Friday, June 13, 2003

June 13, 2003

Only 16 days until Groundbreaking Sunday! Had a wonderful visit this morning with Greg and Carolyn Kirschner and their four children—Christine, Katie, Stephanie and Jonathan. Greg and Carolyn are medical missionaries in Jos, Nigeria serving with SIM. They arrived in the US last night after a brief stopover in London. …

Thursday, June 12, 2003

June 12, 2003

Congrats to Kevin McCullough who has been a fixture in Chicago Christian radio (and a part of our church family) for more than a decade. He’s moving to New York City where he will host programs on two stations in the nation’s #1 media market. Read about it here Comings and goings at Calvary … The Allied Force High Sc…

Wednesday, June 11, 2003

June 11, 2003

Groundbreaking Sunday is only 18 days away! The tent is on order and will be set up on Saturday the 28th. We’re borrowing a portable baptistry from the Rock Church to baptize 12 people that day. Lots of people will be bringing special offerings, including several folks who are bringing their piggie banks and loose change jars that day. Does t…

Tuesday, June 10, 2003

June 10, 2003

Up early so I could ride my bike at 5:30 AM. Nice to ride when there aren’t many cars on the road. Only 19 more days until Groundbreaking Sunday (June 29). Our goal is 100% participation by the congregation. We’re asking each person who attends to do three things … 1) Bring an offering with you 2) Bring a picnic bask…

Sunday, June 8, 2003

June 8, 2003

The big day has finally arrived. Nick graduates from Oak Park-River Forest High school at 3 PM today. As I walked to church this morning, I felt a strange mix of emotions—happiness, sadness, excitement, and something else that I can’t quite define—something wistful about the passage of time. Several of the peopl…

My Commencement Address to the Class of 2003

MY COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS TO THE CLASS OF 2003 by Ray Pritchard Thanks for allowing me to share this happy occasion with you. My congratulations to the parents and grandparents who prayed and worked and wondered if this day would ever come. Soon the seniors will graduate and high school will be behind them forever. When you r…

Sermon Series: Ponder This - 2003

Saturday, June 7, 2003

June 7, 2003

Took a long bike ride today, starting about 6:30 AM. Went east on Lake Street from Oak Park into the Austin neighborhood of Chicago. Rode past the Rock Church and Circle Urban Ministries and thanked the Lord for the good work being done there. Followed the el tracks east past Cicero, Kostner, Pulaski, eventually got all the…

Friday, June 6, 2003

June 6, 2003

This is the 59th anniversary of the invasion of Europe by Allied Forces on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Have you ever wondered what heaven will be like? Check out this excellent collection of articles on heaven at Christianity Today Online. This is also graduation weekend at our house. David and Colleen Axberg arrived from Boston y…

Thursday, June 5, 2003

June 5, 2003

OPCA graduation was a grand success as we celebrated the children who had finished kindergarten and also those students who graduated from the 8th grade. One of the teachers remarked that these joyous occasions remind us all why the school is so important… .

Wednesday, June 4, 2003

June 4, 2003

This is the last day of classes at Oak Park Christian Academy. The school wraps up its 8th year with graduation ceremonies tonight at 7 PM. If you wonder whether its worth it to speak out on behalf of the unborn when America is legally pro-abortion, read this article about Senator Rick Santorum’s late-night speech on C-SPAN…