In Memory of Jon Karner
Post details: Remembering the Life and Work of Jon Karner
Please let the family and friends know you visited by posting a Comment or Reflection about Jon below (at the bottom of either section, click "comments").Remembering the Life and Work of Jon Karner
Our beloved friend, Jon Frederick Karner, died on Pentecost Sunday, May 27, 2007, at the age of 62 in Princeton, Minnesota from stomach cancer. Jon was born in Hiiumaa, Estonia on February 13, 1945 to Frederick and Marie as Jaanus Frederick Kärner. An accomplished mechanical engineer by education, his Christian convictions ran him afoul of the communist authorities who obstructed his academic and professional pursuits, prevented him from completing his master’s degree and assigned him menial jobs. Jon turned these circumstances meant to demean Christians into opportunities to hone his considerable skills and to become a highly effective national leader of the Christian underground in the former Soviet Union.
Jon’s accomplishments are legion. He was an active preacher and teacher as well as leader of youth and music in The Tallinn Methodist Church. He was ordained a deacon in The United Methodist Church in Estonia in 1979. In 1968 he founded Sela, the first Estonian gospel music group to use electronic instruments. Jon and the members of Sela formed a close working relationship over many years with the international Gospel music missions ministry Living Sound. Sela is still active today. Jon was repressed because of this work; some involved were even imprisoned by the Soviet state secret police, the KGB. He also assisted many international Christian ministries with their missions in the Soviet Union. Much of this story has yet to be told. He also became the main liaison between many international Christian ministries and their missions in the Soviet Union. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Jon assisted numerous Christian ministries to establish their fledgling efforts in Russia and the Baltic States – and all this in addition to his Estonian Living Bible translation work, study at Fuller Theological Seminary and his involvement with Vineyard Missions. In 2006 Jon was named Estonian Gospel Music's "Man of the Year" for his lifetime of achievements.
Jon is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, his sons David of Huntington Beach, California and Steven of Redondo Beach, California, and stepson, Bret Ittel of St. Francis, Minnesota. Jon is also survived by his sisters Wilma and Maimo of Tallinn, Estonia. He is preceded in death by his father, Frederick, his mother, Marie, his sisters Eve, Ellen, Silia, Mari and his first wife, Anne.
A viewing and special memorial service will be held on Friday, June 1, 2007 from 5:00-8:00PM at the Jubilee Worship Center, Pastor Mark Johnson, 3125 County Road 74, St. Cloud, Minnesota 56301, (320) 202-0540. Friends and loved ones will be invited to share their memories of Jon from 7:00-8:00 PM at the Friday service. The Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, June 2, 2007 at 12:00 NOON also at Jubilee Worship Center. The church will open on Saturday starting at 11:00 AM to pay final respects and for remembrance and prayer. A luncheon will be served at the church followed by a burial service in Milaca, Minnesota.
Donations for the family's expenses can be sent to: The Jon Karner Memorial Fund, c/o Glenn Martell, Esq., gm112@yahoo.com, P.O. Box 120703, St. Paul, MN 55112-0022, (612) 235-4617. Elizabeth Karner's email address is ebkarner@leader.com. David Karner's email address is davidkarner@gmail.com and Steven Karner's email address is stevekarner@aol.com. You are invited to share your reflections about Jon’s life, ministry and witness online at http://www.leaderdialog.com/blogs/jonkarner. Now that Jon is no longer with us on this side of the “great cloud of witnesses”, let us whom he loved, and who loved him, memorialize his life’s story of courage, faith and humility for the benefit of future generations.
"I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die." (John 11:25-26)
Click here for a PDF version of Jon's obituary.
Jon was intending to get more involved with new communications technologies that we will use to broadcast both the Friday evening (7-8PM CST) and the Saturday Memorial Service (11:45AM-1:30PM) CST. It will be possible for up to 60 people to dial in to this number in the USA: (419) 739-6005, then enter this 9-digit PIN#: 011 811 933 and listen to the service from your phone. Click here for further instructions. There is no charge other than whatever your normal charges are to call this number in the USA. We suggest for friends and family in Estonia that you "Skype-out" to this telephone number. If you get a busy signal, that means the bridge connection is full. Not to worry, we will also endeavor to record the services and post them on this site afterwards. As we all know, Jon relished using modern technologies to share Christ's message. He was thinking about how he could promote these capabilities. Little did any of us know that his funeral service would be the beginning. But then again, that is somehow fitting for this Renaissance Man.
This website is being established in honor of Jon, whom we knew as Jaanus when we worked with him in Estonia. We hope that this blog will help Jon fulfill a goal that life's cares prevented him from completing, and that is memorializing his life story - a life of faith lived in the face of tyranny, a life of love and compassion and courage.
All who knew Jon knew that he was a man on a mission. He somehow felt it his duty to tell his story for the benefit of future generations, a story that we all wanted to hear, especially those of us who were honored to have played a part in it.
