This previous year when I was a sixth grader Tim Baugh called me, even though I was already working on Bible Bowl, to make sure I was going to take part in it.

Josh Tracy

Do You Remember?

As Norvel Young got ready to go into the auditorium for the morning service he turned to several of us and said, "I don't have my watch." Norvel had a reputation for preaching past 12:00 o'clock noon. Fred Pinkston said, "Here, take my watch." It was an alarm watch and Fred had set the alarm for 12:00 o'clock. The service was on TV that morning and when the watch went off Norvel did not know what to do, so he just put his arm behind his back to muffle the sound.

Norvel would always kneel during congregational prayers. One time in the new building he knelt behind the pulpit and the man praying was speaking so softly Norvel couldn't hear him. The man said, "Amen", but Norvel kept kneeling. Finally, while the entire congregation watched, Norvel, still on his knees, peeked out from behind the pulpit. It's hard for anyone to be serious and keep a straight face at a time like that.

Harvie Pruitt

One of our memories of my work at Broadway happened early one morning soon after I got to work. I was sitting in the old sound room across from the Fellowship Hall reading the paper, when a Hispanic man suddenly walked in with a gun in his hand saying that he was going to kill himself. I began talking to him as calmly as I could. He would settle down a little, and then he would start threatening again to take his life. I told him I would like for him to talk with our Spanish minister. After hours, it seemed, the minister came in and took the man to his office. That afternoon the man was baptized. I never knew what happened to him after that.

One Sunday I found Billie and Stevie, two boys from our cottage at the Children's Home playing cards in the old sound room. The boys were seven and eight years old. I told them to gather the cards up and to put them away, because some people objected to card playing, especially at church.

Through the years I found out that there was a lot more to my job than seeing that the building was kept clean and that the mechanical things were in operation!!

Ernest and Agnes Vanderveer

Norvel Young baptized my daughter, Janice, when she was ten years old. That Sunday morning several others were also baptized. Two of them were deaf mutes. Alan Bryan was so touched and made the statement, "The first voice they will ever hear will be that of the Lord." Many tears were shed when he said this. It made a lasting impression on me.

Mrs. Richard (Eunice) Walter

We remember how urgently Norvel Young used to offer the invitation. Usually he would have Horace lead us in more than one invitation song ... sometimes three. Norvel would stop him and ask him to turn and lead another one that might be just the one to touch someone's soul. Norvel would come halfway down the aisle looking down each row as he encouraged people to respond.

Medford and Helen Weaver

I have good memories of the recent Vacation Bible schools where we had centers. No particular story.

I'm just happy to have a "family" here that is always accepting and loving to me.

Barbara Welch

I remember with love and appreciation so many of our older members. Those senior people are very precious to me. I think especially now of Dr. J. B. McCorkle and Randolph Mills. I am grateful that Broadway has always shown love and respect to all of our sweet senior members. So many of these people have really blessed my life. God bless them all.

Sonny Welch

Do You Remember?

We have lots of wonderful memories of Broadway, but cannot seem to settle on just one. It was good for us to have been in the class that Horace Coffman taught and we certainly treasure the lasting friendships we made while there.

Joe Tom and Ann Weddle

My first impression of the Broadway Church of Christ began in 1953 when I was invited to be the founding director of the Children's Home of Lubbock.

The fifties were fabulous years; finances were good; the church was growing; the Bible Chair had just begun; a team of missionaries had just been sent into Germany, our foe in World War II. I believe Broadway was first to employ a Youth Minister and a Minister of Education. The Children's Home received its first children in 1954. What later became Lubbock Christian College had its beginning in the Broadway building. Excitement abounded throughout the family.

My family arrived during these exciting times. We were deeply impressed by the dedication, common love and unity that prevailed. The church was going through a period of many divisive issues in the brotherhood in spite of much criticism. Broadway continued to be unperturbed. Broadway Church has showed courage, imagination and unity.

Since the Children's Home was my main concern, I will mention several new approaches used in the work of the Home. It was first in our brotherhood to use the cottage style of living, to employ professional social workers, and to place children in foster and adoptive homes.

