It has been my privilege to have known Sister
Jean since 1965. She is a graduate of Zion Bible Institute, where she was a fellow
student of Joseph and Marjory Crandall, David and Lorraine Minor, and Benjamin and Jean Crandall, Melvin Hooper, and others. All of these blessed servants of the Lord were privileged to study at Zion, during
the Presidency of: Mother Christine A. Gibson, who was perhaps one of the most noble and exemplary Pentecostal leaders of
modern time.
Sister Jean served as pianist and soloist
for Pastor, David Minor, during his Pastorate at Hicksville, Long Island, NY. Jean,
and Al Lent were married there and continued to serve in various branches of ministry on Long Island, and raise their four
darling children there until moving to Coudersport, Pennsylvania, in 1969; where they became part of the great Revival that
was bursting upon the Gospel Assembly Church, Pastored by David Minor, Sr.
Mother Minnie Kemerey (Sister Jean’s
Mom) was one of the most faithful intercessors and missionaries known within Independent Pentecostal circles, from the 1940’s
until her home-going in 1994, at age 88. Mother Kemerey served as a missionary
in Tunis, North Africa, for 23 years with great success among the Arab people. She
went to that field with nothing but a Divine leading of the Lord and the “Go Ye” of Matthew 28:19. It was necessary for her to learn the language and the customs of the people, through the “school
of hard knocks.” She had no formal missionary training, but as is oft’
the case, one may learn life-long lessons, with Christ, in the “School of Prayer.”
Indeed, the “School of Prayer” was Mother Kemerey’s place of training; a place with which she was
very well acquainted for most of her life!
After serving faithfully in Tunis, for 23
years, our Lord again spoke to her with words of commission and direction, sending her to Israel; where for 17 years, she
Pastored, and had the oversight of ministries in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Jericho, and Nablus.
These were glorious and wonderful years in the service of the King! Glorious? Yes! Without trial? Of course not!
Many have wondered how this sweet natured
plump little grandmother could be brave enough to minister openly (mainly to Arabs and Palestinians, most of whom were dedicated
Muslims) in very dangerous regions. Her direct answer to this was: “Well,
we have a commission, and the Lord has promised to give us souls for our labor. What
more do we need?” Of course, not all the “ministry” was necessarily
“open,” due to persecution, aimed at herself and her workers, as well as unto those who had come to believe. Her life was in danger many times, and threats were made against her, but she
set her face like a flint. Many strong and anointed men were fearful, and shrank
back from helping her, unwilling to venture into the areas where she travelled and ministered.
It was just after the Yom Kippur War that
Sister Jean received word from the Lord to stand with her mother, who was by then very advanced in years, and experiencing
increasing difficulties with her health. Yet, Mother Kemerey had absolutely
no intention of slowing down, much less retiring!
Jean had been able to come and go at times,
through the years, to be of help and assistance to her dear mother, but now the time had come for her to go on a more permanent
basis. There was great concern considering that only recently, bullets had been
fired straight though Mother Kemerey’s apartment, from front to back, barely missing her in the process. Sister Jean was a tremendous help and strength to the ministry there, and had a great influence over many
of the International Christian workers involved in, and out from Jerusalem. Jean
also was granted the privilege to minster to the blind Arab girls. Many accepted
Christ as their Savior as a result of this ministry. She remained on the front
lines of service with her dear mother, until Mom Kemerey suffered a bad fall, resulting in a broken hip, in the early 1990’s,
which necessitated a return to America.
We were privileged with visits by our dear
Sister in the past three years, when she ministered under a precious anointing at Brother Warren’s Pastorate at Attica
Center, NY, and more recently, when she visited us at New Haven. We are very,
very thankful for her great concern, love, and benevolence, with prayer and intercessions for us personally, and also for
this ministry. Sister Jean, we love you, thank you, and bless you, most sincerely,
in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!
Dear hearts, we ask you to remember to pray
for dear Sister Jean and for all her family. Jean now resides with her youngest daughter, and son-in-law, and their
family, near Chicago, Illinois. She is still active in church work, with her main ministry being that of intercession.
Not to be left unmentioned is her well preserved
ability to minister vocally and musically. This became very evident during her
visit here, and also when she was at Attica Center. She has not lost one iota
of her special anointing to sing, and play the piano. She ministered at both locations unto our spirits, to an extent
that is rarely seen today, in this modern age of compromise and mixture! Her songs literally melt the heart, and bring
one to tears, as they bring the presence of the Lord and His anointing so very near!
Sister Jean has battled physical problems for a
number of years and has been especially of late, troubled with vertigo, which makes it difficult for her to walk unassisted,
for any significant distance. Beloved, let us believe God in the behalf of our dear sister. Amen!
