As always, if you have names for "unknowns" or corrections, please email us.
Here are the photos and story about the Jesusthon.
The scene inside the U.A.W. union hall April 8, 1972
Steve Heifner, John Renfro, Gerry Street
People: Left to Right
Unknown male, Tom Prough, Steve Massengale, Unknown male, Unknown female, Debbie ?, Don Purciful, Karen and John Renfro, Emma Posey, Unknown female, Unknown male.
Unknown male, Tom Prough, Steve Massengale, Unknown male, Unknown female, Debbie ?, Don Purciful, Karen and John Renfro, Emma Posey, Unknown female, Unknown male.
Onstage
Rick Gillispie, Steve Heifner with back turned
Beth Robey and Emma Posey Praying Together
Steve Heifner and Unknown Male reading the Bible
Steve Massengale and Donnie Adams
Copy of Anderson Bulletin article, April 18, 1972
Picture shows from left to right;
Milford Hickman, Rick Gilliespie, Mike Breese, Mike McDonald, Greg Dunteman
Text of the Article from the Bulletin
Jesus-thon claims success
By Cheryl Johnson
Anderson High School Correspondent
On what seemed like an ordinary weekend, April 7 through April 9, in am ordinary place, the U.A.W. Hall on the 109 bypass, the most “unordinary” thing was taking place. To me, at least, the Jesus-thon (like a marathon), the ’36 hour spiritual presenting Jesus Christ in his true body,” was a new and different experience.
My part of it began in my sociology class at Anderson High School. Beth, before the class period began, invited us all to the Jesus-thon, which was to begin at 7:30 p.m. April 7 and end at 7:30 a.m. April 9. Out of curiosity I decided to go, but not until I had talked two friends into going with me.
When I walked into the Walter P. Reuther memorial Auditorium at the Union Hall, I was rather skeptical, and to be truthful, afraid. The thing I feared most was the unknown. What kind of “freaky” things did Jesus People (or Jesus freaks) do? Would I be accepted?...
We were promptly met by Beth and she hugged me and said, “Praise the Lord, Cheryl.” I asked her how everything was going, knowing that she had been there since the beginning of the experience. “Oh,” she was smiling her ever-present smile, “I’m a little burned out right now, but I’m starting to pick back up.”
Feeling very conspicuous, we went and sat down in the front row of chairs facing the stage where a small group was singing. I would have been content to just sit there and listen to the music rather than get involved in anything that was going on. But contrary to my skeptical feelings, people came over to us, hugged us, introduced themselves and thanked God for us. On lady who introduced herself as “Gerry’s mom” (Gerry Street who runs Gerry’s place on 53rd Street) brought us business cards which read “Smile, God Loves You,” and began telling us about what had happened up to that time. She estimated that 300 people had attended the opening night.
A little later John came up to us and invited us to participate in a discussion about life and death. We accepted and moved into one corner to somewhat isolate ourselves from the music of “Jesus Was A Soul Man” and the murmurings of a prayer group in another corner. The question of discussion was whether the body suffers a physical or a spiritual death. No conclusions were reached, and the discussion changed course and concentrated upon the importance of the physical body. The main disagreement was to the purpose of the physical body – whether it is more than just a temple to house the spirit. One man then joined the group and declared that everything we were discussing was irrelevant. “Jesus is the only thing that matters,” he stated. To this there was a chorus of “Praise the Lord.”
One person expounded on his beliefs in Jesus Christ. “God is perfect and can do anything. I’ve found only one fault of His – His bad memory. He’s forgotten all the rotten things I used to do,” he explained. (more shouts of Hallelujah and Praise God!)
To prevent one group from turning into confusion, one youth suggested we close up the discussion with a prayer. All eight of us held hands and we prayed. For me it was more of a listening prayer – listening to the rest of the group which was praying out loud with many exclamations of “Yes, Jesus,” and “Thank you, Jesus.”
The group broke up but we were immediately called to participate in a total group prayer at the front of the auditorium. Everyone there, about 30 at this time, gathered in a circle, hand in hand. After about ten minutes of out loud praying by anyone who wished to do so, someone led off in singing the folk song “We Are One in the Spirit.”
More prayer followed the singing. On this prayer a young man cried out, “I’m not going to cry in heaven anymore. I’m not going to die in heaven anymore; I’m living in Christ!” The young man then walked into the center of the circle and drew everyone around him to what he called “a closer communion in prayer.”
We left very soon afterwards, and the Jesus-thon continued for fourteen more hours. What was the outcome of the happening? According to Gerry, “It was a coming together of the old and the young. There were a lot of parents there who didn’t feel free to come out to the house, but felt free to come to the Union Hall. They could see their children moving in love and not just playing games, so they came. There was a great freedom.”
