It’s really going to happen! On September 1-2, 2006 the “Rock House” will be getting together for a time of encouragement and inspiration. If you were a part of the Rock House we encourage you to tell us a bit about yourself and share your personal experience at the Rock House.
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My wife and I met about 26 years ago at the Rock House. All our currrent friends are Rock House Alumni. God has richly blessed our lives since being a part of the Rock House.
Looking forward to the Reunion-I also met my spouse of 22years at the Rock House. I know it will be awesome.
Thinking back to the Rock House years, it is interesting to look through 40-something eyes at what some thought was a bunch of naive young teenagers and young adults who “suffered” from youthful exuberance, only to realize that we could learn a lot from our 20-year old selves. What Pastor Alex showed us in the Rock House was that God had laid out stepping stones for us to follow throughout our lives. Certainly, it might have been easy to “get off the path” during the course of the last twenty-five years, but that Path is still there.
The Rock House Reunion will be a wonderful opportunity to look through “those 20-year old eyes” again and find the stones that make up that path that Alex helped set for us.
I established friendships at the Rock House that will be there for the rest of my life. Dear friends who are as close as brothers (and one brother-in-law!) and sisters; I count them among the blessings that the Rock House brought. I also met my wonderful wife through the Rock House.
I look forward with excitement to the Rock House Reunion on September 1 and 2, at Church in the Son. I hope you will be there!
I was thrilled when I heard that we are gathering to celebrate something God started over 25 years ago – and to think many of us have possibly moved away from the Central Florida area – but the memories of those times are always deep within our hearts.
What I experienced during those years as a Rock Houser was foundational for the path I have taken.
I work with At Risk Teens now and love it. But I can only credit my success to the years of preparation that the Lord provided. And many of those years were with my friends at Rock House.
I still quote things Alex taught us over that time. “Change is here to stay” “Dead noses won’t smell roses”.
There were so rich moments during our times together – and I am so excited about the opportunity to come back and see everyone again. To catch up with who – what and where each of us has traveled on to. And to celebrate!
I look forward to seeing you all there – call our friends – email them and let’s have a PARTY!
Pamela
I was a latecomer to the Rock House (1979) but my brothers and sisters had been attending long before me. I watched as their lives were transformed by the Lord, using Pastor Alex and the ministry of the Rock House. Although I visited during highschool, I resisted the call of the Lord and stubbornly waited to receive Him until I was 19. The next few years were so remarkable, it’s hard to believe that it was more than 25 years ago.
I met my husband Neil at a fellowship group in 1981. We’ve been married almost 25 years. We remain very close with the friends we made back then at Calvary and together with them have been planning this reunion since December. We thank Bob and Lisa Midden for planting the idea last Christmas… and thank the Lord who wouldn’t let me sleep many nights for thinking of this great undertaking. He made me believe it was possible and I was able to convince Scott and Beverlee Steed, Don Thompson, and Brad and Dena Shackelford to form the Rock House Reunion Committee. Since then, our committee has happily expanded to include Jeff Hagel, John and Kathy Morgan, Armando and Monica Alvarez, Rick and Ruth Brunson and the ongoing help of more friends and family than we could name.
What a blessing this has become! Reaching out and talking with acquaintances after literally decades and trying to track down old friends with whom we’ve lost touch has been the highlight of this endeavor; and meeting with Pastor Alex and seeing the excitement in his face as he considered the prospect of seeing all of these people together in one place!
We encourage you to make every effort to attend some part of the reunion weekend. No matter how or where you are living right now, if you were ever a part of the Rock House ministry — you have a place at this reunion. Let’s celebrate together the incredible season that we shared back then.
I came to the Rockhouse in 1974 right after receiving Jesus as my Savior. My spiritual foundations were laid in those wonderful years under the excellent ministry of Alex, Rob Spradley, and countless other precious saints who impacted and marked my life forever.
I am looking forward with great anticipation to this reunion. Only in recent years have I really come to appreciate the fact that we were part of something very significant. It was a movement, a revival that is still bearing fruit.
If you were part of the Rockhouse at any level, I urge you to make plans to join us for the reunion. I look forward to seeing you there!
I started coming to the Rock House in late 1979 and I knew there was something very special about the people, something that I had never experienced before. There was such a pure love for God in everyone’s heart which made us all so close. It completely changed my life and the path that I was on. My closest friendships have been those that began during that time and I also met my husband at the Rock House. It has been such a joy to be on this reunion committee, talking to old friends, seeing their eyes light up and hearing the excitement in their voices when we tell them about the reunion. It seems that we all have the same desire to experience again the pure joy of God that we did when we were all so young. I can’t wait to see you all there!
Well, I’m so glad ya’ll decided to go forward with a reunion, before folks like ME get too old to remember back that far! I think I first came to the Rock house in ’71 or ’72. Honestly, it just doesn’t seem that long ago. Tom and I look forward to seeing old friends and meeting some new ones, and honoring the good experiences and the people who helped to make a difference in our lives. It is the place where my spiritual journey began, and though the road since those days has had a lot of potholes and pits, I know my faith is the thing that has carried me through it all. The Rock House ministry touched so many lives, I’ve never experienced anything like it before or since. I know this Reunion is a God-ordained gathering and I hope you won’t miss it. Bless you all-we’ll see you in Sept!
In 1975 I was sent to the Rock House as “punishment” by my parents. I got myself into trouble and was given the choice of being grounded for 1 month or going to the “Rock House” for 1 month.
I always thought the Bible was a book of fairy tales, that God was not real in peoples lives.
While serving my “sentence”, I could see that God was real and alive today, and still working through ordinary people. My father prayed for me and I accepted Jesus into my life & have never been the same.
This was the best “life sentence” that anybody had ever recieved.
Hearing the teaching of Pastor Alex, the ministry within the “Cell Groups” and the influence of countless others gave me such a solid foundation.
I married Patty Kelly almost 25 years ago and we are more in love now than ever (what a great wife).
Since that time our closest friends are people we met at the Rock House. I am still amazed that God can use an ordinary, flawed person like me to touch other people’s lives, but He is God, after all.
I would encourage anybody who was part of the Rock House years ago to make every effort to come (no matter what their circumstances are now). Come, and let God touch you.
I’m looking forward to seeing friends that I haven’t seen in years
When my Dad went to the new members fellowship back in 1976, Alex asked him if my brother and I attended Rock House. When my dad said no, his reply was, “They’ll never make it”. After that, we never missed a service. The impact that time made on my life will be with me forever. My cohort in crime, Pam, called me and let me know about the reunion. I was driving out of town to my son’s baseball game and got so excited I missed my turn. I can’t wait to see everyone. It will be especially incredible to hear from my Pastor again. See you in September!
I heard about the reunion from my hair stylist who happens to cut another former rock housee’s hair. She sent a message to me through her to check out the Rock House Reunion website! How’s that for word of mouth!
My husband, Tom, and I met at the Jesus 76 Festival and then continued our friendship at the Rock House gatherings. I was raised a Baptist girl and wondered what in the world I had gotten myself into the first time I entered the Johnson Hall. All the young people lifting their hands, swaying, crying and singing their hearts out to God – and I loved the Rock House Band!!! I had never experienced such joy in the Lord before. I remember cell groups, roller skating parties, the concerts including: Keith Green, Lamb, Honeytree, The Pat Terry Group, The Archers, Andre Crouch and the Disciples, The 2nd Chapter of Acts, Amy Grant, and my personal favorite – The Wahl brothers, planning and preparing for the Jesus festivals (including cleaning the cow patties from that field out in the middle of nowhere!)
In 1979 I married my best friend, Tom Walter, and Alex officiated – what a blessing that was! His influence has had a lasting effect on our lives and it will be a joy to see him and the visible fruit of all those years. God is good! We are still in the area and close friends with many friends from those days. God has been faithful to us – and our lives are proof that the Gospel bears fruit that remains. Thank you Alex for sharing your life with us – thank you Jesus for giving your life for us. We are blessed indeed! Can’t wait to see you all!!!
Oh boy, they’re putting back together the band! It’s hard not to get nostalgic about the “good old days”. I look forward to seeing everyone and swapping stories.
Thanks Alex for giving us this opportunity…
This is great and something that has been on my heart since I started visiting Alex and Patti Schweizer again after 30 20+ years the last few summers. Robert Spradley was the first person I met with Jeff Hagle in 1976 and thier visitation to my house set me in a direction that changed my life. working at Calvary in maintenance and for Jesus Festivals throught the 70′s and early 80′s then with Neil Norman and Nomran Bros Datsun and at WAJL, Street ministry with Dave Bush for 2 years and an assistant FG leader with Jim Kelley and Jeff George all gave me confidence and built realtion with Jesus that has pulled me through the years. People like Scott George, Dan Mulvaney, Jeff Schweizer, Rick Wolfe, Russ Parker, Glen Berteau all have been in my heart and prayers to include Robert Spradely and family in NC, Alex Clattenburg and Roy Hearthern. I will do my best to spread the word and attned from the “Great Northwest” in September!
I am really looking forward to seeing everyone at the Rock House Reunion. Thank you to the steering committee for taking on such a big task. Our family started attending Calvary in 1967, so I remember the pre-Rock House days. I was trying to do a timeline of all the events, speakers, musicians…WOW! There were some pretty amazing things that happened in the ’70s and ’80s in Winter Park, FL. I can’t wait to hear what God has doing since then in the lives of those influence by the ministry of Pastor Alex, Robert Spradley and others at the Rock House. See you in September!!!
I am so excited about the reunion. Thank you to the committee for making this a reality. Pastor Alex, and Robert Spradley, etc. made such a difference in our lives as teenagers. It’ll be great to see old friends and catch up with what the Lord is doing. Joe Hebert and I were married for 18 years, then he decided to go home to be with the Lord in 1998. I know he’ll be looking down from heaven with a huge smile. My new husband, Mike is not from Orlando, so I’m excited about introducing him to that part of my life. EVERYONE should make an effort to be here. It’ll be a wonderful time.
When Scott Stead called and told me about the reunion, I got so excited! What a joy it will be to see so many dear friends and celebrate the fruit of those wonderful, life-changing Rock House years. These were the years of my “seminary” training and I’ve benefited from what was invested in me ever since – seeking to give away what was so generously given to me.
Once again, our friend Alex is serving us well by making this reunion possible. Thank you Alex!!
Greetings everyone! It is good to read some post of old friends and look forward to seeing everyone at the Reunion. I first came to the Rock House in 1975 and God used it in a mighty way to transform this sinner. I will be forever grateful for the pastors and friends who had such an impact on my life. I met my wife (Kay) at Calvary and the rest in history. God has been so good to me! I look forward to seeing what God is going to do that weekend. See everyone there!
My wife Jean (Muscarella) and I and our family now live in Gainesville and I’m fortunate to be able to see Phil Courson at the gym regularly as we do battle on the basketball court. I think often of old Rock House friends who I have failed to keep in contact with but remember fondly, so I was excited to run into Phil at a restaurant today and hear about the reunion. We’re very much looking forward to it.
