tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75426427595005932022024-03-13T20:12:36.537-07:00Hand in Hand MemoriesNanAZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14608375848496775823noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-52768294874047288862011-09-23T10:33:00.000-07:002011-09-23T10:33:29.862-07:00New Jerusalem Band<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica;">Hello Terry & Nancy,</span><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica;">The reunion was an awesome event and it was nice to see both of you again after so many years! Since very few of our <b>New Jerusalem Band </b>members could attend and we never had a complete band photo taken, I thought it would be cool to create something instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica;">So, by utilizing photo shop (with some help from a friend) I was able to create the attached poster. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica;">If you could post it on the <b>Hand in Hand</b> sites it would be very much appreciated. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica;">Thank you!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica;">Dan Ehrlich</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</span></div><!--EndFragment-->linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-28364529952619585422011-08-15T11:01:00.000-07:002011-08-15T11:01:51.926-07:00Randy Thompson's blog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LE48bNDHPPo/TklRgftudgI/AAAAAAAAHYs/GG68sLDYmTQ/s1600/Banner+%25233+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LE48bNDHPPo/TklRgftudgI/AAAAAAAAHYs/GG68sLDYmTQ/s640/Banner+%25233+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Randy Thompson would love for you to know that he has started a blog ~</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://randythompson.blogspot.com/">A Believer's Journey</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">God has been doing a lot in my heart over the last few months. In<a href="http://randythompson.blogspot.com/"> "A Believer's Journey"</a> I am writing about the journey Christ has called us on, and the Great Adventure of following Him on this amazing journey toward the final goal - life abundant and full in HIM! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My hope is that what I am writing will help us focus on the Author and Finisher of our faith - JESUS! ~ Thanks, Randy</span></div>linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-91619151725374566022011-04-25T20:00:00.001-07:002013-04-02T21:40:36.853-07:00Peter Robb<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Iaki6xJ-1SU/TbbE8fyE2mI/AAAAAAAAG90/pv-lPBVNcO8/s1600/Peter-+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Iaki6xJ-1SU/TbbE8fyE2mI/AAAAAAAAG90/pv-lPBVNcO8/s320/Peter-+blog.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;">Many of you were sure hoping to see Peter Robb at the<b> Hand in Hand </b>reunion. Well, h</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;">e wanted you to know that he "hopes the reunion was a great success filled with lots of happy memories"... and then he </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;">caught us up on the past 30 years of his life.</span><br />
<b style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;">The quick report on Peter's Life - 30 Years Later: </b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><b>Married to Genevieve for 22 years. She came into the marriage with a substantial dowry - 3 kids! She's a little older than me so I started family life at age 32 with a daughter in college (Indra), a daughter in high school (Krishna) and a son in 6th grade (Marques). We adopted Marissa whom we brought home from the hospital as a newborn. (She is now 19.)</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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</b> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><b>We moved to Eugene in 1993 for graduate school in choral conducting and never left. Marissa grew up here and is just getting ready to get her own apartment. The older kids all eventually moved to Eugene where we enjoy a rich family life with six grandkids. (My official grandparent moniker is Pop Pop.)</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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</b> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><b>We have been running an international treble choir festival for fourteen years now in collaboration with the renowned Oregon Bach Festival. And we are in season twelve of a community youth choir organization called Oregon Festival Choirs. It has been a very rewarding and extremely demanding vocational path. Getting through the past couple years has been some of the toughest and richest experiences of our lives. You can click </b></span><a href="http://www.oregonfestivalchoirs.org/ofc/"><b>Oregon Festival Choirs</b></a><b> to get a better picture of what I do.</b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><b>I packed in my composition work for about a decade. I returned to composing in 2008 and it has been a fascinating journey. Had a couple of high profile performances in the past month at Carnegie Hall and the national conference of the American Choral Directors Assn in Chicago. (Check out my profile photo albums for a travelogue of the NYC adventure.) It was all a bit surreal and seems like another life now that I'm back to the daily routine of running our non-profit community music organization in little ole Eugene.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><b>Hope you are all well and enjoying life.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><b></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><b>All the best,</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><b></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><b>Peter</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;">Well, after the reunion Randy remastered Peter Robb's <b>Collage,</b> that was recorded back in 1983, and made CD's for Tom Allen and Rand Mozingo. Then we asked Peter if we could make them available on the <a href="http://rememberhandinhand.blogspot.com/2011/04/hand-in-hand-discography.html">Hand in Hand Discography</a>... which is a list of <b>Hand in Hand</b> CD's that you can order. He agreed<b><i> </i></b>after he heard the recording for himself! Yes!</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qjvHm_rfSXQ/TbYVuPWPc0I/AAAAAAAAG9o/0uoXaoy8Z2c/s1600/Peter+Robb+CD+Lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qjvHm_rfSXQ/TbYVuPWPc0I/AAAAAAAAG9o/0uoXaoy8Z2c/s400/Peter+Robb+CD+Lg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;">He also wanted to include the following credits-</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><i><b>Matter of Time</b></i> and <i><b>Batter my Heart</b></i> were recorded by the band<b> 80F</b> ~ Rand Mozingo, Gordon Barr, Matt Chew, Jerry Shurley, Johnny Heath and Jeff Casey on drums. The other songs were my own tracks from various</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"> sessions.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;">Thanks Peter! So fun reconnecting with you. Let us know whenever you're in town and we'll plan a mini-reunion just for you! </span>linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-22378750590859643092011-04-19T06:00:00.004-07:002011-04-25T18:31:50.749-07:00Hand in Hand Discography<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kvlkeh4dIlE/TayJnxJmvcI/AAAAAAAAG7Y/o3RStn-4THg/s1600/The+New+Beginning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kvlkeh4dIlE/TayJnxJmvcI/AAAAAAAAG7Y/o3RStn-4THg/s400/The+New+Beginning.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8zoa0t9ScEc/TayIePGHZpI/AAAAAAAAG7I/XhDYnbuVxlw/s1600/People+Who+Walk+in+Light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8zoa0t9ScEc/TayIePGHZpI/AAAAAAAAG7I/XhDYnbuVxlw/s400/People+Who+Walk+in+Light.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SBoa8B8dXek/TayHfJsDnyI/AAAAAAAAG60/Gxvp2bmT0Ss/s1600/Glory+Road1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SBoa8B8dXek/TayHfJsDnyI/AAAAAAAAG60/Gxvp2bmT0Ss/s400/Glory+Road1.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e5-BVUL_uCA/TayIu9-DbbI/AAAAAAAAG7U/Q55ZpkqWERs/s1600/Sonrise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e5-BVUL_uCA/TayIu9-DbbI/AAAAAAAAG7U/Q55ZpkqWERs/s400/Sonrise.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GWudNwkCfFI/TayIFsqLsuI/AAAAAAAAG7A/xUelVk8w54I/s1600/JTM+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GWudNwkCfFI/TayIFsqLsuI/AAAAAAAAG7A/xUelVk8w54I/s320/JTM+Cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xn7zaFV-kJo/TayInNyEGlI/AAAAAAAAG7Q/tK1Y-_2pCdk/s1600/Quiet+Times.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xn7zaFV-kJo/TayInNyEGlI/AAAAAAAAG7Q/tK1Y-_2pCdk/s400/Quiet+Times.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LxmifrneQxg/TayHrFfBXyI/AAAAAAAAG68/SfwdbRhftaY/s1600/It%2527s+By+Grace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LxmifrneQxg/TayHrFfBXyI/AAAAAAAAG68/SfwdbRhftaY/s400/It%2527s+By+Grace.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pkBgjlUzQkA/TbYgbqccnlI/AAAAAAAAG9w/jA1hpeYpPbY/s1600/Peter+Robb+CD+Lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pkBgjlUzQkA/TbYgbqccnlI/AAAAAAAAG9w/jA1hpeYpPbY/s400/Peter+Robb+CD+Lg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T7Cbm0iOcaU/TayHli9bMrI/AAAAAAAAG64/90UVpJTx7o4/s1600/In+Remembrance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T7Cbm0iOcaU/TayHli9bMrI/AAAAAAAAG64/90UVpJTx7o4/s400/In+Remembrance.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nXdnI6nHC3k/TayIJL2FLmI/AAAAAAAAG7E/aS-QsOCXfcE/s1600/Once+Upon+A+Cross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nXdnI6nHC3k/TayIJL2FLmI/AAAAAAAAG7E/aS-QsOCXfcE/s400/Once+Upon+A+Cross.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X6sa95-DOeM/TayIkhsvTYI/AAAAAAAAG7M/AMojlxdzS9g/s1600/Pilgrimage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X6sa95-DOeM/TayIkhsvTYI/AAAAAAAAG7M/AMojlxdzS9g/s400/Pilgrimage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eSBiep62tpg/TayHbwVqqoI/AAAAAAAAG6w/4cQM_uZoGZo/s1600/Covenant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eSBiep62tpg/TayHbwVqqoI/AAAAAAAAG6w/4cQM_uZoGZo/s400/Covenant.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-23Ac6nCsYTU/TayJ6LECUXI/AAAAAAAAG7g/iiTGwbK95ac/s1600/Through+Different+Eyes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-23Ac6nCsYTU/TayJ6LECUXI/AAAAAAAAG7g/iiTGwbK95ac/s400/Through+Different+Eyes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-23Ac6nCsYTU/TayJ6LECUXI/AAAAAAAAG7g/iiTGwbK95ac/s1600/Through+Different+Eyes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NOMtVKwxvZU/TayJvznFLGI/AAAAAAAAG7c/Wu1VX8towQY/s1600/Thirsty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NOMtVKwxvZU/TayJvznFLGI/AAAAAAAAG7c/Wu1VX8towQY/s400/Thirsty.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x3bqFEFeSqc/Ta4HqdoKTxI/AAAAAAAAG88/QCETlV56Q7c/s1600/Gordon+Barr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x3bqFEFeSqc/Ta4HqdoKTxI/AAAAAAAAG88/QCETlV56Q7c/s400/Gordon+Barr.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You can order all the above CD's by contacting Randy Thompson at ~</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="mailto:randy@randythompson.org">randy@randythompson.org</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uTKFqtbykg4/TayHTQh5XdI/AAAAAAAAG6s/6UYoi97GhWM/s1600/Bright+Shining+Morning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uTKFqtbykg4/TayHTQh5XdI/AAAAAAAAG6s/6UYoi97GhWM/s400/Bright+Shining+Morning.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You can order Bernie Rolfe's CD by contacting him at ~</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://Bernie Rolfe <bhrolfe@aol.com>">bhrolfe@aol.com</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_znf8L6Hezo/Tayq0PISdAI/AAAAAAAAG7k/U7Tw-lyn3bI/s1600/Sparrow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_znf8L6Hezo/Tayq0PISdAI/AAAAAAAAG7k/U7Tw-lyn3bI/s400/Sparrow.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ktEEeDh3TM0/Ta0S0HUARFI/AAAAAAAAG8w/F12nlTKejQw/s1600/RAND+MOZINGO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ktEEeDh3TM0/Ta0S0HUARFI/AAAAAAAAG8w/F12nlTKejQw/s400/RAND+MOZINGO.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You can order Sparrowe or Rand's CD by contacting him at ~</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="mailto:erand_m@yahoo.com">erand_m@yahoo.com</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-33518625138961713662011-04-18T10:01:00.001-07:002011-04-18T10:02:36.727-07:00Marty Brandt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ui_5FQJXusk/TaxrSRtbdPI/AAAAAAAAG6o/9Eqc8dHIVKU/s1600/204859_166017493452838_100001337660823_332786_6738050_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ui_5FQJXusk/TaxrSRtbdPI/AAAAAAAAG6o/9Eqc8dHIVKU/s640/204859_166017493452838_100001337660823_332786_6738050_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hand in Hand Memories- Marty Brandt</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I first saw the New Beginning about 1974 at Greenway High School. It was lunchtime and a band had set up in the little amphitheater outside the drama building.</div><div class="MsoNormal">They were a bit older – a few were balding already (sorry guys) - and were playing what at the time were not considered very cool guitars – hollow-body Gretsches. I had gone to church my whole life and played in the church band, but it wasn’t a cool image to talk or sing about God, so I kind of joined in as friends made fun of the band for being Jesus Freaks, but inside I thought it took some guts for them to be out there with their faith. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">At that time I was also in a cover/garage band playing some High School and Junior High dances, so any band playing was interesting to me. (As a side note, we were huge Yes and Chicago fan and we were playing “Yours is No Disgrace” and “Dialogue Parts 1 an 2” at Jr. High dances followed by “Come and Get Your Love” and other pop songs. That was pretty nuts).</div><div class="MsoNormal">I remember a tune about flying on a plane and another about a “steel-driving” man (later I figured it must have been “Flight 657” and “<span style="color: #333333;">Benjie Ducaine</span>”) <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">On May 6, 1974, I went to the Billy Graham crusade here in Phoenix, where I understood the gospel for the first time and gave my life to Christ. Later that summer, at Montlure church camp up by Greer, AZ, I met a couple guys named Henry Rojas (before he was “The Original Gorilla”) and Ken Moore who really helped explain what had happened to me and what the gospel was really about – Jesus, the one and only way to God. And they were singing this great praise music directly to the Lord, and I finally figured out a new purpose for my love for music. What do you know, I became a Jesus Freak too.</div><div class="MsoNormal">When I came back to school that fall, I was alive and happy for the first time in my life - at least that’s what it felt like. I was wearing Jesus clothes, necklaces and everything and scribbling “Praise the Lord” and other sayings all over my books.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Early that school year, I saw a poster on a building there for a Campus Crusade for Christ meeting called “Student Life” (or something like that) and decided to go – even though I didn’t know anyone. One of the first meetings I attended, Bernie Rolfe was singing and sharing. He sang a song about a little boy that is out on a boat and a storm comes up and he hopes his “little boaty will float” and is trusting Jesus. (If I remember right, the boat sinks anyway and the kid goes to heaven to be with Jesus. Kinda strange and a bit twisted Bernie, but I liked it anyway.)</div><div class="MsoNormal">These meetings are where I later met Terry Hann, Rob Brunner and Bob Cochran, (future Glory Road, of course). Terry was out of High School already I think - he had that beard even back then. He came and spoke at the CCC meeting once and sang some Barry McGuire (“Jesus People”) and Randy Matthews (“Sunny Day” – I still love that tune). <br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Soon I was leading songs at the meetings and heard about this place you could go on a Saturday night and hear Christian bands playing (and eat cookies!). You could bring friends who weren’t so sure about this Jesus stuff and they would be cool with it, since there was music. That became a regular Saturday night gig, going with Jeff Bentley and Rick Hopkins to <b>Hand in Hand</b> and then hanging out at Hobo Joes until late into the night. (“Hobo Joe says ’Hot Meatloaf Sandwich!’”)<br />
