Speaking in the Light 5.3.2006

The Lighthouse Church is turning 15 years old.  I know what you’re thinking.  “Wow, you look so good for your age.”  And since it
is our birthday, it calls for a celebration and rather than expecting you to get something for us, we wanted to give you the free gift with no strings attached.
  This coming Sunday night at 6 p.m. I want to personally invite you to come and join us at Elementary School No. 2 in Court House for some cake, water ice and an evening of community, memories and a free concert featuring 60’s music legend Barry McGuire.
If you were listening to the radio in 1965, you remember the huge hit song, “Eve Of Destruction.”  Its contagious chorus went something like this:  “And you tell me, over and over and over again, my friend, you don’t believe we’re on the eve of destruction.”
 That record was recorded by Barry McGuire and he will be singing that song, telling his stories and sharing his journey beyond having a number one record in the nation with us this Sunday night.
Barry McGuire stepped into the public eye in 1963 on the Andy Williams Show as the gravelly voiced lead singer of the New Christy Minstrels.  He launched his musical career with the million-sellers “Green, Green” and “Green Back Dollar.”
 In 1965, at the heart of the peace movement, McGuire went solo.  His growing awareness of social hypocrisy was expressed in his third hit “Eve Of Destruction” which echoed around the world as an anthem of the times. Three years later, Barry was cast as the male lead in the original Broadway production of “Hair.”  Once again his voice was heard proclaiming the ideals of a radical generation.  Dick Clark once said, “When world events collide with Rock & Roll, you get Barry McGuire.”
In the early 70’s, Barry’s life took a new direction.  Having found his answer to the “Eve Of Destruction,” as he describes it, “by stumbling into the Fullness of Truth,” he left Hollywood and set out to do whatever he could to bring about positive change. 
You can hear Barry’s transformation exemplified in the lyrics of his music. His songs focus upon the importance of faith, family, the value of children, and Barry’s personal journey through life.  He actually wrote a song that became a children’s classic for a kid’s musical in the late 70’s entitled, “Bullfrogs and Butterflies.”
In 1994, Barry reunited with his old “New Christy Minstrel” friends and they completed a season of 250 shows out west in California.  Barry called it, “great fun!”
 In February of 1995, Barry McGuire and Terry Talbot got together and started singing some of the old folk songs they used to sing back in the 60’s.   In the beginning they sang the songs just because they liked the way it felt to sing and harmonize together.   Then they discovered that people of all ages liked it too.  Their audiences responded with such joy and enthusiasm to the new “old” music, they received two and sometimes three stand-ing ovation encores at the end of each show.
After seven years of wall to wall concerts, Barry decided to move to New Zealand, his wife’s country of birth.  Barry thought he was going into semi-retirement but during his year and a half there, he discovered that his passion is to tell his stories and sing his songs and at 70 years old, he is still going strong along that “Happy Road!”
And on Sunday night, that pilgrimage leads to the Lighthouse Church’s Birthday Party in Court House where he will be with us for an evening that I know you won’t want to miss for I know you will never forget the opportunity to see a part of music history right before your eyes.  If you would like more information, feel free to call the church office at 465-6690.
This is the time and this is the place and I consider myself very blessed to be a pastor here at such a season as this.  Come and share the joy with us this week and as always, no matter how good as yesterday has been, I know because of the Lord in my life, the best days are still always yet to come.  With my seat belt fastened and my eyes wide open- I’ll look to see you Sunday.
The Lighthouse Church now has three Celebration Worship Services to choose from every weekend.  Join us on Saturday night at 6 p.m. or Sunday Mornings at 9 and 10:30 a.m.  Call 465-6690 for directions.