I have so many wonderful memories of the Rock House: singing and recording with the Rock House Band; performing weekly at the Rock House services and annually at the Jesus Festivals; feeling part of an extended family with Gary Ramey’s incredible “Cell Group” members; learning many of life’s lessons that are still with me today; and being enlightened by so many diverse people.
I recognize names from this blog and look forward to reconnecting with so many wonderful people. Thanks to those who had the vision to bring us all together.
I started out in Rockhouse in 1985/1986 thanks to my long time Childhood friend Carolyn Glass. It was under Rod Carlson @ the time. I quickly made many new friends and saw God working in me. God Blessed me through Rockhouse/Care Groups. My first Care Group met @ Greg Mikesell’s and was led by Jeff Merwin and Kim Faucett. The first 2 people I met we’re Steve Houseman and Ray Bonis. Rod moved on the Mainstream/H20 and Pastor Fred Franks came in as our new Youth Pastor-he was awesome and I was really Blessed through him and Liz! Rockhouse was awesome…..God is awesome!!! I made many long lasting friendships-some have moved away and we lost touch but alot I still keep in touch with. I’ll always remember the good ole days w/Frances, Lynda, Alex,Robbie (Robster),Tim, Tom, Ricky,Darda,Dana, Alicia,Amy,Erin, Sandy…..just to name a few! Hope to see everyone from the 80′s there and Pastor Rod and Pastor Fred too.
I did fall away from God for a period of time….But Thank the Lord-found my way back home and I am back @ Calvary and very involved w/The Singles Ministry!
Looking forward to the RockHouse Reunion and seeing many friends and hoping to make some new ones too. Thanks Alex and whomever else is making this reunion Possible. See u all in September……Many Blessings!!!
Gary Ramey just told me about the reunion. I remember our first Rock House meeting. . Alex told us we were going to have a “rap” session and we could wear jeans and sit on the floor. I have many great memories from those days (70-74). God definitely used Alex & Robert to lay a good foundation. Not certain if I’ll make the reunion but know it will be worthwhile.
How exciting to bring the “family” together with the Rock House Reunion! We were involved with the Rock House from 1975 to 1981 with the Youth with Alex, Robert Spradley, Russ, Danny, and Bubba. Greg attended before meeting Linda, then brought her there where she was saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, both of us were baptised by Alex. We worked with Robert and Diana in the High School Ministry through those years. We were married in 1977 with Alex and Robert performing the wedding ceremony. Linda worked in the Youth Office with Alex, Robert, Russ, Danny and Bubba as their secretary. Greg worked with all of the Jesus Festivals during that time frame. We are looking forward to seeing so many of the people that have made such an impact on and in our lives over the years. Thank you, Alex, for making this happen! We’ll see you at the reunion!
Hi GUys!! I can’t believe it and yes, finally! My days during Rock House were not only the most memorable times but also some of the most spiritual growth.From 1986-1989.It will be great to see those who professed our faith in High school (Lake Howell)Kim,Valerie,Alex,Linda,so many others… And those who I did drama performances with for Calvary.I still have pictures!! I have considered Alex to be a spiritual dad.My dad worked as Calvary’s janitor while our family was going through a hard chapter. My own dad,after a long day, would come home up lifted and inspired by him.Thank You Alex for doing this and yes I am going through a great adventure-you asked me once if I was ready to go on one.Do any of you remember the hang outs at Wendy’s? I look foreward to see the friuts of their labor thru us and the results of treasures we have built in heaven.
Sounds like an exciting time. I remember many times at the Rock House, concerts by the popular Christian musicians of the days, great teachings by Alex. It will be great seeing all the friends of our youth and see how they are doing today. Looking forward to it!!!.
Thanks to everyone who is working on this reunion! We have all been blessed to be part of this ministry, and now we have a wonderful opportunity to gather, worship, fellowship…and say thank you to those to worked so hard all those years to minister to us.
Van & I met at Calvary Assembly in 1982, when he moved to Orlando. We married in 1985 and were members until we moved out of state in 1993. I started attended Rock House – and got saved – in 1978. I guess I owe Maureen (Thomas) Gray a big “thank you” for inviting me!
We can’t wait to see so many friends – in only 6 weeks!
How cool is this!!! I got a call today from Tammy Moraley(Marshall)and I have not talked with her in 25 years. I was a part of Rock house from 79-82, and I remember being in the ensemble that Danny Melodye Jones headed up. I did some babysitting for Alex, and I was in Jay Shaffers’s cell group.I met my husband in that cell group and Russ Parker married us in 1981. My husband (Dennis) and I just celebrated our 25 year weeding anniversary.What I appreciated about Rock House was the strong foundation it gave me on how to build a relationship with the Lord, and I loved the worship, it doesn’t get any better than that.
I first attended the Rock House in about ’71 or ’72 when we used to sit on the floor of the old “Wax” house. Those were such exciting days. I feel so blessed of God to have been able to experience the excitement of serving the Lord as a teen and sit under the great teaching of Alex. A reunion is such a marvelous idea!! I was so excited to hear about it from my dearest friend for life, Nancy (Manookian) Rypma, who I first met at the Rock House. I would so much love to come….maybe God will provide a way…. but at the present it doesn’t look as though I will make it. I will be taking my daughter to South Carolina where she will be attending a school of ministry… time to invest in the next generation of God’s Warriors….
My family (Oropezas) started there in 1971 when I turned 16 and I will never forget the annointing on the services at the old Wax House – many of the adults would sneak over to our service to enjoy the Holy Spirit’s presence in the young peoples’ worship. I believe God is behind this idea because I was prompted out of the clear blue to look up Alex Clattenburg on the internet as I remembered the Rock House after all these years, yearning for that beautiful spirit of prayer we enjoyed back then and wishing my kids could experience something like that. I am in Iowa and don’t know if I’ll make it, but what a great idea! I will spread the word on to whomever I know that was there. Anybody know anything about Danny B. (Bloomquist?) If anybody can’t make it but would like to start some kind of keeping in touch website, blog, whatever, I would love to say hello to some of the old friends and find out what Jesus is doing in their lives after all these years. Maybe post a picture?? Alex Clattenburg had a huge impact on my young life, always pointing to Jesus. May God bless your reunion efforts in His name. Cathy
I was a part of the original rock house band (United Power and Light) along with Gary, Robert, and Roby. Looking forward, and will try to make it. Darryl
I remember about ’71 when we worshiped in the Wax house and we started this news letter called the Rock. Kathy James, Dave Courdrey, Charlene( Lightfoot )Spinks and me came up with the name of the Rockhouse since we had a news letter called the Rock and we presented it to Alex and the rest is histwaaa. We figured it would be better to call it the Rockhouse band instead of the Wax house band.
Playing in the band was the was pretty cool even though Robert and I probably new about 9 cords between us and Roby and My brother had hair down to you know what, but the worship in those days was so everlasting I think about from time to time.
The Father has less numbers of hair to count on my head as I cant wait to see how many of you have had subtractions, but it is all good, and THE BAND PLAYED ON.
Gary
My years were 1985-1989, with Rod and Melodye Carlson ’85-87 and then with Fred and Liz Franks ’87-89. Pastor Alex was our Senior Pastor then. What an amazing time of renewal and passion for Christ filled my life during those years. I am always so grateful for God’s outpouring during that time in my life.I hope that some of our 80′s friends will be coming as well! Thank you for planning this, what a job and what a service to many.
If anyone knows how to reach Burton Carey, please let him know about the reunion or forward his email address to info@rockhousereunion.com email address and we will extend him an invitation.
God Bless!
My family attended Calvary from the mid 70′s until 1989. My brother, Kevin, and sister, Robin, were involved during the years of Marc Lawson, Rod Carlson, Fred Franks, and Rick Wolfe. We couldn’t wait for Wednesday nights to come so we could hang out with our friends and learn about the Lord. If we were sick and had to miss school, our parents wouldn’t let us do anything else that day, including Rock House, so I can assure you that we never faked sick on a Wednesday and even dragged ourselves to school sick on Wednesdays so we wouldn’t miss Rock House! Rock House moments fill my memories from Junior High and High School…I remember summer camp, crushes, Wendy’s hangouts, and fellowship group times. What sweet memories I cherish. I hope I will remember some of you there, and hope a few of you will remember me, too!
HELLO – The time is quickly approaching our big event- Help us spread the word- since you are reading this you must know about it but have you registered? Please spread the word and help us locate as many people as we can- post a blog, make a phone call or send an email.
We appreciate your help and look forward to seeing you.
I will add to Dena’s comments ..
We have received a lot of registrations, but we need EVERYONE who is planning to come to any or all of the events to register in the next few days! We are looking forward to an unbelievable event! Alex and all of us are very excited and we want this to be a life-changing weekend for everyone. PLEASE register by going to the Registration page and clicking on the link to request a registration form, and then get it back to us as quick as you can!
God Bless you all .. we’re looking forward to hearing from you.
Hey! We are so excited to get to see everyone in a few weeks. It feels like yesterday we were the age of our children, time sure has flown by. We look forward to reliving the memories…
The time is just around the corner!!! What a great opporunity this is going to be for us to gather together and reflect on who we were – where we have come from and to be challenged as to where we are heading.
The Rock House experience made such a difference in our lives – I am praying NOW that God will use this time to gather us back together and challenge us to continue the vision – grow the opportunities and go back to our homes, jobs, communities and churches and make a difference in our ‘middle aged’ worlds!!!
Pray with me that connections will be made – people will find their way back and we will celebrate and leave refreshed – challenged – and ready to continue the task we were all called to do over 25 years ago.
I was sharing with friends about the reunion plans and they ask if it was my ‘class reunion’ . . .I responded “It’s better than a class reunion – it’s a family reunion” . . . .
I will look forward to seeing all of you there – continue to seek out some of our old friends who have been lost in the shuffle and lets have a GREAT weekend.
Love you all – Pamela
Joe and I are so excited about this reunion. I have so many great memories from Rock House. I started in 7th grade at the Jr High Rock House and the memories I have from those years alone are enought to fill a book. I formed friendships in those early years that I still cherish, some of whom I still have. I am seeing lots of names that I haven’t thought of for years but brings a smile when I do. Sorry I didn’t have time to help with the committee, Patty. I wanted to but with taking care of my 95 year old Grandmother and my 4 girls, I just couldn’t take it on. You all are doing a great job! I can’t wait to sing some of those old worship songs! I still sing some of them sometimes. God did wonderful things in our lives back then and I am grateful to Alex for the foundation. See you all soon!
Hello all. I have been a member of Calvary since 1975 when I was 4 years old. I remember going to Rock House with my older sister (she’s 14 years older than I am) and remember the 70′s and 80′s as well. Kim Merwin, I remember you, I hope I’ll see you there, and Rick Wolfe, too.
