News at ABWE
Sheilia Ankney Promoted To Glory
Sheilia Ankney, a godly wife, mother, and faithful missionary to the Philippines and Australia, was called home to heaven on Wednesday, August 16, after bravely battling lung cancer.
Sheilia’s mother, Felma Gardiner, taught her the Scriptures, and Sheilia was saved at the age of ten through evangelistic meetings in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Lord of the Harvest called her into missions, and she began her ministry preparation by studying Spanish and reading missionary biographies for high school book reports. Sheilia graduated from Hope College in 1962 with an elementary education degree. After teaching for two years, she entered summer school at Moody Bible Institute (MBI) for missions training. During her first meal at MBI, she met a young man, Jim Ankney, who was preparing for missionary service in the Philippines, and one year later, in June 1965, they were married.
Along with her husband, Sheilia graduated from Moody in 1966 and was appointed to the Philippines by ABWE in October 1967. After studying the Cebuano dialect, the Ankneys transferred to the island of Leyte and targeted the towns of Hilongos and Bato for church-planting ministry in partnership with Filipino Christian workers—Pastor and Mrs. Naparate Dulag. During their second term of service, Jim and Sheilia moved to Luzon and started a church in Angeles City.
In 1978, Jim’s back surgery necessitated an extended second furlough in the United States, and at the doctor’s recommendation and to reduce the trauma to Jim’s back, the Ankneys were transferred to Australia in November 1980. During their third term, they revived a church through rescue ministry in Sydney.
The Ankneys were reassigned to the Philippines for church-planting ministry in Manila during their next three terms spanning 1986 through 2000. In the 1990s, Jim and Sheilia started a church with a core group of believers in Quezon City. Together with national co-workers, Pastor and Mrs. Zoilo Anat, they planted the Cornerstone Community Baptist Church, which matured into a congregation with vision for multiplication through church planting and missions.
In their retirement years, Jim and Sheilia accepted several short-term ministry assignments. In September 2000, they returned to Australia to work with Pastor and Mrs. Michael Cini at Grace Baptist Church in Sydney, and in May 2001, they returned to the Philippines for seven months of furlough relief ministry as the manager and maintenance supervisor at Doane Rest.
Sheilia faithfully labored at Jim’s side as his encourager and partner in ministry through teaching the Bible, visiting in homes, training women to cook and bake, and hosting missionary and national guests. God blessed her and Jim with three daughters: Rebecca, Susanna, and Esther.
Even in her last days, during her cancer treatments, Sheilia seized numerous opportunities for witness during treatments in Grand Rapids and Chicago. She encouraged Christian friends and relatives by her joy amid suffering. Sheilia had always said that, by God's grace, she wanted to finish the race well. Just before she died, her family whispered gently in her ear that she had done just that, and Jim thanked his soul-mate for being a faithful wife and mother, telling her "We never lived like Kings but we had a wonderful life serving the Lord together."
In light of Sheilia’s home going, the Ankney’s life verse provides both motivation for ministry and anticipation of glory: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).
Visitation Hours:
Friday, August 18: 2-4 and 7-9 PM
Saturday, August 19: 12-1 PM
Calvary Church
5873 Kendra Road
Fruitport, MI 49415
231-865-1259
Funeral:
Saturday, August 19: 1 PM
Calvary Church
5873 Kendra Road
Fruitport, MI 49415
Cards and letters may be sent to the family.
Mr. A. James Ankney
10451 68th Ave
Allendale, MI 49401-9729
Email: aankney@abwe.ccMiss Susannah Ankney
10888 Mary Eliz Ct
Allendale, MI 49401-8398
Email: ankneys@trinity-health.orgMiss Esther Ankney
10451 68th Ave
Allendale, MI 49401-9729Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Pajonk (Becky)
10424 Williams Rd
Montague, MI 49437-9730