Dear Five Aspects Friends,
As most of you know, Bill Mouser, the founder of Five Aspects Ministries and its only President for 32 years, passed away May 20, 2023 at home after a long and valiant bout with cancer.
As his wife and the co-founder of this ministry, I greatly desire to write a Communique to remember, honor, and thank Bill for who he is and what he has done. As you might imagine, this task seems overwhelming for me at the present. It occurred to me to honor Bill with a brief photo essay about him, organized around the Five Aspects of Man.
Remembering Bill Mouser
Who Wrote and Lived The Five Aspects of Man
I. LORD OF THE EARTH
Man in his “lord of the earth” aspect rules and subdues as God’s viceroy. He deploys his headship to lead and make decisions for his family.
Since Bill married me in 1981, Bill desired a family and loved and led the one God gave him. He led us in the ways of the Lord, even when it was not easy.
The Bill Mouser Family in 1983. Here we are on the way to Vienna with our firstborn, Alexa, at 9 months.
Here is how Bill left his children 30 years later in 2023. This picture was taken at his graveside.
The Bill Mouser Family at Easter 1993 at the Chapel ICGS owned for 18 years and our church home for 30.
II. HUSBANDMAN
Man in the “husbandman” aspect cultivates his domain to make it flourish and productive. God demonstrates the role of husbandman in the Bible most often as a farmer, shepherd, and vintner.
Bill wasn’t a shepherd or farmer or a vintner, but he did like dogs and planted flowers.
Best of all he was a wonderful husband to me!
The New Testament directs that wives ask their questions to their husbands at home. One of Bill’s great strengths as a husbandman was that he listened to my questions and answered them—one of the main reasons I married him in the first place! (We are not at home in this picture—rather on the Danube in 2010 on a very special family vacation).
III. SAVIOR
Man in his “savior” aspect makes war against evil in order to rescue the beloved in peril.
Bill and Francesca 1996
Our third daughter Francesca was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in 1996. As I always put it, Bill “got on his horse and rode hard to the rescue.” This picture was taken of Bill and Francesca at the beginning of her cancer journey. I always notice how safe and secure she looks and was. Her father was holding her and she had him by the hand. That is the way it was until the end.
IV. Sage
Man in his “sage” aspect learns practical skills while seeking eternal insight and discernment.
This is Bill in our family room at the Thanksgiving of our engagement, 1980. He gave an impromptu talk on Psalm 107 which I have never forgotten. Few can “break open a psalm” like Bill. His series on the Psalms of Ascent was also noteworthy.
Bill loved the wisdom literature from the beginning of his Christian life. A version of his book on Proverbs has been in print for over 40 years.
An ole Marine Corps cook, Bill’s favorite practical skill was cooking. He was willing to peel potatoes, but loved the fancy stuff.
V. Glory of God
Man in his “glory of God” aspect shares the masculine offices of God. He is son, brother, bridegroom, husband, father, king, priest. When men take the offices of God, they are not God—but they have the opportunity to show us what is God is like.
Bill was a true “glory of God” man. He was a dutiful son, a loving brother, a faithful husband , and a serving father as well. Beyond that, Bill was a pastor and priest.
As an officer in Christ’s church, Bill had the natural gifts. He was educated and well-spoken. He had bearing and classic masculine features. As a man, he was given created resources. By and large, he used these for God instead of for himself.
For me, Bill had “perfect pitch” as a worship leader. In his preaching and in his ordering of worship he did what few men are able to do. He set a spirit of reverence and dignity toward God alongside a spirit of humility about himself.
The last “official words” that Bill wrote to his brothers and sisters in Christ in April before he died in May were these:
If this wretched cancer is a cross to bear, I need to bear it patiently as I follow our Lord through all the sufferings and indignities it brings me. Meanwhile our Lord uses all of it to shape a character in me that pleases Him before He calls me out of this world.
Please do not lose heart for my sake! As I've said before, I cannot lose no matter what happens, so long as I follow our Lord along whatever path He has chosen for me. Join me in asking for our Father’s faithful grace toward me and toward all the rest of us as well.
Much love in Him, Fr. Bill Mouser
He did indeed follow Our Lord patiently through sufferings and indignities. His character never seemed more Christ-like to me than at the end of his journey. He fought a good fight. He kept the faith, and he finished so well. I don’t know of a better tribute. God’s grace was faithful toward him and, indeed, we have no cause “to lose heart” for his sake.
The following prayer was given to us as a wedding present in 1981. This prayer has hung in our bedroom our entire married life. I have read it many times. Now God has answered every line.
I include the words again here in case the calligraphy is too hard to read.
Dear Father,
May You enable us both
to eat fully and drink deeply from the feast of life.
May You cause our love to grow richly, to deepen and mature with every new season of life, and to be ever as fresh and refreshing as spring.
May we travel together as friends and lovers, brother and sister, husband and wife, father and mother, and servants of Christ until He shall return or at last one shall lay the other into the arms of God.
Amen.
I send my greetings and love to all of you in deep gratitude for God’s grace and for Bill’s life,
Barbara Mouser