord because we know this is what he wants. We also pray about the next meal, the day after the last one, because there are details that the Lord wants to do.
“The only way you're going to find that is in his presence seeking him for what the menu is supposed to be. Invariably, he'll give me an idea about a menu and that thing will go on sale. Someone will give us money for it. And that's how we know prayer is important because we want to do it his way. There's honor in doing it his way. There's organization and there's doing it this way. And, we want to do it with excellence. This is about him. We want to show him off and not ourselves.”
Sharon says prayer is a big part of all this—in the preparation and also during the meetings? “It's huge,” shes says because it's him, who we seek through this process. So, we have communion the day of, which we normally have anyway. On the day of the meal, we take time to have communion and spend time with the Lord because we know this is what he wants. We also pray about the next meal, the day after the last one, because there are details that the Lord wants to do.
“The only way you're going to find that is in his presence seeking him for what the menu is supposed to be. Invariably, he'll give me an idea about a menu and that thing will go on sale. Someone will give us money for it. And that's how we know prayer is important because we want to do it his way. There's honor in doing it his way. There's organization and there's doing it this way. And, we want to do it with excellence. This is about him. We want to show him off and not ourselves.”
There’s Help
Although both Sharon and Bert both do a lot with meal preparation and prayer, others, outside of their household, do get involved. Sharon testifies, “We'll get a phone call or a text from the food bank or from someone who says, ‘Oh, you're doing the dinner. I have food for you.’ Before this lock-down, someone said, ‘I have a ham for you, a big spiral ham, you're welcome to use it.’ So, other people know what we're doing. And then, we also have partners that contribute. We have the Marine Corps. There’s a Vietnam era vet that he and his wife have been faithfully giving for seven years now. They're born again, believers. We also have other people that have stepped up. It's not the same people every month, but there are people. There are produce stands that have donated their entire product to us when they were closing. |
“People get involved. They know situations. They present them to places like the road stand. A woman who has routinely contributed goes to this road stand. She says to them, ‘so you're closing. You should give all your food to Honoring Forgotten Heroes because they're going to use it. They'll give it out to veterans. They'll do what needs to be done with it’
“It's so exciting to see what God does. It's exciting to see that people are moved by what we do. They want to be a part of it. There's a lot of opportunities, a lot of situations, where people have stepped in and helped out. We have people that come, stay late, and clean up dishes. We have people that come early and help set up the coffee and beverage stations.
“As I said, it's not the same people every month, but people want to be a part of it. There’s a lady who makes these huge cakes. I got two huge cakes given to us to use for dessert. It would have taken up valuable oven space. Yes, a lot of people get involved.” |
Marriage And Ministry
Bert says the labor of their ministry has served to bring the couple closer together. “Not only is it a joint effort. it goes beyond,” he acknowledges. “It's a combined effort with our board, with those who are regulars on it. You choose to support and be involved. They're not all veterans or first-responders, but they have a sense of satisfaction that they are contributing. They're doing something. They know it's God's work. The word has gotten around. We're known throughout South Jersey.”
Bert says the labor of their ministry has served to bring the couple closer together. “Not only is it a joint effort. it goes beyond,” he acknowledges. “It's a combined effort with our board, with those who are regulars on it. You choose to support and be involved. They're not all veterans or first-responders, but they have a sense of satisfaction that they are contributing. They're doing something. They know it's God's work. The word has gotten around. We're known throughout South Jersey.”
“I'd say, it's helped bring us together. It caused a sense of focus and unity. Together, we're able to drive deeper into this and into God's will—as he provides new wisdom and revelation. If there's a need, it may look like it's going to be late, but it always shows, even if it's the week of the dinner. The need is always met. At times, it's a surprise, when it just comes in.
Not, “My Pillow”
Part of this ministry is the pillows—a token given to honor those whom they serve. “Well, actually that was not our doing that's the Lord's, reveals Bert. “As Sharon indicated, all we do—She makes the meal. We open the door. The Holy Spirit takes it from there. He's in the Church house. People come. They form groups. We do have a group of believers that meet. Others are prayed for by each other. They are their own support group. We even have a counselor who runs about helping those that he can—free of charge. It's what he does.”
Not, “My Pillow”
Part of this ministry is the pillows—a token given to honor those whom they serve. “Well, actually that was not our doing that's the Lord's, reveals Bert. “As Sharon indicated, all we do—She makes the meal. We open the door. The Holy Spirit takes it from there. He's in the Church house. People come. They form groups. We do have a group of believers that meet. Others are prayed for by each other. They are their own support group. We even have a counselor who runs about helping those that he can—free of charge. It's what he does.”
