So close your eyes and tell me.......

...about the time he preached the sermon about replacing himself as pastor at FBCH.

He had been discussing this for some time with us at the Saturday meetings in the Adams chapel.

No one knew what to do.

Then to our great surprise, he announced one Sunday that he had figured out what to do about his replacement.

He was going to be his own replacement.

This is the sermon where he jumped up on the choir modesty rail, like a much younger man, and proceeded to walk from the Bass section, right in front of his wife and Mrs. N, all the way to the Tenor section, he almost stepped on me, ranting and hollering all the way about how he could be his own replacement. I thought he was going brake some bones for sure. He made it without injury, but he was breathing heavy.

He almost convinced me he could do it.

He left us not long after this.
 
bgwilkinson said:
...about the time he preached the sermon about replacing himself as pastor at FBCH.

He had been discussing this for some time with us at the Saturday meetings in the Adams chapel.

No one knew what to do.

Then to our great surprise, he announced one Sunday that he had figured out what to do about his replacement.

He was going to be his own replacement.

This is the sermon where he jumped up on the choir modesty rail, like a much younger man, and proceeded to walk from the Bass section, right in front of his wife and Mrs. N, all the way to the Tenor section, he almost stepped on me, ranting and hollering all the way about how he could be his own replacement. I thought he was going brake some bones for sure. He made it without injury, but he was breathing heavy.

He almost convinced me he could do it.

He left us not long after this.
Click to expand...

I remember that sermon very well. And it was quite a few years after that before he died. His point was well thought through, I think. As a pastor, if I am not looking forward with a personal stake in what is happening in my church I tend to let things steer themselves. It is hard to explain but occasionally a pastor, for a number of reasons, must rededicate himself in his own mind to his own church. That is exactly what he did and that message was his way of making that public.
 
...if you can smell the pungent odor of the kerosene in all those kerosene lamps at the old fashioned services all those years until the State Fire Marshall cited us and we had switch to electric lanterns, it was never the same after that. Bro. Colsten was in charge of the lamps.

400px-SwissKeroseneLamp.jpg


These never gave the ambiance of the kerosene lamps.

402110_L1.jpg
 
^ Oh my word - YES!!!  I remember us trying to get around in the dark auditorium while wearing long, full dresses & bonnets.
 
bgwilkinson said:
...if you can smell the pungent odor of the kerosene in all those kerosene lamps at the old fashioned services all those years until the State Fire Marshall cited us and we had switch to electric lanterns, it was never the same after that. Bro. Colsten was in charge of the lamps.

400px-SwissKeroseneLamp.jpg


These never gave the ambiance of the kerosene lamps.

402110_L1.jpg
Click to expand...
Great memory

Haklo

 
...if you remember the Back Woods Brother's Quartet that always sang for us during those services?

Bro. Hyles sang lead while Bro. Colten sang bass. It was quit the comedy of errors? Those who appreciated music would cringe and cover their ears while the HACers would whoop it up.

I forget the other two guys, Maybe Moffit and Auclair?

Not these guys. They can sing.

http://www.blackwoodbrothers.com/
 
...if you remember the hallelujah offering where each usher was to call out each bill.

I remember they shouted amen for each 1 dollar bill, but I forget the rest.

It was sure a wild and woolly time.

Anybody remember what the other denominations were?
 
bgwilkinson said:
...if you remember the hallelujah offering where each usher was to call out each bill.

I remember they shouted amen for each 1 dollar bill, but I forget the rest.

It was sure a wild and woolly time.

Anybody remember what the other denominations were?
Click to expand...


"Praise the Lord" was for a $5 bill......"Hallelulah" (sp?) was for a $10 bill...."Glory to God" was for a $20 bill.

Also, a pump organ was brought into the auditorium for the service and Mrs Colsten would play it before the baptisms.  Great memories!
 
...if you remember Vic Nischic leading the singing in Preecher's class?

 
If you remember Vic Nishchick assisting Bro Hyles in the baptistry every Sunday morning and evening.

(Looking back on what we know now of their stormy relationship, I'm surprised those two didn't try to drown one another in the water!)
 
If you remember Mrs Colsten touring with the "Sweet Sixteen" singing group in the summer.

Mrs Colsten has been so faithful to the services, that only can remember 3 others who have played the organ for a FBC service, during the dates of '67 through '92.  Who were these substitutes? 
 
...if you remember Bill Weddle, Al Gomez, Clyde Wolfe and the posse as they walked Bro. Hyles over to the auditorium?
 
bgwilkinson said:
...if you remember Bill Weddle, Al Gomez, Clyde Wolfe and the posse as they walked Bro. Hyles over to the auditorium?
Click to expand...

Other posse members included Sargeant Miles and Dennis Kwiatkowski.
 
tobytyler said:
If you remember Mrs Colsten touring with the "Sweet Sixteen" singing group in the summer.

Mrs Colsten has been so faithful to the services, that only can remember 3 others who have played the organ for a FBC service, during the dates of '67 through '92.  Who were these substitutes?
Click to expand...

Marilyn Godfrey.

Mrs. La Rue. (sp) I recall her playing for Bro. Hyles SS class

There was also Bob whose father was the first security guard at the college as well as campus host.
I don't recall his last name. This is when security carried baseball bats and wore special security T shirts.
Just remembered, Bob Olson.
 
The Choir Ready Room and the hallways on each side, where choir members lined up before entering the auditorium. 

And also the red light/green light in the PA Room so the men could respond to questions like "Is the treble turned up?"
 
Least of These said:
The Choir Ready Room and the hallways on each side, where choir members lined up before entering the auditorium. 

And also the red light/green light in the PA Room so the men could respond to questions like "Is the treble turned up?"
Click to expand...

The red/green light also let Dr Billings know whether to sing another stanza before Bro Hyles was ready to baptize......Green to sing another verse; Red meant to stop singing because the pastor is in the baptistery.
 
Least of These said:
The Choir Ready Room and the hallways on each side, where choir members lined up before entering the auditorium. 

And also the red light/green light in the PA Room so the men could respond to questions like "Is the treble turned up?"
Click to expand...

One of the most annoying things for the PA guys was the serious hearing problem that Bro.  Hyles had part of which was caused by all the flying Bro. Hyles did.

It was most severe on Wednesdays when he had just come in from the airport as his ears did not work properly causing him to have very little hearing except for bass. Therefore he needed to have the treble cranked or so he thought.
Those of us in the choir always had shooting earplugs to protect our hearing.

Most of the time he would call for more treble they would turn on the green light and do nothing.

They never had the heart to tell him.
 
...if you remember when Bro. Hyles did try to do something about his hearing, he bought hearing aids. All they did was squeal as he had them turned up so much to hear. He gave up on them.

He did get to joke that he had aids.

It work for some time, especially on the road.
 
I can see Brother Colsten slowly walking up to the pulpit to read the scripture.
 
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