In 1975, I went to the Campus Crusade Christmas conference in Arrowhead Springs and Glory Road played a concert for us (I think this was before Greg joined). John Heath was playing a beautiful wood grain semi-hollow Telecaster Thinline with hum-buckers (sorry – guitar gear memories are very clear to me).<br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">After High School, I went to Grand Canyon College (now University) but still hung out at <b>Hand in Hand</b> on Saturday nights. In late 1976 or early 1977, someone (Bob C maybe?) told me that one of the bands was looking for a rhythm guitar player. I connected up with Steve Tessitore, played him some Pat Terry and other tunes and got into New Song. I was gonna play with three of the people from the New Beginning - I was floored!<br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The band at that time was Steve and Barb Tessitore, Joyce Allen, Dave Burke on bass and Paul (last name escapes me) and me on guitar. We practiced a lot - I think Steve had us practicing twice a week, which seemed to amaze other bands - and played a few concerts with this line-up, including at least one out of town gig. The style was kind of country, but with enough rock to be interesting. (On that out-of-town trip, Paul played us some Phil Keaggy tunes he had on cassette and I had a new guitar hero).<br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Our setlist included a few tunes Bernie had written and arranged for the band (“Weary Traveler”, “Seekin’”), a few of Steve’s originals (“Fingers to the Bone”, “On the Road”, “Hand in Hand”), a few Dave’s originals (“Diggin’ a Hole, “Ephesians 2”) and some covers off Maranatha or other Jesus Music albums (“Pearly Mansions”, “King of Hearts”). A real grab bag.</div><div class="MsoNormal">Paul moved away fairly soon but left us his wonderful song “Open Up”, which we later arranged into a beautiful acoustic piece, and I stepped up to lead guitar. I thought I was a much better guitar player than I actually was and fumbled around for a while, but Steve graciously gave me room to grow and eventually I got better. <br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Later, piano player/singer Rory (again, can’t remember his last name) joined the band - added a very cool sound and a gorgeous voice– as did Rob Shepler, who brought his love for banjo, guitar and harmonica into play. The line-up I remember lasting the longest - but I could be wrong - was Steve, Barb, Joyce, Dave, Rob and me. This group worked up some very cool arrangements to some new Steve songs (“Prairie of Prayer”, “Great Divide”) and other covers (“Empty Vessels”, “Keep on Walkin”). I even wrote a fun little rock ‘n’ roll song (“Rock Star”) about the futility of the Rock ‘n’ Roll lifestyle, personified by Elvis who died that year.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It was great time and I loved everything about it, but in the fall of 1978, a couple of the members wanted to spend time with their families, so we took a “short” break that is still going on in 2011. </div><div class="MsoNormal">I got my degree in Math, started a career as an Actuary and was raising my own family. I sometimes played guitar and bass in church (backing Lee Chesnut several times), but basically moved on with my life. I played later with Steve and Barb in another band (for a short time including Dom Franco on steel guitar – he was awesome), but life got too crazy and I dropped out.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As much as I loved playing music in New Song, and sharing with the audiences between songs, the most important moments were in getting to know real Christ- following people as good friends. </div><div class="MsoNormal">I emphasize the “real” part - no one was hiding behind some sort of religious mask. They were authentic, unlike so many of the people I seemed to know growing up, and I was learning that following Christ wasn’t a formula – a set of rules – but was about learning in real time what it meant to forgive, apologize, discipline and love my brothers and sisters in Christ.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Many years later, after suffering the loss of a young child and my first marriage – when I had lost all trust in “church people” and was struggling to believe - Steve was one of the few Christian friends I trusted. I knew that even if he might not agree with all my decisions, his words – even the tough love kind – were because he cared about me and loved me as a brother. That was an important lynchpin in learning to trust the Lord again. Without that unconditional love, from Steve and a few others, I honestly don’t know where my faith would be.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I always remember those New Song days with extreme fondness. For whatever reason, though I love music more than anything besides my family and the Lord himself, God’s plan has so far not included my playing out in public very much since that time. But I am content and am thankful to Him for the short period I was hanging out at<b> Hand in Hand</b>, off Indian School Road and 26<sup>th</sup> Street, playing music and trying to find my way as a young Christian. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PZqTATS0n5s/TaxrRzjxIkI/AAAAAAAAG6k/LGDcsPV2rzw/s1600/200145_10150140537972455_691497454_7021053_3427124_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PZqTATS0n5s/TaxrRzjxIkI/AAAAAAAAG6k/LGDcsPV2rzw/s640/200145_10150140537972455_691497454_7021053_3427124_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-81765245527754413972011-04-15T12:30:00.002-07:002011-04-15T12:59:24.871-07:00The Reunion- Marsha Lees<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1o14RA88s0w/TahVzYH94OI/AAAAAAAAG6Q/2L-yyrCPyyI/s1600/208408_10150140534612455_691497454_7020999_6249070_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1o14RA88s0w/TahVzYH94OI/AAAAAAAAG6Q/2L-yyrCPyyI/s640/208408_10150140534612455_691497454_7020999_6249070_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">David & Marsha Lees definitely got the award for coming the farthest-</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">all the way from Dover, Delaware!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And were they ever loved and welcomed for coming!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">How cute is Marsha being greeted by Bill Folz and Denny Collins!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(thanks Joyce for capturing such a sweet moment)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And thanks Marsha for the rest of these memorable moments.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DefEeeYxsf0/TaiSwAultII/AAAAAAAAG6c/pH1qCvPTm60/s1600/Carol+%2526+David+Lees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DefEeeYxsf0/TaiSwAultII/AAAAAAAAG6c/pH1qCvPTm60/s640/Carol+%2526+David+Lees.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Carol Nelsen & David Lees</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">When David performed later that night, I think we can all agree </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">that it was amazing! Thanks David!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-99_HexTGhGo/TahVx5pLSmI/AAAAAAAAG58/A5tZ-IUtRGo/s1600/207318_1605697512982_1552483801_31222365_3256185_n-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-99_HexTGhGo/TahVx5pLSmI/AAAAAAAAG58/A5tZ-IUtRGo/s640/207318_1605697512982_1552483801_31222365_3256185_n-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">John Heath & Caroline</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g4mPpwpiW9g/TahVyPbtseI/AAAAAAAAG6A/G4xgyTtzda0/s1600/207488_1605703913142_1552483801_31222388_2143017_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g4mPpwpiW9g/TahVyPbtseI/AAAAAAAAG6A/G4xgyTtzda0/s640/207488_1605703913142_1552483801_31222388_2143017_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Greg Williams & Stu Golladay</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zjtHttiR3Sk/TahVymRoxuI/AAAAAAAAG6E/4jpFBAx4XJY/s1600/207548_1605700113047_1552483801_31222376_2440160_n-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zjtHttiR3Sk/TahVymRoxuI/AAAAAAAAG6E/4jpFBAx4XJY/s640/207548_1605700113047_1552483801_31222376_2440160_n-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Gary Dodd & Tom Carr</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zDFzBfJGzuo/TahVy6cP1yI/AAAAAAAAG6I/8u6k_3xktMU/s1600/207859_1605698793014_1552483801_31222370_3479678_n-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zDFzBfJGzuo/TahVy6cP1yI/AAAAAAAAG6I/8u6k_3xktMU/s640/207859_1605698793014_1552483801_31222370_3479678_n-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mickie & Bruce & Mike </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z3Zu--0Dly8/TahVzmM2c2I/AAAAAAAAG6U/7R1OwmUdUz8/s1600/215145_1605702113097_1552483801_31222382_3381791_n-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z3Zu--0Dly8/TahVzmM2c2I/AAAAAAAAG6U/7R1OwmUdUz8/s640/215145_1605702113097_1552483801_31222382_3381791_n-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">John McDonald & Bob Cochran & Jay Haugen</div>linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-72769612023159489262011-04-14T07:00:00.001-07:002011-04-15T13:12:15.630-07:00The Reunion- Debby Wehunt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GEJ92kggLr0/Tab2ykQ0_SI/AAAAAAAAG54/6d9lpESGHJQ/s1600/208333_1605701513082_1552483801_31222380_6184560_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GEJ92kggLr0/Tab2ykQ0_SI/AAAAAAAAG54/6d9lpESGHJQ/s640/208333_1605701513082_1552483801_31222380_6184560_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I was personally thrilled to have Joe & Debby at the reunion.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">What a sweet couple!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But like most photographers too busy taking pictures of everyone else,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I had to find this picture that Marsha Lees had taken of them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Great picture Marsha!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YTxtpCXCAyA/TaXPUKaQPYI/AAAAAAAAG5s/WEAiYUphvSM/s1600/Wayne+hugging+Michelle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YTxtpCXCAyA/TaXPUKaQPYI/AAAAAAAAG5s/WEAiYUphvSM/s400/Wayne+hugging+Michelle.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wayne Danley & Michelle Mozingo reuniting.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xZFEog_8jSM/TaXPS3jsp2I/AAAAAAAAG5g/gx9wgP-9ivQ/s1600/Linda-memorabilia+table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xZFEog_8jSM/TaXPS3jsp2I/AAAAAAAAG5g/gx9wgP-9ivQ/s400/Linda-memorabilia+table.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Joe surprised the members of Sparrowe by remastering a recording he found<br />
of a concert they did back in the Hand in Hand days and making it into a CD.<br />
His daughter did the CD artwork and it is so awesome! Thanks Joe!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pXRcMOCU4hQ/TaXPTc8a3iI/AAAAAAAAG5k/bpDk5qXFVoA/s1600/Marty+Brandt+singing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pXRcMOCU4hQ/TaXPTc8a3iI/AAAAAAAAG5k/bpDk5qXFVoA/s640/Marty+Brandt+singing.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Loved having Marty Brandt perform during the concert portion of the evening.</div><div style="text-align: center;">And this slide of Gordon Barr playing his bass made us miss him all the more.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Gordon was a huge part of Hand in Hand and he will be forever missed.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MGEKD56-aJE/TaXPTrt6cJI/AAAAAAAAG5o/not-_RwEs7E/s1600/Terry+%2526+Joe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MGEKD56-aJE/TaXPTrt6cJI/AAAAAAAAG5o/not-_RwEs7E/s400/Terry+%2526+Joe.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">I love everything about this photo...</div><div style="text-align: center;">Greg & Wayne loving each other and check out the big smiles on Terry & Joe! So cool!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AtGaddHkq-o/TaXPUY11EAI/AAAAAAAAG5w/RACz7h3dQ1M/s1600/windmill+sunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AtGaddHkq-o/TaXPUY11EAI/AAAAAAAAG5w/RACz7h3dQ1M/s640/windmill+sunset.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Saved my favorite for last... what a great picture Debby!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thank you for sharing your love of photography with us.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(remember, click each pic for a better look)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-63430195048354162522011-04-13T09:19:00.008-07:002011-04-13T09:55:30.876-07:00The Reunion- Nancy Hann<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HIbTdU86FEs/TaXAVJLtRKI/AAAAAAAAG5Q/LGNxsjsCrBg/s1600/Glory+Road.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HIbTdU86FEs/TaXAVJLtRKI/AAAAAAAAG5Q/LGNxsjsCrBg/s640/Glory+Road.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Terry ~ Brian ~ John ~ Rob<br />
Greg ~ Bob</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Nancy was not only in charge of organizing the <b>Hand in Hand</b> reunion</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">but Terry & Nancy also had the members of Glory Road over to their home </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">for a rehearsal the day before! What a great picture Nancy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v-pIh44uIuU/TaXAUp-WrVI/AAAAAAAAG5M/BcKSXE8hP0w/s1600/food+%2526+beverage+table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v-pIh44uIuU/TaXAUp-WrVI/AAAAAAAAG5M/BcKSXE8hP0w/s640/food+%2526+beverage+table.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Nancy's caption on this facebook photo-</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"></span></div><div aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotoTheaterCaption mbs" id="fbPhotoTheaterCaption" style="margin-bottom: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" tabindex="0"><div class="clearfix fbPhotoInlineCaptionEditor editor" style="display: block; zoom: 1;"><div class="fbPhotoCaption"><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Doesn't this look like the perfect place for a party! </div><div style="text-align: center;">In addition to all the work they did on the food, and the yard, </div><div style="text-align: center;">Rand and Michelle labored long and hard just days before the reunion</div><div style="text-align: center;"> to lay this 60 foot patio floor. And it was gorgeous!</div></div></div></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D2AJ_DDf1c8/TaXAV6FxkbI/AAAAAAAAG5U/tNnITz_uQ4A/s1600/guests.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D2AJ_DDf1c8/TaXAV6FxkbI/AAAAAAAAG5U/tNnITz_uQ4A/s640/guests.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Be sure to click all the photos for an even better look at everyone!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MTnf8FhPisU/TaXAWaFFmtI/AAAAAAAAG5Y/8Kr8mIpvL1o/s1600/more+guests.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MTnf8FhPisU/TaXAWaFFmtI/AAAAAAAAG5Y/8Kr8mIpvL1o/s640/more+guests.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">How fun to see Gary & Nancy Dodd and Tom Carr at the reunion!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vw6WU4J21qw/TaXAW02H6gI/AAAAAAAAG5c/g90cOAlVvjM/s1600/overview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vw6WU4J21qw/TaXAW02H6gI/AAAAAAAAG5c/g90cOAlVvjM/s640/overview.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;">Nancy wrote on this facebook photo-</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;">For those of you who couldn't make it, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;">here's the view looking back toward the house. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;">On the right is the screen where we watched the slide show </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;">and in front of the shed was where the musicians played. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;">Thanks Randy for putting together an amazing slide show! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;">And thanks Don for providing all the A/V equipment and the lighting. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;">Bernie Rolfe and Tom Allen were in charge of the program. And it was awesome! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;">(check back for more reunion posts)</span></div></div>linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-49929043471994211952011-04-12T08:00:00.001-07:002011-04-13T10:09:05.310-07:00The Reunion- Joyce Allen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AAQmlMiES38/TaWt712t40I/AAAAAAAAG4w/Q0KhhWhgURc/s1600/Joyce+%2526+Nancy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AAQmlMiES38/TaWt712t40I/AAAAAAAAG4w/Q0KhhWhgURc/s640/Joyce+%2526+Nancy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Joyce Allen was so intentional about making sure she got pictures of everyone</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> at the reunion.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These are among my very favorites.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vHtRSV0iP3Y/TaWt5Ehid4I/AAAAAAAAG4U/oxbh60LqmqM/s1600/Bernie+%2526+Joyce+D..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vHtRSV0iP3Y/TaWt5Ehid4I/AAAAAAAAG4U/oxbh60LqmqM/s400/Bernie+%2526+Joyce+D..jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bernie Rolfe & Joyce Dickenson</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B6Rj5YU9--4/TaWt5TQuXhI/AAAAAAAAG4Y/ybKSbNd-FNk/s1600/Bill%252C+Bruce+%2526+Tim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B6Rj5YU9--4/TaWt5TQuXhI/AAAAAAAAG4Y/ybKSbNd-FNk/s640/Bill%252C+Bruce+%2526+Tim.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Dennis Martin & Gary Dodd ~ Bill Folz, Tim Morari & Bruce Novkov</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0lCdb6zVImI/TaWt539LKfI/AAAAAAAAG4g/EOZrbhDeBIw/s1600/Bob%252C+Angie%252CTom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0lCdb6zVImI/TaWt539LKfI/AAAAAAAAG4g/EOZrbhDeBIw/s400/Bob%252C+Angie%252CTom.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a><br />
