It is that time of the year again for our annual Resurrection Breakfast. I would love for all of our local churches and men’s ministries to send their pastor or an assigned representative from their men’s group to join us at our annual Pastors/Leaders Breakfast and Informational Session March 3 at 10 a.m. at The Lighthouse Church.
I would love for as many men as possible to be a part of the 2017 Men’s Resurrection Breakfast which will happen April 8 from 9 a.m. until noon.
This year features New York Mets World Series hero Mookie Wilson. We had such an amazing time last year with Darryl Strawberry that we are trusting God once again to do a holy work within our county.
This coming Friday’s gathering is the official launch to get the ground ball rolling in the right direction so that, with Mookie’s help, many people will find their way spiritually home in time for Easter.
Mookie Wilson is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and coach and is probably best remembered for his part in one of the most memorable innings in World Series history.
In the bottom of the 10th of Game Six of the 1986 World Series, the Boston Red Sox had the Mets dead to right. The Sox were up by two runs with the Mets having two outs and nobody on base.
One more out and the Red Sox would be world champions.
Even the media had thought the finish of this game was a foregone conclusion as they were all set up with the champagne in the Boston clubhouse. But the Mets had other plans.
Mets catcher Gary Carter singled to make it two outs with one man on. Kevin Mitchell followed Gary Carter with another base hit to make it runners on first and second.
Ray Knight was down to his last strike several times when he singled in Carter to make it a one-run game.
Now the tying run was on third base. Out of the Boston bullpen came a new pitcher, Bob Stanley. Out of the Mets dugout came William Hayward Wilson, better known to his fans as Mookie.
Mookie Wilson came to the major leagues in 1980 when the Mets were the jokes of baseball.
They had been entrenched in last place in the standings for far too long. Mookie also had the unenviable task of taking over centerfield from Lee Mazzilli who had been a fan favorite of the young ladies of Flushing because of his matinee good looks. But the switch-hitting speedster won the hearts of Mets fans because he played hard all the time.
He also approached the game with a childlike joy shown by his huge grin which couldn’t help but make you feel hopeful that maybe the times were finally changing for the Orange and Blue.
Fast forward back to Oct. 25 and now it is all up to Mookie.
Bob Stanley got two strikes on Mookie, and I know that I hadn’t breathed in 20 minutes. Would this comeback be just a tease? Would Mookie be clutch and come through as the hero or become the despised goat?
Mookie stretched Stanley out for a 10 pitch at bat. One of Bob Stanley’s key pitches veered inside and sailed away from the Red Sox catcher, Rich Gedman’s glove.
On that wild offering, Kevin Mitchell would score the tying run! Two pitches later was the play that would become one of the greatest moments of World Series baseball history.
On a three balls and two strikes full count fastball, Mookie hit the slowest of ground balls that trickled up the first base line towards Red Sox infielder Bill Buckner.
Mookie raced down the line and in Buckner’s haste to field the ball to beat Wilson to the bag, the baseball trickled right under the glove and into right field.
Mookie got the hit, and Ray Knight raced around to score the winning run. Comeback complete.
Mets won 6-5 and would go on to win the World Series. To this day, this magic moment is called the “Buckner Play, ” but it was all instigated by the amazing Mets outfielder, Mookie.
Today Mookie Wilson is both a coach with the Mets and an ordained minister in his home state of South Carolina.
Mookie will be at The Lighthouse Church this Palm Sunday Weekend, (April 8-9) and we want to put together a Men’s Breakfast for the ages.
We would like to share the vision of that event March 3 at The Lighthouse Church. Yes, we will feed your pastor or ministry leader and provide them a top-notch free meal.
RSVP the church office at 609-465-6690 to let us know who is coming.
I guarantee that this will be a smart investment of time. Just like baseball, isn’t the story of life all about getting home safe? I hope to see the pastors and leaders there March 3.
RSVP, and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me at 609-465-6690.
ED. NOTE: The author is senior pastor of The Lighthouse Church, 1248 Route 9 South, Cape May Court House.
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