John B. White

When my son was born in August of 1979 I had let church attendance lapse. When he was two and a half weeks old he became very ill and was hospitalized. On the admitting form I listed Church of Christ as my religious preference, even though I had not been a faithful member at Broadway. Horace Coffman was the first visitor in the room where I was staying with my baby. He came in and prayed with me for my baby. Then he looked around and noticed there was no rocking chair in the room. He left and ten minutes later returned with a big wooden rocking chair in which I spent the next several days rocking my baby as he recovered. It was at that point I realized how important church family is, both physically and spiritually.

Kathy Wilkinson

I met my wife, Kathy, here at Broadway in the Divorce Recovery program. I was living in Muleshoe, but drove down every week for the meetings. Gary Evans, a friend of mine, married us in May, 1990. I appreciate this program so very much.

Mike Wilkinson

I especially remember going to Olive Price's kindergarten in the Broadway building. I felt so grown up when we had our graduation ceremony! I also remember VBS, it was always great! John Paul Blankenship was the youth minister when I was going to Youth Reach. He directed the chorus called New Beginnings, and I was blessed by being a part of that group. We traveled to many, many places and we became very close friends.

Belinda (Busby) Williams

Broadway's 50th anniversary in 1941 coincided with Pearl Harbor and the beginning of World War II. I closed down my office in Muleshoe and came to Lubbock for reassignment. While in Lubbock waiting, I attended church services at Broadway and Avenue N in the old red brick church building. Brother G. C. Brewer was the preacher. Someone was commending Brother Brewer for his early day manner of preaching. His response to the commendation was, "Yes, I stormed on the mountain and roared in the valleys as a young preacher."

One song that was sung at Broadway lingered with me for the duration of the time I served overseas in the army. It was number 413 in the old song book. The words go like this:

In the hour of trial Jesus plead for me

Lest by base denial I depart from Thee.

When thou seest me waver, with a look recall,

Nor for fear nor favor suffer me to fall.

With forbidden pleasures would this vain world charm

Or its sordid treasures spread to work me harm;

Bring to my remembrance sad Gethsemane

Or in darkest semblance, cross crowned Calvary.

Should Thy mercy send me sorrow, toil and woe,

Or should pain attend me on my path below.

Grant that I may never fail Thy hand to see,

Grant that I may ever cast my care on Thee.

J. C. (Jake) Sanders, the oldest son of Brother Liff Sanders and the first preacher for the Church of Christ in Lubbock, ran a tailor shop in downtown Lubbock. I was in the shop in 1961 being fitted for a suit of clothes when Jake told me this story: "Soon after the turn of the century when I was about five years old my Dad took me with him in his buggy on a mission trip to Canyon, Texas. On Monday morning after preaching in Canyon on Sunday, Dad hitched his pony to the buggy and we started home to Lubbock. On the way a blizzard struck. There were no hotels to go to, no roads, no fences, just open prairie ranch land. As night came upon us we saw a light from a small window in a rancher's half-dugout. We pulled up in front and Dad knocked on the door inquiring if they had a place for a man and his little boy to sleep. The rancher said they were already full up but there is a chuck wagon with a cowboy's bed roll in it that we were welcome to crawl into if we wished. Needless to say that was a dry, welcome shelter from the snowstorm for a couple of weary travelers. The next morning after a hot breakfast in the ranchers half-dugout, Dad thanked the rancher for his hospitality, hitched up the pony and we proceeded on our way home to Lubbock without further troubling incidents."

T. C. Williams

We were members of Broadway from 1954 to 1979. We were strangers and you took us in, molding the lives of our three children: Gwen, Alton Earl and Sue. Alton Earl and Sue were baptized here. You gave us a housewarming gift of a set of dishes. Nowhere else could we find the support and encouragement and love we found at Broadway. We are so grateful.

Alton and Wilda Wilson

My husband and I met while attending Campus Advance. We were both members of Mountaintop singers. We announced our engagement during Broadway's morning services in the summer of 1979.

Mrs. Del (Mylinda) Wilson

Do You Remember?

On Horace and Dott's anniversary year in the 80s, Darrell Rickard was making a brief presentation to honor them and kept calling them Hott and Doris.

