Driving into town this morning set me to thinking about the past. I have found a CD I had put together of the CHRISTIAN BROTHERS 1993 20th Anniversary concert. It was an all day affair at what is now Gadsden Vineyard (C.B. originally owned the building). Several local artists and friends made up the line up. David Finlayson, Joanna Stockard, Barry Goss, Nori Kelley, Permanent Wave all brought original music.
This set me to thinking back on "how did I get here today?"
In 1979, Vicki and I had been married 7 years. We had two sons, Chad and Josh and had just moved into a new home on 4th Street in downtown Gadsden. We had taken a sabbatical from Jesus. That's just a cute way of saying we had back sliden or drifted away or, if you want to be blunt, we were in sin. We had been invited to visit a local church, Central United Methodist, and battled back and forth whether we wanted to go or not. I had a million reasons as to why I didn't want to go but none outweighed the feeling in my heart that we had to.
We made our way on a Sunday Morning in November. Went through all the hoop-la of church activity and settled in for the message. George Creel stood to teach the word and I was drawn into what he was saying like never before. I had never heard such teaching. My heart literally was racing as this man unfolded Scripture unlike anyone I had ever heard. Afterwards, at home, Vicki and I were beside ourselves. This was what we had been looking for, we just didn't know it.
Over the next 14 years, George Creel taught us more, showed us more, trusted us with more than any other pastor we had ever met. We were growing and we didn't even realize it at the time. All we knew was that God was alive and fresh and we wanted nothing more than to follow Him.
During this time at Central Methodist I came into contact with a group of young people who worked in a ministry that was not affiliated with any church. They called themselves Christian Brothers. Formed in the early 70's by Emory Boggs, C.B. was a place where young people could gather and hang out, have community, share and teach, bring original music and just be family. IT was messy, it was not very structured, but you know what? It worked. So during this time, I was being taught the Word of God by George Creel and being shown what Christian Community was truly about by Christian Brothers.
Check back in tomorrow for Part II "Long Strange Trip"
God on you.......
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3 comments:
George Creel is a (spiritual) legend in these parts! It's amazing how God leads you to the right places at the time.
Good times eh? I was blessed to be in and around and a part of a wonderful fellowship. I was blessed. I continue to be blessed for who God has surrounded me with today. You are among my blessings.
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