I didn’t meet my husband there, but have told him wonderful memories and many things God showed me while I was there. I’m looking forward for him to see what it was like. He started going during the H2O days, which was awesome as well. There’s just some great memories from Rock House.
I look forward to seeing all of you there. God Bless until then. I’ll be praying for travel mercies for everyone.
Angela
I just found out about this reunion 8/17 and don’t know if we will be able to make arrangements to get down there since we are in North Carolina. Would love too though if we can work it out.
I am so thankful for The Rock House and Alex. My life was changed! The band from The Rock House was my first exposure to Calvary when they played at the Baptist church I was raised in. I loved the worship and the excitement that I had never experienced before. I started attending The Rock House with my best friend, Lisa, and later joined Calvary, with my parents following not long afterwards. I joined the choir where I met my husband, Andy, and we have now been married 29 years and have two wonderful grown children who are both committed Christians. Our son is very involved in youth ministry in a band very much like the one from The Rock House. In fact this past Monday they ministered at a Baptist Church in town for a youth rally. So the ministry continues now in all parts of the country from what was started in that little house in Winter Park.
Many thanks and blessings to all!
I am flying from Spokane, Washington for this reunion and hope to catch-up with a lot of the original founders of the Rock House. In 1970, Nancy Manookian Rypma invited me to visit a Friday night prayer meeting at Calvary. We wore jeans and sat on the floor of the sanctuary while Robert Spradley played the guitar. We prayed and sang for hours as we worshipped God and then went to Steak & Shake for hot fudge sundaes. I started attending these Friday Night Prayer Meetings weekly and soon learned that the meetings were followed by all the girls sleeping at one house so that the guys who were older and had cars could pick us up very early on Saturday morning to go surfing for the day at Cocoa.
We used to have our youth meetings on Sunday evening before church and they were so formal and stiff with us dressed in our good Sunday clothes. When we first started meeting in the Rock House on Wednesday’s, we barely filled up the living room floor in the old house. As we grew over the following year, the interior walls were knocked down and you had to come early to reserve your sitting spot on the floor. Some of us continued to meet on Friday evenings for over a year to pray for the Rock House ministry and the different people who attended.
God led me to Calvary and the Rock House during my teen years to keep me grounded when I was so young and vulnerable. Thank you Alex for all your love, prayers, and teaching over the years. I am grateful to God for leading you to Calvary Assembly and for your ministry to us. Today I am very involved in my church with evangelism and small groups.
Everyone, please come to this reunion – I look forward to visiting with all of you!
Vivianne
Hey-great to see Dixie and Andy Gazak- sure hope you can come. Brad and I would love to hear from you- send us an email at shacktv@aol.com.
Now that I have your attention, has anyone heard from Judy Lambert Nagel? Nancy Collins? Paige Winkler? Annette Green? Craig, Debbie or Pam Hill? of course some of these have new last names.
thanks,
dena
See ya Soon!!!
WOW! I heard about this reunion from Keith McIntyre, and I’m so glad he told me about it. I happen to be in Orlando on business that weekend! It will be great to see so many friends from those early days in my faith.
This is GREAT! I received word of this from Valerie M.(Thank you-Thank you). Deric Share invited me to Rock House in 1984 when we were Seniors together. I can’t thank him enough for that. I stayed with Rock House till ’91 and moved on to Mainstream/H20 where I met my wife Carrie(Posey) of 13 years. The Rock House years were some of the BEST years of my life. I look forward to seeing many soon.
Hi Steve-You’re Welcome:)! You know all these years-I knew your wife’s name was Carrie but I never knew it was Carrie Posey…I knew her-even sat w/her on Sunday’s @ Church sometimes-I always wandered what happened to her and now I know-I never made the connection…..Wow….Small World….God Bless and see you @ the reunion!!!! P.S. Do you know whatever happened to Deric?
My sister Sherry and I started attending the Rock House in May of 1975. Just a few months later, we received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Our lives would never be the same. We worked with Kathy and Patter Butterbaugh in the Calvary tape ministry and bookstore and later formed a quartet that sang in the Rock House on occasion. My husband Mike was saved in the Rock House in 1975. Later I met Mike through a Rock House fellowship group. We’ve been married for 27 years. We have two teenage sons and are world missionaries with the Assemblies of God. It’s a great life. Some of our closest friendships were formed in those “Rock House” years and remain so to this day. It’s great to see many familiar names on this comment roster. God bless you and thanks Rock House Committee!!
Oh my! I just found out about the reunion from reading comments from H2O’s reunion! Shawnee & Joe, Mike & Robin, Larry & Kathy, Steve & Carrie and so many more names flood my mind with wonderful memories. I look forward to seeing you all.
Unfortunately we will not be able to make the reunion as Andy has a prior commitment to minister at a church that weekend. We would love to be there and hope you all have an awesome time together.
Dena, it was great to see you & Brad on here and I will email you. We have thought about ya’ll often.
Should anyone wish to contact us, our emails are as follows:
dixiegazak@yahoo.com and andygazak@yahoo.com
Original, aren’t we?!
Hi!
Ron and I are looking forward to the reunion. The high school reunions have come and gone with very little appeal. But, the Rock House Reunion is a different story!
It’s difficult to put into a few words how the ministry of the Rock House so radically changed our lives. We only wish our kids were exposed to the move of God like we were fortunate to be a part of as teenagers. God has blessed our lives richly in the past 30+ years with the relationships that have continued, especially with Rob and Diana Spradley.
We’ll see you over Labor Day weekend!
I remember being brought to the Rock House for the first time around 1976 by a friend of mine; Patricia Sanchez. I had never seen anything like this!
I was raised Catholic, and had given my life to the Lord that spring, and that represented the sum total of my spritual reality. As I walked into the RH for the first time, I was truly amazed; at the music, energy, and excitement, of seeing so many young people in love with Jesus.
I appreciate Alex, and the fact that he never spoke down to us. Even though, at the time, I was only 16-17 years old, I truly felt that he communicated with us as adults, with tremendous love and respect. The Lord used Alex and Robert Spradley early on, in my life, as both mentors and role models.
I remember my first fellowship group, in Umatilla Florida, Ann and Patty Twitty’s (Clack). A memory stands out; asking for prayer and being surround by my new spiritual family. I remember, not only the tremendous power of their prayers, but the tremendous tangible power of their love and concern for me as they prayed.
I remember being a fellowship group leader, under Robert Spradley, for 2 1/2 years working with the incomparable Judy Okley (Flitter) as co-leader. What a thrill it was to see so many High School students being changed by God.
Thank you Robbie Vankam for discipling me in those weekly meetings in Longwood. Early in the morning… at the Golf course…with your legal pad. (standard issue during the RH days) Sharing God’s truth with me during those one on one sessions. Thank you my brother.
I remember doing Baptisms, and meeting a young lady with an unpronounceable last name. “Kosuchowski”, I had to write it down phonetically, in order to not mispronouce it. Little did I know, that the former Miss Monica Kosuchowski, would be the ‘Eve’ that the Lord had for me. We recently celebrated our 21st year of marriage this past July, and share two beautiful children; Armando Elijah (16), and Mia (12).
Thank you Lord, for allowing me to be a part of this wonderful movement of your Love.
Thank you Alex and Robert for your obedience to the Lord.
A gigantic embrace to the Rock House Committee for your tremendous work in bringing us back together.
I can’t wait!
Armando and Monica (Kosuchowski) Alvarez
if anyone would like to contact me, my emal address is fullojello@gmail.com. again…cant wait to see everyone
Wow! Dena has emailed me several times about doing a blog and I am so glad that she did! It was great reading all the blogs and being able to recognize some of the people that I have not seen in many years! I am so looking forward to seeing many of you at the reunion!
By the way, if Vivian Schuur and Nancy Manookian or anyone else from our “era”, would email me [eddieandbecky@earthlink.net], I would love to hear from you!!! Dixie and Andy Gazak – you need to get down here!!!
I too started going to The Rock House, which was called the “Wax House” back in 1971. My family had just moved down from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to start a Pizza Restaurant. I can remember Charles Harthern, Patti [Eaton] Van Cleave and Kent Van Cleave, along with many of the other youth coming to eat at dad’s restaurant! My daughter Jennifer recently met Patti and Kent’s son Kyle and tells me he is a wonderful person who’s heart is after God and will probably end up in full-time ministry. Our children have been in ministry with us – so as we can see, The Rock House not only affected us, but our children and I believe our children to come!
I am looking forward to seeing many of you!!! In 1971 when I began going to The Rock House, there were about 30 of us and it was a very loving and friendly group, which met on Wednesday evenings. Alex also had us going out of Friday nights to the Winter Park Mall to witness, along with many other activities. Vivian Schuur invited me to a sleep over at her home along with Nancy Manookian and then we went to Cocoa Beach on Saturday. I can remember Robert Spradley and John Pasley going surfing along with some others. Several times, Alex Clattenburg himself would go to the beach with us.
Nancy, Eddie and I cannot thank you enough for being the official “driver” who drove us all over!
How many of you can remember Alex wearing his “business suit” – many times a plaid suit with a striped dress shirt and tie – as we all sat on the floor in our jeans [the more holes in them the better]. The early 70’s were the years of “The Jesus Movement”, guys wearing long hair and most of us dressing grubby.
I can also remember Cathy Phillips picking out the potato sack material for the first Rock House curtains. The color scheme was black and orange – not exactly my favorite, but it gave us a sense of ownership! Of course, the walls had to come down in that tiny house – almost prophetic in comparison to what was happening in the Spirit at the time!!! My last days attending The Rock House were outside in the parking lot because we had outgrown the facilities. The neighbors were not always so happy with our exuberance. But I believe those were “history making” times!!!
I too, met my husband, Eddie Cain, at Calvary Assembly and we attended Rock House together and got married in 1977 – almost 29 years ago – and we are more in love today then ever!
I can also remember when Alex began The Jesus Festivals! They were awesome! It was in Pauline Harthern and Benny Hinn’s tent at the 1980 Jesus Festival, where I unexpectedly was delivered from a “grieving spirit”! It was as if the sky was bluer and the entire world looked so beautiful to me! It was one of life’s “I’ll never be the same again” moment’s!
Alex, I thank you for being such a wonderful man of God throughout all of these years!!! You have remained steadfast and faithful and are an honorable role model! Eddie and I have been in full time ministry since 1988 and in volunteer ministry for many years before that! We have been co-pastors, evangelized and have even been blessed by God to be able to take two missions trips with more to come! The seeds that you planted in our hearts have seen many souls brought into the Kingdom! I think the greatest seed you planted in my life was to “get God out the box”! You never did do things the “conventional” way! We are hungrier and thirstier for God and more in love with God than we’ve ever been! The best is yet to come!!!
