FEED MY SHEEP

Amy Peters, Speaker

5/4/25

“My Friends Call Me Joe”

A Servant’s Heart and Peter’s Legacy

Written by Linda Waltersdorf Cobourn, EdD

He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”

John 21:17

In the Cold of Crisis – The Gift of Presence

My daughter and I were numb with cold and grief. All we knew was that my husband’s injuries were severe—life-threatening. His chest had been crushed by the steering wheel when a truck crashed into Ron’s car on Paoli Pike. Hours later, we sat in a freezing room off the trauma center, waiting to learn if Ron would survive.

Ron’s parents and brother were gathered on the other side of the room, silent and mournful. My friend Chris and her mother were near Bonnie and I, quietly praying.

There had been no update from the operating room for over an hour.

The “ding” of the elevator in the hallway broke the silence. The doors slid open and two men stepped out. I caught sight of their faces as they headed our way.

“Mr. Slawter, Mr. Kounnas,” I said quietly as I rose to greet two deacons from our church. In their hands were thermoses of hot coffee and a packet of sandwiches. “Thanks for coming.”

“My friends call me Joe,” said one with a twinkle in his eye.

“Joe,” I said, and hugged him. Joe was then and after, a God-send.

Peter’s Redemption and Commission

When Peter meets the risen Jesus, he is sorrowful; three times he denied the Savior, and three times Jesus questions him: Do you love me?

“Yes, Lord,” Peter says. “You know I love you.”

“Then feed my sheep,” Jesus tells him.

Peter, once known as Simon the hot-headed fisherman, becomes the “rock” of the early church. He was the first of the disciples to recognize Jesus as Messiah (Mark 8:29) and one of the first to arrive at the empty tomb. He becomes a leader transformed by grace and commission—serving not out of pride but out of love.

In my moment of deepest need, Joe lived out that same commission. Coffee and sandwiches may seem small, but to us in that room, they were the hands and feet of Jesus. Joe fed God’s sheep—literally and spiritually—by showing up and loving well.

A Faithful Life Well Lived

Samuel Joseph Kounnas “fed the sheep” of Jesus in every sense of the word. A family man married to Mary for 71 years and father to three daughters, Joe made his living as a mechanic. But his real joy was in serving the Lord however he could: teaching Sunday School, running the bus ministry, or driving a van full of senior citizens. His impact on others was great.

On Thursday, May 1, 2025, God called this faithful man home to Heaven. While those who knew the amazing Mr. Kounnas called him “Joe,” God undoubtedly greeted him as a “good and faithful servant.”

Joe wasn’t rich or famous. It’s doubtful many people outside Delaware County knew his name. But Joe lived as Peter lived: humbly, obediently, and with steadfast love for the Lord. Whether it was coffee and sandwiches, a handshake and a hug, or a quiet hospital visit, Joe did what he was told.

He fed God’s sheep.

Closing Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for the life of Samuel Joseph Kounnas, a man who showed us what it means to serve with quiet faithfulness. Thank You for the ways he lived out Your command to feed Your sheep—through kindness, presence, and love. Help us to follow his example, to see needs around us, and to serve not for recognition but out of love for You. Comfort all who grieve Joe’s passing and strengthen us to carry forward the legacy of faith he left behind. In Your holy name we pray, Amen.

A Note from the Author to the Kounnas Family:
To the entire Kounnas family, thank you for sharing Joe with us all these years. His kindness, faithfulness, and servant’s heart have left a deep and lasting impact. I grieve with you, and we rejoice in knowing Joe is now in the presence of his Savior.

Linda