One time when Jim Bill McInteer held a meeting here, Warner Maddox loaned Jim Bill and Betty a really nice Oldsmobile upholstered in plush velvet to drive. As I drove them to the airport, he said, "I feel like I've been riding in a velvet casket all week."

Lunchtime for the staff in the Fellowship Hall was always fun. Jim Moss was always going to lose weight or diet. His standard meal in the kitchen was a sack of Doritos topped off by drinking a can of Eagle Brand milk. Ernest Vanderveer would laugh and say, "Jim, you're not ever going to lose weight like that."

The first thing ever shared with me about Liff Sanders was that he was the preacher who rode a horse and carried a Bible in one saddlebag and a gun in the other.

John Gipson made it clear from the pulpit that he didn't like squash no matter how it was cooked.

Joe Barnett did not like fruitcake, and he received them for Christmas gifts every year.

Gladys Workman used to bring us a warm pound cake at the church office.

Mrs. K. A. Hancock was always very protective of the library. Karen Potts Lehnen has a good story about how we got her to make us a batch of homemade cookies one time.

Dianna Wischkaemper

One time I was performing a wedding ceremony for Jim Connor and Sherry Smyrl. Sherry was one of the church secretaries. I was accustomed to having them referred to as Sherry and Jim, and during the ceremony, three times I called them "Shem and Jerry."

Jay Wischkaemper

One Sunday up in the balcony during communion one fellow got his position mixed up and there were two people in the same place.

Jeff Wischkaemper

Broadway has always been such a loving, caring congregation, not only because of the Bible teaching in classes and in sermons, but because of close friendships that were formed here.

I especially remember how sweet and thoughtful Brother George Stephenson and Brother Bill Young were to us when we had heartaches. They always seemed to say just the right words to comfort us.

I remember the fun things our class did, like breakfast at McKenzie Park and the picnics and ice cream suppers there. One evening we were playing games. One was called "the ring game." Brother and Sister Brewer were there. She participated, but Brother Brewer said, "You can call them ring games if you want to, but they are nothing but "square dancing!"

Mrs. Cuba (Zara) Womack

When Brother Brewer was the minister at Broadway, he had no secretary. I used to go to the church once or twice a week and do typing for him.

Georgia Womack

One Sunday in the 1930's I was helping serve communion. In those days we always had the communion trays on a table covered with a white cloth until time for the service. The men who were to wait on the table were all assembled on the rostrum. The prayer was said, and when the white cloth was removed, to their great surprise, there was no wine or bread in the cups or trays. The man who said the prayer said, "I'm sorry, you will have to go home and come back tonight for the communion."

On another occasion when I was helping with communion as I walked down the aisle, a little boy by the name of Mabry Peel saw me. He raised his hand and waved and said out loud, "Hi, Mr. Womack." It caused quite a commotion. I thought it was funny and cute.

Troy Womack

Western Life Camp, a place in New Mexico where we took our youth in the summertime, girls one week and boys another, was an experience for both campers and counselors alike. For a whole week there was no TV, no radio, no coke or candy machines. Only that delicious food that "Cookie" put out. We heard the birds, the ripple of the mountain stream near the Rec hall and really communed with God. Also, there was Hermit's Peak to conquer!

Once in the foyer after service, two women were heard disagreeing about a small shoulder bouquet of artificial flowers someone had found on the floor. One lady said, "That's Pansy's." The other one said, "No, it's daisies." They were both correct. The bouquet belonged to Pansie McGuire, and the flowers were indeed daisies.

Young mothers need to take pointers from Helen Young on child raising. Once in Woolworth's we heard a child having a real tantrum, but we couldn't see who she was because of the counters. In the vicinity of the crying we saw Helen walking calmly down the aisle, head high as if nothing was amiss. Then we saw Emily peeping around the corner with Helen still calmly holding her hand. It worked, don't you think? (Emily is now Mrs. Steven Lemley in case you didn't know.)

Dana Woodward

When Bill Young was associate minister, he must have of spent hours studying pictures of families in the church directory and committing their names to memory. Our father was old and ailing, so he, Dana and I worshipped with the Shallowater congregation at that time. We had never met Bill. He was holding a short meeting at Shallowater and when he shook our hands at the door, he said, "Well, how nice of the Woodward family to come out from Broadway to hear me speak!"