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Bob & Angie Warren & Tom<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RTshbh8yxqk/TaWt5seQFdI/AAAAAAAAG4c/PDL-crNTL1Y/s1600/Bob+and+Linda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RTshbh8yxqk/TaWt5seQFdI/AAAAAAAAG4c/PDL-crNTL1Y/s640/Bob+and+Linda.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Bob Cochran & Linda </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nrjPpu_PbhA/TaWt6CgkaNI/AAAAAAAAG4k/vp0nORXOV40/s1600/Dan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nrjPpu_PbhA/TaWt6CgkaNI/AAAAAAAAG4k/vp0nORXOV40/s640/Dan.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">So great having Dan Malmgren at the reunion!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zs_Xdo3WJeU/TaWt6rz68ZI/AAAAAAAAG4o/iqc4a0DoD9M/s1600/HiH+guests.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zs_Xdo3WJeU/TaWt6rz68ZI/AAAAAAAAG4o/iqc4a0DoD9M/s640/HiH+guests.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Emma, Anne & Lance Carsten, Brian & Jo Jones</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-flyHgJLGOhg/TaWt7bsjSQI/AAAAAAAAG4s/Tmu0RDL4tzY/s1600/Jay+%2526+Nancy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-flyHgJLGOhg/TaWt7bsjSQI/AAAAAAAAG4s/Tmu0RDL4tzY/s400/Jay+%2526+Nancy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jay Haugen and Nancy Hann</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TZo5GosehRA/TaWt8Gzd2FI/AAAAAAAAG40/BUyAOBIsf0w/s1600/Linda+%2526+Linda-Bill+%2526+Suzie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TZo5GosehRA/TaWt8Gzd2FI/AAAAAAAAG40/BUyAOBIsf0w/s640/Linda+%2526+Linda-Bill+%2526+Suzie.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">The Linda Larson's & Bill & Susie</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rICUivKbca8/TaWt8QY04JI/AAAAAAAAG44/NoDgwMeVFgA/s1600/reunion+gathering.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rICUivKbca8/TaWt8QY04JI/AAAAAAAAG44/NoDgwMeVFgA/s400/reunion+gathering.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jim Bomkamp & Lance Carsten & Dan Ehrlich</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dBUkQW3gA9k/TaWt9ob7qfI/AAAAAAAAG5A/Drc35BVs4q0/s1600/Table+of+friends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dBUkQW3gA9k/TaWt9ob7qfI/AAAAAAAAG5A/Drc35BVs4q0/s640/Table+of+friends.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">The Pughs & the Hortons & the Carstens</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n6moXp9u17E/TaWt95cfnDI/AAAAAAAAG5E/nVGutTWl-3Y/s1600/Tom%252C+Joyce+%2526+Marty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n6moXp9u17E/TaWt95cfnDI/AAAAAAAAG5E/nVGutTWl-3Y/s400/Tom%252C+Joyce+%2526+Marty.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Tom & Joyce & Marty Brandt</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FonvG4zXZII/TaWt-TlTngI/AAAAAAAAG5I/uk3fzK6Don8/s1600/Trilogy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FonvG4zXZII/TaWt-TlTngI/AAAAAAAAG5I/uk3fzK6Don8/s640/Trilogy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ira & Nancy, Jim Bomkamp, Mike & Lynn Greenwood & Joyce</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fo9vteokKhk/TaWt9FyhOpI/AAAAAAAAG48/HxBg1aKFtgc/s1600/Stu+hugs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fo9vteokKhk/TaWt9FyhOpI/AAAAAAAAG48/HxBg1aKFtgc/s640/Stu+hugs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Lance & Ann welcoming Stu</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-51571720405567222682011-04-11T07:22:00.000-07:002011-04-13T09:27:47.623-07:00The Reunion- Denny Collins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GRqKyXYSXGE/TaOsh4aB3zI/AAAAAAAAG4E/MPMbFzPQgFs/s1600/The+meal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GRqKyXYSXGE/TaOsh4aB3zI/AAAAAAAAG4E/MPMbFzPQgFs/s640/The+meal.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These are some of my favorite <a href="http://web.me.com/dennyc/www.dennycollins.com/Welcome.html">Denny Collins</a> images </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">from the <b>Hand in Hand</b> Reunion.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You can check out his awesome web site <a href="http://web.me.com/dennyc/www.dennycollins.com/Welcome.html">HERE</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9F0hanOuiv4/TaOsfB9w9qI/AAAAAAAAG3s/BVsWt_0lSmg/s1600/Joyce+%2526+Lynn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9F0hanOuiv4/TaOsfB9w9qI/AAAAAAAAG3s/BVsWt_0lSmg/s400/Joyce+%2526+Lynn.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Joyce Dickenson & Lynn Greenwood</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dW-SeWDS6R8/TaOsgw717sI/AAAAAAAAG38/akhQgWjnATo/s1600/Sandy+%2526+Mark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dW-SeWDS6R8/TaOsgw717sI/AAAAAAAAG38/akhQgWjnATo/s400/Sandy+%2526+Mark.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sandi & Mark Novkov</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GpgDTPAunXY/TaOu2cOndwI/AAAAAAAAG4M/YksOeSMRc5o/s1600/Jim+%2526+Stu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GpgDTPAunXY/TaOu2cOndwI/AAAAAAAAG4M/YksOeSMRc5o/s400/Jim+%2526+Stu.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Jim Bomkamp, Stu Golladay & Michelle</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gFNmehROoRU/TaOseHn2bAI/AAAAAAAAG3g/OJbKrAj7ncA/s1600/Don+%2540+sunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gFNmehROoRU/TaOseHn2bAI/AAAAAAAAG3g/OJbKrAj7ncA/s640/Don+%2540+sunset.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
Don Nelsen & Bernie Rolfe<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uebJ4Jv-GjU/TaOsdhszsnI/AAAAAAAAG3c/wdhD3I_w3Lo/s1600/Bill+%2526+Susie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uebJ4Jv-GjU/TaOsdhszsnI/AAAAAAAAG3c/wdhD3I_w3Lo/s400/Bill+%2526+Susie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Bill & Susie Folz</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5w1XrLNE9kg/TaOsfqDHt4I/AAAAAAAAG3w/58IgwZF_cGk/s1600/Marsha+%2526+David.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5w1XrLNE9kg/TaOsfqDHt4I/AAAAAAAAG3w/58IgwZF_cGk/s400/Marsha+%2526+David.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Marsha & David Lees</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sUn22KxEEGc/TaOsenQjdrI/AAAAAAAAG3k/Xf9mNS8xK6E/s1600/Don+%2526+his+board.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sUn22KxEEGc/TaOsenQjdrI/AAAAAAAAG3k/Xf9mNS8xK6E/s640/Don+%2526+his+board.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Way cool picture of Don working sound.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fGAmTCuv3PM/TaOsgq8qLqI/AAAAAAAAG34/cg6ssGBfI4s/s1600/Randy+%2526+Linda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fGAmTCuv3PM/TaOsgq8qLqI/AAAAAAAAG34/cg6ssGBfI4s/s400/Randy+%2526+Linda.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
Linda & Randy<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oXkc7m5ekeY/TaOu144XYSI/AAAAAAAAG4I/bhqlF3iPlXY/s1600/Glory+Road-+backwards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oXkc7m5ekeY/TaOu144XYSI/AAAAAAAAG4I/bhqlF3iPlXY/s640/Glory+Road-+backwards.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Glory Road</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CAUrEY7XQoY/TaOsdMoQsaI/AAAAAAAAG3Y/owY2oejEpCM/s1600/Bernie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CAUrEY7XQoY/TaOsdMoQsaI/AAAAAAAAG3Y/owY2oejEpCM/s400/Bernie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Bernie</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L5rfwy081G8/TaOshdgUb6I/AAAAAAAAG4A/SU-Q9AyAlx8/s1600/Stu+%2526+friends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L5rfwy081G8/TaOshdgUb6I/AAAAAAAAG4A/SU-Q9AyAlx8/s640/Stu+%2526+friends.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Nancy, Terry, Stu, Tatia, Bob, Wayne & Greg</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EWooONvu-lw/TaOu2hw4jZI/AAAAAAAAG4Q/sdydnhK6O5s/s1600/Mozingo%2527s+%2540+Nite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EWooONvu-lw/TaOu2hw4jZI/AAAAAAAAG4Q/sdydnhK6O5s/s640/Mozingo%2527s+%2540+Nite.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thanks Denny for capturing such memorable moments!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-22988296890107841002011-04-10T17:00:00.000-07:002011-04-13T09:28:12.183-07:00The Reunion- Linda Thompson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KCmpKv6YpwU/TZs2ZjGAPVI/AAAAAAAAG0M/ugi-5ZU0GrU/s1600/DSC00916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KCmpKv6YpwU/TZs2ZjGAPVI/AAAAAAAAG0M/ugi-5ZU0GrU/s640/DSC00916.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">These sweet <b>Hand in Hand</b> reunion images say it all... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ysWy6rcOfsY/TZs2XsIuaxI/AAAAAAAAG0E/tV3ao3ZhDrA/s1600/DSC00910.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ysWy6rcOfsY/TZs2XsIuaxI/AAAAAAAAG0E/tV3ao3ZhDrA/s400/DSC00910.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">lots of hugs...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MW6AcSH31II/TZs2YmBhuiI/AAAAAAAAG0I/ibKb4L0-grE/s1600/DSC00911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MW6AcSH31II/TZs2YmBhuiI/AAAAAAAAG0I/ibKb4L0-grE/s400/DSC00911.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">reuniting with old friends...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DkTdW_P4plk/TZs2h218LoI/AAAAAAAAG04/O4wc-NoB3i4/s1600/Joyce+%2526+Dennis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DkTdW_P4plk/TZs2h218LoI/AAAAAAAAG04/O4wc-NoB3i4/s640/Joyce+%2526+Dennis.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">remembering a time in our lives that was foundational to who we are today...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FhEOq5YDiFU/TZs2iattyUI/AAAAAAAAG08/DXkT5dWI814/s1600/Linda+%2526+Debby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FhEOq5YDiFU/TZs2iattyUI/AAAAAAAAG08/DXkT5dWI814/s400/Linda+%2526+Debby.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">and making new friends that will last forever.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q694I0TVMi0/TZs2adWgROI/AAAAAAAAG0Q/KqSx8_DJwGc/s1600/DSC00932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q694I0TVMi0/TZs2adWgROI/AAAAAAAAG0Q/KqSx8_DJwGc/s640/DSC00932.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ysWy6rcOfsY/TZs2XsIuaxI/AAAAAAAAG0E/tV3ao3ZhDrA/s1600/DSC00910.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b></b></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The reunion was everything and more than I could have ever imagined!</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">70 of us gathered together to thank God for His love and faithfulness,<br />
and the awesome meal we were about to share.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VmQX_HQNpvI/TZs2beRkg1I/AAAAAAAAG0U/Yy1ZdLXQmVo/s1600/DSC00945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VmQX_HQNpvI/TZs2beRkg1I/AAAAAAAAG0U/Yy1ZdLXQmVo/s640/DSC00945.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">They forecast temps in the mid-90's,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">but then the clouds rolled in and cooled things off...</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PVSoZ1RmW84/TZs2cfLdmoI/AAAAAAAAG0Y/NWJwAMb8-DY/s1600/DSC00961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PVSoZ1RmW84/TZs2cfLdmoI/AAAAAAAAG0Y/NWJwAMb8-DY/s400/DSC00961.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">... and the day was spent catching up on the last 30 years...</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">over good food, friendships and fun music!</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-npaEBnOp-l8/TZs2dVdAKGI/AAAAAAAAG0c/T4NiZN3lnXc/s1600/DSC00970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-npaEBnOp-l8/TZs2dVdAKGI/AAAAAAAAG0c/T4NiZN3lnXc/s400/DSC00970.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Hand in Hand </b>was a concert ministry back in the 70's</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">that shared Jesus through all styles of music.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Thousands of teens accepted Christ during that time.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I am still in awe that God would entrust a bunch of 20 year olds<br />
with the message of Christ through the ministry of <b>Hand in Hand</b>.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--NSugoOxBcw/TZs2em3LmTI/AAAAAAAAG0g/tHpHro-faHk/s1600/DSC00998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--NSugoOxBcw/TZs2em3LmTI/AAAAAAAAG0g/tHpHro-faHk/s640/DSC00998.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">As the sun began to set over the White Tank mountains,</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">we were transported back in time to the tunes of sweet music filling the air.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">It was magical and memorable.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LclOWb_Hfec/TZs2glovKuI/AAAAAAAAG0s/-CEKOYtx0yg/s1600/DSC01026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LclOWb_Hfec/TZs2glovKuI/AAAAAAAAG0s/-CEKOYtx0yg/s640/DSC01026.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="470" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Linda & I had not sung together in over 10 years. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">But it came back so easy and natural... just pure & simple harmonies.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">And then while the music was playing... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">we were stunned to witness God's glorious handiwork!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IaFH9ThWRIM/TZs2fT8iAZI/AAAAAAAAG0k/esP0cXAVQxk/s1600/DSC01018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IaFH9ThWRIM/TZs2fT8iAZI/AAAAAAAAG0k/esP0cXAVQxk/s640/DSC01018.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>PSALMS 19:1 ~</b></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>The Heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.</b></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HlBviYLKD9A/TZs2gCwgKtI/AAAAAAAAG0o/FUv5mab_5Ls/s1600/DSC01021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HlBviYLKD9A/TZs2gCwgKtI/AAAAAAAAG0o/FUv5mab_5Ls/s640/DSC01021.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Truly the most breathtaking sunset I have ever witnessed!</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">What a special gift from God.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T35BhavKkjQ/TZs2hP_3EvI/AAAAAAAAG0w/3OETL65oZ_g/s1600/DSC01041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T35BhavKkjQ/TZs2hP_3EvI/AAAAAAAAG0w/3OETL65oZ_g/s400/DSC01041.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">These are the simple centerpieces that graced each of the tables.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">~ candles in aqua blue Mason jars on burlap ~</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CosUvZ5PzxU/TZs2hcIV93I/AAAAAAAAG00/CLP6Ukx5zpc/s1600/Glory+Road.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CosUvZ5PzxU/TZs2hcIV93I/AAAAAAAAG00/CLP6Ukx5zpc/s640/Glory+Road.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The highlight of the evening was watching Glory Road reunited as a band</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">and playing great music again after many, many years.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">What a memorable night!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">(more reunion posts to come)</div><div><br />
</div></div>linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-8833377288290840232011-03-23T12:43:00.004-07:002011-03-23T12:47:33.499-07:00facebook HiH stories<h3 class="UIIntentionalStory_Message" data-ft="{"type":"msg"}" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> I </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">took these stories & testimonials off the</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=61782431439"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hand in Hand facebook group page</span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">.</span></span></h3><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><h3 class="UIIntentionalStory_Message" data-ft="{"type":"msg"}" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="UIIntentionalStory_Names" data-ft="{"type":"name"}" style="color: grey;"><a class="" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=100000325820854" href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000325820854" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Von Wagner</a> - </span><span class="UIStory_Message">I have some wonderful memories at Hand in Hand.<br />
Their concerts were a Godsend for a young man of 21 who had just given his heart to God and fresh out of a secular rock band.<br />
What a wonderful alternative to worldly music.<br />
I took my girlfriend there several times and she liked it as well. She later became my wife.<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">We have wonderful memories together as a young couple just starting off in their walk with God and going to these great christian concerts at Hand in Hand.<br />
Too bad the building is gone now but the memories will live on.<br />
Some of the bands I saw there were,<br />
Won By One, Glory Road, Trilogy, Randy Thompson and of course Bernies band.<br />
