Out of the corner of my eye I saw one of FBC Farmersville's native sons, Dick Baker, when he slipped into the back row. Dick's beloved wife Ann passed away not long ago, and this is his first Christmas without her. He decided in the midst of this season to come back home today.
After I finished welcoming everyone, I went back to Dick and asked him whether he'd like to sing something for us. He replied, "I'd like to do whatever you want me to do." So, although the service was already full to overflowing, when next I stepped behind the pulpit I announced that Dick Baker was going to favor us with a song. He stepped up to the piano, and just like that, brought us something wonderful. It was eloquent, Christ-centered, and entirely appropriate both to the Sunday before Christmas and our Lord's Supper celebration. And he did that with about three minutes' notice.
So I'm here hoping that, should the Lord favor me to live that long, I will be the kind of person who still has something worthwhile to say before God's people at the drop of a hat.
8 comments:
...and me also!
Dick Baker was the music minister at Prestonwood for all the years that I grew up. He is like part of our family!
In Christ,
Rev. Christopher Keefer
Pastor
FBC of Poolville, TX
Bart,
Is he the "Two Ton Baker" who had radio shows in Chicago in the 40's and 50's? If so, we used to listen to him on occasion until 1952 (when we finally got a TV), and I'd appreciate your passing along that I remember him.
I suspect it is he, as one quote from him I just read is "All I wanted to do is sing and play the piano....".
Uhhhh .. guess not. He died many years ag
Bob,
I'm sorry. Sometimes I guess I blog as though the only people reading are the folks from here.
Dick Baker and his brother B.O. Baker ("Bo") were a part of the student revival movement in the post-WWII era. Bo was the preacher, and Dick was the music minister in their revival team. They were Baylor students at the time.
Both went on to great ministries. Dick, as Chris has already mentioned, served for a long time at Prestonwood doing the music there. He's written a lot of songs and done a lot of revivals. There's a chair endowed in his name at SWBTS. Just recently he had a kidney removed, and then his precious Ann went on to be with the Lord.
Farmersville is home for these men. They grew up in my church. God has greatly used them. Although they've been all over the world, we still love them and consider them our own.
The point of the post was not that Dick is so famous as to have been a household name. I'm not dropping names, as we sometimes see folks do online. The point is simply that, after suffering so much this year and serving for so long, Dick stands ready to lift up the Lord at a moment's notice. That inspires me. Thus the post.
You'll find a little bit more about Dick here.
Bro. Bart:
LaVerne called Jody about Dick being in the service. Jody introduced Dick to Ann when she was in Howard Payne and Dick was in Baylor. They have been from the start a great pair. Two precious people.
On my columns blog I posted picture of them from 1952 and in Hong Kong about 1975. Some readers might like to look at them. www.britt-towery.blogspot.com
I also write a daily diary on line, thoughts from our 31 years with the Chinese. It is called Along the Way www.towerytails.blogspot.com
I share you pain of Dec. 11 and will share it in an e-mail rather than here.
Britt Towery
bet@suddenlink.net
Bart,
You said," I'm not dropping names, as we sometimes see folks do online."
I'm kin to Darryl Worley.
:)
David
Post a Comment