When Ralph Bumpass was chairman of Lubbock Bible Class, many times he substituted for Joe Barnett as teacher. No matter what the subject was or where his scripture came from, he inevitably covered the whole Bible every time in 20 minutes. He strongly recommended short sermons and being at liberty to sit anywhere in the auditorium.

Some will recall the period in which this same Bible Class met in the old Midway Theater where x-rated movies were shown during the week. We then moved up in the world and started meeting in the Rix Funeral chapel! Some claim they left perfectly good shoes stuck to the theater floors because of bubble gum and spilled cokes!

It was a happy but sad day when we met to say goodbye to the Young family. Our congregation had given them a new station wagon, and it was parked outside on the sidewalk south of the flyer. Among tears and hugs they left for a more challenging work in California.

George Stephenson was quite a cut-up at his Bible Class parties. At one party, so our mother said, George pulled his "mop" of hair down in his eyes and pretended to play a high class concerto!

Elleine Woodward

Some of the best memories that I have of the Broadway church are of some many of the young people that were here in the early 1930's. At that time the church was at Broadway and Avenue N. During those years I had the privilege of teaching the Bible to them on Sunday evening before church services. We met in the small room upstairs in the northeast corner of the building. They were interested in learning more about God's will and were always in attendance, attentive and participated in the discussions.

In addition to studying the Bible they wanted to have socials and invite others to join them. Their parents opened their homes for parties. Everyone had fun including the visitors. We laughed, played games, and had picnics.

Later, I served several years as secretary of our adult Sunday school class. Friendships were made that have grown stronger through the years. I treasure many wonderful memories of the people in that class. Some are still actively serving the Lord and have been a good influence to others, not only at Broadway but in the community.

I am grateful for the love of God, my friends, my family and for all the prayers that have sustained me through 68 years that I have worshiped at Broadway.

Gladys Williams Workman

The forty-six years we worshiped at Broadway were the happiest times of my life. We were there from 1927 until 1973 when we moved to Denton, Texas.

John T. Smith was our minister when we first came. He was wonderful, but we had wonderful ones all the time we were there. We had dedicated elders and deacons and Bailey served as a deacon. I remember happy as well as sad things. I remember when Helen Young was making her farewell speech when they were moving to California. All of us really hated to see them go. She was trying to give us some good advice. One thing I remember she stressed was that we not make comparisons between them and George and Alice who would be coming to work with us. Then she took out a big white handkerchief and said, "I know why the Lord didn't make preachers out of us women. We cry too much." Then she covered her face and let the tears flow just like everyone in the auditorium did.

My love for them and for all of my dear friends at Broadway is as strong as ever. I wish I could be back with you, but Billy, my son, wants me near him and his sweet Irene and my two grandchildren so they can take care of me. They are the "wind beneath my wings" but my memories of our sweet Christian friends at Broadway will always be in my heart.

Mrs. Bailey (Violet) Wright

My earliest memories of the church are of Broadway. Our family never missed a service. I remember the "Amen Corner," and two week summer meetings where no one ever watched the clock. We stood and sang until people quit responding. Company went home with us for Sunday dinner every week, always the best linens on the table, although we never knew who would come home with us. We always invited visitors first.

Perhaps my favorite memory is of the people, of the good men who led the church and the good women who served their neighbors. The prayer meetings on Wednesday nights were the best. Where have those real prayer meetings gone? Seeing those men, fathers of my friends, friends of our family, my own father, kneeling in the aisle in fervent prayer really marked my life. "The church travels best on her knees" was really true in my experience. I thought the church everywhere was just like Broadway.

The training that Dale and I received here gave us the faith, the steadfastness, the fortitude, the skills to face the trials where the church was NOT just like Broadway, and to face the trials of life itself. After 34 years of living and worshipping elsewhere, returning to Lubbock and to Broadway has been just like coming home, with family and friends, old and new, to welcome us. May God continue to lead this great congregation in paths of fellowship, faith, worship, and service!

Mrs. Dale (Charis P.) Young

Events and things remembered from childhood, preschool and elementary school age:

G. C. Brewer's pictorial word descriptions of the exciting battles of the Old Testament. They brought the Old Testament to life for youngsters.