Thank you.</span></span></h3><div><span class="UIStory_Message"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"></span></span><br />
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<span class="UIStory_Message"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><h3 class="UIIntentionalStory_Message" data-ft="{"type":"msg"}" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="UIIntentionalStory_Names" data-ft="{"type":"name"}" style="color: grey;"><a class="" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=713442323" href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=713442323" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Jim Bomkamp</a> - </span><span class="UIStory_Message">Wow, what a blessing to see you all and to read through Bernie's 30th Anniversary page! Truly, Hand in Hand and ODF had a huge impact in my spiritual life and journey, especially Bill and Bernie. After coming to Christ in Jan. of 73' and being rescued from a life of sin and the hippie lifestyle, in all of its variou<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">s forms, I moved to Phoenix in 75' to go to Grand Canyon Co. to study the Bible. I immediately gravitated towards the Hand in Hand concerts after beginning school.<br />
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In 78', I began to attend ODF and was asked to join Promise w/ Lee Chestnut, as a lead guitar player. We were more of a rock oriented group than previously had played at Hand in Hand, I believe. Bernie Rolfe wrote the music for us and directed us, and we were together a year and a half or so I believe.<br />
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6 months later, I was asked to play guitar in Trilogy, a jazz rock group directed by Bernie who wrote for us. The three years together was a huge musical challenge for me but also a great blessing.</span></span></h3><div><span class="UIStory_Message"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"></span></span><br />
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<span class="UIStory_Message"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><h3 class="UIIntentionalStory_Message" data-ft="{"type":"msg"}" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="UIIntentionalStory_Names" data-ft="{"type":"name"}" style="color: grey;"><a class="" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1421146865" href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1421146865" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Jacob Saul</a> - </span><span class="UIStory_Message">Barb, D'Ann and I think of you and Steve often. Thank you for this site and a way to connect. I attended Hand In Hand in the audience as I am not a musician, at all. Tom Allen says I helped him write the first HiH discipleship booklet and I remember doing a little. I became more involved when Open Door started in order<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"> to disciple and provide a local body for many who were coming to Jesus through the ministry. I laid down a lot of carpet squares. D'Ann and I were part of the coffee house ministry of Arizona Bible Camp and worked with the New Beginning at several of those.<br />
Again, thanks. </span></span></h3><h3 class="UIIntentionalStory_Message" data-ft="{"type":"msg"}" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="UIStory_Message"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">P.S. Jacob Saul is a nom de plume I'm trying to promote through Facebook. I'm Jim Pruitt.</span></span></h3><div><span class="UIStory_Message"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"></span></span><br />
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<span class="UIStory_Message"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><h3 class="UIIntentionalStory_Message" data-ft="{"type":"msg"}" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="UIIntentionalStory_Names" data-ft="{"type":"name"}" style="color: grey;"><a class="" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1495432511" href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1495432511" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">David Michael Lees</a> - </span><span class="UIStory_Message">My Hand In Hand (HIH) story: The band New Jerusalem was losing John Brown as one of their guitar players. I auditioned and joined the band as his replacement. Band members included Gary Wilson, Dan Erlich, Jerry Esh, Stu Golladay, Jesse Goldstein. I also performed at HIH as Dave Lees, Dave Lees and Friends and in t<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">he band Threshold (Stu Golladay-Sherry Covington-Dave Baker-Larry Lee). Through HIH I became involved with ODF where I was in a discipleship group with Bill Thrall. I moved to Denver to attend Bible college and met my wife, Marsha. Upon graduation, we returned to Phx and ODF/HIH. My return was, unfortunately, simultaneous with the demise of HIH. Bernie Rolfe and I briefly formed a band together that rehearsed, but never actually performed. The economy in Phx was very tough at the time and jobs were scarce. Marsha and I eventually moved back to Denver where gainful employment awaited. That was in 1983.</span></span></h3><div><br />
</div><div><span class="UIStory_Message"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">And just so you know, Jim Bomkamp is coming all the way from Green Bay,Wisconsin to the Reunion. And David Lees is coming from Dover, Delaware! How awesome is that!</span></span></span></div><div><span class="UIStory_Message"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">You can still register to come to the Reunion through this weekend.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">COME ON!! Register</span><a href="http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e3b1gm9286722361&llr=xc5fmoeab"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> HERE!</span></a></div></span></span></div></span></span></div></span></span></div>linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-75440726123057758782011-03-21T11:24:00.001-07:002011-03-21T11:28:08.433-07:00Jim & Bonnie Krupa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-udfkmvmzt1A/TYeEnVakrII/AAAAAAAAGyc/RTz4i2UHhGA/s1600/Copy+of+Jim+Bonnie+no+miss.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-udfkmvmzt1A/TYeEnVakrII/AAAAAAAAGyc/RTz4i2UHhGA/s400/Copy+of+Jim+Bonnie+no+miss.png" width="351" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><blockquote style="font-family: Helvetica;" type="cite">Thanks for the note, the thoughts, and the invite. Bonnie and I are doing well as we transition into another chapter of our lives. Recently we both left full-time ministry to pursue teaching and/or administration in a charter or public school. </blockquote><blockquote style="font-family: Helvetica;" type="cite">Bonnie is pursuing a leadership position with Green Dot Charter schools in Los Angeles. At this time, this looks like our most promising possibility. Green Dot has a track record of producing great schools in the worst areas of L.A. She will finish her masters in school leadership at the University of Nevada in May. She has a great heart to see inner city kids receive a quality education. She is also working at 2 part-time jobs---teaching at Excel Christian School (one of the 2 schools she founded) and doing the books for a local archeology company.</blockquote><blockquote style="font-family: Helvetica;" type="cite">I have 4 part-time jobs and have finished getting all of my music teaching credentials up to date. I am a music professor at Western Nevada College; I teach private lessons and do some studio work in our home; I sub at local schools; and I am the keyboardist/guitarist for a church in Fernley, NV. In January, I was offered a 15 week contract to be a ship pianist with Holland America but turned it down. I am applying for music teaching positions at junior colleges, charter schools, and public schools. Feel free to let others know that Bonnie and I are considering all options and would appreciate any connections or leads that the old gang might have.</blockquote><blockquote style="font-family: Helvetica;" type="cite">We miss the great people associated with <b>Hand in Hand</b> and send our best, but our schedules won’t allow us to get away at this time.</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-LaUaThxQmn8/TYeEoNvs6UI/AAAAAAAAGyg/v70zLlToeLE/s1600/Krupa+Christmas+2009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-LaUaThxQmn8/TYeEoNvs6UI/AAAAAAAAGyg/v70zLlToeLE/s640/Krupa+Christmas+2009.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><blockquote style="font-family: Helvetica;" type="cite">This is a family picture taken in December of 2009. </blockquote><blockquote style="font-family: Helvetica;" type="cite"><b>Jared </b>(our oldest son) owns one of the largest civil engineering companies in Reno. That's his wife, Heather, and their 2 daughters, Kyla (with the tilted head) and Makenna.</blockquote><blockquote style="font-family: Helvetica;" type="cite"><b>Jalen</b>, our middle child in the front with the dog, is the audio/video director for the stage show of The Price is Right. He is strongly considering the military.</blockquote><blockquote style="font-family: Helvetica;" type="cite"><b>Marissa</b>, our youngest, is the brunette in the back row. She has a degree in International Business from Pepperdine University. She works as a consultant for Cognisant, the largest consulting firm in the entertainment industry. Currently, she is working with Warner Brothers and rides her horse every chance she gets. </blockquote><blockquote style="font-family: Helvetica;" type="cite">We are extremely proud to have such great kids and grandkids. They place a very high value on us staying close and getting together often.</blockquote><blockquote style="font-family: Helvetica;" type="cite">Keep being a great people!</blockquote><blockquote style="font-family: Helvetica;" type="cite"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Jim and Bonnie </div></blockquote><blockquote style="font-family: Helvetica;" type="cite"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">(775) 427-7715 </div></blockquote><blockquote style="font-family: Helvetica;" type="cite"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">2277 Soda Lake Road</div></blockquote><blockquote style="font-family: Helvetica;" type="cite"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Fallon, NV 89406 </div></blockquote><blockquote style="font-family: Helvetica;" type="cite"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Samples of my music can be heard (and seen) at <a href="http://www.myspace.com/jimkrupa">http://www.myspace.com/jimkrupa</a>.</div></blockquote> Jim's email- <a href="http://Jim Krupa <krupajk@aol.com>">krupajk@aol.com </a><br />
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</div></div>linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-51855351111513287302011-03-17T09:58:00.001-07:002011-03-17T09:59:16.352-07:00Hand in Hand soloist<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_h-tE70-CT8/TYI2mnp5s1I/AAAAAAAAGxk/YC2QVRpz5sY/s1600/img794.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_h-tE70-CT8/TYI2mnp5s1I/AAAAAAAAGxk/YC2QVRpz5sY/s400/img794.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Rand Mozingo</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-3-P_MpwAuWw/TYI7gwYLqsI/AAAAAAAAGxo/YHw8u97klok/s1600/Dave+ArA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-3-P_MpwAuWw/TYI7gwYLqsI/AAAAAAAAGxo/YHw8u97klok/s640/Dave+ArA.jpg" width="218" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Dave Argentati</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-drjZGKco048/TYI7hR5NCiI/AAAAAAAAGxs/zX2vrHpg8V8/s1600/Wayne+Danley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-drjZGKco048/TYI7hR5NCiI/AAAAAAAAGxs/zX2vrHpg8V8/s400/Wayne+Danley.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Wayne Danley</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-smrqYGtiB-s/TYI7xLfpgrI/AAAAAAAAGxw/h9Ue1yV9Yc0/s1600/Dave+LeesA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-smrqYGtiB-s/TYI7xLfpgrI/AAAAAAAAGxw/h9Ue1yV9Yc0/s400/Dave+LeesA.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="256" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Dave Lees</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-drjZGKco048/TYI7hR5NCiI/AAAAAAAAGxs/zX2vrHpg8V8/s1600/Wayne+Danley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-TPJJ2Lvkvqk/TYI1kBoHvII/AAAAAAAAGxY/QocKfGxqo2w/s1600/img622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-TPJJ2Lvkvqk/TYI1kBoHvII/AAAAAAAAGxY/QocKfGxqo2w/s400/img622.jpg" width="277" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Randy Thompson</span></b></div>linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-45727720999650014982011-03-09T07:13:00.002-07:002011-03-09T07:17:26.585-07:00The rest of the story<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="font: inherit;" valign="top">If you haven't read<a href="http://rememberhandinhand.blogspot.com/2011/03/kirk-stevens.html"> Kirk's story</a>, then do so before you read this post. And then you will want to come back and read the rest of the story.<br />
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I can't even begin to tell you how Kirk's story touched my heart. I cried through the whole story. And I couldn't wait to post the story on the blog and contact the <a href="http://rememberhandinhand.blogspot.com/2011/02/hand-in-hand-reunion-team.html">Reunion Team</a>, so they would be sure to read it right away. Somehow I knew we were going to find the missing pieces to Kirk's story. And did we ever!<br />
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Joyce Allen immediately emailed me the rest of the story... and gave me permission to post her email.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">************</div>Thanks, Linda, for creating this blog! Your faithfulness to create this form of communication gave opportunity for this story to be told and for us to receive the blessing of additional chapters to an uncompleted story. We actually spent quite a bit of time during that season with both Kirk and Jim. Tom actually helped Jim get a job where he was working at the time with Allyson Podratz Janos's father, bailed him out of jail after he tried to rip off the place and he even lived with Tom and I for a season in our home in Mesa.<br />
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I have spent sooo many years wondering what became of both Kirk and Jim. Did the impact of that short time make a difference? Where are they now? How do you begin to look? I have prayed for them as they came to mind through the years. I hugely regret not keeping in touch, but this was long before email and cell phones and the availability that we now have for maintaining a long distance relationship.<br />
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The trip that Kirk mentions is one that he accompanied <b>The New Beginning</b> on, to the Four Corners. We often refer to that trip in our reminiscing because there are so many "funny" stories attached, but this is a dimension that makes that weekend even more precious. I remember hoping that as he traveled with us that he would truly see the reality of the Christian life lived out amongst people that truly loved one another and had a passion for what we were called to be about and that it would captivate his heart. His life story up to that point was obviously quite different than all of ours, so I wasn't quite sure how he would view us. Yet the <b>TRUTH</b> is still true no matter what direction you approach it from. The answer to all of our needs is found in one <b>Source</b>. I prayed that that would shine through and nullify the difference. <br />
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To hear the "rest of the story", to see God's faithfulness to pursue and protect his journey, to know that we played some small part in God's purposes is beyond humbling. This came at just the right moment for me. I have emailed him and look forward to reconnecting!<br />
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<div>If this were the only story resulting from years of hauling equipment, endless hours on the road traveling to every nook and cranny in Arizona... it was more than worth it! </div><div><br />
</div><div><b>We all have played parts and continue to in this amazing journey. We could have never even envisioned ALL the reasons that God had for the reunion. God planting the seed in Nancy's heart to HAVE a reunion... and you, Linda, blogging the stories... </b><b>God had far greater designs than just a get together of old friends and a time to reminisce over music</b>.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">************</div>WOW! Thank you Joyce!<br />