Keith and I are very excited about the reunion! We
recently moved to NC but have made the trip down to
come.I started going to the Rock House in 1977 and was part of Gary Ramey’s cell group. What a great time that was! When I met Keith, he was involved in the High
school ministry at Rock House with Rob and Diane Spradley. I helped him with his cell group and we made
a few trips to Camp Awanita with high school and jr
high. We have great memories of getting to know the kids
and hope many will be there. We got married 1980 by
Alex Clattenburg and Rob Spradley .We continued in the H.S. ministry after that
with Glen and Debbie Berteau. This is going to be a
great time that I know God will be glorified in. Thank
you so much to everyone who has worked so hard to make\
this happen!/bitsy hoop
Wow- it’s working- We are spreading the word and encouraging each other with these blogs-let’s keep it going. We have still so many yet to hear from spread the word leave a blog and post those missing in action. This is going to be AWESOME.
Dena
Hi Guys,
I was so excited to hear from Velma & Alan Pratt about the reunion! As I read over all the comments from everyone it is great to see the work God continues to do in each of our lives! The seeds that were planted so long ago have produced good fruit! I look forward to seeing everyone!
Cindy
I first came to Rock House in 1974 when it was just a little house across the street from what was the main sanctuary at the time. I spent my teenage and young adult years at Rock House getting to know Jesus better and made a lot of friends along the way. After years of religion, Jesus became real to me at Calvary and Rock House. I learned a lot and also met my husband there at a Tuesday night Rock House meeting. Almost 25 years later I am still at Calvary and my husband is on staff. I have so many good memories… “5th Quarter” after football games on Friday night’s playing foosball and volleyball, as a leader going to Junior High Rock House retreats in North Carolina, “Cell Group” meetings as a “Young Adult” co-leader with Jeff Hagel, water ski parties, all the Jesus Festivals (including the 1st one that I rode the bus to in Pennsylvania), and Calvary’s own “Night of Joy” where I had my first date with my husband September 27, 1980. (Great night!!)
This is the only reunion from my past that I have EVER wanted to attend. This is where God began to mold and shape me by leaders and friends. I am terrible at staying in touch, but I can’t wait to see everyone at the reunion. I just hope I don’t get all emotional and cry through the whole thing. I thank God for Rock House and all that He did for me there.
(P.S. At the barbeque there will be foosball tables in the gym, any takers????)
So many life changing memories. Many thanks to the committee for making this happen. I can remember exactly where I was when Keith Hoopingarner told me about the Rock House and how there was a place where people our age were gathering together to earnestly seek the Lord which sounded like a great idea but a little foreign to me growing up in a small town and church. Keith invited me to Dallas Holm’s concert where I met Alex for the first time. Keith introduced us, Alex said “hello,” and as I felt like he was looking through me the next words out of his mouth as he turned towards Keith were, “Is he babtized in the Holy Spirit?” I thought, man this guy is intense but something was very real about his sincerity in asking the question. Little did I know.
I can remember visiting the Rock House that same trip and being blown away at the music, the people raising their hands and the message. I’m so thankful the Lord lead me to change schools and move to Orlando to be part of the Rock House. One of the best decisions the Lord ever let me make.
It’s tough not to measure every experience against that time in the Rock House. So many roots were established during those years, so many people impacting each other’s lives. Words just can’t describe to someone what those times meant. Thank you Alex for your vision and endurance to see it through. And thanks again to all who are making this reunion happen. Looking forward to seeing many old friends.
Hey, Jay Shafer;
I won’t forget being a part of your focus group. We all were very tight as friends. T.J., Rocky,David, Terri Tuttle, Bob,Tammy Morelly,etc.. As a baby christian, and new to this new life in Christ, God really used the focus group to help me learn about Jesus and the Word and to develop a love relationship with Him. I met my husband in our focus group “Dennis” and we’ve been married for 25 years.I have pictures of you dancing at my wedding. We have 4 beautiful children, 3 girls and 1 boy. The three girls are in college, and our son is in his second year of high school. This is my email kglaugh@hotmail.com, hope to see you there. Karen
Just to let everyone know, we have people registered from all over the country, Washington state, Oregon, Arizona, Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, North Carolina, Nevada, Virginia, Missouri, Tennessee, Connecticut, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, and of course Florida! It’s amazing to see how far people are traveling for this reunion. Please help us to get the word out to anyone that you may know to register as soon as possible! We’ll see you all in a few days!
Wow! I just heard a few days ago about the reunion, and plan on attending I have wonderful memories of the Rock House I hope to be able to meet up with some old friends its been since 1982 since I was there. I’m living in Lakeland Fl now.
I have many great memories of the Rock House from 1976-1980. I was saved the last night of the Rock House sponsored “Jesus 76″. Those of you that were there may remember it was a rainy and muddy night but it turned out to be my greatest memory of all.
I am glad to see Greg Underwood will be attending and I am hoping to run into some other old friends there as well. Thank you Rock House Reunion Steering Committee for taking on such a challenging but very worthwhile endeavor.
I still remember walking into the Rock House on a Tuesday night in 1981, having strayed far from God in my teen years but feeling His gentle tug back “home” as I was about to turn 21. The rock band caught my attention–I didn’t know Christians could be so cool! And then Alex Clattenburg got up to preach. Suffice it to say that God had my number that night, and every word Alex preached felt like it was aimed straight at me…in a good way. But probably more than anything else, what made me come back again the following week was the outpouring of love and acceptance I felt that first night after my altar-walk of rededication. Several people reached out to me to get acquainted, and one person even paid my way to attend the “Autumn ’81″ retreat, knowing how important it is for new believers to get plugged in. After the retreat I joined Jay Shafer’s fellowship group and soon became totally immersed in the Rock House. Thanks for all the memories, guys…I look forward to seeing some of you soon
How grateful I am for the ministry of the Rock House. Alex, Rob Spradley, Russ Parker and Danny Jones in particular had a huge impact on my life. They entrusted us — raw, green, young and inexperienced — with leadership responsibilities and treated us seriously. They didn’t “look down on us in our youth.” They believed in God’s power to use us to affect others and our culture. Wow, what a blessing. I remember Pastor Harthern speaking at the Rock House one night about “The Three C’s: Christ, Career and Companionship.” I found all three at the Rock House. I fell in love with Jesus and became a more serious student of the Bible. Alex, Rob and Russ encouraged me to pursue journalism. And I met my wonderful wife, Ruthe Treybig, that gorgeous babe flipping the lyric slides on the overhead projector! As Ray Charles would sing, “Hallelujah, I love her so!” I apply the principles I learned at the Rock House every day in my family, work and church life. Today, Danny Jones is our pastor and our teenage children are enjoying the blessings of being part of a vibrant local church and youth ministry. “Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all of His benefits!” We are part of a “cell group” led by Kenny and Cindy Corbett — both Rock House alumni and our dearest friends. How faithful is our precious Lord. Ruthe and I look forward to reconnecting with all of you on Sept. 1.
Rick Brunson
I remember meeting Alex for the first time, in 1970, at an all night New Years Eve prayer meeting. Dennis Kinney and I were at another church’s New Years Eve party and he asked me if I’d like to see a REAL New Years Eve prayer meeting. I said yes, and that night I was introduced to a “different” group of Christians, but most importantly, the Holy Spirit. Alex was on the floor with the others, and invited me to sit ON THE FLOOR too, which I reluctantly did. My life was changed forever. I’ll never forget those beginning years of my young adult life. Eventually I met my husband, Dennis Carter,and were married at Johnson Hall. Three years later, we moved to Southern California. We attended the Calvary Chapels out there. In 1990 we moved back to the Orlando area. Thank you, Alex, for making such a difference in our lives and in the lives of our children, Stephanie and David. God bless you and we love you, and hope to be there. Does anyone know where Kathy James is? We’ve been looking for her for years! We know where Burton Carey is and will deliver the message. We hope to see many of our dear friends soon.
Love, Dennis and Jeanie
I am so thrilled to hear of so many wonderful friends coming together again for this awesome time of reunion. My life was forever changed because of Rock House and the incredible ministry and friendships that took place during those teenage years. I can’t imagine what my life and walk with the Lord would have been like without that anointed time. If I could go back in time and re-live something all over again it would certainly be the days of Rock House! My husband Andy and I will be celebrating our 17th wedding anniversary on September 2, and we are looking so forward to celebrating it with all of you. We have 3 daughters ages 11, 12, and 14 and my greatest desire is that they will be consumed with the love of Jesus and pure worship like we were during those younger years.
Can’t wait to see you soon!!!
Terri and Andy Lauzier
I was at Calvary in the late 60′s and early 70′s when we would meet in the original “Rock House” with Alex and some pretty cool people…Once we had a concert with an old wagon filled with hay and the band playing…those days were cool…I remember a hippie type who told how he wanted to be remebered riding his bike into the sunset while just having shared the Good News with some other hippies…from the Rock House we would go to Kings Way or Eola park to witness…One of my favarite people was David Little…I remember his long curly hair…Those were the days to remember…
As a follow up:
I just learned about this today so will not be able to attend…if anyone is interested, I can be reached at landzwa@aol.com
Blessings…
This is a great idea but I am going out of town (I still live in orlando) and can not make the reunion. I would still like to hear from anyone. You can email me at lbeal@cfl.rr.com
God Bless Larry Beal
I was wondering if any these old Rock House names rang a bell and if anyone out there knows how I might be able to get in contact with them. Darby Hill, David Mills, Mickey Jacobs, Rick Smokavich (Smokey).
Hello Everyone, Rick and Debi Cox here.
We began attending the Rock House in the Summer of 1973. We accepted Jesus Christ as our Savoir (honestly, Lordship came later)on June 28th at Calvary. Shortly after that, while walking out of a Sunday morning service, a long arm reached across the crowd and grabbed Rick. That arm belonged to Robert Spradley, who had heard that Rick played in a band. After that, our lives were never the same. We were loved and nurtured in the faith by Robert and Alex along with others. Rick served in the Rock House Band and lead an Accountability Group. Debi “mothered’ the teens in our Home Group along with our own 3 children (Michelle, now 33; Richard, now 32; and Jonathan, soon to be 30…Wow, they’re getting OLD!) who were raised in part by our wonderful Rock House family. What a GREAT group of people with whom we served. We have MANY fond memories of times spent with the Spradleys Robert, Diane, Sarah and Jessie; the Sibley sisters: Robyn (now married to John Curtis), April & Julie; A.B. & Billie Scraggs; Kent & Patti Van Cleave; the Harbours: Jim, Mary (now married to Doug Johnson) & Terri ; Jon & Belinda (Pritchard) Cannon; Dave & Amy Johnson; Ron & Candy Body; Greg & Linda Smith; the sisters Deborah & Maria, and their sweet Momma; and S MANY more. And we’ll never forget the young single (and always hungry) guys like: Jeff Stockford, David Mills, Les Marsky, Brad Shackelford, Ronnie Kelly, Mike & Phil Courson, Rocky, and Tom Lammert. There are S many more of you we think of often but we’ll just wait a few more days and see yu ALL at the reunion.