Long gospel meetings in the HOT summer, when we used the Rix Funeral Home hand held fans to keep cool.

The wide banisters on either side of the many steps going up into the old building. Kids would slide down and wear out their shoes and the bottoms of their pants.

Remember the opportunities to be singing in a chorus with my future wife, Charis Pinkston at the Sunday morning radio program on KCBD.

Plus, the many wedding chorus rehearsals led by Horace Coffman. Also, the weddings ranging about 100+ miles from Lubbock. This was a wonderful work to spread the Christian service so famous by the Broadway membership.

Dale Young

When we came to Lubbock in 1944 we lived first in the Goober Keys' house at 2210 31st Street. The war was in progress and Goober was in the service. We were living in this house when Emily was born Feb. 26, 1945. At that time the salary for the minister was $300.00 a month from which we paid $60.00 a month rent. Later we moved to the house on Main Street where the new building was later built. We were living there when Matt Norvel was born October 19, 1947. When construction was begun on the new building we moved to a new house in the 3200 block of 32nd Street. Marilyn Morrow was born June 8, 1952, while we lived at that house. The church purchased its first residence for its minister at 2710 27th Street and it was there that Sara Helen was born August 18, 1953. We lived there until we moved to California in July of 1957 when Norvel became president of Pepperdine College.

When we came to Broadway in 1944, Norvel soon realized that Lola MacDonald knew the congregation better than any of us. She was a most energetic and loyal worker. She helped put out the church directory. When anyone obeyed the gospel on Sunday, or placed membership at Broadway, or was restored in their commitment to Christ, Lola would visit them the following week. Sometimes she would be in her kitchen with her apron on when she would think of someone that needed a visit. She would take her apron off and go immediately to see them.

When the cornerstone for the new building was put in place in 1949, it was a thrilling day with many dignitaries and much enthusiasm. Matt Norvel was two years old and he helped with the positioning of the cornerstone. That day he had on a little brown and beige suit with a matching hat and was very proud to help his father. Frank Pack recalls that during that same time when he came to hold a meeting at Broadway, Matt Norvel would go up to the pulpit after each service and lead the imaginary congregation in "Trust and Obey."

When Alan Bryan was educational director during the late 40's we had Reuel Lemons as a speaker for a teacher training class. Alan was to introduce Reuel, which he did glowingly, and concluded with the words, "I know you will enjoy hearing Sister Lemons." Of course the audience laughed, but he was unaware of his mistake. After the classes we met in the auditorium for the final moments of the evening. Alan had been informed of his mistake. He was apologizing and meant to say he was ignorant of his mistake, but instead he said, "I am so sorry I introduced Brother Ignorant by mistake."

I've heard the story told many times about the depression years when the congregation's income was very low. G. C. Brewer announced from the pulpit that he had decided to help the budget during these lean times by reducing his own salary by half. He had failed to tell Mrs. Brewer of his plans and she practically fainted in the second row.

Lubbock people love homemade ice cream. We remember ice cream parties after church and during the week as one of our happy memories and one of the surprises. We didn't realize how many of the members thought it was less than hospitable to serve ice cream from the grocery store. We were also impressed with how Lubbock people loved football and how loyal they were to a high school team (at that time there was only one high school). We also learned to pray for rain in Lubbock.

A sweet sad day of farewells was in July of 1957 with Norvel's last sermon as Broadway's minister. There was a potluck dinner in the park and an afternoon service at which dignitaries from Lubbock as well as elders and members bid us farewell. Harvie Pruitt presented us a book of memories and afterward we went to the front of the building where the congregation presented us with a new Buick station wagon.

One of the most amazing things to us was the giving spirit of the members. We have often said that we were spoiled with such an outpouring of love. One couple, the Clifford Williams, took our children and bought them cowboy outfits, including boots. The Arthur Lays furnished us with eggs and Mrs. Lay made hats for Helen. The J. C. Sanders did our dry cleaning as a gift and men of the congregation took Norvel to Hemphill Wells for new suits. Even the obstetrician, who was not a member of the church, would not send us a bill. Veta Rae Tatum loaned Helen maternity clothes. And in so many, many ways this spirit of giving was evident.

