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The Teter Hand Font


While I’ve been in a season of contacting potential prayer and financial partners I’ve had the opportunity to make some unique partnerships. One contact I made was with a financial planner, Landon, whose pastor friend, Pastor John Teter, was known for his very unique handwriting and note-taking style. For a long time he had quipped that Pastor John’s handwriting ought to be turned into a font. And when he heard through a mutual contact that I was in the pipeline to develop fonts for Bible translation, that connection turned into a unique partnership.
Pastor John's dynamic note-taking in his Bible

I was given samples of Pastor John's handwriting, and I saw what Landon was referring to. Pastor John keeps tight notes and has a controlled, yet energetic writing style. I adapted it into a font and had the chance to surprise Pastor John with it as a gift. Teter Hand has been released under SIL’s Open Font License (OFL) meaning that it can be used and distributed freely. As with anyone I have the opportunity to share with, I was excited to share with Pastor John and Landon about the work that God is doing in Bible translation. And I was blessed to see how his handwritten note-taking helps him plan out ideas and study scripture.
The Teter Hand font is available to use under SIL's OFL license
Making unique partnerships like this reminds me that partnership in this work is not one-way, and neither is it merely transactional. I’m going to try to articulate an idea without using the (at times cringe-inducing) word “synergy”. In seeking partners you might think that the natural process is one-way: that I am on the receiving end of funds and prayer. Then, downstream of that, people groups are on the receiving end of fonts that are used to produce Bibles. This is an over-reduction of the process. When God is involved in the work, the donors and prayer warriors give time and resources, and are blessed to witness how God is working. Paul talks about this blessing in his first letter to the church in Thessalonica:

“For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy.”

Indeed, when we participate in what God is doing it’s very different from this formal-sounding word, “synergy,” which is defined as the interaction of two parties to produce a combined outcome greater than the sum of their separate parts. In the work of spreading the Gospel, we are relying on God to provide the exceedingly great outcome, which is much greater than our combined contribution.

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.” Eph 3:20-21

Please consider participating in this work with me. My prayer is that in partnering with me, you will be able to witness what God is doing, and give Him the glory.

P.S. Pastor John Teter puts out a succinct weekly newsletter called the 1-1-1 every Tuesday and I have been blessed by his writing.

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