"Friends"

Not "Friends" like Joey and Chandler. "Evangelical Friends," like the church. They can trace their roots back to "Quakers," like in the movie, "Friendly Persuasion." I pastored a small Evangelical Friends Church for a time in rural Byhalia, Ohio. You can see it here in the one photograph.

The bottom-most picture is of myself (kneeling at the altar in the center, with Karen), the night I, along with several other pastors, were "recorded". Certainly not musically! Friends don't ordain, but instead feel that they can only "record" God's calling, equipping and ordaining of the minister.

The top photograph is of Karen and I, celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary, with Dr. John Williams. The church had an open-house for us... a combination affair to celebrate our milestone anniversary, to show their thanks during "Pastor Appreciation Month" and to say "farewell".

John Williams - not the famous conductor of the Boston Pops and composer of a zillion movie soundtracks - came as the morning's guest speaker and to celebrate with us. Dr. John is almost as famous as the other John Williams... he is the General Superintendent of the Evangelical Friends Church-Eastern Region (EFC-ER) and the Regional Director of the Evangelical Friends International - North America (EFI-NA). He is also a direct descendant of the founders of the Friends' college in Canton, OH - Malone College.

So it was quite an honor - this and every time he came for a visit.