new church life: november/december 2015
husband, my son, my granddaughter, and other friends and relatives who have
left this natural world are still a part of who I am. This is not a true separation
because memories and relationships continue. If I had never known or loved
these people I would not be the person I am today. Loving them and being
loved by them has shaped me. Bodies die but love does not.”
Donnette’s daughter Lisa did the layout and cover for the booklet. Donnette
had the first batch printed at her own expense to be given free to people as a
pay-it-forward gesture. It is now available at Amazon.com and from the Bryn
Athyn Cathedral Book Room – www.newchurchbooks.com.
the rev. robert h. p. cole
The Rev. Bob Cole passed on to the spiritual world on October 9 at age 81. He
was born December 10, 1933, the fourth child of Robert McFarland Cole and
Wertha Pendleton Cole. He had two older brothers, William and Dandridge,
and a sister, Aubrey.
He was educated from kindergarten in the Bryn Athyn Church School
through four years in the Academy Boys School and one year in the Academy
College, before completing his undergraduate degree at Penn State. It was
there that he met his future wife, Janet Boone – a student at Temple University
– on a blind date. They were married in 1959 and had three children – Sherry,
Charlie and Meredith.
After Penn State Bob attended law school at Temple University but soon
turned to his driving passion – the ministry. He attended Theological School
f rom 1960 to 1963 with classmates Kurt Nemitz and Larry Soneson.
Once ordained he became the resident pastor of the Denver Circle in
Colorado and a visiting minister through the American Southwest. He also
served in Glenview, Illinois, and the Sharon Church in Chicago.
In his memorial address the Rev. Eric Carswell noted: “What Bob really
loved were opportunities to share his love of the truths of the New Church.
He did get a chance to officiate a baptism or a wedding every so often. He
was willing to travel to serve small congregations whenever his services were
needed.” Indeed, he was a “visiting minister” to patients and shut-ins right up
to the end of his life.
“Those of us who have known Bob,” Eric reflected, “recognize how deeply
he cared about the New Church, its doctrine and its history. He was ever ready
to share some fact or event in the wealth of his knowledge on these subjects
and at times perhaps share more than some of his listeners expected. Given
how much delight Bob took in the celebration of Charter Day, it is perhaps
fitting that it was on the eve of this event that his natural life came to a close.”
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