Helen and Norvel Young

Do You Remember?

The date was May 11, 1970. The daylight revealed a beautiful day with reddish clouds trimmed with pink tinges of angel hair in the East. It was cool summer weather that made you feel that you were glad to be alive in such a radiant day.

The sun peeped over the horizon and revealed a calm peaceful morning in which everything appeared to be rested from the long night of darkness. The day moved along with the sky and was punctuated by soft clouds that appeared in small patches much like the patchwork on a crazy quilt. The late afternoon possessed a sunset for which West Texas is famous. Clouds were everywhere and some darker clouds were beginning to dim the sky.

After dark one could feel that something was not normal. There was a feeling of quietness and stillness that was disturbing. Things became rather spooky as radio stations lost their power supplies and went off the air one by one until the only one left was KFYO, and it had its own emergency generator to supply an alternate source of electricity. The station announcer was in downtown Lubbock and he stayed in his position even though the storm was brewing and becoming more intense as the minutes and seconds passed. The announcer informed everyone that he could see a warehouse leaving its location by air, and he was sure there was a strong storm. Everyone should take cover and seek protection. Water had flooded low areas and rain was falling in sheets with some large hail mixed in. The noise was much like the sound of a nearby freight train. Damage and injuries were being reported and the Emergency Service was stating that many people had been injured and medical people were needed in all the hospitals to assist the injured.

It seemed that everything in town was destroyed as flashes of lightning revealed the conditions of a city darkened by the loss of its electric supply.

The largest area of damage was done in an area North of Broadway from University to the East and Northeast. Homes were destroyed and windows were shattered and power lines were down. There was considerable damage to the building at the Broadway Church of Christ, but the structural damage did not appear to be dangerous. The building could be used by restoring telephone lines and electricity and covering broken windows with plywood. The Broadway building suffered about $175,000.00 in damage. The red tile roof was replaced and the removed tile was used to replace and repair part of the roof of Lubbock High School.

Being unprepared for such a tragedy, it took a while to plan what we as a church could do. By late afternoon it was apparent that many people in our immediate vicinity needed help immediately. They had no drinking water, food, shelter, clothes and many of them had lost their furniture and even their homes. Calls were coming from everywhere wanting to know what they could do to help. We set up an office and information booth and posted some needs such as clothing of any kind that could be worn, cooking utensils, pots and pans, appliances, and anything a family needs to operate a home. The item that was most effective was money to buy thing for the people who had suffered losses. Donations came in the form of cash and checks which was distributed through the elders of each congregation to their members as they had personal knowledge of those in need. Some of the benefits that came as a result of this horrible tornado became evident in uniting us as a congregation and working together drew everyone even closer. We even had a member of another congregation to make a statement that he had always wondered what it would take to bring us together and he had no idea we would have to be blown apart before we could be brought together. We set up a kitchen in Fellowship Hall and served food, gave out groceries, clothing, drinking water and provided whatever the people needed. We were able to set up a Spanish speaking congregation of about 125 people. Some unexpected things that happened included the Broadway Church sending checks of $100.00 to each member whose home was damaged in the area. This was to pay the deductible on the insurance policies. It was unexpected that nearly every one of them sent or brought the check back and said they could get by without the money. Their desire was for us to give it to someone who needed it much worse than they did. This will renew your faith in humanity and make you glad you knew so many fine Christian people.

This also served notice that people needed help and the church could get involved when tragedies struck other places and we have taken up special contributions and helped places such as Hereford, Silverton, Wichita Falls, Paducah and other places. This makes the church beneficial to lots of people. These are some things that Christians should do.

We had a very unusual thing happen to the glass in the foyer that separates it from the auditorium. A piece of glass about the size of a large saucer was jerked out of a glass window about four feet high and ten feet long. Neither the round plug nor the large window was broken. This glass has been placed in a picture frame and is housed in Historical Hall for those who are curious to see it.

I really never knew just exactly what the Bible meant where it says it is better to give than to receive until we became involved in the recovery and because of this experience I now realize fully the meaning of this scripture.

Otis Maner