ONLY by His Grace,
Rick & Debi
Thankyou Scott for thinking of me,and inviting me to the reunion. I am hoping that both my wife Terry and I can come this weekend. By faith I’m claiming it ! My computer defaults are incorrect, so I could not register us for the weekend. I called Church In the Son this am, left a messaage to register us. I really look forward to this as a great opportunity for God to do a really great thing in all of us; and also be a super blessing to all of our lives ! Terry and I are living just north of Atlanta, Ga.. Bless you, Burton
Wow, it’s great to read these comments and remember the wonderful Rock House days! My good friend Burton Carey did get the message and passed it on to me, out here in Portland, OR. I’m another one who met his wife (Karin Babkowski) at the Rock House. We just had our 25th anniversary! The Rock House was critical to our growth as Christians, and we’re forever grateful.
It would be great to join you all, but it’s just not possible. I hope somebody records the festivities! I’ll be first in line to purchase a DVD.
I’d love to hear from any of you at waynedjordan@comcast.net. If you’re in the Pacific Northwest, it would be great to get together!
Keith Mcintyre, email me a gramey@cfl.rr.com as soon as you can.
Lov ya
Gary
My husband (Alan) & I met at “Camp Southwind”, a retreat that the Rock House went on.
We have been married for 25 years…we have 3 children, Ryan, Amber and Kalie…Ryan is married & has a 20 month old baby girl. We are so blessed!!
The Rock House days hold special memories for us. We still keep in touch with alot of people who also went there. We are looking forward to seeing those people who we haven’t seen for many years this Friday night!!
See You There!!…
Sandi (Roberson) Frye
I look forward to seeing all the old friends. Sorry for not returning phone calls…. especially to Pam Wisner. Miss, you babe!
Dan Mulvaney, seeing your posting on the blog just made my day. I’m so glad you’re coming to the reunion.
Rick Brunson
Wow! This is so exciting! It was great to be a part of such a dynamic ministry. We were truly blessed to be a part of this youth revival and to have a pastor such as Alex and the other leaders as well. Thank you for imparting your faith into us. Looking forward to seeing all of you.
Ronnie
Okay . . my trip will be complete – DAN is no longer MISSING!!! Can’t wait!!! WHAT A PARTY WE WILL HAVE!!
Love ya! Pamela
Wow! Now that the reunion is a reality and I’m signed up, the memories have begun flooding back. I can still remember the first time back in ‘75 when I went to a Rock House service. As soon as I sat down in my seat and the music started I knew it was where God wanted me. Little did I know, that is was going to be one of the most exciting and challenging times in my life. Raised Catholic, I had a pre-disposition for the rebellious nature and believe you me; it flowed forcefully through my veins! At that time, I was newly “saved,” and the Lord knew that I needed HELP- and fast!!!! As always, He was right on time.
I knew the matter at hand was somewhat “holy,” but I didn’t know that I had signed up to learn a new language called Christianese, with all of its seemingly suspicious meanings. Let’s see…. there was, “discipleship,” to which I responded, “don’t tell me what to do!” “tithing,” to which I responded in equal fashion, “ God wants my money?,” “cell groups,” that had me convinced that I had joined a cult, and “ you’re a sharp brother”! I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard that one. Then there was the scary subject of deliverance and my reflections on the possibility that I was possessed. After that, it was on to “having your mind renewed,” and having been off drugs by that time, I wasn’t so sure what more could be expected of me than that. And so the list went on….
In my efforts to earn redemption, I eagerly took what seemed like thousands upon thousands of pages of copious notes from some of the greatest sermons ever preached by Pastor Alex and others. I wanted to be certain that my life was not a “perfunctory act”.
One of the major highlights of that era was getting to witness some of the most amazing bands and singers of their time. I remember when Keith Green sang a mini concert (or should I say a mini rebuke) at the Rock House. I was so convicted by his message, that I went up to him afterwards. He was sitting at a table selling his records and in my uncensored enthusiasm, I blurted out to him- “Keith, you scared the hell out of me!” He responded with a piercing look at my suave, 3 piece suit and hair, styled and blown dry to God’s glory, and said not a word. That’s when the thought occurred to me that “now might be a great time for the rapture.”
At that time I can also remember there being a big push for cell groups. I think there was a seven point sermon on it, as opposed to the usual three. Okay, I got the message, already! So when the call rang out to come forth and join, I submissively went forward. It was like giving my life to Christ all over again. I remember Marc Lawson delicately taking me aside in the room off left of the stage. Since he lived in Deltona at the time, and I in Lake County, there was some issue over which cell group I could attend without having to drive an hour to get there. His was the closest to me, but this was a sensitive case. Theirs’ was a married couples group, and I was single, so there would have to be security clearance. It had to have been the Lord that got me in.
The Jesus festivals where always an exciting time. I never saw some many people enthused over handling cow patties in my life! I can remember feeling like a V.I.P just driving the singer and speaker to and from the airport.
But over all of the movement and its splendor, the thing that blessed me the most still remains the dedicated people that I met during those wonderful years. My life was greatly impacted by their love and dedication. I can hardly wait to see you all again, share our past experiences and make new memories. We owe a special thanks to the Steering Committee for your vision to see the RH Reunion become a reality. Alex, I am so thankful for having placed yourself in a position where you could hear from the Lord. Had you not, there would have been no vision to share with a bunch of hungry youth, desperate for a sense of purpose, and in need of direction for there lives. You truly are a Servant Leader!
I remember my dearest friend DeeDee Kliner, it was because of her and her family that led me to the Lord and brought me to the Rock House. I was raised Catholic
and all I knew was a religious way of living. Being invloved with the Rock House made me feel like I was special even though I didn’t know that many people there.
I always loved Pastor Alex the way He preached. Today I am thankful to my God to have brought me back to a church where I come to find out that the PASTOR is Alex Clattenburg. I’m honored to be under his wing again and to be a part of a loving church that has caused me to grow more and more in the Lord.
Thank you Pastor Alex for your obedience and your love to all of us!!!!!!!
Thank You to all the Rock House committee for all the hard work that went out for this event!!
I am so blessed by all the comments ! This is going to be a real ” love feast ” as we all reassemble together. God is in our midst; and wants to do a mighty move within each one of us. Let’s all come tomarrow evening expecting the rush of a mighty wind !
I am so blessed by all the comments ! This is going to be a real ” love feast ” as we all reassemble together. God is in our midst; and wants to do a mighty move within each one of us. Let’s all come tomarrow evening expecting the rush of a mighty wind ! God is going to use us for a mighty work.
I’m looking forward to seeing many old friends this weekend. I started attending around 1974 — tagging along with my older brother, David Wallace. Such a time of spiritual growth and eye-opening for me! I definitely grew up spiritually at Rock House, then the later-named “Mainstream” ministry (along with the teachings under Roy Harthern and Alex) until I moved out of state in 1984. (Back again now with wife, Leslie, and 3 little boys!) I loved being a part of Jay Shafer’s cell group on Brassie St! And living at the duplexes by Calvary with TJ, Jay, Mark, Sixto and the others. God blessed us with so many young but spiritually-wise leaders. I can’t believe the responsibility He put on their shoulders and how well they handled the ministry. But the fields were ripe and God was raising young men and women up! Thanks to the leadership of guys like Alex, Robert, Russ and others. There were many mornings on my way to the challenges of High School that I was strengthened and refreshed by the Rock House praise and worship tunes as I turned them over in my mind. The truth and strength in those songs continue to be some of the most meaningful in my life. Anyway, I hope the excitement and first love of our youth will be rekindled for all of us this weekend! (And I hope I can remember some names and faces!) -Tom
I’m looking forward to seeing everyone after all these
years. My sister Debbie got saved first and attended the
Rock House,than me,than my brother Fred. I was a baby
Christian and was fortunate to be a part of the Rock
House and the early Jesus festivals. Alex was the best youth leader and his love for Jesus inspired us all. I
remember when we had (rapture practice)and jumped up and
down in the Rock House, and when we would pray for peoples legs to grow out when one was shorter than the other….and before our eyes…a miracle happened!
Alex would encourage us all to bring our unsaved friends and family….thats why I’m a Christian today! I can’t wait to hear the Rock House Band again and see all my old friends! I didn’t want to go to my high school reunion..but I would never miss this one!Everyone I’ve talked too are just as excited. This had
to be Gods Idea for all of us at this time in history. I can’t wait to praise the Lord with all of you again.
God Bless you all…..see you there!
I came to Rock House in the 80′s with my brother Casey. We had some great times and made some great friends. I remember those years like they were yesterday. Summer camps and the YMCA Lock-ins were spirt filled and tons of fun. I am married and have a beautiful 8 month old daughter. I don’t know yet if I will be able to attend the reunion tonight. I would love to hear from anyone, my email is Blaze1330@aol.com God bless!
My parents, Rick and Debi Cox are sooo excited! I remember being a little girl growing up at Calvary and the Rock House “kids” being a big part of our lives. I also will never forget “Aunt” Diane Spradley
My son Canon and I will be there tonight. We look forward to seeing everyone!!!
WOW, I am already blessed seeing all these testimonies. It seems I came in late in 1981 but many of you made Christ real to me. I was a kid drinking and doing drugs and I was tricked to go to Rock House the first time. I got saved and filled with the Holy Spirit within 4 weeks. A giant thanks to Pastor Alex who has mentored me through the years even today. Russ Parker who worked me through a lot of trouble. And to my good friends and cell leaders, Rick Brunson and Cindy (Bates)??. You guys held me close long enough to keep me going forward in Christ. I would not have made it without you guys. Rock House and then Mainstream meant everything to me. Thanks to the whole team. Hoping to see you soon, David Bush
Wow! The reunion last night was more than we expected!! It was like stepping back in time to see all the faces from the past! Alan (my husband) said everyone should have worn pictures of themselves “way back when” on our fourheads….ha ha…wouldn’t that have been a hoot!
The commitee did a wonderful job with the “entertainment”…and John Morgan, “You Da Man”…you were great! Alex, as usual, you brought a very moving message for us “kids” to “press into God” more than ever…we love you!
Anyway, it was awesome seeing everyone & we’re looking forward to the cookout today! Hope to see others that I didn’t get a chance to see last night!!
Love,
Sandi (Roberson) Frye
mamafrye5@yahoo.com
Oh…I forgot to say one more thing!! If there was a contest to see who looked the most like they did in the past…Alan and I choose Julie (Balmer) Smith…she has NOT changed a bit!!
Julie, you look awesome girl…what’s your secret!?!?!!
WOW- WHAT AN AWESOME TIME- IT WAS SO GREAT TO SEE EVERYONE AND STEP BACK IN TIME- WHAT A WEEKEND!
LOVE YA,
DENA
To the Rockhouse committee I just want to say thank you from the intermost being of my heart. Your servitude was way be-on the call, I feel so blessed by the way you made everything easy for the band, you have blessed me. Words and feeling can not express my gratitude with just words written on a blog and right now as I write this I am crying my eyes out as it has been a long time since I have seen such servitude. I want to bless you, I want to give back to you,I want to be your servent in any way I can. You need me I am there, its by your gracious love that it has enspired me again to give be-on what I can, you are now first and we the band and the leaders are behind you.