Gerry went on to tell of some physical healings that had taken place during the Jesus-thon. He told of a woman from Alexandria who was healed of arthritis and a young man from Florida who had been deaf for 11 years and “his ears were opened.” Another girl was brought in suffering from an overdose. When she came in her pulse was 200. “Everyone wanted to call a doctor, but I told them no doctor could help her,” Gerry explained. Three hundred there prayed for her and according to Gerry, her pulse dropped to 75. “In 15 minutes she was walking around and then she accepted Christ,” Gerry continued. “I believe God is able to back up His word. It was a tremendous success,” commented Gerry.
By Cheryl Johnson
Anderson High School Correspondent
On what seemed like an ordinary weekend, April 7 through April 9, in am ordinary place, the U.A.W. Hall on the 109 bypass, the most “unordinary” thing was taking place. To me, at least, the Jesus-thon (like a marathon), the ’36 hour spiritual presenting Jesus Christ in his true body,” was a new and different experience.
My part of it began in my sociology class at Anderson High School. Beth, before the class period began, invited us all to the Jesus-thon, which was to begin at 7:30 p.m. April 7 and end at 7:30 a.m. April 9. Out of curiosity I decided to go, but not until I had talked two friends into going with me.
When I walked into the Walter P. Reuther memorial Auditorium at the Union Hall, I was rather skeptical, and to be truthful, afraid. The thing I feared most was the unknown. What kind of “freaky” things did Jesus People (or Jesus freaks) do? Would I be accepted?...
We were promptly met by Beth and she hugged me and said, “Praise the Lord, Cheryl.” I asked her how everything was going, knowing that she had been there since the beginning of the experience. “Oh,” she was smiling her ever-present smile, “I’m a little burned out right now, but I’m starting to pick back up.”
Feeling very conspicuous, we went and sat down in the front row of chairs facing the stage where a small group was singing. I would have been content to just sit there and listen to the music rather than get involved in anything that was going on. But contrary to my skeptical feelings, people came over to us, hugged us, introduced themselves and thanked God for us. On lady who introduced herself as “Gerry’s mom” (Gerry Street who runs Gerry’s place on 53rd Street) brought us business cards which read “Smile, God Loves You,” and began telling us about what had happened up to that time. She estimated that 300 people had attended the opening night.
A little later John came up to us and invited us to participate in a discussion about life and death. We accepted and moved into one corner to somewhat isolate ourselves from the music of “Jesus Was A Soul Man” and the murmurings of a prayer group in another corner. The question of discussion was whether the body suffers a physical or a spiritual death. No conclusions were reached, and the discussion changed course and concentrated upon the importance of the physical body. The main disagreement was to the purpose of the physical body – whether it is more than just a temple to house the spirit. One man then joined the group and declared that everything we were discussing was irrelevant. “Jesus is the only thing that matters,” he stated. To this there was a chorus of “Praise the Lord.”
One person expounded on his beliefs in Jesus Christ. “God is perfect and can do anything. I’ve found only one fault of His – His bad memory. He’s forgotten all the rotten things I used to do,” he explained. (more shouts of Hallelujah and Praise God!)
To prevent one group from turning into confusion, one youth suggested we close up the discussion with a prayer. All eight of us held hands and we prayed. For me it was more of a listening prayer – listening to the rest of the group which was praying out loud with many exclamations of “Yes, Jesus,” and “Thank you, Jesus.”
The group broke up but we were immediately called to participate in a total group prayer at the front of the auditorium. Everyone there, about 30 at this time, gathered in a circle, hand in hand. After about ten minutes of out loud praying by anyone who wished to do so, someone led off in singing the folk song “We Are One in the Spirit.”
More prayer followed the singing. On this prayer a young man cried out, “I’m not going to cry in heaven anymore. I’m not going to die in heaven anymore; I’m living in Christ!” The young man then walked into the center of the circle and drew everyone around him to what he called “a closer communion in prayer.”
We left very soon afterwards, and the Jesus-thon continued for fourteen more hours. What was the outcome of the happening? According to Gerry, “It was a coming together of the old and the young. There were a lot of parents there who didn’t feel free to come out to the house, but felt free to come to the Union Hall. They could see their children moving in love and not just playing games, so they came. There was a great freedom.”
Gerry went on to tell of some physical healings that had taken place during the Jesus-thon. He told of a woman from Alexandria who was healed of arthritis and a young man from Florida who had been deaf for 11 years and “his ears were opened.” Another girl was brought in suffering from an overdose. When she came in her pulse was 200. “Everyone wanted to call a doctor, but I told them no doctor could help her,” Gerry explained. Three hundred there prayed for her and according to Gerry, her pulse dropped to 75. “In 15 minutes she was walking around and then she accepted Christ,” Gerry continued. “I believe God is able to back up His word. It was a tremendous success,” commented Gerry.
1 comment:
I was wondering if anyone has a photo of milford hickman i think the man you spoke of was my grandpa.
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