Matt Luneau Writes of Moving Events in The Enosburg Community!
It seems that the people who are experiencing what is happening in the Swanton-Enosburg, Vermont, area, are having a difficult time putting it into words. It is something unique... something that just does not happen anymore in America. A high school is a dark place, a habitat for demons. Many teachers are godless and teach evolution religiously. It is forbidden to bring anything about God into school. Laws have been raised to prevent that. Many young people are given over to their pleasures, do not attend church, and have no time for God. But now this small high school has been confronted with the reality of death. The boy who died was a star basketball player and very well-liked by students and teachers. He came to Christ only a few months ago, but he had no inhibitions about sharing his new-found faith. Through his death, it would seem, the school has responded to this boy´s faith and wants to show their support for it. And it is not contained within the walls of the school; the whole community seems moved.
The following website is the Sunday morning service at our son Dan's church. Many of the friends, including most of the team mates, and families, who wouldn’t normally come to church, were present at the service and the coach spoke very directly to them. He called to them one by one in the meeting and begged them to turn to God. Then Daniel preached on “Life is a Vapor; Teach Us to Number Our Days”. At the close of the service they sang the basketball team’s theme song, “Victory in Jesus”. If you have a chance, listen to it. The story is being shared all around the state of Vermont, I'm sure it's in answer to many prayers for that area. Hope you like it.
Matt writes more:
Today was the first day back to school for the students since Brandon had passed away. I just wanted to share a few of the highlights in seeing God work in an awesome way.
I first wanted to tell you that a few weeks ago, Brandon wanted to start “Wednesday Worship”, where students would wear the Believe in Jesus T Shirts in school on Wednesdays. So he shared this idea with me, while he was wearing his orange Jesus T-shirt in school. I told him that the idea was great, but he was going to have to be the guy who recruits people for the T-shirts and I would supply the T-shirts. So one day he comes to me with excitement "Coach, the Cook twins said they would wear the Jesus T-shirts."
This morning I walked into one of the Physical Education classes and I saw the Cook twins, Selena and Charity. I asked Miss Mullen if I could talk to the Cooks, and they heard me ask her, and said "We actually want to talk to you." Now I don't know Selena or Charity very well, as I only talked to them once before, but I know they loved Brandon. So I brought the girls into my office, and I reached in a bag, and I said "These Jesus T-shirts are from Brandon." They instantly started sobbing, and, of course, I had to join in. They eventually told me that Brandon was so excited, when they agreed they would wear the Jesus T-shirts. Then we shared for a while. There was a third girl, Kellen, that joined in and now they wanted to ask me the question – this is what they wanted to talk to me about: "Was Brandon saved?" I said "Of course Brandon is saved," and the three of them instantly started sobbing again. They were just overjoyed to know that Brandon was saved. I then told them how Brandon accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior in our kitchen. They were crying and said "We talked to Brandon about Jesus for four years and prayed for him." They were so thankful to hear he was saved, and so thankful that we talked to him. I told them I was so thankful that they planted so many seeds, and prayed for him. Praise The Lord!!
The other God-work from today that I will tell about is that Brandon's dad, Bill, called me at school. He asked me to speak about Brandon at the funeral.
Tonight we had a candlelight vigil, and after the vigil we packed the auditorium with about 500 people. I got to talk to all these people about the love that Brandon had. God gave me the words, and strengthened me, because I didn't even cry during the whole talk. I love Jesus Christ more than ever. I am closer to Him than ever. I am more thankful to Him than ever. I am in love with Jesus Christ.
Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day, Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. Psalm 96:2-3
Matt continues:
Throughout this week I hear from people throughout the Enosburg Community tell how they listened to the service last Sunday on-line on the Swanton Christian Church website. The service was dedicated to Brandon Gleason’s memory. It has just been amazing how many people come to me and say they have been changed or their eyes have been opened because of that service. That service has been listened to almost 500 times since Sunday - just amazing the numbers, but more importantly, God has used this service on-line from Swanton to move the hearts of the people in the Enosburg area. It is because of the love and favor that God gave Brandon Gleason to share with others.