How cool is that! Tom & Joyce now know the rest of the story... and Kirk can now reconnect with them and "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 20px;">express my gratitude to those who reached out to me in my darkest hour".</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 20px;">I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm a mess! (in a good way) I mean seriously, what are the chances of this happening without the internet... without the reunion... and without the blog as a result of the reunion. Wow!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-rT7KMuyH4rk/TXb4t9ts2JI/AAAAAAAAGsw/0sq0B5JiL_o/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-rT7KMuyH4rk/TXb4t9ts2JI/AAAAAAAAGsw/0sq0B5JiL_o/s200/1.jpg" width="155" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 20px;">Ok, speaking of the <a href="http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e3b1gm9286722361&llr=xc5fmoeab">Hand in Hand Reunion</a> ~ be sure and register<a href="http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e3b1gm9286722361&llr=xc5fmoeab"> HERE.</a> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 20px;">We have several attendees coming from all parts of the country. And I know they would love to see all you locals there! Come on, it's going to be so fun!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 20px;">And help us out by spreading the word!!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; line-height: 20px;">And please keep those stories coming ~ <a href="mailto:linda@randythompson.org">linda@randythompson.org</a></span><br />
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THANKS!<br />
linda t<br />
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</tbody></table>linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-41921346813231125222011-03-08T13:06:00.000-07:002011-03-08T13:06:58.559-07:00Kirk Stevens<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #cc6600; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>A MIRACLE IN 1974<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Re-Discovering Hand in Hand<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;">I stumbled upon the <b>Hand in Hand</b> Memories page recently; some 36 years after the <b>Hand in Hand</b> ministry profoundly changed my life. I had just cleaned out some closets and given away numerous household items to Healing Minds a ministry for the mentally challenged. Among the items was a collection of record albums including a cherished copy of, <b>“People Who Walk in Light”</b>, with the fantastic cover showing the glowing, light-formed cross. In a weak moment, with the thinking that “I don’t own a turntable and am not likely in this day and age to ever buy one so why would I want to keep any of these old records”, I tossed them all into the heap for donation to someone who might better benefit from them.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-D-Q97VTRHBc/TXaL676g-YI/AAAAAAAAGss/kvfFs_cxPLU/s1600/New+Beginning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-D-Q97VTRHBc/TXaL676g-YI/AAAAAAAAGss/kvfFs_cxPLU/s400/New+Beginning.jpg" width="395" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;">A few days later, I began to regret that I gave away such a nostalgic item as that 1974 vintage album. I decided to do a search for the album and...Wow… I found it online at Christ Wings and was able to download it and add it to my collection of 8200 digitized albums. Then, as I happily played those tunes from that album, I proceeded to use the wonder of the internet, doing a search for<b> “Hand in Hand Phoenix”</b>, and was amazed to find the <b>Hand in Hand memories page</b>. The whole time I had been lamenting giving away that album, I just kept hearing that wonderful female singer’s (don’t recall her name, Joyce?) soul touching words, <b>“People Who Walk In Light, Don’t Have to Be Afraid…. And if The Dark Deceive You, The Devil Won’t Release You”</b>. After all these years I could still recall some of the words, and vividly recalled how deeply this and other songs of Hand in Hand had moved me, and led me to find the Lord back in 1974. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>My Story<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;">Having read the stories shared on the memories page I felt moved to share my story as someone who was touched by the <b>Hand In Hand </b>ministry. I especially liked Bernie’s story about his encounter with the bikers while he was putting up a flyer at Circle K. I could really relate to that story, though not a biker, at the time I was living with bikers, had hair down to my shoulders, and was in total rebellion. It was just such a flyer at a Circle K that led me to the <b>Hand in Hand </b>ministry just in time to save my life. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Travails of a Lost Soul<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;">When I came to <b>Hand in Hand</b> Ministry, I was about as lost as one soul can be. I was only 22 years old. I had a failing marriage and had left my wife and two year old little girl in Michigan. I travelled all the way to Phoenix to start life anew. I had joined up with a friend, Jim, and we packed our things in my GMC Jimmy with his 750 Honda in tow on a trailer behind us. The first thing that happened was I fell asleep at the wheel, went into a ditch and half totaled my friend’s motorcycle. Then, on the way to Phoenix we stopped in Albuquerque to spend time with a friend of Jim’s. Well, we stayed too long, partied too much, and ended up spending most of the money we had saved for the trip. When we finally landed in Phoenix, we were broke with no money for gas or food. We had no means of support, no way to get money and nowhere to stay, so we camped out in the desert outside Phoenix.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;">Some time later, we were at a Circle K and happened to meet a guy named John who incredibly invited us to stay with him and his friends at his house in Phoenix. The only problem was his friends were bikers who made their living stealing bikes and parting them out to sell for money. In 1974, the country was in a deep recession with an oil crisis, and there were no jobs to be had. I tried for months to get a job, but the only thing I could find were sales on commission types of jobs. I had brief stints selling Rainbow vacuum cleaners and Water King water purifiers. But these never ended up paying any real money, and I found myself struggling to even have food to eat.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;">Life living with thieves was chaotic to say the least. I remember times when days went by where the only thing to eat was corn nuts…washed down with cheap beer that others had bought. Living in this house was a guy named Dennis and his girlfriend along with her young child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One day he threw them out on the street. She was in tears with nowhere to go. I felt compassion for her (and had some feeling for her) so I offered to help her. I did so at the anger of the residents of the house, with the result being that I was ostracized and banned from there forever. I had also previously had a fight with my friend Jim over a girl, and he had moved away from the house. Anyway, I packed up her things and took her to an apartment where I spent the last of my money getting her settled in, and began planning to start a life with her. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, within a couple days she decided she did not want a relationship with me and asked me to leave. I was devastated. I had begun to have deep feelings for her and for her plight, but now she was coldly rejecting me. Worse was that I now was without a place to live, penniless, and without a friend in the world. I had nowhere to go. I had no one who cared about me. I was empty, bitter, and lonely. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;">I drove out to the desert, parked my car and got out wondering what to do next. I looked up at the stars and wondered what does it all mean. I said out loud, “If there really is a God, I need for you to show me. I need you to touch my life and tell me what to do”. Well, I immediately felt a warmth and a reassurance that there was someone who cared who was looking over me. Of course I did not know what it meant. And in a crude way, I think I was actually inviting Jesus into my heart right then and there. I was at rock bottom. And in those times it becomes easy to look beyond yourself and open yourself to God. In that moment, Jesus touched me. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Hand in Hand Reaches Out<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;">Enter again, Circle K. The next morning I went there to get a drink and what did I find? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Free Hand in Hand Concert! <o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>2616 East Fairmount in Phoenix<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>8 PM Saturday nights!</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;">Well, it was Saturday! With nowhere to go and no idea what came next, the only thing I could do was go to the concert. That first encounter with <b>Hand In Hand</b> was incredible. The music was so full of life and love and it just washed over me. Suddenly things were beginning to make sense. There seemed to be a purpose to life. I was not alone anymore. Someone really cared about me and His name was Jesus!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;">At the end of the concert I said the prayer and accepted Jesus into my life. I now had a plan for my life… whatever God wanted to do with it was fine with me. All my fears and doubts were washed away with the cleansing power of the blood of Christ. I want you to know how that ministry literally saved me. It came just at the right time for someone who was really at the end of his rope in the pits of despair, full of tears and fears. That ministry brought me from the bottom of a dark pit to the light of God. Oh how those words were comforting… People Who Walk in Light…Don’t Have to be Afraid…. Cause Jesus Will Be There Right by Your Side. God bless those people who were there to reach out to me at that time of my deepest need.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;">All these events were so long ago, yet I remember some of them as if they were yesterday. At the same time much of what transpired back then is just a blur beyond reach of my failing memory cells. I don’t recall who it was that took me in. I can’t remember their names. But a generous couple from the ministry offered to let me stay with them in their home. I had nowhere else to go, and these people took in a long-haired, lost stranger and showed him the love of God. I remember having long conversations full of questions with a kind young man who helped me understand all the things a newborn in Christ yearns to know. (Looking at the photos on Bernie’s site I think it was Wayne). I remember travelling with these folks who took me in up to do a concert at an Indian reservation in the four corners area. What an outreach, to reach out to poor and isolated Indians! If anyone in your circle can remember a concert to Indians at four corners in late 1974, and can remember this stranger who they took in and took along… it would be so great to pass along my deepest gratitude for their generosity way back then, when it was so needed. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>A Healed Life<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;">These people also helped me deal with my issues of having abandoned my family in Michigan. I ended up facing those issues and going back to Michigan where I reconciled with my wife. They helped me realize that was the right thing to do. I did not stay with them long, but the time with them was so important. After I got back with my wife, we had another child. Her name is Cheryl and she is a blessing to me and to her three kids and husband. She may not have ever been born into this world without the effects of the <b>Hand in Hand</b> ministry on my life.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;">It was not easy going back home. I still had no job or money, and my car had been repossessed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to hitchhike all the way back to Michigan. But, incredibly, on the last leg of the journey I was picked up by a van full of Christians who happily shared their joy of Jesus. They shared about a church they were excited about called, “Deeper Life”, that was just a few miles from where my wife lived. They drove me right to the doorstep of my wife. That church became a beacon of my life for many years. It was a charismatic church full of the love of God, vibrant with lively music reminiscent of Hand in Hand’s music outreach. Our church life together helped strengthen our fractured relationship so that my wife and I successfully reconciled and went on to be blessed with Cheryl. Not only that, but in that church I met an old childhood friend, and we became business partners. Wow does God work in glorious ways!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;">It’s been many years since all this transpired. I spent more than ten years with my total focus on delving into the Bible and attempting to derive the most I could from what it all means. Many trials later, God is still most important in my life. Having been set on the path by the <b>Hand in Hand</b> ministry way back in 1974, I have never waivered in my faith in God. My understandings about Him have matured, and what I find most important, Is that God is Love. Love is the most powerful thing anywhere. I even wrote a book summarizing my discoveries about the meanings of God’s love and His purposes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;">Praise be to God for the<b> Hand in Hand </b>ministry, and for all that they did for so many lost souls. My personal heartfelt thanks to all those of <b>HIH</b> who touched my life in 1974.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11.0pt;">My name is Kirk Stevens, and my friend’s name was Jim Whitmore. If anyone can remember helping these lost souls in 1974, it would be wonderful to express my gratitude to those who reached out to me in my darkest hour. I now live in the mountains near Denver, Colorado. My email is <a href="mailto:kirkastevens@msn.com">kirkastevens@msn.com</a>. Thanks for reading my story.<o:p></o:p></span></div><!--EndFragment-->linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-21798173931884666352011-03-04T08:00:00.002-07:002011-03-05T11:11:55.007-07:00Nancy Hann<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-FTYxCyt_O7k/TXDvq-sVyAI/AAAAAAAAGrc/XI-lVy5cHBI/s1600/img681.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-FTYxCyt_O7k/TXDvq-sVyAI/AAAAAAAAGrc/XI-lVy5cHBI/s640/img681.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Thinking about the upcoming reunion and running into so many wonderful old friends on Facebook has started me thinking about “the old days”. And the more I think about them, the more amazed I am with how God directs our steps even when we aren’t the most cooperative. How in the world does a hippy teenager from a VERY small town in northern Ohio end up living in the middle of Phoenix, Arizona, and singing in a Christian folk band. How crazy is that! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Since it’s hard to know where to begin, I’ll jump right into 1973. It was June, after my freshman year of high school. At the delicate age of 15 I was doing drugs, drinking like a sailor and clearly on the path toward a boat load of trouble. Somehow amidst all the wild parties and general delinquency Jesus found me, forgave me and set me on a new path and I am SO THANKFUL that he did specifically at that point in my life.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Soon after I met Jesus, He led me to connect with a couple of guys who were well known in our little town as “Jesus Freaks”. They were a few years older than me in age and faith. They took me under their wing and were like precious big brothers to me in so many ways. For one magical summer an older woman in our area allowed us to convert her garage into a welcoming hang out space with yard sale sofas, and brightly painted yellow walls. It was the perfect place to relax and have Bible Studies, ask questions, find answers, share with our friends and neighbors and just enjoy each other’s company. We spent pretty much all day every day there, learning and growing in our walk with God. We conducted baptisms in the lake behind the house, served communion, and performed foot washings. It was our own little New Testament home church.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Little did I know that soon something would happen that would rock my idyllic little world!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">At the end of that delightful summer my mother unexpectedly announced that she would be leaving my father and filing for divorce. She was moving to Arizona and my dad was staying in Ohio. Since I was 15 at the time, they gave me the option to choose where I wanted to live. It was an easy decision for me. Vermilion was the place I was born, the only place I had ever known and I had NO plans to leave there EVER. This was where my dearest friends were. I was comfortable at school and could find my way around town blindfolded. I also knew that my dad probably wouldn’t be too occupied with parenting because he wasn’t very involved in my life anyway. He lived in our house and brought home the paycheck. That was pretty much the extent of it. My parents had always allowed us kids a lot of freedom (too much probably), so I wasn’t worried about supervising myself. My dad would be there if I needed something and I had my new “family” of Christian brothers to help me through the uncertain times. (First miracle: imagine what kind of trouble I would have encountered when my mom was gone if I was still following my path of partying.)