CRUSADE GIVES HOPE AND UNITY

Area church officials and others who participated in the Lowell Lundstrom Impact America crusade were still feeling the buoyant effects of renewed hope, unity and spiritual vigor Tuesday.

Some said the feeling of coming together for the crusade reminded them of the work they did to help flood victims during the summer of 1993.

"The same way that churches pitched in to help others during the flood, the crusade brought us together for another worthwhile cause," said Bethany Baptist Church minister, the Rev. Donnie Ford.

"Some of us have had different opinions about things and have had some major issues to confront -- like riverboat gambling and Regina's House of Dolls -- but to see a oneness like this made me feel good inside. Instead of dwelling on disagreements, people came together, some to find Christ, others to grow as Christians. It didn't matter what denomination you represented, everything and everyone was bathed in prayer."

The eight-day crusade, which ended Sunday, drew more than 13,000.

The Rev. James G. Caughlin, pastor of the Evangelical United Church of Christ, said the crusade left a lasting memory. One moment became particularly moving.

"The father of Sandy Pedigo provided one of the most touching moments for me," Caughlin said. Pedigo was killed in a van accident on Saturday. Her father delivered an emotional testimony to his daughter's conviction in her faith.

"She had just rededicated her life to Christ the previous Sunday," Caughlin said. The night before she died Sandy Pedigo, 14, talked to Lowell Lundstrom and asked for a hug.

"Just watching her father find the words and express himself under such difficult circumstances made me feel so moved by his feeling of hope and confidence in his and his daughter's faith."

The Pedigo family, members of the Vinyard Christian Fellowship Church, participated in the crusade the entire week. "Sandy, who was one of the counselors at the crusade, would have been there Saturday if it weren't for the accident," said the Rev. Robert D. Wright, minister of the Vinyard Christian Fellowship.

"The essence of Bill Pedigo's speech was that even though the family was grieving the loss of Sandy, they still had hope. As a committed Christian, Sandy was prepared to die. Not everyone at the crusade was at that point, and I'm sure Bill's talk had an impact on them."

There were less dramatic moments. "I met a couple engaged to be married soon," Ford said. "They decided to start their marriage off with Christ becoming the center of their home. That's exciting and inspirational to see."

The event raised approximately $70,000, some $10,000 short of its budget. Harold Kuehle, finance chairman for the crusade, said members of the Lundstrom crusade absorbed the deficit.

"If anyone was in this to make money, they could forget it," Kuehle said. "I can say that Lowell Lundstrom was extremely pleased with the entire crusade. He remarked several times how friendly he thought people here were. He was pleased with the way David Ross (Show Me Center director) worked with him and the crusade people."

Lundstrom, who did not take money from the overall budget, received payment from tapes and the independent marriage seminar he held on Saturday afternoon.

"Lowell is the only one who doesn't take any money from the budget," Kuehle said. "He only charged $20 a couple for the marriage seminar, which is a good deal because if he came here on his own just to do that,it would have cost $125 a couple."

Grand Ole Opry star Billy Walker gave back the $1,500 check he received for his appearance on Sunday.