Life Lessons, is a 2019 project highlighting the life and times of Wisconsin Seventh-day Adventist Church members who are 90 years of age or older, and still actively serving and loving Jesus.
Medical Practice
Dr. Earl Peters, aged 94, has been a life-long Seventh-day Adventist. He attended Emmanuel Missionary College and received his doctorate from Loma Linda University. After practicing Family Medicine in Muscatine Iowa and Janesville, Wisconsin, he and his wife, Betty, (Kuhl) settled in Green Bay, where he practiced Emergency Medicine till his retirement.
Over the years, when he was not busy with the demands of a medical practice, making house calls, performing surgery and delivering babies, he was at church. Whether it was being Sabbath School superintendent, doing service projects, ingathering or teaching Stop Smoking Clinics, he was involved.
He attributes his long life to keeping physically active with gardening, service for the Lord and his vegan diet.
Prison Ministry Bible Correspondence School
One day in 1996, he happened upon an advertisement, in one of the Adventist journals, encouraging readers to start a chapter of the New Discovery Bible School, in their home churches. That was the beginning of what continues to be, a thriving prison ministry correspondence Bible school. It has grown to approximately 600 students with 30 volunteer teachers.
Inspirational Guidance
In the blank pages of his Bible are quotes that have guided his life. “Those who thus devote themselves to unselfish effort for the good of others are most surely working out their own salvation.” Steps To Christ, 80. Also in Ecclesiastes 9:10, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might…” sums up the many hours of daily time that Earl spent processing prisoner Bible Studies for the last 20+ years.
It is his hope that everyone would realize, “There is no limit to the usefulness of the one who, putting self aside, makes room for the working of the Holy Spirit upon his heart, and lives a life wholly consecrated to God.” Christian Service 254.
Jill (Peters) Maquera, Green Bay Seventh-day Adventist Church