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So for that whole sophomore year (at 15 years old) I basically parented myself. Fortunately, my friend, Gene drove me to and from school every day in his red Volkswagon Beetle convertible. Our friend, Scott was always there too. You see those two guys had been best friends for a very long time and I was privileged to be adopted into their circle. We all went to church together, went on driving adventures together, ate together, and just did pretty much every minute of our waking hours together. I knew I was more than safe with them. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">One of the adventures that we went on together was a 2-hour drive to Akron, Ohio to visit a couple of Gene and Scott’s friends; Craig and Janet Yoe. Craig was a wild man. He was a creative artist who (among other things) compiled and distributed a free Christian newspaper entitled “Jesus Loves You”. It was edgy and funny and helped to spread the gospel to those who would read it.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Later in that year I met a new friend at church named Ernie. He was sweet, funny, smart and something about him drew me in. It wasn’t long before we started dating seriously (well as serious as a 15 year old can be). <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It was right about then that God let me know that He might have OTHER plans for me... <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In April of 1974, just days before my parent’s divorce was to be final, my dad drove over 2000 miles from Vermilion to Phoenix to reconcile with my mom. That was a good thing, right? Sure. I was glad that they would be together again. HOWEVER, I soon learned that one of the conditions that my mom set before she would agree to reunite with my dad was that they (and of course all of us) would move to Arizona! My mom was tired of the snow and cold and mud in this Ohio small town and she wanted to move to the desert. So, in order to save their marriage, my dad agreed to an early retirement and a 2000-mile move. I wasn’t consulted in the decision.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">What in the world was happening! I had just met Jesus, met my dearest friends in all the earth AND met the love of my life. Now I was going to be ripped away from everything I knew and loved. Yanked from the gorgeous beauty of the rural countryside and sparkling lakes in Ohio and off to the desolate, scorching, dry, wilderness of Arizona where I knew no one but my few family members. Someone HAD to be making a mistake!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Now remember that I had only been a believer for less than a year and although I was learning plenty about my walk with God, this is what I talked myself into believing to be true. It was obvious to me that since my parents weren’t believers and not trusting God with their decisions, that God wasn’t going to force them to follow His “original” plan. He allowed them to make a huge <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mistake</i> that would also impact my life. My hope was that when I graduated from high school and no longer had to live with my parents that God would help me put all the pieces of my life together again so I could go back to Ohio to follow the path that was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">originally intended for me</i>. Needless to say, I went kicking and screaming to Arizona and was counting the days until I could go <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">home</i>.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Because of my inaccurate assumption about my situation and since I only needed to be in Arizona until I graduated from high school in 2 years, I decided that I wouldn’t bother making any friends there. I wouldn’t get connected to anything or anyone. I would just “do my time” and after graduation I’d get outta Dodge. I would continue to develop my relationship with my boyfriend, Ernie in Ohio via letters and long distance phone calls and we’d resume our dream a little later (remember this was before anyone had ever heard of Skype, the Internet or email).<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And even though I was a bit frustrated with God for allowing this to happen, I didn’t really blame Him. It was still important for me to continue to strengthen my relationship with Him, so I found a church that was the same denomination as I attended in Ohio. Sadly though, most of the teenagers in the youth group had grown up in the church and weren’t very passionate about their faith. They were nice enough kids, but it just seemed like they were going through the motions. I realized that I wanted something more. I wanted to be with people who cared about their relationship with God on a daily basis and showed it on the outside. Plus, based on some of the choices I was making after my arrival in Arizona, I knew that I NEEDED to be around well grounded Christians who could help me to stay on course and headed in the right direction. So, I started my search for a place where I could feel connected and nourished. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-P46kaYK6r8g/TXJleD53zMI/AAAAAAAAGrs/avnT7TgH4Uk/s1600/April+%2526+Nancy+-+high+school.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-P46kaYK6r8g/TXJleD53zMI/AAAAAAAAGrs/avnT7TgH4Uk/s640/April+%2526+Nancy+-+high+school.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Apryl and Nancy attended Central High School together</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal">I visited a few churches and kept my eyes and ears open for something that would meet my needs, but I wasn’t sure what it would be. Then, quite miraculously, I received a copy of a “Jesus Loves You” newspaper in the mail from my friend Craig in Ohio. It was so nice to hear from home. Amazingly, as I was flipping through the pages, I realized that there was something special in this newspaper. This particular paper just “happened” to have a listing for a gathering place for young people in Phoenix, Arizona called <b>“Hand in Hand”</b>. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Now, how a newspaper from Akron, Ohio would get a listing for a music ministry in Phoenix, Arizona before the internet era, I will never know. Let’s just call it a “God thing” or better yet “divine intervention”. Needless to say, I was excited to make plans to check out this place on a Saturday night.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">That next Saturday, when I walked through the door, I instantly felt at home. I loved the casual but energetic atmosphere, with dozens of high school and college age kids packed in like sardines, sitting cross-legged on the floor during the concerts. I was also very impressed with the original Christian music that was played there. Soon I fell in love with the passion of the people that I met. Many of them were new believers who were discovering the truth of God, just like me. As the weeks and months went on I totally forgot about my pledge to avoid new relationships. I had found a home that was full of life and the love of God.<o:p></o:p><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yXqSjdZ2KKc/TXJu_-0-uRI/AAAAAAAAGrw/NRb1yN43Bf0/s1600/HinH+concert+w-Nancy+%2526+Sharon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yXqSjdZ2KKc/TXJu_-0-uRI/AAAAAAAAGrw/NRb1yN43Bf0/s640/HinH+concert+w-Nancy+%2526+Sharon.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal">At the end of every concert the good news of Jesus was shared, and an invitation to accept Christ was given. Then yellow and green comment cards were handed out throughout the crowd. It was there that a new believer could respond so that the staff could contact them to provide one-on-one follow up. It was also there that someone (like me) could say that they wanted to be more involved and volunteer to help in some way (which I did). What a privilege to help in the office and to be able to do one-on-one follow up with new believers.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Later I was joining my new found friends in large groups at CoCo’s, or Sambo’s or Bob’s Big Boy for coffee after the concerts. It was such a great time to get to know each other. We would nearly fill the place and often hung around so long that we were kicked out at closing time. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It was with many of the people I met at <b>Hand in Hand </b>that I was able to build deep and lasting relationships, some continuing over the last three and a half decades. During those early years, we asked hard questions, learned about discipleship and ministry, shared stories about personal pain, discovered grace, and challenged each other to find ways to serve God where we were. Friendships deepened, new relationships blossomed, and there were bumps in the road as well; all shapes and sizes of people came through those doors. But mostly God walked with us as we learned to embark on this magnificent journey with Him.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-HgCp6QrG9FE/TXJ8zN_bbNI/AAAAAAAAGr0/UKSMvUUrUDU/s1600/Nancy+%2526+Terry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-HgCp6QrG9FE/TXJ8zN_bbNI/AAAAAAAAGr0/UKSMvUUrUDU/s640/Nancy+%2526+Terry.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal">In 1975 one of my dear friends was a quiet musician who was the leader of the newly formed band, <b>Glory Road</b>. His name was Terry Hann. He didn’t have a car at the time and lived somewhat close to me, so there were various occasions when I would give him a ride home. It was then that we had a chance to get to know each other. On many evenings, we’d spend hours just sitting in the car talking. Because he was so quiet, I remember thinking of questions to ask him that he couldn’t answer with just a yes or no. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Even though I didn’t think he’d want to be in a relationship with me because I talked too much, in the fall of that year we had our first official date. In the months following, God continued to mature us in our relationship and weave our hearts together. And the rest, as they say, is history.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Sometime in 1976, I had the privilege of being asked by Bernie Rolfe to sing in one of the new bands he was forming. My guess is that he had heard me sing with passion and gusto on a Sunday night during our church worship time. I loved to sing! Unfortunately for him (and fortunately for me) he didn’t know how little training or knowledge I had about singing. I didn’t know the difference between a musical key and a car key and I had no idea how to sing in one key through a whole song. You see, I did most of my singing in the car <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a cappella</i>, with no music to keep me on track. When I got to a point in the melody where the notes were a little too high for my range, I would just change keys without even realizing it. It sounded fine to me. Plus I had no idea how to find the harmony in a song. So needless to say, it was a fun, but challenging time for all of us.<o:p></o:p><br />
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</div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal">Our band was called <b>Shira</b>, which means<i> “song”</i> in Hebrew. There were 7 of us. Lee Chesnut played guitar and sang tenor, his sister, Sharon Chesnut sang as well. John McDonald was our drummer and sang bass. Jay Haugen played guitar and sang too. Apryl Mott brought a gorgeous soprano voice to the group and I was also a vocalist. Last but not least, Dan Malmgren played bass and banjo. We were a folk group and Bernie wrote songs for us with rich vocal harmonies that were so much fun to sing. Three male and three female voices with just enough of the instruments to keep things going. I loved it!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-c4JPuvGAKFI/TXDvwLKemBI/AAAAAAAAGrg/Hoh_etCiuiw/s1600/Shira.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="434" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-c4JPuvGAKFI/TXDvwLKemBI/AAAAAAAAGrg/Hoh_etCiuiw/s640/Shira.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We had the honor of singing together until the end of 1978.</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It’s such a blessing to look back at that slice of the 70’s that drastically impacted the rest of my life and to thank God for bringing me 2000 miles from home to a place called <b>Hand in Hand</b>. For me it was a miraculous time where my faith grew and many deep and extraordinary relationships were born.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Thanks for joining me in my reminiscing. I’d love to hear your story too. Whether it’s lengthy or concise, joyful or heartbreaking, I’d love to get to know you better.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-79737967173374434312011-03-02T06:00:00.002-07:002011-03-02T06:11:47.166-07:00bands in black 'n white<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MsHbTjb0TuU/TW2YLpEjqDI/AAAAAAAAGqo/qPhdDlxN8EE/s1600/img623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MsHbTjb0TuU/TW2YLpEjqDI/AAAAAAAAGqo/qPhdDlxN8EE/s640/img623.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Sparrowe</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-eqJG0yznskM/TW2cUPHz53I/AAAAAAAAGrM/an_7WGOxRSk/s1600/Branches_2_op_608x781.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-eqJG0yznskM/TW2cUPHz53I/AAAAAAAAGrM/an_7WGOxRSk/s640/Branches_2_op_608x781.jpg" width="498" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Branches</span></b></span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-2BNGzzuTXwU/TW2YNIkXfdI/AAAAAAAAGqs/dpn5O52VNUk/s1600/img643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="498" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-2BNGzzuTXwU/TW2YNIkXfdI/AAAAAAAAGqs/dpn5O52VNUk/s640/img643.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Sonrise</span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-wN3oM84lHtA/TW2YXrmZPwI/AAAAAAAAGq8/lg88XcsR3xE/s1600/Early+New+Beginning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-wN3oM84lHtA/TW2YXrmZPwI/AAAAAAAAGq8/lg88XcsR3xE/s640/Early+New+Beginning.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The New Beginning</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-xoOwY8GKNvM/TW2YjqQi5QI/AAAAAAAAGrE/BuYLBwmQU5c/s1600/New+Jerulselem+Band.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-xoOwY8GKNvM/TW2YjqQi5QI/AAAAAAAAGrE/BuYLBwmQU5c/s640/New+Jerulselem+Band.jpg" width="502" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">New Jerusalem Band</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-BaPbicD5KI4/TW2ZHwRtTuI/AAAAAAAAGrI/eW4Lsp7N3qg/s1600/Glory+Road.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="438" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-BaPbicD5KI4/TW2ZHwRtTuI/AAAAAAAAGrI/eW4Lsp7N3qg/s640/Glory+Road.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Glory Road</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-13149713126567387822011-03-01T08:30:00.001-07:002011-03-01T18:39:03.648-07:00memorable moments<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-CDFsG5IQXTM/TW0OH458tKI/AAAAAAAAGqM/isGl8QydOSY/s1600/a007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-CDFsG5IQXTM/TW0OH458tKI/AAAAAAAAGqM/isGl8QydOSY/s640/a007.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-vxC2INN6Dwc/TW0OICT3l6I/AAAAAAAAGqQ/kFejX473Z_s/s1600/img581.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-vxC2INN6Dwc/TW0OICT3l6I/AAAAAAAAGqQ/kFejX473Z_s/s400/img581.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: auto;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UERf-ZSjte4/TW0OIysGXhI/AAAAAAAAGqY/_aRDhWxpAsg/s1600/img665.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UERf-ZSjte4/TW0OIysGXhI/AAAAAAAAGqY/_aRDhWxpAsg/s640/img665.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-nVjxnozMu20/TW0OJXJWOYI/AAAAAAAAGqc/RczqbChTtWw/s1600/img692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-nVjxnozMu20/TW0OJXJWOYI/AAAAAAAAGqc/RczqbChTtWw/s640/img692.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Evji9IPz_dY/TW0OIgzb6xI/AAAAAAAAGqU/WTWtGkKliVc/s1600/img583.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Evji9IPz_dY/TW0OIgzb6xI/AAAAAAAAGqU/WTWtGkKliVc/s400/img583.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="305" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-zHpdsVS6oKA/TW0OJtDdSmI/AAAAAAAAGqg/fYkjpyDdQmg/s1600/img693.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-zHpdsVS6oKA/TW0OJtDdSmI/AAAAAAAAGqg/fYkjpyDdQmg/s640/img693.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I am hoping that by posting these memorable moments, </div><div style="text-align: center;"> you will be inspired to write your story or share a memory from the <b>Hand in Hand</b> years.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Please send your story to ~ <a href="mailto:linda@randythompson.org">linda@randythompson.org</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">(be sure to clic each pic for a better look)</div>linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-45654328005459637442011-02-18T18:30:00.002-07:002016-12-03T15:31:17.156-07:00Rob Brunner<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "new york" , "times" , serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Rob Brunner ~ Glory Road</span></b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XT2Wx87UnQM/TV8Nkfs9hPI/AAAAAAAAGoU/2cmsMr7sAQ4/s1600/Rob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XT2Wx87UnQM/TV8Nkfs9hPI/AAAAAAAAGoU/2cmsMr7sAQ4/s640/Rob.