Alas, it falls upon us, Jon's friends near and far, to tell that story. And perhaps it is fitting that this story should be told by those whom he knew and loved. His life and ministry in the former Soviet Union was many-faceted. It was not safe for him to tell us everything when he lived in Estonia before the fall of the Soviet Union. This blog will be an attempt to connect the dots, the people, and the circumstances that made Jon's life so unique.
Please tell your stories here. Make them as long as you like, and please include specifics like dates and locations if you can remember them. If you have a video, picture or document, just email the file to me, Mike McKibben -- mmckibben@leader.com, or to my wife, Nancy -- nmckibben@leader.com and we will add it to your post. You can relate anecdotes, share memories, and describe situations. For those of you who don't know Nancy and me, we worked closely with Jon during the late 1970's and early 80's on various ministry projects as a part of the Gospel Music missions organization, Living Sound.
It is curious to think that our children know about the struggle in Eastern Europe only through their history books. We are certainly happy that tensions have eased, but we think that it is important to remember brave men like Jon who risked their careers, their reputations, and their lives in the service of Jesus Christ. Please help us write Jon's history.
Comments:
Witnessing the impact of this humble man and the sacrifices he and his family made for the Gospel are among the most formative spiritual experiences of my life. I and my family owe he and his family an eternal debt of gratitude.
One sweet memory was when we met at Jaanus' home in Estonia for fellowship with Living Sound Team Four and some of the youth of the Methodist church where Jaanus worshiped (summer of 1980). After reading the scripture that commands us to be thankful and to eat whatever is set before us, they served us the smoked (raw?) herring. No doubt a delicacy for them and a generous offer of hospitality in such desperate economic conditions, but most of us in Team Four almost gaged! They all had a great laugh at our expense. They needed something to laugh about and we were happy to provide it!
I remember Jaanus leading us to Kiev where we dropped off illegal printing press components and played at the Baptist church. The KGB were fully represented in the audience, recording and photographing everything and the militia were at all the doors and blocking our bus with a police paddy wagon. As American citizens we were relatively safe, but Jaanus risked it all! It was just one of many times I saw Jaanus put it all on the line for Christ.
May Jaanus' family know that we love and honor them for their love and sacrifices for Christ. May we long for that day of eternal sabbath with Jaanus and all the saints in heaven in the presence of our blessed Savior.
05/29/07 @ 09:26 Thanks so much for that reflection. I hope we hear a lot more about that Kievan experience. I believe it also included dropping off a full complement of recording studio equipment. Jon and I talked about that dangerous episode just a few months back. Apparently from what Jon said, the situation was much more threatening to them than we realized. Both during the incident, and on their return to Tallinn. The others from Tallinn involved included Ulle, Tanu, Herbert (?), who else?
Also, if any reader has email addresses of Jon's friends in Europe, will you kindly forward this blog URL to them so that they can contribute their reflections? Here is the URL address to cut and paste into your message to them:
http://www.leaderdialog.com/blogs/jonkarner
God bless,
--Mike
05/29/07 @ 09:40 You are right, we did leave recording equipment there too, but we also made some drops of some equipment in Leningrad as well, as I recall. I can not remember any others in particular in addition to the ones you mentioned. Different folks would appear at different locations, virtually all of them from Estonia, to help translate, etc.
You may know that when they relocated to California, Sandy and I helped the Karners with the connections we had through Sandy's father with TBN etc.
Gary
Gary
05/29/07 @ 09:54 Jim Gilbert was filling me in yesterday about Jon's days in the USA. I did not know about that. Jim shared that Jon met Elizabeth at TBN. I have seen him on TV a few times over the years, translating for various people. Can you share more? A lot of us are unaware of all that Jon and Anne, and later Elizabeth did after they moved to the USA.
Also, do you keep in touch with David and Steven? What are they doing? David and Steven were just bright-eyed little boys when I was working with Jon and Anne during the Soviet days.
God bless,
--Mike
05/29/07 @ 09:59 I remember Jaanus as an active youth leader of the Tallinn Methodist Church when I joined the congregation in 1965. He was a skilled musician and preacher. The first Estonian gospel group using electrical music instruments was formed there by Jaanus. The gospel group Sela started with eight members in 1968 and got its name from superintendent Aleksander Kuum who, like Hugo Oengo, supported the activity of the young people in every way. As a result of the Sela ministry God gave a revival among young people at the beginning of the 1970s that spread into different places of Estonia.
The music group Sela has continued its activity until present day. The KGB started to pursue the leader of the music group Jaanus Karner (Kärner). Several young people, who had decided to follow Christ, had to suffer various repressions, including arrests.
At the very beginning I was singing also in Sela group and I want you to know that this ministry had been very fruitful. We have many members who have received Jesus Christ as his/her personal Savior through Jaanus´ministry.
May God comfort all Jon´s family!
05/30/07 @ 00:59 My TBN friendship and years of hosting and programming there allowed me to introduce Jaanus to Paul Crouch and if the story could be revealed, Christian Television is in Russia today largely because of Jaanus.
05/31/07 @ 07:46 I just have to say that I really didn't know Jon until after attending his Visitation and Funeral... He was truly a remarkable man who accomplished so much in his lifetime...I had no clue what an amazing Christian he really was! I wish I would have gotten the opportunity to hear some stories from him while he was still on this earth.. After hearing about him I'm thankful that I will get to hear stories from him face to face in heaven someday.
