Dear Friends,  

The RENEW Network’s comrade and consultant, Diane Knippers, went to be with the Lord just before 2:00 p.m. on Monday, April 18, 2005 .  Our hearts are grieved with the loss that is ours, and our prayers of compassion go forth for the family and all who loved her.  The RENEW Network would never have achieved what it has without Diane Knippers.  Her brilliant expertise was always available to us and her love for Christ’s Church inspired us.  She was a true friend.  Diane expressed many times that RENEW meant a great deal to her personally.  She rarely missed our retreats—and we were blessed by her presence.   

Diane is with the Lord she always wanted to glorify.  She is now a part of that “great cloud of witnesses” glorifying God and encouraging us to faithful perseverance.  We praise God for the life of Diane Knippers and commend her to God’s precious love.  

Faye Short
President
RENEW Network
 

Our dear friend and colleague in renewal, Diane Knippers, died this afternoon a little before 2 p.m.  She had been failing for the last several weeks and was in the midst of chemo treatments, but had weakened enough that they could not continue them.  Late this morning her kidneys began to shut down and several planned procedures were canceled.  Her husband, Ed, was with her, as well as her Mother and Father, Vera and Clancey LeMasters, and her brother Doug.  

Diane was a giant among those in renewal ministry. How we will miss her and her clear, mature voice. Many of you would not be aware that Diane was on the staff here at Good News  from 1975-1982.   In 1981, when I came to be Executive Secretary, she helped me get settled in for that first year, helped me learn to write, and was such a wonderful help in so many ways.  After a year, she and her husband, Ed, moved to Washington , D.C. He is a Christian artist and wanted to pursue his career there in the nation’s capitol.  So, Diane has been a long-time friend and has remained close to the work of Good News and our RENEW Network, under the leadership of Faye Short in Georgia .  She was United Methodist for many years, having been reared in a home in which her father was a UM clergyman.  Some 15 or so years ago, she became Episcopalian, and was a member and a leader at Truro Episcopal Church in Arlington , VA. She also served on the board of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) for a number of years.  She was so widely respected across many different communions of Christ’s Church.  I know we rejoice and give thanks to the Father for her faithful and fruitful life.

Dr. James V. Heidinger, II
President
Good News