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> In 1974 I was a very scared, hurt, fretful, dreaming, high school boy...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">As a new Christian, I began attending bible studies through Campus Crusade for Christ. They met at another school and it was at one of these evenings that I signed up to go to a Bible Conference at Campus Crusade's headquarters in Arrowhead Springs, California.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">My first day there, I was in awe... at the number of people there who believed like I did, and the love that they showed to each other. Somewhere in the next couple of days I met another guy who was also from Phoenix. His name was Bob. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Everything that had encouraged me earlier in the week came to a screeching halt, as I realized that although we were all Christians, not everyone liked everyone. And I realized I could harbor some serious dislike too. It wasn't new to me that someone could hate me (or at least appear to). I was adept at avoiding all of the kids at school who taunted, teased and simply verbally abused me. I knew I could get past this, too. Bob and I avoided each other as best as possible.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">At the end of the week-long event, I was thrust into a situation that would change me forever... I had to share a ride back to Phoenix with this boy who pushed all of my buttons.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">To pass the time during the ride through that desert night, those of us riding in the van began singing... and then a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">t some point we began talking about music and I mentioned that I always wanted to sing with a band.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">God moved.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">This person who I tried to stay as far away from as possible said that he too wanted to be in a band and sing Christian music. He then did something miraculous and mind boggling... he asked for my number. As I died a little then and there, I learned that God does truly raise the dead (if in this case metaphorically), and I complied...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">We met and found we had more similarities than differences and he told me about a place he knew called </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hand in Hand</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">. He also told me about a man named Bernie who was in a band of his own and a great musician. Bob set up a meeting.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">For a boy whose only real musical training was a few years of grade school clarinet and singing into his hairbrush, this was eye opening.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Rob - John - Bob - Terry</b></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Enter Terry Hann... a friend of Bob's (maybe Bernie's, I am old). We began meeting each week at the </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hand in Hand</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> building to sing together under the tutorship of Bernie. I learned that this was something I really wanted to try... I learned to sing harmony... I learned I really didn't like the Doobie Brothers all that much.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Bob - Rob - Terry - Greg<br />
Don - Bruce - Kim</b></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">More people were introduced to this grouping of musical newbies including Jay Haugen and a friend of his, Don Nelsen.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I guess, as they say, the rest is history.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">There was a first concert... there was a second one... there was a fire lit within.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Rob </span></div>
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linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-91351874956394428392011-02-17T10:00:00.002-07:002011-02-18T20:59:11.415-07:00Hand in Hand Reunion info<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3T14wxHR1_Q/TV6QdMVDfaI/AAAAAAAAGn0/8RKqAgIQJV4/s1600/a026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3T14wxHR1_Q/TV6QdMVDfaI/AAAAAAAAGn0/8RKqAgIQJV4/s640/a026.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hey you guys, the </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hand in Hand Reunion is April 2nd </span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and you can now register to attend! </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Thank you <a href="http://nanhann.wordpress.com/">Nancy Hann</a> for creating the awesome webpage!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">If you have not received your invitation through email, </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">then here you go-</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e3b1gm9286722361&llr=xc5fmoeab"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hand in Hand Reunion Invitation</span></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The invitation is for those who attended </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hand in Hand </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and 1 guest (as of right now). You will need to register and pay for both of you when you register. If we don't get a big response we can open it up to others, but we don't want to leave out alumni if they want to come. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">We would also love to have your story posted here. Please send me your story and if you don't include pictures, that's ok... I am sure I can find some off the Hand in Hand slideshow from the reunion 5 years ago. Send your story to-</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="mailto:linda@randythompson.org">linda@randythompson.org</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Send photos and music from those Hand in Hand years to-</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="mailto:randy@randythompson.org"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">randy@randythompson.org</span></a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Check out these two </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hand in Hand</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> facebook pages-</span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=61782431439"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hand in Hand Facebook Group</span></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=108518215883598"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hand in Hand Reunion Facebook Event </span></span></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-praWshblesM/TV6Qdo2ww_I/AAAAAAAAGn4/6XVYLKP2kkg/s1600/img684.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="440" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-praWshblesM/TV6Qdo2ww_I/AAAAAAAAGn4/6XVYLKP2kkg/s640/img684.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">And last, but certainly not least... </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">SPREAD THE WORD!!! </span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Link the invitation to your facebook page. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Send it to anyone you know that attended </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hand in Hand! </span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Just this past week I found out that two of my friends attended </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hand in Hand</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and I had no idea!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span></div>linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-39946596848827617502011-02-10T05:00:00.002-07:002011-02-10T16:34:32.356-07:00Bernie RolfeHi - This is Bernie –<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">There’s a lot of things about my history with <b>Hand in Hand</b> on the <a href="http://www.bernierolfe.com/">www.BernieRolfe.com</a> website that you might find interesting. Check it out when you get a chance. There’s history, as well as some tunes. There’s also some visitors to the website who signed in that you might know or remember.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But what I thought might be interesting is one of the early stories of God’s Hands reaching out to the community to unusual folks through <b>Hand in Hand</b>.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It was a Saturday afternoon – Spring of 1975 if I remember correctly. I’d just finished showering up at home and was heading down to “the building” to get ready to play at the evening concert.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">When we were first getting things started at <b>HIH</b>, the crowds weren’t huge, so we felt it would be a good idea to get the word out about free concerts with some flyers. And when I say flyers, I’m talking about a half-step better quality than mimeograph (look that up in your technology dictionary). A freshly printed stack of mimeographed flyers could get you wasted if you weren’t careful. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">They read:<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Free Hand in Hand Concert!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>2616 East Fairmount in Phoenix</b><br />
<b><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>8 PM Saturday nights!</b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Well, there was a Circle K close to the building, so I stopped in to get a drink and happened to carry some flyers in with me to see if the store would let me post one and perhaps leave a few in a stack. I couldn’t tell if the proprietor couldn’t understand English by the way he looked at me when I asked him (after I paid for my drink) if I could post one of the flyers. But he eventually agreed and pointed to the glass storefront by the front entry door. The afternoon sun was pouring in from the southern exposure, so I couldn’t see outside very well. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I used some masking tape to pin down the edges and was posting it and enjoying the aroma of mimeograph when a kind of rumbling outside got my attention. Four loud-piped Harley choppers rolled up, two of them with a guy and a girl on them. They unsaddled and the whole unsavory looking gang of them, maybe early 30’s or so sauntered towards the entry staring at me (I gulped) as I was finishing up. There were tattoos with skulls with knives piercing them through the eye sockets, dew rags, sleeveless and tattered tank tops with perhaps unsavory and certainly unpublishable comments on them, and a generally intimidating sense of mayhem they carried with them. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">To my chagrin, they all stopped at the entry and looked at me and what I was just posting on the window. Of course, I couldn’t be sure that they weren’t just seeking out the source of the acrid aroma, but the “leader”, the one with the most malicious looking tattoos, along with his girl, looked at me with what could have seemed an unfriendly glare, and then back at the flyer and asked, “What’s that?”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Playing it straight up, I swallowed hard and said, “I’m putting up a flyer for some free concerts we put on” smiling the best I could and trying to appear friendly and such, searching for reserves of moisture in my mouth that had unfortunately and immediately dried up, and gulping as indiscriminately as I thought possible.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">“Is that for tonight?” <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">“Yeah – yes it is” – I paused a bit, then to my own surprise I asked – “Would you like to come?”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">“What kind of music?”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">“It’s different – probably like something you’ve never heard before (of which I was reasonably sure) – I think you’d like it, though” I said “Why don’t you all come?” I asked again for reasons absolutely unknown to me.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">A couple of the biker guys looked at one another and eyed me and then rolled by into the store to pick up whatever it was they’d originally come for – (sigh of relief – it may have been me or it may have been the store proprietor – I’m not sure). I handed a free flyer to the guy who’d been talking to me – “I gotta go – See you there?” – a kind of questioning statement. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">He didn’t say anything, so I just smiled and hopped into BoLuxie, my beige Dodge van and as I was tooling on over to the building I remember saying to myself, “What have you done?!! – What if they do come? – if the Hand in Hand attendee’s parents heard about<b> Thugs </b>at<b> Hand in Hand</b> they probably wouldn’t let their kids come ever again – Oh Lord!”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">When I got to the building, most of the <b>New Beginning</b> band was there and we got ready the same way we did for every concert – with fear and trembling – hoping we’d remember the music and stuff, but pleading with God to reach the people He’d bring to the concert that evening.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I was half wondering if any of the bikers would show up. Part of me was terrified that they would and part of me was wondering why the encounter had happened at all, but when 8 o’clock rolled around we started the concert, our pretty much regular crowd was there, along with a few new faces – no Thugs.<o:p></o:p><br />
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</div></div><div class="MsoNormal">The lights were down during the concert, and of course, everyone in the audience was sitting on the floor. We did the first half, then took our standard 15 minute break and then started up the second set. I think it was about the third song, I could hear some rustling and movement in the audience and I could see through the darkness some shadows, about six of them moving from the back towards the front with the “red sea” of kids on the floor parting before them.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Lo and behold, coming to the front and sitting down with their dew rags and tattoos and very skimpy female outfits (coolly comfortable they must have been from the looks of them!) they came and sat down right in front looking up at us on the stage. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">At first I wondered if there was anything different we would need to do in our program, but the quiet assurance of the Lord encouraged me to do what we’d practiced and He’d do the rest. Part of me wished we’d really practiced “Long Train Running” by the Doobie Brothers but all we had was our stuff, and that was it. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I can’t tell you how wonderful it was, knowing that my “band” was full of the love of Jesus and their words about Him were awesome. Even when they talked about themselves, it seemed more about Jesus.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I remember sharing the message and sensing how harsh the phrase <i><b>“All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” </b></i>seemed for some reason, and happened to glance down – all their eyes were on me – <i><b>“but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus” </b></i>– their eyes didn’t move – after a minute I surveyed the rest of the audience and offered the remainder of the invitation.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I remember wondering when I closed my eyes to offer the prayer if our “guests” would get up and leave. Imagine my surprise when I offered the words of a prayer for those who wanted to receive Jesus and I heard a few male and female voices from the front rows repeating the words out loud enough for me to hear. Part of me then thought the audience was helping me – oh well.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We sang our last song and bid everyone good night –<i>“See you here, there, or in the air”</i>, but offered to chat with anyone who’d received Jesus to welcome them into the family of God.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Three bikers with dew rags, tattoos and at least one with a skimpy girls outfit came up to the stage and were standing before me with tears in their eyes, apparently speechless. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I smiled (almost incredulously I must add) and asked <b><i>“Did you receive Jesus tonight?”</i></b> Heads slightly bobbing up and down and a childlike<b><i> “yes”</i></b> chorus - and hands wiping away tears, it was clear to me that God had answered our prayer.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><i>“You’ve passed from death to life - Welcome to the Family of God”</i></b> – hugs and tears on all sides from the dew rags and the band.