Neil James Lodge

UPDATE: Dear friends and relatives,

We invite you to worship God and remember the life and ministry of Neil James Lodge. The service will be 2pm on July 11 at Westminster Presbyterian Church (3333 Oak Ridge Drive, Bryan, Texas). Neil’s nephew-in-law and former intern, Dr. Lane Tipton, Fellow of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Reformed Forum, will be preaching.

Because building capacity may be limited, we request that you answer the questions below by July 4. If you are unable to be with us in person, we will be live streaming the service from Westminster Bryan’s YouTube Channel. Simply click here to join us: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy11o9Lh2rpggm_lpJOHO-g/live

Out-of-town guests will be invited to a 6:30pm outdoor reception at the home of the McDonalds (4089 Barnhill Lane, Bryan, TX 77808).

Westminster has graciously allowed us to use their facilities for the event, and we believe that the space will accommodate all who wish to be with us in person. Elders of the church have requested that we comply with building protocols to prevent spread of infection, including the use of masks for all worshipers over the age of 2. Here is a link to the protocols, including a map of the building and the entrances we will be using: https://spark.adobe.com/page/NmBOXij7HayMh/ Additional masks will be available for those who do not have one.

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39

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Neil James Lodge went to be with the Lord on June 18 after a 2-year battle with pancreatic cancer. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Susan, his sister Jane, his four children Jessica (Michael McDonald), Stephen, David, and Russell (Chialing); and six grandchildren: Austin, Noel, Callie, Susan, Christian, and James.

Neil was born in Bridgeton, New Jersey, and graduated from Bridgeton High School. He served four years in the Air Force and met Susan Male while stationed at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver. They were married in 1971. Neil graduated from Gordon College with a philosophy degree in 1972 and earned his master of divinity from Westminster Theological Seminary (Philadelphia) in 1975. As a minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Neil pastored in Middletown, Delaware (1975-1981), Abilene, Texas (1981-1998), Bridgeton, New Jersey (1998-2005), Cherry Hill, New Jersey (2006-2014), and West Collingswood, New Jersey (2014-2019). Even while struggling with cancer and receiving chemo treatments, he was able to continue preaching until he retired to Bryan, Texas to live in a cottage Susan designed on Jessica’s property. Even after his retirement he was instrumental in church planting an Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Bryan, Texas and performed the first service on May 24.

Neil’s hobby first and foremost was writing sermons and shepherding people. He was genuinely interested in the people around him and even during his chemo treatments at M.D. Anderson you would overhear conversations with strangers in which he would ask, “If you were to die tonight and stand before a holy God, and He were to ask you why He should let you into His heaven, what would you say?” Neil loved children and youth and started Covenant Christian School in Abilene, TX, serving as its principal and Bible teacher for many years. He is remembered by many youth for his participation in summer Bible camps and conferences. He mentored seventeen summer and yearlong pastoral interns. He was extremely well-read, loved airplanes and electronics, sang old-time gospel favorites, and trained the family dogs. Most of all, he loved Susan and would sing her the song, “I can’t help falling in love with you.”

Having run with endurance the race set before him, Neil set an example to others as he fixed his eyes on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of his faith, and at the end was fearlessly leaning toward the finish line, remaining faithful to the time when his faith became sight. We who are left behind do not grieve as those without hope, knowing that he is face to face with his beloved Savior.

The family is planning a memorial worship service in the month of July; details forthcoming.