God Bless!
06/04/07 @ 13:16
06/04/07 @ 17:10 Jon and Elizabeth had a special relationship. They were always together. If they weren't together they would be talking on the phone to each other. Jon and Elizabeth had found love the second time around. I know my sister's heart is broken. I watched her these past months turn into a 24/7 caretaker. Please keep her in your prayers.
David and Steve, if you're reading this please keep in close touch with Elizabeth as your are and will always be one of her boys.
I will miss you Jon, but I will see you again.
06/04/07 @ 20:31 Personally, I remember the first time meeting Jon in 1970, in an underground youth service in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. From then on it was the countless times of smuggling Bibles, organizing events, projects, secret meetings and music. Then the early days of the birth of our movement with Loren Cunningham and others, Jon was there. Jon always had more on the go than he could do - a man filled with love, passion, vision and energy. He was always ready to put his life on the line. We all loved him.
He was a visionary - who, I don't think, ever got his dreams and ambitions fully realized. These kind of real pioneers never do - their dreams and aspirations are always bigger than they are. Jon we here in Estonia will carry on - just so sorry your not here with us - we will miss you greatly.
But, in another way, you will be - your heart and zeal will be talked about for years to come as we reminisce of the years gone by, giving us inspiration for the moment for the exciting things of God today. Things change, and these are different days and now again, with you passing on, changes come. But we live on with the challenges of these changes and you will live on in our hearts and memories until that great and glorious day - see you then friend!
Märt Vähi
Bishop emeritus Estonian Christian Pentecostal Church
and founder of the Village of Hope, Estonia
06/06/07 @ 10:34 I have been to many family gatherings over the years and visited with Jon on numerous occasions. He was a great uncle who loved to make jokes and make me laugh. He had great wit and I'm not sure everyone realized that about him.
This past summer my parents rented Jon and Elizabeth's "river house". I would often arrive home late at night and Jon would be there. We would visit about life, family and the Lord. I could tell he had a deep love for the Lord although he never went into detail.
Although I thought I knew Jon, I really truly did not. Listening to his friends speak at the visitation and funeral services, he was such a amazing man of God!! I was captivated by their stories of my uncle that he had never shared. I only hope some day I can hear more stories about the man many of you know as Jaanus.
Love in Jesus Christ,
Danielle
06/08/07 @ 12:45
06/08/07 @ 19:02 For those who don't know me, I was Jon's sister-in-law. I had known Jon since 1969 when he married my sister, Anne, who died in 1992. After her death Jon married Elisabeth and they moved to Minnesota. I had not seen him since then, but we kept in touch via e-mail after he was diagnosed with cancer. Jon was a good man and deeply loved the Lord.
I was very sad to hear about his death, but he is in a better place now. Elisabeth, You are in my prayers. May God comfort You. I want you to know that if you ever come to California, my door is always open.
God bless You.
06/12/07 @ 21:41
07/17/07 @ 13:52 We are bound in thoughts and in spirit with everyone who loved Jaanus and understood his way of life. We share the grief of his wife Elisabeth, brokenheartedness of his sons David and Steven and the sadness of the whole family and friends for Jaanus’ early decease. But the memory of him continues to live in all of our hearts. Let us join hands as a bridge of memories over the oceans and mountains. We have a collective memory and the memory of a memory of Jaanus. Let us all be strong and comforted together!
Sisters Vilma and Maimo; sisters’ children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
07/22/07 @ 15:58 Well done good friend and Kingdom warrior!
I will love you always,
-Marcus Vegh
09/04/07 @ 14:29 When you come next to NC, Elizabeth, I know a chauffer... Sincerely, Jonathan
10/03/07 @ 20:18 Gratefully,
Lori Black Mathis
12/18/07 @ 11:23 Today I was going through a list of contacts and saw Jon's business card and wanted to look him up and reestablish contact with him. What a sad revelation it was to learn of his early passing.
My name is Bishop David Scott. I came to know Jon through my travels to Eastern Europe and Russia just after the Wall came down. Jon and I traveled several times into Russia and Belarus in those early days of the Churches reemergence. Jon had a rich knowledge of the people and countries we visited.
Our friendship blossomed hear in America as well. I came to know some of his family in California and on one occasion I had the privilege of meeting his wife while they were visiting Florida.
My biggest regret is not staying in touch with him, as I should. Ministry and business has a way of distracting. I know this posting is a little over 2 years after his passing but I feel it is never to late to express gratitude to a great family man and Christian.
To Jon, the good news is that time is forever in our Father's house, and we will meet again. To his family, the sadness of his passing is replaced in time with the sweet memories of his live and person. I pray that all your lives are blessed with the great heritage he has left you, and that with each passing day you will grow in the grace of God's mercy.
Blessings,
Bishop David Scott
Diocese of Saint of Saints, CEEC
bds@thecoc.us
Orlando, Florida
05/16/09 @ 17:32 
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