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> <b> *****</b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The leader of the “gang” was called “Foot”. His main squeeze was the girl in the skimpy outfit. There was another guy, but I can’t, regrettably, remember his name (I’m glad God does – I’m terrible at names!)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">A few weeks later, Bill Thrall married Foot and his Bride, who both wanted to honor God by getting married instead of just shacking up. The other guy came to Tuesday night follow-up meetings and always requested we sing the song, <b><i> “What a Friend We have in Jesus”</i></b>.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><i>Yes – We do.</i></b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Love to you my Co-laborers in the fields white with harvest, and Samaritans of Good Will.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Bernie<o:p></o:p></div>linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-75961319203821468872011-02-09T10:00:00.004-07:002011-02-18T08:40:51.040-07:00Bill Folz<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2pxeANh4grc/TVCV7VohGcI/AAAAAAAAGmE/HPBEq9wAnhc/s1600/a018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2pxeANh4grc/TVCV7VohGcI/AAAAAAAAGmE/HPBEq9wAnhc/s640/a018.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I first came to a </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hand in Hand</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> concert in 1975 </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">through the invite of a </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">friend, Chuck McDevitt. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I came with 2 other friends. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">We were smoking pot all </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the way to the door, </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">not realizing we would have an encounter with the Lord.</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">These long hair hippies that we were, saw the Light and responded, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"Jesus freaks, let's get the he.. out of here".</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Freaked us out. </span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Only to find myself coming to Christ a year later </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and returning to </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hand in Hand</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> and Open Door as my home in 1976. </span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I was asked to emcee and do the challenge to accept Christ by Tom Allen, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">which I did from 1978 to 1980. </span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I stayed involved in the "follow up" program until the Lord chose to close </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hand in Hand.</span></b></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Still, the greatest impact on me was to be around the people who had a heart</span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">to see kids come to Christ through the music outreach. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It was a great movement of the Spirit in those times! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Yet our God is not a one dance God, He has more to do through all of us, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">even if it never looks like what happened in the days of </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hand in Hand! </span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The remembrance of God in the days of </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hand in Hand </span></b></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">are a declaration of our God who is the same today and forever!</span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Blessed be His Name!</span></i></b></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">See you all at the reunion! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Or as Bernie always said, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"here, there, or in the air!"</span></i></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Peace and grace be unto you all ~ Bill Folz</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6qqY_ES3QU4/TV6SbSBUs4I/AAAAAAAAGn8/dUdIDSYTfrI/s1600/img683.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="436" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6qqY_ES3QU4/TV6SbSBUs4I/AAAAAAAAGn8/dUdIDSYTfrI/s640/img683.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hey, check out that awesome sound booth! </span></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span>linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-41665549954678810382011-02-08T08:00:00.000-07:002011-02-08T08:02:29.638-07:00Joyce Allen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2pxeANh4grc/TVA5T4uohMI/AAAAAAAAGlU/3dqiee_nrds/s1600/img685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="440" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2pxeANh4grc/TVA5T4uohMI/AAAAAAAAGlU/3dqiee_nrds/s640/img685.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Hand in Hand </b>didn’t exist until chapter 3 in my musical journey. I was a junior majoring in elementary education at Arizona State when I was approached by Bernie Rolfe and asked if I might be interested in auditioning for <b>The New Beginning</b>. Actually that is even chapter 2. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Chapter 1 begins with a shy young high school sophomore, named at the time Joyce Woolary, who had a passionate interest in music. But, it was the furthest thing from her mind that her dream of being able to someday use that expression in her newfound life as a believer was even a remote possibility. You actually had to have the courage to risk trying and she (I) had not even had the courage to join high school choir.<br />
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I had met Bernie and Dean as they were attending Bethany Bible Church, as was I, and was aware that they had founded a singing group called <b>The New Beginning</b>. This was a radical departure for the late 60... fusing the gospel with contemporary rock and roll music. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;">My freshman year at ASU I was dating the roommate of Bob Grove, who was also part of <b>The New Beginning.</b><b> </b> Threads in the form of friendships were being woven together for His purposes. At one point, Bernie approached me about the possibility of auditioning. They were needing….a soprano. Okay, God, my dream....except for one detail. I was/am not a soprano. I had to graciously decline. I knew it. It wasn’t meant to be. Then one day early fall of my junior year, Bernie again called to ask if I would like to audition. This time they were looking for an alto. I have no idea how I mustered the courage to sing in front of , first Bernie….then the rest of the band. Suffice it to say, I did, and they VOTED me in. Had I realized there would be a VOTE, I dare say I might have declined the offer as too risky. I mean vote implies the possibility of rejection. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2pxeANh4grc/TVCZp8W822I/AAAAAAAAGmI/63kNxzsnvkc/s1600/img696.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2pxeANh4grc/TVCZp8W822I/AAAAAAAAGmI/63kNxzsnvkc/s400/img696.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Chapter 2 became years of two a week practices and weekends filled with concerts. It was a magical time. Concerts filled with curious seekers wondering who this Jesus was that we so passionately sang and spoke about. It was a movement, the genesis of Contemporary Christian Music. We would hear of others with this same message….Love Song, Keith Green, 2<sup>nd</sup> Chapter of Acts and The Way (which featured current CCM artist Phil Wickham’s father). Hundreds were choosing to believe and follow this Jesus. It was also a season of marriages and baby births and balancing everyday life with ministry. After several years of traversing every nook and cranny in Arizona with a couple forays into California we began to dream of a building where we could do concerts weekly and actually have the opportunity to follow up the fruit of our ministry. This dream became solidified after spending time at a local coffee house ministry called The LOC. We prayed…..fervently. God provided. Actually, that was what He had intended all along. He just needed to spend some time with us on the road first. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2pxeANh4grc/TVA5S36TVRI/AAAAAAAAGlM/NmWwP7A1Xs4/s1600/a001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2pxeANh4grc/TVA5S36TVRI/AAAAAAAAGlM/NmWwP7A1Xs4/s640/a001.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;">I remember the first time we walked into <i>“the building”</i> which would later be christened <b>Hand in Hand...</b> but would forever remain affectionately referred to as just <i>“the building”</i>. It was eerily just as Bernie had described in a vision during one of our many heart-filled sharing sessions. We knew it was meant to be. It was our new home and would be for the rest of our years together as <b>The New Beginning</b>. The beauty of what God formed during those foundational years of ministry goes beyond any building. It wasn’t about the building at all. The building was simply the place that ministry happened and relationships formed.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2pxeANh4grc/TVA5TXzplTI/AAAAAAAAGlQ/RXHsf__XzZc/s1600/a003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2pxeANh4grc/TVA5TXzplTI/AAAAAAAAGlQ/RXHsf__XzZc/s640/a003.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>I am blessed to say that some 40 years later <b>The New Beginning</b> still exists. No, we haven’t done a formal concert since 1976. But it was never just about the band, either. That, too, was far more than about music. <b>The New Beginning</b> is family, bonded forever together by a common passion to express through music what was gifted to us through our faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Addendum: A couple years later I was brought out of “retirement” at the ripe old age of 28 and invited to sing with a band called<b> New Song</b> founded by former bandmates Steve and Barb Tessitore. It was a blessed 2 years spent singing with a whole new crop of talented, albeit much younger, musicians. </div>linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7542642759500593202.post-20635099591898776352011-02-07T11:00:00.005-07:002011-02-08T07:48:03.404-07:00Linda Larson Schlitz<b>... of Linda Larson & Friend</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2pxeANh4grc/TVAoGFfupbI/AAAAAAAAGlE/ycUldOEqPxk/s1600/Linda%2B%2526%2BFriend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2pxeANh4grc/TVAoGFfupbI/AAAAAAAAGlE/ycUldOEqPxk/s640/Linda%2B%2526%2BFriend.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I don’t think anyone has any idea how far reaching the impact of <b>Hand in Hand </b>has had on the Kingdom of God because of the way those of us who attended and ministered were transformed. I was a brand new Christian when I moved to Phoenix in 1976 and just a bit confused. I had grown up a Lutheran, was engaged to a Catholic, was living with two 7th Day Adventists and was attending a Bible Church on the end of the block. I don’t remember who told me about <b>Hand in Hand </b>but what I know is that it was THERE that the Word of God came alive to me and music became my means of worship, solitude and serenity. It was those of you who sang and played there and those of you who started those discipleship classes that have forever changed me and consequently North Central Wisconsin and soon the world. Let me explain.<br />
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By the time I came back to Wisconsin I was well grounded in Christ and ready to do whatever he was calling me to. Clearly, to me at least, once I played the song I wrote for my brother in law’s wedding , “In Love” to the other Linda Larson, and she immediately came up with a beautiful harmony, I knew where we were heading. With me being the Mary Magdalene of the community, my conservative BFF Linda who had been walking with Christ since she accepted Christ at 16 while watching Billy Graham on TV, had every intention of teaching me a thing or two about being a “good Christian”, but little did she know the Holy Spirit revival I had been involved with already in Phoenix, was going to, as she puts it, “Rock her world!” <br />
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Lots of miracles happened along the way and funny things to reminisce about like opening for the Barry McGuire concert. We were warming up and he came and asked if he could tune to us. I said “sure” and as soon as he plucked the first string he asked if I was tuned to an E and I said “Huh?” And he asked if we tuned to the piano and I said “not really, we just kinda turn the knobs till they sound right” and he asked where us girls were from and we said “we were farmers from Wisconsin” and we all laughed as he asked where he could find a piano to tune to. So that was that.<br />
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As exciting as it was to open for Barry McGuire, it was just as exciting to open for Randy Thompson at that very first <b>Hand in Hand</b> concert. When Randy called after that concert and asked for Linda, she hung up the phone and said that she was quite sure he was mixed up and he really must have thought he was talking to me. It took me awhile to convince her that she was the one he was really interested in. <br />
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In 1981 I faced some real trials in my marriage and with much sadness I moved back to Wisconsin with my husband. I soon found out I was pregnant so I was glad to be home nearer to family but I was still quite alone in Wausau. I poured myself into ministry in Wausau with ACTS “Active Christians Together in Service” an ecumenical organization that did outreach and Bible Study to young people. Within the first few months ACTS had decided to hire me part time to start a new ministry to the community. Wausau’s <b>Hand in Hand</b> opened in September of 1982 with <b>Randy Thompson </b>sharing the night with <b>Linda Larson and Friend!</b> We started with having concerts on Saturday nights and within months we were so packed and the demand so high we had to move to a bigger building and increased to having concerts on Friday and Saturday nights. We had bands traveling from all over the state and the new <b>Hand in Hand </b>was located above the only gay bar in town so we would get people wandering in by accident and getting saved on purpose. Over 250 people came to Jesus through <b>Hand in Hand</b> before I was asked to step down because I was going through a divorce. Many of those saved are in full time mission work today and it’s incredible to see the ripple effects of <b>Hand in Hand</b>. The last church I was at, I found out that the Church Moderator and Worship leader were saved at <b>Wausau’s Hand in Hand</b>. I still have people coming up to tell me and saying what an impact that ministry had on them and their loved ones.<br />
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In 1998 I remarried and in 2001 my husband Ralph, my daughter Heather and a co worker and I started a new ministry in Wausau to reach out to homeless veterans and others who had chronic mental health and chemical dependency issues. Because it was Randy Thompson’s music that had the greatest impact on Ralph’s Christian walk and our marriage and Randy and Linda have been the kind of faithful examples that we would like to follow after, we named our new organization <b>“Randlin Homes”.</b> In the last year we were nominated Red Cross Heroes of the Year and I got the Athena Award for our work with Randlin Homes ONLY because we are doing what those of you who started <b>Hand in Hand </b>and what the Thompson’s have done in just doing what God called us to do. My plans to come to Phoenix were originally to start my inspirational/training/speaking tour where I will share with others what we have done in Wausau to help the chronically homeless transform the world around them. The reunion gave me a target date to get going and hopefully somebody out there can hook me up with an opportunity. <br />
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Thanks for letting me rattle on and on… clearly this is a book for Linda and I to write that is just waiting to happen. I will be looking forward to seeing you all again and having you meet my daughter Heather. And I, like Linda, will shamelessly invite you to our website, which will invite you to my blog that she encouraged me to start. I work full time for the state of WI as a Career Counselor and I oversee our 43 beds in 5 houses at Randlin Homes so I don't have as much time to blog as I’d like.<br />
Check out <a href="http://www.randlinhomes.org/"> www.randlinhomes.org </a> and my blog <a href="http://randlinshope.blogspot.com/">Hope for the Hopeless</a>.linda thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05819203001583691536noreply@blogger.com1