Billy Graham’s Suit

I received this story in an email from my cousin – I felt it needed to be shared …….

Billy Graham

Billy Graham

Billy Graham is now 86 years old with Parkinson’s disease.

In January 2000, leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina, invited their favorite son, Billy Graham, to a luncheon in his honor.

Billy initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he struggles with Parkinson’s disease. But the Charlotte leaders said, ‘We don’t expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you.’
So he agreed.

After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the rostrum, looked at the crowd, and said,
‘I’m reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist who this month has been honored by Time magazine as the Man of the Century.  Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching thetickets of every passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn’t find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets.
It wasn’t there, so he looked in his briefcase but couldn’t find it.
Then he looked in the seat beside him.
He still couldn’t find it.

The conductor said, ‘Dr. Einstein, I know who you are.  We all know who you are. I’m sure you bought a ticket. Don’t worry about it.’
Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car , he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket.

The conductor rushed back and said, ‘Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don’t worry, I know who you are. No problem. You don’t need a ticket.. I’m sure you bought one.’

Einstein looked at him and said, ‘Young man, I too, know who I am. What I don’t know is where I’m going.”

Having said that Billy Graham continued, ‘See the suit I’m wearing? It’s a brand new suit. My wife, my children , and my grandchildren are telling me I’ve gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion.

You know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which
I’ll be buried. But when you hear I’m dead, I don’t want you to immediately remember the suit I’m wearing . I want you to remember this:

I not only know who I am .. I also know where I’m going.’

Nosey intercessors?

I was amused earlier today when I looked at a website set up to encourage people to PRAY.

Half way down the page there’s an invitation to download a leaflet to guide people, unused to praying, through the process. A typo meant it read like this:-

What to do:
Find a time and a place that will suit you.
Use the tryseven links, or download the tryprying booklet and read it one day at a time.
Try to keep going for a week, but don’t feel guilty if you miss a day.
You might like to tell a friend you are doing this and talk about how it is going.

So if you want to be nosey AND tell your friends what you’re doing the results may be more surprising than if you simply spoke to God for a week.

In the event I suggest praying could be an interesting adventure. The site has been corrected now – after I alerted the organisers to their mistake – so everything you need to get started is here.

China bans Western religious music – Telegraph

China bans Western religious music – Telegraph
Chinas culture ministry has banned public performances of Handels Messiah and other major works of western religious music.

It would seem that the with the Olympics over, China is again free to reveal it’s position on basic human rights.

What would you ask?

 

The Alpha Course

The Alpha Course

I am deep into organising a couple of launch events for The Alpha Course in York – hence the low activity on this blog recently. 

 

The first is on Saturday at Kit Kat Crescent the home of York City FC. Alpha is sponsoring the match which is preceded by a lunch for invited guests. There still tickets available for anyone who wants to bring a friend to hear about The Alpha Course. £20.00 all inclusive – meal and match which this weekend is against Salisbury City. Available from The Parish Centre of St Michael le Belfrey, York. 01904 624190.

The second is at York City Screen at 7.15pm on Tuesday 23rd September. Refreshements, a York City Gospel Choir, some films and a short talk. Tickets £6.00

The Alpha Course is a ten week course to explore the Christian Faith in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Meal, talk and discussion. The course at St Michael le Belfrey starts on Weds October 1st 2008 at 7.15pm. To book click here

If you could ask God any question what would it be?

Sign from above for city club

Sign from above for city club (From York Press)

A CHURCH has used the renaming of a refurbished York nightclub to put out its own message.

A poster outside St Edward’s Church on Tadcaster Road declares: “SALVATION… more than a nightclub.”

But the marketing people behind Club Salvation – formerly Nexus – in George Hudson Street reckon God moves in mysterious ways.

Following my earlier rant about Salvation – the club – placing a promotion outside The Salvation Army it’s good to see another York church getting in on the act. But it’s one of those eternal dilemmas. At what point are you just creating more promotion for the event you object to. Two sayings come to mind. Imitation is flattery and All publicity is good publicity

The fact still remains Salvation is not found in a Night Club.