Tuesday, I got an email from Zach Lundborg saying, “Remember tomorrow is “Worship Wednesday” (People wear the Jesus t-shirts to school on Wednesdays. It was an idea that Brandon Gleason started just a few weeks ago.) But I thought the Worship Wednesday was done, because Brandon was the one who wanted it. By the end of the day, there were about 300 students wearing Jesus t-shirts around school - one of the most amazing things I have ever witnessed. You could see the students wearing them with joy and in unity. It was just a dream-like scene. The way that people were talking yesterday, it seemed they knew that they were witnessing something very, very special.
Today there was another huge answered prayer, and that is that our point guard, Wyatt Larose, accepted Jesus Christ in our living room as his personal Lord and Savior. Praise The Lord! I just think of all the times that we have prayed for him. I told him that at prayer group we often pray for him, and that Ilze and I often pray for him. Answered prayer, and the grace of God!! It is especially exciting, when somebody accepts Jesus Christ, if you have a relationship and you love and care for that person.
For He is able to exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. Ephesians 3:20
Again, this is an email from Matt about the funeral:
This past basketball season, our basketball team sang at three different churches. I, and a lot of people, thought that was really something special that this team from a public school would be singing at these churches. Each time we sang, we sang with 3 to 5 players from the team. We had two players that never sang with us. A week ago I thought we would never sing again (because Brandon died, and he was the most excited about sharing his faith). Well, yesterday at the funeral all eight players on the team sang for the first time, including "Twinkie" ,who was carried in on a stretcher. We sang Victory In Jesus. Except now, not only was the whole team singing, but they were singing in a public school, in front of 1,500 people... practically the whole student body and many staff members. The student body also got to hear the message of salvation.
Yesterday (Saturday), before the funeral, a student name Gage, who is on the very rough and tough side, came down from the bleachers and said he wanted to go to church with me today. We went to church today, and I gave him the message of salvation, and really spent time making it clear. Then finished with 2 Corinthians 5:15 "Jesus Christ died for all and all who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again." I asked Gage if he wanted to live for Jesus or for himself. He said he wanted to live for Jesus as his Lord and Savior. We then went right in the church, and Pastor Dan prayed for him up front. At 5 pm tonight, Gage called me up, and said his friend Jake wanted to give his life to Jesus Christ.
Also today there was a great article on Brandon Gleason, and in the article, the reporter talked about the team singing "Victory In Jesus", and how Brandon had given his life to the Lord. He did a good and bold job. Most writers are afraid of putting in an article with anything about Jesus. The writer's name is Matt Ryan and his contact info is 802 651 4849, mryan@burlingtonfreepress.com (this is probably the biggest newspaper in the state, in the city of Burlington). Feel free to contact him to encourage him, and let him know that we appreciate his boldness in his article.
'' Will You not revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your mercy, LORD, and grant us Your salvation. I will hear what God the LORD will speak, For He will speak peace To His people and to His saints; But let them not turn back to folly. Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, That glory may dwell in our land. ''
Psalm 85:6-9
An ambulance crew wheeled 17-year-old David Paron into the gym on a stretcher and set him beside the casket of his friend and teammate, Brandon Gleason.
“We gather here to celebrate the extraordinary life of Brandon Gleason,” said Lyle Willey, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Richford. “Although he is not with us, “Although he is not with us, his spirit is very much alive today in Christ.”
Basketball Coach Matt Luneau led Gleason’s teammates in singing “Victory in Jesus.” (ALL THE WORDS WERE PORTRAYED ON A BIG SCREEN IN FRONT OF THE AUDITORIUM)
Luneau told the audience how one time, over dinner, he asked Gleason whether he thought he was destined for heaven and hell. Gleason said he didn’t know. Luneau told him to give his heart to the Lord. “I know he gave his heart to the Lord,” Luneau said.
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