“It wasn't always pillows. We started with lapghans. The idea came from a dear sister out of Philly. Most of the time, she, her daughter, and grandson would travel and bring us the next month's supply. It was started with lapghans. Then, it went to scarfs. Then, it went to women's crocheted hats. Finally, it was the pillows and that's where we stayed. The pillows have been for years. And so, two more people came aboard, having seen her work, wanting to get involved. We just wait for God to direct it. If it changes to something else, then that's what it'll be. And, he'll supply that too, because we have not funded it. We have other contributors.
“The woman, who designed the pillows,” added Sharon, “will tell you that the Holy Spirit gave her the pattern. Other people that came to dinner, saw them, and said, 'Oh, these pillows are great.' The veteran's wife said to me, You know these are great. I can make these, but I just need the patterns.' So I approached the woman who made them.
“She said, ‘I don't have a pattern. The Holy Spirit gave it to me.’ Someone else had to take the pillow home and write the pattern down so that we have a copy of it. So, whoever wants to make it, we just send them an email with the pattern. It was the Holy Spirit that downloaded it. He gave her the wisdom on how to do it. It has grown.”
“The woman, who designed the pillows,” added Sharon, “will tell you that the Holy Spirit gave her the pattern. Other people that came to dinner, saw them, and said, 'Oh, these pillows are great.' The veteran's wife said to me, You know these are great. I can make these, but I just need the patterns.' So I approached the woman who made them.
“She said, ‘I don't have a pattern. The Holy Spirit gave it to me.’ Someone else had to take the pillow home and write the pattern down so that we have a copy of it. So, whoever wants to make it, we just send them an email with the pattern. It was the Holy Spirit that downloaded it. He gave her the wisdom on how to do it. It has grown.”
“The pillows are God-ordained,” said Sharon. “We see what effect it has on the veterans receiving them. It's more than just a pillow. They're prayed over. We consecrate them to the Lord so that whoever takes them home, it will be like Paul’s prayer cloth. They take them into their home. Although they won't take a Bible, they'll be reminded of the goodness. And remember, that is the goodness of God that they experienced—not ours.”
“For sure, at times, you just have to see the expression on their face”, adds Bert, “It’s when they are openly thanked. It’s when they see grateful people. At first, emotion wants to escape, and then they quickly get on top of it. They're just not used to it.”
“You see the Vietnam Vets were not thanked when they came home— far from it. And it’s for all those who have served. Less than one percent of the population of the United States serves in our military. The gratefulness of having someone to do what we are doing. And there are other—veterans, firefighters, police, EMTS, nurses, and the clergy too. It's just not something they expect to have happened for them.”
“For sure, at times, you just have to see the expression on their face”, adds Bert, “It’s when they are openly thanked. It’s when they see grateful people. At first, emotion wants to escape, and then they quickly get on top of it. They're just not used to it.”
“You see the Vietnam Vets were not thanked when they came home— far from it. And it’s for all those who have served. Less than one percent of the population of the United States serves in our military. The gratefulness of having someone to do what we are doing. And there are other—veterans, firefighters, police, EMTS, nurses, and the clergy too. It's just not something they expect to have happened for them.”
In Remembrance
“The Vietnam Era veterans,” recalls Sharon, “They went through a rough time when they got home. They were told to remove their uniforms and burn them before they got off the plane. It was because they were going to be attacked, in the airports, after coming home from a hellacious place like Vietnam. When you hand them the pillow and say, ‘thank you,’ you're saying more than just, ‘welcome home’. We just want them to know, we appreciate the sacrifice. It makes a difference to him. We have pictures of them sitting on empty recliners, where the veteran has passed in.” “We have a Vietnam Era Veteran who has his pillow, as part of his shrine, from when he served. It’s his display of everything that he did when he was in Vietnam. His widow sent me a picture, she says, ‘its really in a proud place in my home.’ We know, it's not us. It's God, that's the cool thing.” |
Impacting Story
The ministry duo had many notable stories. They shared one of great impact. Bert began. “Many years we were attending another church. It was Father’s Day. I don't remember exactly why, but I went alone. Sharon had some other commitments after church. Afterward, I went to the local diner and grabbed some lunch. It was busy. The only open space was at the counter. I placed my order. While waiting, sitting down next to me—a World War II vet and his son. They both had served. I paid for their lunch. We talked. He was a B-24 bomber pilot and copilot. He flew the Normandy Raid that helped liberate France. His son was also Air Force. This started a friendship. It kicked us into this program.”
“I never thought this would happen. I didn't even know we were to do this or that. This is what God had planned for our future. I didn't know it was coming. It was that day in the diner that was the kickoff point. A year after, he had a severe stroke that took out his right side. We visited him at the nursing home, he was in. A year and a half later, when he passed, we stood honors at his funeral, which made it all worthwhile. Every year, we still see his memory come up on Facebook. He received the first lap blanket that was made. It's still something I can't forget to this day.”