Yours in Christ.
Gary
The reunion was a wonderful time. I heard that Mark Lawson was there on Friday night. I was searching all over to see him. The thing is, I could have walked right past him and didn’t know it because I have not seen him in 20 years. I found out tonight that he had to leave Friday night. The reason I wanted to see him was because in December 1980 he introduced me to Jesus. So I am hoping that Mark may read this or perhaps someone that help me with some contact information. I would love to talk with you, Mark. Please send me an e-mail at: musax@highstream.net. And if anyone can help me with contact info please feel free to e-mail me.
It was such a blessing to see how many Rock House Alumni are serving God in ministry. I thank God for Alex, Glen Berteau, and Mark Lawson. Thier leadership and influence set me on a journey that I am still traveling this day. I hope we all can follow the example that has been displayed for us and find some way to invest into the lives of young people of this generation. Thank you Alex for the empowering words!
The Reunion was awesome and I was Blessed! Thank you all for the time and effort you spent putting it together. It was Great to see all of my Old Friends from the 80′s….Frances (I love You Lots and you will always be one of my very best and dearest friends…..let’s try and see each other more often). God Bless you all and if anyone wants to keep in touch my e-mail is: valeriejms@msn.com
Wow!!! This weekend was so much more than we even hoped it would be! We feel so blessed to have been involved in this awesome event. Just to see and feel the excitement of everyone on Friday night as they were coming into the church was so incredible, watching old friends reconnect with people they haven’t seen in 20 to 30 years. We thought, how can it get any better than this, but the whole evening just kept getting better. Armando, you couldn’t have done a better job, John (Mr. President), we laughed so hard we were crying, the band, you were GREAT!!! Robert and Danny, how wonderful it was to see the two of you honor Alex. And Alex, what an incredible, inspiring message you gave.
God wanted this reunion to happen for a reason. He kept the committee going through all the trials and tribulations of planning something of this magnitude. The times when we all felt this was more than we were capable of pulling off, He reminded us that it was Him that was in control.
Thank you so much to everyone that helped in any way. JR, for the website, Pastor Alex, Rob Sperti, Debbie Dearth, and all the staff at Church in The Son, everyone at Calvary, the band, and all of our fellow committee members. We want to say a special thank you to Neil and Patty Norman, Brad and Dena Shackelford, Rick and Ruthe Brunson, Don Thompson, Jeff Hagel, Jeff Stockford, John and Kathy Morgan, and Armando and Monica Alvarez. It has been such a privilege to work with you all these past 8 months.
We hope everyone had as wonderful a time as we did this weekend. Thank you to all of you for coming, especially those that traveled so far. It was great seeing everyone this weekend and pray that God touched you all as much as He touched us!
God bless,
Scott and Bev Steed
SOME DREAMS REALLY DO COME TRUE… WATCHING THE REUNION COMING TO LIFE THESE PAST TWO DAYS WILL DEFINITELY BE ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF MY LIFE. THE REUNION BEGAN FOR US THURSDAY NIGHT, AS WE WATCHED THE BAND PRACTICE AT TIM’S STUDIO. THERE WAS A PALPABLE PRESENCE OF GOD IN THAT PLACE AS THEY MOVED FROM PRAISE SONGS TO WORSHIP, WITH JEFF, JOHN AND ROB SHARING WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE BAND MEMBERS ABOUT THEIR ROLE ON FRIDAY NIGHT. IT WAS GREAT MEETING CHARLENE, TAMMY, DARRYL AND GARY AFTER SEEING SO MANY PHOTOS OF THEM OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS. THANKS TO ALL OF THE ROCK HOUSE REUNION BAND AND VOCALISTS FOR COMING EARLY, AND FOR SOME, TRAVELING A LONG WAY.
IN THE FOYER ON FRIDAY EVENING, THE REALITY FINALLY HIT ME. WATCHING PEOPLE STREAM IN, I FOUND MYSELF TRANSFIXED AS IF I WERE MOVING WITHIN A DREAM. THERE WERE SO MANY JOYFUL, TEARFUL, AND DOWNRIGHT ECSTATIC REUNIONS AS PEOPLE RECOGNIZED FRIENDS OR LOCATED THAT SPECIAL PERSON THEY HAD COME TO SEE… THE HOPEFUL LOOKS AS SOMEONE WOULD ASK, “IS (-INSERT NAME-) HERE?”
DURING WORSHIP, THERE WAS A TRULY SPECIAL MOMENT WHEN A DEAR FRIEND TAPPED ME ON THE SHOULDER AND TURNED ME AROUND TO LOOK AT THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH THEIR HANDS LIFTED TO THE LORD WORSHIPPING. THE VISION GOD HAD PLANTED 9 MONTHS AGO HAD BEEN REALIZED. IT’S NOT TOO OFTEN THAT REAL LIFE SURPASSES OUR EXPECTATIONS, BUT THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE RARE TIMES.
IN MANY WAYS MY LIFE WAS AFFECTED. ALEX’S MESSAGES WERE AS CHALLENGING AS EVER. I WISH THAT EVERYONE COULD HAVE ATTENDED THE SERVICE SATURDAY NIGHT BECAUSE HIS TEACHING WAS FULL OF FIRE AND THE MESSAGE WAS PIERCING.
THE GREATEST REWARD WAS RELATIONSHIPS RECAPTURED AND FRIENDSHIPS RENEWED OR REVIVED BEGINNING WITH PHONE CALLS, E-MAILS AND THIS VERY WEBSITE. I’M SO THANKFUL TO OUR FRIENDS ON THE REUNION COMMITTEE WHO WERE WILLING TO JUMP IN WHOLEHEARTEDLY, WHO PRAYED SO FERVENTLY, ROSE TO THE TASK WITHOUT EVER GIVING UP AND FOR BEING THERE FOR OUR FAMILY DURING A DIFFICULT TRIAL. SERVING WITH YOU WAS A REWARD IN ITSELF.
IT’S REALLY NOT ABOUT THE PAST… SOME OF US JUST NEEDED TO BE REMINDED THAT WE’RE NOT ALL CALLED TO THE FOREFRONT, AND THAT’S OKAY. RAISING FAMILIES AND SERVING IN OUR LOCAL CHURCHES ARE KINGDOM PURSUITS. DON’T EVER THINK THAT YOU’RE NOT ACCOMPLISHING SOMETHING FOR GOD WHEN YOU ARE SHOWING HIS LOVE TO NEIGHBORS, COWORKERS, OR YOUR CHILD’S SOCCER TEAM.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING A DREAM COME TRUE.
PATTY NORMAN
I want to echo the heart of so many dear friends I talked to this weekend ….. this was and still is a “God thing”. It was back then when Jesus “captured” and then nurtured us through the love, commitment and perservance of Alex and all of the leadership team…MANY of the things they built into my life back then have carried me through and made me whatever I am today. I am sure Alex will never know in this lifetime the full impact that his life has made to so many….I want to be just a little bit like him if I can, don’t you?
I also want to pour out my heart of great thankfulness to all of the members of the committee and everyone who played a part in making this happen….I know this had to be hard at times and you were tempted to just give up on the whole thing….THANK YOU for not giving up!!
I have been deeply impacted once again by the many friends I instantly felt that same connection I had with them so many years ago (as soon as I recognized them!!:) We all lead such busy lives and have lost connections over time! I hope this website is kept up for some time so that we all could continue to be able to get the contact info that we maybe didn’t get because there were so many friends to reconnect with! Also, perhaps a web page to share all the pictures that were taken?
Finally, just to see you all this weekend and realize all of the various paths we all have taken on the continuation of our individual spiritual journeys has stirred me to recommit myself to more diligently seek Him for what purpose He would have for me, my family… and all of you for the days ahead…may God bless and keep you always.
I forgot my contact info…my email is afryedaddy@yahoo.com and my cell phone is 407-312-5842.
Alan Frye
Hi everyone,
I just wanted to make a correction concerning something that was said at the reunion. On Saturday at the cookout, I was introduced as one of the original Rock House Band members. That isn’t correct, as most of you who were there know, I was simply a young kid who ran the overhead projector. Eventually I was allowed to play my guitar while running the overhead. I did play electric guitar with the RHB at Jesus 80.
It was an extreme honor to be asked to participate with this reunion and my heart-felt thanks go out to the committee and all of you for making this a major landmark in my life. I love all of you in the Lord!
Jeff
WOW! To say that this weekend was an inspiration is a major understatement! During the planning meetings over the last 9 months, we all knew that this would be a special weekend. It wholly exceeded even those expectations. Seeing old friends from the RH days was the icing. But hearing the band play together again, and Alex’s unbelievably inspiring messages was the cake.
Alex, your messages on Friday and Saturday are the most stirring that I have ever heard! I remember that we literally got spoiled listening to you teach every Tuesday and then Sunday. But these were special messages that I think spoke volumes to those of us who attended. What is most exciting however is that the words that you spoke will go out to the four corners of the country with all of those who attended from places far away. Your work for God over the last 35+ years has NOT returned void!
Robert Spradley and Danny Jones.. it was wonderful to hear your words for Alex on Friday night. John Morgan .. you ARE “George Bush,” and hysterically funny, but you are even more a wonderful brother who I am so glad to call, “friend.” Jim and Tim Kelly .. seeing “the Kelly boys” back in the band really made it seem as if it was 1978. Gary Ramey .. seeing you again in the band was a real blessing! You and Darryl truly made the band “complete.”
Fellow committee members .. Scott & Bev .. thanks for the hard work and direction. Patty .. thanks for the vision and knowing what is from God, and that the Reunion needed to take place. Dena, you truly know how to get in touch with almost anyone! Jeff Hagel .. thank you for inviting me to your fellowship group so many years ago, and for showing me that there are friendships that will last a lifetime, and how to have true selfless love for another brother. You have been used by God both then, and now. The rest of the Committee, your work was tireless. And finally, but in no way are these acknowledgements complete .. Robert and Lisa Midden for the Reunion dinner last Christmas and for planting the seed for the larger Reunion!
I haven’t cried as much as I have this last weekend. This wasn’t just seeing old friends, it was an Awakening. Take the words from 25 years ago that have never left me, and the friendships set in those days, to the message this weekend. I will never be the same!
We wanted to come so badly but we were out of town helping my mother in law move into an assisted living facility. We know it was an anointed event. Burton told us how wonderful it was. Kathy James, please email me.
jeaniecarter007@aol.com
God bless you guys.
I feel horrible that I forgot to mention the hours/days/weeks that Neil Norman spent assembling the multimedia presentation! Neil .. the video was even better than we had imagined. Rick .. the Histtory and the Timeline really helped us to remember the events and the hard work which shaped the Rock House.
