WEZE PASTORS' LUNCHEON

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“...I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (from Revelation 3:20)

A number of weeks ago, I received an invitation in the mail to attend the 3rd Annual WEZE Pastors’ Luncheon at Lantana function hall in Randolph.  I did not go to either of the previous luncheons, but for some reason I chose to go to this one.  The luncheon invitation was for a pastor and “guest” which usually means the pastor’s wife, but I knew there would be no way Mary Ann could go with me today, and I couldn’t think of anyone to invite, so I just signed up to go by myself.

I wasn’t sure what to expect.  I can speak to large groups of people, if necessary, with no problem, but sometimes attending functions where I don’t know ANYBODY present, and having to introduce myself, etc., can be awkward.  The event was scheduled to run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  I’ve been to functions at Lantana before (although it had been a LONG times since I’d been there) so I found my way there pretty easily.  I arrived around 10:45.  I immediately noticed what I noticed the last time I attended a “Benny Hinn Pastors’ Breakfast”- that 75% of the attendees were either Black or Hispanic.  PLEASE, I don’t want you to think I’m racist...at least I HOPE I’m not!  But back when I was first in the ministry, if you went to an evangelical Christian event in the Boston suburbs, most of the crowd would not only be white but in fact MOST in the crowds at such events 25 years ago would either have been W.A.S.P.s or Scandinavians.  Even a French-Canadian from a Catholic background, like me, would feel a little out of place for OTHER reasons.  TODAY, it’s urban Blacks and Hispanics that are attracted to such events.  The white suburbanites have pretty much sworn them off, and I guess THAT would make for a whole demographic study.  Although the luncheon was advertised as starting at 11 a.m., I picked up a program and quickly noticed it was actually starting at 11:25.  In the interim, there were exhibits from their sponsors set up which they wanted you to check out.  I was uncomfortable with that, so I actually went out and sat in the car.  

While the luncheon didn’t feel like it was starting out very well, things improved very quickly!  I went into the banquet hall around 11:20, and I sat with a Hispanic pastor and his wife from Jamaica Plain and with two white guys around 30 who were among the sponsors (THEY were promoting the Boston Pops and Boston Symphony orchestras.)  I had a nice time conversing with the people at my table.  Some years ago, Dr. James Dobson declared October as “Pastor Appreciation Month”.  For that reason, WEZE started the Pastor Appreciation Luncheons.  I was blown away that they have each pastor a large gift bag full of high quality new Christian books and teaching CDs.  The meal was first-class!  I had prime rib.  Some had chicken cordon bleu.  It was a full meal from salad to dessert to coffee and was GREAT.  The speaker was Dr. Michael Youssef who pastors a large church in Atlanta, Georgia and has a well respected radio ministry.  He was GREAT.  I did not know he was born in Egypt, and had emigrated to Lebanon and later Australia with almost NOTHING many years ago.  Youssef and his family have been in the States since 1977 and are American citizens.  His message was VERY POWERFUL.

At each table was a beautiful gingerbread house covered with candy.  The gingerbread was frosted in the colors and logos of Salem Communications’ three Boston area stations:  WEZE 590 AM; WROL 950 AM; and Spanish language WWDJ at 1150 AM.  The person at each table who had a birthday closest to October 7 won their table’s gingerbread house.  I won it!  I brought it to Marian High School and put it in the faculty room!  There was an empty seat at my table so I took THAT gift bag home and gave it to Mary Ann!  SO, I did not leave empty handed.

And, don’t panic Michael Graham, but I set a couple of buttons on my car radio to WEZE and WROL!