A Man of Mission: Honoring and Remembering theLife of Volker Schmidt
Volker Erich Schmidt was born in Germany in 1936. He experienced the turmoil of World War II, eventually resettling in the United States with his family. Driven by determination, Volker pursued education and co-founded E & V Machine Corporation with his father, later moving the business to Lexington, Kentucky.
In 1962, during a visit to Germany, Volker met Christa, sparking a long distance romance that led to marriage. Their union marked the beginning of a lifelong partnership filled with love and shared dreams. Together, they established roots in Kentucky, building a home and raising their two children, Doreen and Andrew.
Volker's commitment to faith extended beyond his personal life. Recognizing the need for spiritual community in Winchester, Kentucky, he led the establishment of the Winchester Church. Despite facing challenges, including a serious car accident, Volker's determination prevailed, and the church officially opened its doors in 1976.
Additionally, Volker and Christa had a dream of building a lifestyle center. Once their children were older, the couple used their property down Pecks Creek in Stanton, Kentucky, to do just that. The project was completed in 1998. In 2018, Volker was diagnosed with dementia and realized he would no longer able to maintain the property. So, he and Christa donated the land, which resulted on the establishment of the Red River Outpost – a faith-based organization that exists to train people to holistically improve health and wellness.
Red River Outpost focuses on ministering to the community and as a result a church plant was established in Stanton by the end of 2022. This church plant has now become a Company with with over 50 individuals attending each week, a significant number of whom are newly baptized members or engaged in the process of preparing for baptism.
"My favorite memory of Volker Schmidt encapsulates who he was,” shared pastor Kevin Burk. “As a result of his donation of the property in Stanton, our congregation of approximately 35 people had grown to around 50, then 70, and then 100. After one of the services in which the church was packed, Volker was standing by himself in the area where he and Christa typically sat. I walked over to see how he was doing, and he said, ‘I'm crying!’ I said, ‘You always wanted to see the church full, and now it is.’ He replied by simply saying, ‘Yes.’ For Volker Scmidt, the Mission of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was always foremost in his mind. That's who he was!”
Throughout his life, Volker remained dedicated to sharing his faith and serving others. Following his dementia diagnosis, Volker steadily declined physically and fell asleep in Jesus on February 23, 2024, with Christa, Doreen and Andrew by his side.
Volker's legacy will endure in the hearts of all who had the privilege of knowing him. May his story encourage each one of us to nurture a close relationship with Jesus and actively take a part on His mission.