For those of you who know me, it’s rare that I’m quiet. However, this weekend is an event that has left me speechless because it has been discussed for MANY, MANY years. I remember talking about the need for a reunion at Cam Turners funeral, and having Jeff Hagel hand me a pad of paper to begin collecting names. It was from that list (and many more scraps of paper) I submitted names to the Rock House Reunion Committee. It was amazing to see faces I hadn’t seen in over 20 years! And to re-connect with people which I had no idea how to find. It is wonderful to know that many of us will be e-mailing (and more importantly praying for each other) as we are brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us be mindful that we were incredibly blessed to be a part of the Rock House, yet it is only one small aspect of the life Christ has called us to in sharing the gospel. I agree with Alex’s comment about not believing the best part of your spiritual life is over. In fact, if you have any doubts, ask me or Debi Cox about the 10-day Mission Trip we went on with a youth group comprised of young people from various Sovereign Grace Churches the Summer of 2005 to LaPaz, Bolivia. And by the way LaPaz is 14,000 feet above sea level, which is WAY higher than flat Florida!
May God continue to do His amazing work in your life!
Jeremiah 29:11
It is hard to fully express what this amazing event meant to me and to Tom. It was a joy and privilege to play in the Band, it flowed in such an easy manner, we all just had a wonderful time worshipping together again! The audio-visual presentation was great, it was really touching, and oh, the memories! And WOW, a surprise visit from the Prez himself!!It was so good to see Alex again – God has granted him quite a legacy,all because he was surrendered to the purposes of God. And he is so right, it isn’t over for any of us. In fact many of us are just recently walking into our callings and we are more in love with Jesus now than we were in the Rock House days!
Scott,Bev,Patty,Jeff and everyone else who worked so hard on this event,you are all such beautiful examples of the gentle heart of the Savior. I know it was a lot of work and the logistics of putting this thing together had to be a nightmare at times, but never once at the Reunion did I see any of you acting stressed out, impatient or harried. You all seemed to have such peace,you were kind and gracious and your attitudes really helped to set the tone for this event. Thank you, THANK YOU for running with this vision…the fruit of the RH Reunion is going to go far beyond this weekend.
And to all my precious brothers and sisters-it was simply awesome to see you all again. Some of you changed alot, some of you looked almost the same, but ALL of you have been blessings in my life and I’m so glad to have another opportunity to reconnect with so many friends that I had lost contact with. (Isn’t email GREAT??) As I’ve gotten older, so many things that I thought were so important really don’t matter at all-what matters are the relationships in our lives. So thank you all for how you touched my life over the years and I pray that many of us will be able to continue to fellowship in the years ahead. My email is: charspinks@bellsouth.net so drop a line sometime! Love and blessings to all of you…and remember, our best days are ahead of us because God isn’t finished with any of us!
To say the reunion was a highlight is for me an understatement. It was a moving and monumental experience that was not only a look back, but a look forward.
I kept thinking that heaven will include this. As we have lost touch with great friends through the natural circumstances of life, so many have lost connection with dear loved ones through the natural circumstances of death (Alex and Jenie). As we age this will be increasingly true.
Imaging the reunion that will take place on THAT day. Of course by far the greatest joy will be in seeing our Savior’s face, touching Him and hearing him say, “Well done,” but oh the reunion! In the immortal words of Phil Keaggy, “What a day that will be!”
Kathy and I had an amazing time, and we were marked by the experience. Thanks to all who worked so hard. Your efforts bore good and lasting fruit, I’m sure much is still yet to come.
So much more I want to say, but I’ll end in a prayer. MAY GOD BLESS ALL WHO ATTENDED, AND ALL WHO WISH THEY HAD.
John Morgan (johnmorgan@bellsouth.net)
Any words would fall far short of how I felt at the reunion. God really blessed me, having come full circle to the Rock House. Thanks to the Reunion Committee, Alex, all my brothers and sisters, but most of all, thanks be unto God
Darryl Ramey
We are so grateful to those of you who traveled so far to be here for the reunion. And to those of you who live in Central Florida and made the effort to attend, we’re thankful you came as well. We know that people canceled plans, spent lots of money and sacrificed in other ways in order to come to the reunion. We also know that many folks were reluctant — for a variety of reasons — to show up. But we’re SO glad you did. It was so meaningful to see everyone all these years later and to experience the goodness of our merciful Savior. I so appreciate Alex’s straight-talking messages on both nights. “You can only go as far as your prayer life” and “What do you need to confront in your life?” are statements and questions we all will have to grapple with in coming days. Alex, thank you for reminding us that the stakes are high and that none of this is a game. Your example of continuing to press on at full-throttle inspired all of us. Thank you!
Rick and Ruthe Brunson
This Rock House Reunion will always be a highlight of my life as we had a chance to reconnect with so many wonderful friends that helped form us into the people we are today. As the years have passed we all have seen and experienced so much in life and ministry, I’m so thankful for those Rock House days that began a walk with God that has proved to be “the only way”. To see all of you and your faithful hearts to Him meant so much to me. I’m sure God knew the years that would be ahead of us and what would be required of us as true worshippers and followers of Christ, so he blessed us with Rock House to give us the foundation we would need.
Sometimes my family talks about what it was like for me when I was a teenager in this town (Orlando) and I go off on the incredible days of Rock House and how our true love for God protected us and brought us so many blessings. Those days truly prepared me for the years of ministry, mission work, and music that He had planned for me and my family. I must say, of all the places I’ve lived and churches we have served in, my heart has always stayed with those friends and days of Rock House. Thank you for showing me the unconditional love of God and encouragement that continues to last a lifetime. Thank you Danny Jones for seeing a gift for music in me and encouraging me to sing and minister as a 14 year old, thank you Marc Lawson for allowing me to serve in the Jr High ministry with you and for continuing to encourage my life with God even when living in Atlanta, and thank you Robert Spradley for writing and singing so many wonderful songs on your guitar that have traveled the world with me and inspired me to write and sing my own love songs to Jesus as well. I think the song “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart” has been my theme song for 30 years!!!!I also want to thank the beautiful and precious wives of these men of God…Melodye, Linda, Diane, who have always been there to love, encourage and live such a pure example for us women of God. Now after having my own family do I totally realize the sacrifices you made to make yourselves so available to us. We love you!
Thank you for staying the course, saying “Yes” to whatever God calls you to, and being examples to the next generation that our walk with God is the real thing! Terri (Stutts) Lauzier
WOW! What an incredible time of fellowship & worship. It was such a joy to see so many friends and to share about Gods work in our lives. Words can not begin to describe how thankful we all are for the “team” that worked so hard to make this special time a reality. Thank you!!
I just arrive back in Mobile, AL – and I must say the entire road trip home was filled with thoughts of this WONDERFUL weekend experience.
To see old friends again . . . and in those hugs and kisses realize our time apart was only a moment in our Savior’s eyes. And to know that this sweet reunion was only a taste of what will be!
Alex – you are such a precious part of who we are. You have given to us the tools to do that which we are called. And this weekend – as our ‘family’ sat together – you, as a dad, reminded us where we have come from and what is expected and where we need to go! Thank you!
Many of you shared special memories of times together. I was blessd by so many who simply came up to me and shared things – that I honestly had no idea at the time – had so impacted you. Those words – those blessing – truly touched me. Thank you!!!
This was a weekend of refreshing and renewal – but most of all – it was a weekend for each of us to acknowledge the gifts and treasures of our past and joyously move forward with the mission of our future.
Thank you Rock House Steering Committee!!! You obeyed! As much as I am sure there were times of total frustration and pure stress! You listened and obeyed the call and fulfilled the dream!!!
Friday night was just simply a feast! But Saturday afternoon – seeing my friends and their children – families – birthed in our celebration of time YEARS AGO!
WOW – God has a purpose and plan for each of us – our paths may have taken many of us into directions we had no idea we would travel. But His HAND was carefully in the midst of the plan and those things that we learned as we sat together in Rock House – in Fellowship Groups – In EAST INDIA (on the Avenue) and in Denny’s at 4:00am. All were building blocks and preparation for what He has for us to do!
Please keep in touch. I would love to continue to email and blog with you guys! You are family!
paradisekidd@yahoo.com is my email address and I look forward to continuing to hear from you and love you and pray with you and for you. As we all commit to continue our mission for His coming!
Love you all – Pamela (paradisekidd@yahoo.com)
Hey – I am all about putting together a picture album of the weekend – but unfortunately – my technical skills were not their best this weekend – and my digital camera really let me down!
So – Those of you who have pictures – I would love to get a CD of your pic’s or email them to me!
I knew I should have used the disposable camera!!!
Thanks – Pamela – paradisekidd@yahoo.com
wow…what an amazing weekend…I think we all had a small taste of heaven ….thanks to the committee , Jeff Stockford for pulling the band together, and to Pastor Alex , who’s still bringing the word with fresh wind and a fire in his belly ! Jim and Janet Kelly
This weekend was a BLAST! It was great to see everyone and to be part of the band. Thanks Jeff for putting that together and to Robert and Gary for leading. Thanks to Pastor Alex for continuing to inspire us even after 36 years. Thanks to the reunion committee for their hard work–it was certainly worth it. Amy said to say “thank you” to everyone who said to say hello, and she wishes that she could have come. Here is our email addresses: rdwolfe@charter.net and amycwolfe@charter.net. PLEASE, keep in touch!!!
God Bless,
Rick & Amy Wolfe
and the blogs go on- this is great. i would love to get pix as well- failed to use the camera that night.
my email is denamoma2@aol.com- julie smith, where did you go? missed catching up with you- please email or call 407-221-0842(cell) and anyone else i might have missed please let me hear from you guys- still in awe- it was so awesome. thanks everyone for coming.
dena davenport shackelford
SEND PICTURES!!If anyone got a few pictures of the Band and other speakers, and any other good shots of the attendees from Friday night and Saturday please send me copies! We didn’t have the settings on our camera correct and what we got wasn’t the greatest quality. I would really appreciate it! Blessings!
charspinks@bellsouth.net
It was so great seeing everyone. I didn’t get a chance to talk to everyone, but I’m leaving my e-mail address. As some of the others have already expressed it would be wonderful to see pictures. I didn’t think to bring my camera. The video was fantastic, it stirred so many incredible memories. Thank you so much Scott, Bev, Neil, Patty, Dena, Brad, Jeff H. and Jeff S. and all the others on the steering committee. You did such a wonderful job! I can’t believe it finally happened after talking about it for so long. You guys are great!! I hope we can keep in contact this time. Kenny and Cindy it was so much fun going out with you. Patty and Neil we need to get together. Judy, Beth, Jody…send me an e-mail. There are too many others to mention, but e-mail me at maureen_gray@colonialbank.com or mgray23@earthlink.net (I hardly ever check my personal so the work e-mail is better.)
It’s great to see that many of you are still dropping by to leave messages. For a while anyway, you should be able to still do that, and keep in touch. We encourage you to do so. The RHR was quite an experience for all of us!
