Thursday, September 19, 2003

September 18, 2003


9:56 PM Ryan is an inmate in a county jail in MN who received a copy of “An Anchor for the Soul.” He writes that he is in jail for the second time. “The first time I was here I told myself, I will never do anything to come back to such an undesirable place. This time I realize I need help. Now I am accepting Jesus Christ as my Savior… . Thank you for writing the book. It helped me to accept (the) Lord Jesus. Thank you.” 4:25 PM Someone dropped a copy of Billy Sunday: The Man and His Message in my mailbox at church. That reminds me to mention that on Sunday, October 19, I will be portraying Billy Sunday (along with Pastor Andrew Irvin as Homer Rodeheaver and the world-famous “Billy Sunday Singers”) as part of the “Tale of the Tombstones” at Forest Home Cemetery in Forest Park, from 1-4 PM. 2:19 PM Just finished an hour-long interview with Kevin McCullough on his new program on WMCA, the # 1 Christian radio station in New York City. Talked about He’s God and We’re Not and took calls from listeners… . By the way, we plan to offer the book for sale this Sunday in the lobby between services. We ran out several weeks ago but a new shipment came in yesterday. The book retails for $20, we’ll sell it on Sunday for $15. 12:51 PM I led a service this morning at Mills Tower in Oak Park for eleven people plus me plus the piano player. I started doing these services about 12 years ago. Sometimes as many as twenty people show up—all of them over 70, I think. It’s the only service I ever conduct where I lead the music and also speak. When I was just out of my teen years, I led the singing for a couple of revivals in Alabama, and once or twice over the years, I even played my trombone in a service. But that was all a long time ago. Today we sang two hymns (two verses each), they took an offering, and I spoke for a few minutes from Romans 8:26-27. After I was finished, I shook hands with everyone. I do the service three or four times a year, and always enjoy it because I know they are glad to see me. 8:45 AM Just arrived via e-mail:

Pastor Ray, My husband and I “experienced Gene and Jude’s” last night. After, hearing comments on the train, in the paper, and finally what was posted by you on Calvary’s website, my husband and I decided to check it out. Let me say this- as I unwrapped my dog and fries with the grease and mustard dripping everywhere, I thought to myself, I must be sinning. How can anyone eat these and expect to be alive the next morning? It was quite an experience. All the menu consisted of was hotdogs and fries. Nothing else. And there are no benches and tables outside. So we sat in the car in their big parking lot with about 10 other cars doing the same thing at almost 8pm at night. Next time, I think I will stick to a salad and fruit and live a little longer 🙂

My comment: I don’t think it’s a sin to eat at Gene and Jude’s, but every time I go there, I have to ride an extra 30 miles on my bike. 8:07 AM Received the following e-mail:

Pastor Ray, I just purchased a book “Contemporary Handbook for Weddings and Funerals” and noticed your contributions to this good work. I noticed the spelling of your name. I have relatives with the same last name. By chance, would any of your relatives be from Arkansas? My great-great grandfather was Thomas Johnathan Pritchard, who fought in the Civil War, and later became a Methodist Pastor outside Little Rock, Arkansas in a community called Mabelvale. The Pritchards also operated saw mills. I live in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma a suburb of Tulsa, serving at a church here. Just curious! Thank you. Thomas Harrison, Associate Pastor, Broken Arrow Assembly

My reply: “The only part of the question I can answer with certainty is that I have a brother who lives in Arkansas. He’s the only relative that I know of in that state. However, nearly all the Pritchards are descended from the Pritchard clan in Wales. Most of the Pritchards migrated to America from Wales 150-250 years ago. I am no doubt related to Thomas Jonathan Pritchard, but I don’t know the precise connection. The Pritchards scattered all across the Southeast and slowly moved westward. My particular branch settled in northern Mississippi. I believe I had some relatives who fought in the Civil War but I have not been able to confirm this.” (I’m going to send the e-mail and my answer to my brother Andy in Florence, AL, because he knows our family history much better than I do.) 6:11 AM Baseball update: Cubs trail Houston by 1/2 game, White Sox trail Minnesota by 2 1/2 games. 6:08 AM A reminder: The Legacy Campaign commitment day is only 10 days away. 6:04 AM Was Noah’s Flood global? Answer: Yes. Here’s an explanation from Answers in Genesis.

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