“A beautiful thing,” continued Sharon, “when we went up to see him, we were asking the Lord for the opportunity to minister to him. It turned out that he already knew the Lord as his Savior. They and his two sons were preparing for him to go home. They knew the Lord was going to be taking him soon. “What a time talking about the Lord, it was. It was great. It was and is a good memory. We use that as a vehicle to reach people.”
The ministry duo had many notable stories. They shared one of great impact. Bert began. “Many years we were attending another church. It was Father’s Day. I don't remember exactly why, but I went alone. Sharon had some other commitments after church. Afterward, I went to the local diner and grabbed some lunch. It was busy. The only open space was at the counter. I placed my order. While waiting, sitting down next to me—a World War II vet and his son. They both had served. I paid for their lunch. We talked. He was a B-24 bomber pilot and copilot. He flew the Normandy Raid that helped liberate France. His son was also Air Force. This started a friendship. It kicked us into this program.”
“I never thought this would happen. I didn't even know we were to do this or that. This is what God had planned for our future. I didn't know it was coming. It was that day in the diner that was the kickoff point. A year after, he had a severe stroke that took out his right side. We visited him at the nursing home, he was in. A year and a half later, when he passed, we stood honors at his funeral, which made it all worthwhile. Every year, we still see his memory come up on Facebook. He received the first lap blanket that was made. It's still something I can't forget to this day.”
“A beautiful thing,” continued Sharon, “when we went up to see him, we were asking the Lord for the opportunity to minister to him. It turned out that he already knew the Lord as his Savior. They and his two sons were preparing for him to go home. They knew the Lord was going to be taking him soon. “What a time talking about the Lord, it was. It was great. It was and is a good memory. We use that as a vehicle to reach people.”
A Veteran’s Story
“He was, from what we understand, a very well-loved man. He was a mailman. He used to have kids and dogs follow him because he had lollipops for the kids. He had cookies for the dogs. They all loved him.”
“His story was that he was flying to raid Normandy. They all had to have helmets in the cockpit. They couldn't see. The helmets were what they were supposed to wear. They hated wearing them because they blocked their line of vision. They couldn't see to the right, or to the left, just straight ahead. A lot of the guys would take their helmets off, sit on them, and fly--so they could see. This one day, he felt impressed by the Lord to put his helmet on. And that's when he got shot. His helmet took the blow. Some debris or a stray round had penetrated his cockpit. The helmet saved him. So, he talked about God's faithfulness. From that day on, he determined he was going to serve the Lord. And, he did. It was another good story about him. He was a great guy.
“He was, from what we understand, a very well-loved man. He was a mailman. He used to have kids and dogs follow him because he had lollipops for the kids. He had cookies for the dogs. They all loved him.”
“His story was that he was flying to raid Normandy. They all had to have helmets in the cockpit. They couldn't see. The helmets were what they were supposed to wear. They hated wearing them because they blocked their line of vision. They couldn't see to the right, or to the left, just straight ahead. A lot of the guys would take their helmets off, sit on them, and fly--so they could see. This one day, he felt impressed by the Lord to put his helmet on. And that's when he got shot. His helmet took the blow. Some debris or a stray round had penetrated his cockpit. The helmet saved him. So, he talked about God's faithfulness. From that day on, he determined he was going to serve the Lord. And, he did. It was another good story about him. He was a great guy.
Service Is On
Bert and Sharon Carpenter are genuine in their service to the Lord and others. Their assignment of honoring Heroes is not stopped by a virus or apathy. “We're here,” reminded Bert. “The house is up. We want this pandemic completed. Come see us. Come find out what we do. We love to have you every third, Sunday, every month, after three o'clock—until nine.”
Who is Jesus in Your Life?
Where Jesus stands in their life personally, Sharon shares. “Jesus is everything. He's Lord. He's my Savior. He's my provider. He fills every gap in me. He's irreplaceable. There's no one like him—no one like him.”
Bert used a military voice. “He's Commander in Chief. He's the center. He’s the focal point. He is Divine wisdom. No matter what we do, he's just always there. He does not give up on us. He's always there.”
Bert and Sharon Carpenter are genuine in their service to the Lord and others. Their assignment of honoring Heroes is not stopped by a virus or apathy. “We're here,” reminded Bert. “The house is up. We want this pandemic completed. Come see us. Come find out what we do. We love to have you every third, Sunday, every month, after three o'clock—until nine.”
Who is Jesus in Your Life?
Where Jesus stands in their life personally, Sharon shares. “Jesus is everything. He's Lord. He's my Savior. He's my provider. He fills every gap in me. He's irreplaceable. There's no one like him—no one like him.”
Bert used a military voice. “He's Commander in Chief. He's the center. He’s the focal point. He is Divine wisdom. No matter what we do, he's just always there. He does not give up on us. He's always there.”