The steps of how I got to where I am.
This is being posted from the viewpoint of a very blessed life and having lived through an awesome period of history. Quick overview, lived at some 74 addresses before highschool, hence my early education was much like a dog's breakfast.
My next to last school was Encino Grammer School, Encino Calif. where there were 5 of us in the eighth grade. Attended Canoga Park High School while living on Orion Ave in Sherman Oaks (long bus ride) and graduated with the largest class in its history, 72 as I recall. Class of 46
Instead of taking over my father's business in the valley, being the only son, and this being expected, I chose to go onto college. I attended LACC, with an engineering major. This I truly enjoyed. But a good friend, Dr. William Cooper had opted for a Bible School in Seattle, named Simpson, and his letters were go glowing about the school, I chose to follow him.
I graduated from Simpson having chosen to go to the Mission field under the C&MA (Christian and Missionary Alliance) the largest of the mission boards at that time. My major was Bible, including 2 years of Greek and Missions. I was accepted for their service, but chose to go on and finish my college education.
The college I chose was Taylor University in Upland Indiana. Having sold my three cars I had at that time, one for work in heavy construction, one for competion (speed) and one for dating, I hitch hiked to Indiana. Arriving in the evening and a little bit intimidated, I slept in a car and faced the University in daylight.
There I met the answer to my prayers, as I was best descrived as a less than being wise about women, having given up mostly dating in Bible School, I within a month met Ruth Dixon, who sang like an angel, and I was had. I told someone that I was a celebat, and Ruth, bless her, didn't believe that.
With a Psychology major, trying to play football, and working my way through, washing dishes and then working for RCA, graduated in two years. At this time I informed the C&MA that I was ready to be sent by the mission board, and told them about my engagement to Ruth, who was a Methodist Minister's daughter, who was willing to go with me to the mission field, but wanted to remain a Methodist. I received a reply that stated I was no long an accepted candidate. We were married by her father in Detroit, two days after graduating together.
Because I received a full schlorship to Emory, Candler School of theology. A great year under some truly gifted and dedicated professors. I worked at night in the Fulton Tower jail, and saw the hard and ugly underside of the South. Once in a while I would fill in for pastors who had a circut and could not cover them all. But I was a yankee and no student parishes were opened to me. We lived in a trailer in a turnup field. Our first son was born during this time. Eight days into his life he looked like a frail old man because a valve at the base of his stomach was closed and no food was getting through.
A class mate, Jim Wall, now of Chrisitan Century fame, had his youth group raise the money for the operation that saved Mark's life. The operation cost $75.00 which I did not have. This was truly a hard time.
Ruth visited her sister up in New Jersey and while there she heard about a church being open.
She called me and we desided to move to New Jersey. Blessed and blessed again, I got a full schlorship to Drew University. The Church was Atco. Our first Sunday morning we went to the obvious Church, and announced to the usher that we were the newly appointed pastor and wife.
He looked a bit shocked, and the priest came to the door and infomed us that this was a Roman Catholic Church, and the Methoidst was around the corner.
It was a three appointement circit. Atco, (city church) Sicklerville (country church) and Tansburo (very country church whose membership was down to five, and was a neighborhood that was mostly black and they said no blacks in their church. I never held a service in three years in Tansburo Methodist) We had a great time with the other two.
Tried to transfur to Prinston, as I drove by it each week on my way to Drew, was accepted, but no schlorship was offered and our salery was $1500 from Atco and $500 a year from Scicklerville, so I denied them my attendance.
My next to last school was Encino Grammer School, Encino Calif. where there were 5 of us in the eighth grade. Attended Canoga Park High School while living on Orion Ave in Sherman Oaks (long bus ride) and graduated with the largest class in its history, 72 as I recall. Class of 46
Instead of taking over my father's business in the valley, being the only son, and this being expected, I chose to go onto college. I attended LACC, with an engineering major. This I truly enjoyed. But a good friend, Dr. William Cooper had opted for a Bible School in Seattle, named Simpson, and his letters were go glowing about the school, I chose to follow him.
I graduated from Simpson having chosen to go to the Mission field under the C&MA (Christian and Missionary Alliance) the largest of the mission boards at that time. My major was Bible, including 2 years of Greek and Missions. I was accepted for their service, but chose to go on and finish my college education.
The college I chose was Taylor University in Upland Indiana. Having sold my three cars I had at that time, one for work in heavy construction, one for competion (speed) and one for dating, I hitch hiked to Indiana. Arriving in the evening and a little bit intimidated, I slept in a car and faced the University in daylight.
There I met the answer to my prayers, as I was best descrived as a less than being wise about women, having given up mostly dating in Bible School, I within a month met Ruth Dixon, who sang like an angel, and I was had. I told someone that I was a celebat, and Ruth, bless her, didn't believe that.
With a Psychology major, trying to play football, and working my way through, washing dishes and then working for RCA, graduated in two years. At this time I informed the C&MA that I was ready to be sent by the mission board, and told them about my engagement to Ruth, who was a Methodist Minister's daughter, who was willing to go with me to the mission field, but wanted to remain a Methodist. I received a reply that stated I was no long an accepted candidate. We were married by her father in Detroit, two days after graduating together.
Because I received a full schlorship to Emory, Candler School of theology. A great year under some truly gifted and dedicated professors. I worked at night in the Fulton Tower jail, and saw the hard and ugly underside of the South. Once in a while I would fill in for pastors who had a circut and could not cover them all. But I was a yankee and no student parishes were opened to me. We lived in a trailer in a turnup field. Our first son was born during this time. Eight days into his life he looked like a frail old man because a valve at the base of his stomach was closed and no food was getting through.
A class mate, Jim Wall, now of Chrisitan Century fame, had his youth group raise the money for the operation that saved Mark's life. The operation cost $75.00 which I did not have. This was truly a hard time.
Ruth visited her sister up in New Jersey and while there she heard about a church being open.
She called me and we desided to move to New Jersey. Blessed and blessed again, I got a full schlorship to Drew University. The Church was Atco. Our first Sunday morning we went to the obvious Church, and announced to the usher that we were the newly appointed pastor and wife.
He looked a bit shocked, and the priest came to the door and infomed us that this was a Roman Catholic Church, and the Methoidst was around the corner.
It was a three appointement circit. Atco, (city church) Sicklerville (country church) and Tansburo (very country church whose membership was down to five, and was a neighborhood that was mostly black and they said no blacks in their church. I never held a service in three years in Tansburo Methodist) We had a great time with the other two.
Tried to transfur to Prinston, as I drove by it each week on my way to Drew, was accepted, but no schlorship was offered and our salery was $1500 from Atco and $500 a year from Scicklerville, so I denied them my attendance.
posted by Lee Truman | 10:28 PM
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