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Missionaries Richard and Marlys Johnson Retire
ROSEMONT, IL (June 27, 2003) - Richard and Marlys Johnson are being honored at
this year's Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church after serving
26 years as missionaries in Latin America. The Johnsons officially retired
last December and reside in the Chicago area.
The Johnsons have served nearly their entire career as missionaries in
Colombia under the Department of World Mission of the Evangelical Covenant
Church (ECC), since being called for missionary service at the 1976
Covenant Annual Meeting. (Accompanying shows the Johnsons being recognized
by John Notehelfer of the Department of World Mission).
Members of the ECC of Lanyon, Iowa, the Johnsons have recently been working
with Colombian leaders to develop cell groups for church planting and
growth as well as helping with visitation, leading women's Bible studies
and training leaders. The Johnsons have spent most of their career in
Colombia with significant time spent in Medellin and Bogota. They also
spent three years in Barranquilla.
In recent years, the Johnsons started a new congregation in Cartagena that
has now grown to more than 200 under pastor Alvaro Escalon. Their work has
been integral in the spiritual development of that part of the country as
Colombia continues to struggle politically following a change in
leadership.
"During the first months of the new president's term there have been some
very strong and positive actions that are giving the people new hope," said
Richard Johnson in an interview with Covenant Communications shortly before
retiring. "Because of all the problems, people are more open to the Gospel
than ever before in the history of Colombia."
Regarding their call to missionary service, Richard and Marlys noted that
contacts with missionaries and experiences at Bible camps were among the
influences in their direction of missionary service. "God, speaking
through His Word, has been the strongest influence - to the extent that I
couldn't ignore it any longer," stated Marlys Johnson in her ministry
biography for the Department of World Mission. "When I think of people
dying without Christ, all else seems secondary."
The Johnsons have strong Covenant ties as each attended North Park
University (then College). Marlys attended Covenant Bible College-Canada
before continuing her education at North Park and Northern Illinois
University. Richard earned a Bachelor of Science from North Park in 1962
and a Master of Science from the University of Wyoming in 1969. He also
completed missionary studies at North Park Theological Seminary in 1976.
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