June 2, 2009
Rev. Mahlon Sunday Amstutz went to be with the Lord on May 23, 2009. Mahlon was born June 28, 1915, in Springtown, Pennsylvania. He accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior while in his early teens in Akron, Ohio. He attended Asbury College and the Missionary Training Institute (now Nyack College) in Nyack, New York. He married Ruth Nelda Behnke on December 30, 1941, in Bushton, Kansas. They were appointed to serve as Alliance missionaries to Chile in June 1943 while completing their home service in Florida and Nebraska.
Ruth and Mahlon departed for the field in 1945 and were stationed in Temuco, serving in teaching ministries at the Bible Institute and itinerant evangelism. They also produced a weekly gospel radio program and were involved in field leadership ministries at various times. In later ministry years, they were engaged in church planting and were the first Alliance representatives in the city of Antofagasta, where they established fruitful churches. Most of their service took place in Chile, except for six months in Argentina overseeing the Buenos Aires Bible Institute.
They retired in 1988 but continued to travel overseas periodically in various ministry capacities, including serving in the orchestra and choir at the Bradenton Missionary Village. They volunteered at the Bible Alliance, Inc., preparing Scripture cassettes for distribution in 45 languages. Mahlon was involved with a weekly prison ministry through which many inmates came to know the Savior.
The highlight during their retirement years was a return trip to Chile in 1997 to participate in the 100th anniversary of Alliance missionary activity in the country. They were able to stop in Quito, Ecuador, to visit their daughter Nelda and son-in-law Paul Johnson, who are missionaries with The Alliance.
The funeral service was held at Eastminster Presbyterian Church in Wichita, Kansas, on May 30. Dr. Steven Marsh officiated. Maholn was predeceased by his wife, Ruth Nelda; he is survived by his five children: Carolyn Mizzau, Mark, Nelda Johnson (missionaries to the Dominican Republic), Samuel, and James. Cards can be sent to Samuel Amstutz, 2831 Wilderness Ct, Wichita, KS 67226-8813. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be sent to The Christian and Missionary Alliance, Approved Special 44-26-01041, PO Box 35000, Colorado Springs, CO.