Member Profile: Dottie Seifert

Dottie Seifert grew up in a small Ohio town, and was very involved in the Presbyterian church. She even played piano for services and youth choir when she was in grade school! "From the time I can remember, I wanted to be a missionary," she said.

She married young and "grew up being a housewife and mother."

A Calling Full of Surprises

In 1967 she remembers her dad telling her about a religious program with no prayers or organ music, and she was intrigued.

"I still clearly remember asking, 'Do you suppose they are preparing for the second coming as John the Baptist did the first?'" From then on she and her husband, Dave (who died in May 2006), began listening to The World Tomorrow broadcast and ordering all the literature that was advertised.

"We worked diligently on the correspondence course, and when we got to the lesson on baptism, Dave decided he wanted to be baptized, but I wanted to see what we were getting into, since I felt it could mean our lives. So, since we knew of no minister in the area, in 1968 we headed out to Pasadena, camping in our Apache trailer.

"We found out that without counsel Dave could not be baptized nor could we attend services, but we were excited to find there was a church in Columbus, Ohio. We were so impressed that we came back through Big Sandy."

When they arrived home, they wrote to ask for a visit from a minister, and "waited and waited and waited. Finally, in 1969 we were invited to services.

"I remember our daughter, Debbie, asking, 'Is there anyone in this town that believes like we do?' To our boys John and Mike's surprise, they found a classmate at the door greeting them at our first service."

A Life of Service

Since the ministers had seen her piano on their visits, Dottie almost immediately began playing for services and has continued for the 38 years since.

She has also contributed her musical talents at the Feast and to the UCG hymnals, which have included two hymns she composed.

"Uppermost in my mind has been the question I asked my dad 40 years ago, so preparing the way [for Christ's return] has been a top priority in my life. When the home office moved to Cincinnati, Dave and I loved being able to be involved in the work. Since Dave died a year ago May, it is still uppermost in my mind. I love to go to the office and be involved, especially in the GN mailings and ABC."

Looking over the years, Dottie Seifert realizes that her early dream has come true. "I truly have become a missionary, an ambassador for Christ."

Words of Appreciation

Linda Stiver, wife of Randy Stiver, pastor of the Columbus and Cambridge, Ohio, congregations, said: "We first met Dottie Seifert at a Feast in Bend, Oregon, several years ago. Now that we are serving in the Columbus and Cambridge congregations, we have had the opportunity to get to know her even better.

"What a joy to work with such a positive, multitalented individual, always serving wherever needed from locally to the home office. It seems Dottie doesn't need sleep—she's so energetic for God's work. And she's a family lady too—she always keeps tabs on her extended Church and personal family." UN

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