One word of caution .. those of you who have, or may be thinking of posting your email address, please know that there are unfortunately unscrupulous organizations who use automated programs which do nothing but harvest email addresses left on the Web. If you post your email address, please know that you may start to receive a lot of SPAM, some of it unfortunately very distasteful. Unfortunately, there is no way to edit or delete comments once left on this Blog. Over time, the SPAM will most likely diminish, but in the short term it may result in an increase of SPAM. Please keep this in mind.
We will be making the Directory available to those of you who wish to receive it. We will let you know when it is available. There were a number who requested that we not include their name or info on the list, but there are quite a few who did ask to be included in the Directory. We will make every effort to protect your personal contact info so that you will not receive contact from SPAMmers.
So when will pictures be online?
I just found this site a week after the reunion! My time in the Rock House from 1975 to 1978 was truly a turning point in my relationship with God. I THANK GOD FOR YOU ALEX AND ROBERT! Your love for God and His Word and the way you lived it out continue to inspire me to pursue God even now. I am a member of Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland (C.J. Mahaney’s church). Because I serve with a Christian band named Anapra (www.purevolume.com/anapra) from our church, I have a lot of interaction with our youth. I regularly tell the guys and girls testimonies of how God worked in those Rock House days. Yes, the work God began in the Rock House is influencing a new generation and I believe the ripple effect will continue after we are gone.
I would really like to hear from the you who knew me and I can deal with spam, so here is my email address : marshall@rustyshovelrecords.com . Please add my info to the directory and send me a copy. I would appreciate getting contact info for these people if anyone knows it: Dave & Amy Johnson, Armando Alvarez, Ben Fulmer, Lee Ohlinger, Scott Meyer, and David Fialkiewicz. Thanks for your work.
Just to clear things up regarding the site and the Blog: We have recieved comments/questions regarding the site. At present, I am not aware of any plans to add content to the ‘site (that is: pictures, etc) nor any plans to disable the site or the Blog.
Church in the Son owns the site. JR Avila at mediaskystudio.com is in charge of maintaining the site and adding content. JR created this site as a “love offering” for Church in the Son. We are extremely grateful to him for all of the time and hard work to create RockHouseReunion.com. BTW — if you need website design services, JR is THE man to talk to .. http://www.mediaskystudio.com
At least until about next March, this site and the Blog should remain available to everyone. However, decisions regarding the future of the site and its content will be made by Church in the Son.
I hope this clears things up.
We again would like to thank Church in the Son for their selfless support of the Rock House Reunion. Pastor Alex and his Church were behind the Reunion 100%, and it cost them a lot of “man” hours and finances to support it. We would like to thank them for everything they did to help make the Reunion a huge success!
Hey all. I can’t seem to quit talking about the reunion. It’s like that period following one of our “advances” when you’re all fired up and you hope the change is permanent. Usually, three months later you can hardly remember the reason you were so excited, and life has settled back down.
But tonight I feel like we have all been given a unique viewing experience. Like the view from an airplane or from space. We got the view of tweny-five years of time. Over a day or a month, it’s hard to see the growth. But think about how much more you love God than you did back then. How much you’ve grown in Christ.
The reunion was a great reminder from whence we’ve come. I was sooooooo immature back then. Not to say I’ve arrived, but I’ve changed, and for that I give God glory.
As you read this, I wonder how it is for you? are you growing in Christ? Are you in a good church? Do you have great christian fellowship still? Let’s blog about it. God bless!
Thanks John – and this is what I hope the Blog will become – a platform for discussion and support as we go back to our homes and our churches and move FORWARD with that which we have been commissioned to do!!
I too seem to continue to reflect on last weekend – the fellowship and the messages. Alex charged me up to move forward and get something done now!
Since I have been back home I have started a list of goals I want to accomplish in the next few months and some long term goals that I want to have accomplished by the time we meet again for our next ‘ROCK HOUSE REUNION’.
I was challenged to take that foundational teaching that Alex and Russ and Glenn and Marc poured into us years ago and bring it alive in those people I meet day to day. Discipleship – what am I doing today to disciple another? That has really hit home.
I am so much a part of what my local church is about – but am I changing my WORLD? Are you changing your WORLD? We have a very important mission.
As I watched the 9/11 Memorial this morning – I thought of Alex’s words Saturday evening (9/2) and felt so strongly that we must become more militant about our beliefs and our standards of living. The 9/11 motto has been NEVER FORGET! Our motto should be NEVER FORGET Where we came from and NEVER STOP sharing where we are going!
What do you think? Are you changing your World? Or has your world changed you?
Be Blessed! Pamela
Dear Rock House Friends,
The Rock House Reunion exceeded everything we could have hoped for. Thanks to everyone who made this possible and to everyone who came. We love you guys!
Who would have ever thought that John Morgan would grow up to be the “President”!
it was great hearing about the rock house reunion but found out about it to late.please let us know about the next one.also,if anyone would like to contact keith or myself you can at kpeters@iag.net
Thank you, John Morgan for your words. It was such a gift to see a birds eye view of the past 25 years. The reunion was such an inspiration for me. As always, God’s timing is so perfect. I just began leading a youth group, and to be honest, I have felt unqualified and overwhelmed. Looking back at where Rock House started and reflecting on how many lives were touched and still being touched through the “ripple effect,” served as a spiritual defibulator to me. The church I am attending just started 5 years ago and they haven’t had a youth leader before. Right now the foundation is being layed, just as Rock House did in 1970. I don’t presume to be another “Alex.” But his example and the fruit that is so evident from his ministry is such an inspiration. Thank you again to Alex, Glenn, and Marc. Your example and influence is now being passed on to the next generation.
Many of us had left behind what we are, especially those of us who left Central Florida and moved on to College or Careers outside of the Ministry. Pam mentioned it above and I will restate, Alex’s message challenges us to become “Who we are in Christ” not who we were.
I am stepping up to the plate and like Pam making my list of “to change” items.
This weekend was so powerful for my spitiual and personal life, seeing those who have continued on in ministry and those who’s ministry is their family as a needed prescription from Dr Jesus
I thank those who’s time went into this for us, May God Richly Bless You!!!! Now I want more, need more to be the man of God I am. The last 3 weeks I have been so restless in my sleep, God showing me things, placing people in my heart to pray for, even at work, I have led 7 people to Jesus, that I never would have challenged to be what God has called be to be and share this with them.
Thank you all, Alex, Robert, Jim Kelly, Jeff Hagle, Neil Norman, Jeff Stockton, Scott, Tom, Alex Schweizer and everyone else. You mean more to me than you will ever know! Your time was not in vain!!!!
Now lets move forward and as Paul says in Phil 1:6, “And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.”
Until we meet agian. ew
Wow, Missed David Bush….David, don’t know if you remember, but those Fri and Saturday nights in downtown Orlando for 9 months? They were so powerful! Reaching out to those on the streets has reached further than you will ever know, it went out and started ministry in downtown Portland, Oregon; San Diego, California; Oceanside, California and Salem, Oregon.
What you led had a far reaching impact! I looked for you and missed your blog and you at the reunion…would love to chat sometime when you are free!
Just wanted to know when the Directory will be out?
I was truely Blessed to be apart of the Rockhouse reunion. It was wonderfully visiting the many friends Ihad over 30 years ago. I’v been able to get back in touch with some of my close friends that wern’t able to make it and reaquaint ourselves. God has truely Blessed me with this event and I look forward to the next one, Just hope it isn’t as far off. If any of my old friends want to contact I’d love ot hear from you I”m looking for ones from Jon Rowells fellowship group my email is Teach19572004@yahoo.com
Well I suppose I have been out of the loop for to long. I didn’t find out about this until after the event. The O’Bryant family moved to Florida in 1969 and attended Calvary right away. My sisters Cindy, Linda, Ronda and I all attended the Rock House. Those were some great days. As I was reading through all the comments I was amazed. So many people that I remember. I would love to hear more about how the reunion went. Alex, you are still dear to my heart. I am so sorry I wasn’t able to attend. It would have been wonderful to see everyone again. Is there any place where pictures were posted? I would love to hear from some of you guys. Please feel free to e-mail me at starladygkc@earthlink.net The Lord works in mysterious ways.
Love in the Lord
Gwen
Eric, I saw your note, please email me at bushemail@aol.com. Talk to you soon. David
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL !!!!!!!! KENT $ PATTY VAN CLEAVE
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL !!!!!!!!! kENT & PATTY
Hello, everyone! I tried to leave a comment a couple of months ago but it didn’t show up.
My husband Steve and I were members of the Rock House group from 1971 through our marriage in 1973. Gwen, your sister, Cindy, was my matron of honor; John Paslay was Steve’s best man.
Steve and I are in GA, which was his last duty station before getting out of the army. We’d been here longer than anyplace else, so we stayed. We attend a great A/G church here and our daughter, whom we adopted after almost 17 years of childlessness, is very active in the youth group now. Jenny is going on 17 and is a wonderful blessing to us.
I’ve been battling breast cancer for the past two years, so your prayers would be appreciated. I’m cancer-free as of my last scans, but am having a lot of side effects from all the drugs from two different chemo regimens and the cancer-suppressing drug I’m on now, so I don’t get out very much these days.
It’s been so nice to read everyone’s comments, and the history of the Rock House. We think of all our old friends often and pray God’s choicest blessings on all of you!
Loretta Hinton McElmurry
Just to let everyone know, if you pre-ordered a dvd or audio cd from the reunion and have not yet received them, you’ll need to contact Church in The Son and they’ll send you one, or you can pick them up at the church. The last we heard is that they have copies available for those that didn’t pre-order at the reunion.
Hope everyone is having a great 2007!
God bless,
Scott Steed
To let everyone know – John Morgan, our very own President – is part of a Winter Tour that includes Stephen Curtis Chapman, Jeremy Camp, Hawk Newlson and others. Check out http://www.jamtour.com/ for details!
Blessings to all,
Van & Beth Sullivan
Hello,
I’m looking for people who attended the “Jesus ’80″ festival in or near Orlando in 1980, namely “Becky (Farina) Cain”.
She posted something at this site about “Jesus 80″ and I need to talk to her.
My life changed in that “orchard” as well; the orchard of love….you could call it.
I.J.N.,
Randy Vaughn
Lakeside, California
619-561-5735
RanVaughn@AOL.Com
I just found this site and wished I had known about the reunion. I remember the good ol’ Rock House days. I remember Leanne Harthern and Patti Santi and Terri Farina and Frostee McClain and Liz Harthern.
Wow! I just discovered this blog by accident. I too have so many fond memories of the Rock House, Alex Clattenburg, Robert Spradley, Jesue Festivals, 5 services on Sunday at Calvry Assembly. It was amazing. I recall the warm strong presence of the Holy Spirit especially during the praise and worship service in the Rock House. Many lives were impacted, mine included.
Beth “Spurlin” Jasso
Las Cruces, NM
The strength of the endurance of the relationships was a New Testament understanding of community and covenant living. What is a amazing after all these years is that people still want to connect with people from that era! We need this again in the Body of Christ – Acts 2:42-47 – We need community and a strong sense of covenant relationship. Some of the folks from those days are like family to each other! Thank God we were a part of it!