# James White, Wayne Wylie, Fred Greco, Randy Snyder, and the Zartmans



## Semper Fidelis (Aug 30, 2008)

Well, I'm finally in beautiful VA and wanted to say "Thank You" to several folks I met along the way East. 

We departed Temecula, CA about 1000 on Monday, 11 August and arrived in Phoenix, AZ around 1600 and ate dinner with James White and his lovely bride. Eight years ago I sent an e-mail to James and we've maintained a friendship over correspondence ever since. It was great to finally meet him. We ate at Garcia's Mexican restaurant and had a very pleasant conversation. His wife was regaled by discussions with my son James and was very good with our kids.







We attended worship on 17 August with Wayne "The Boot" Wylie. Wayne and I have met at his Church about a year and a half ago but it was nice to see him again and shoot a pic with him:






Fred Greco was kind enough to meet me about halfway for lunch in between Katy and Fort Worth on 21 August. He and I are kindred spirits on everything from theology to politics. I really appreciated some of the insight he gave me and counsel about my future (if any) in the ministry as I've been contemplating that vocation after my retirement.






Sunday morning on 24 August we worshiped at the Free Pres Church in Indianapolis where the Zartmans attend. I met a couple of other PB members there as well. Sonya and I and the kids got to see their nice house before heading over to spend the day and evening with Randy Snyder. I only wish I had more time with the Zartmans as they are both the type of people we are immediately knit to. Ruben was so good with the kids that they immediately took to him. Heidi is such a sweet spirit that you wonder where people like that come from.

I thoroughly enjoyed talking with Randy throughout the day and evening and even enjoyed a couple of cigars. He gave me a Geneva Bible and a Brakel set along with some Reformed Baptist literature. He was such a gracious host and his teenage boys are the kind of sons that any man would desire to raise.


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## Scott1 (Aug 30, 2008)

Great trip accross this broad and handsome nation of ours!

I bet you enjoyed some of the 75mph speed limits now in states like Arizona, New Mexico, and maybe Texas (there are some 80mph speed limits now in Texas).

Next trip you may want to try some authentic New Mexican food, let me know and I will give you some references.

Blessings.


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## Semper Fidelis (Aug 30, 2008)

Scott1 said:


> Great trip accross this broad and handsome nation of ours!
> 
> I bet you enjoyed some of the 75mph speed limits now in states like Arizona, New Mexico, and maybe Texas (there are some 80mph speed limits now in Texas).
> 
> ...



Thanks Scott.

I couldn't completely enjoy the 80mph speed limits. We had a shell on top of our Suburban that held extra stuff we couldn't fit in the back. It was incredibly windy in Texas and, whenever I got above 70mph the shell would start jumping up and down and smacking the roof.

We spent the night in Lordsburg, NM after eating with James that night and then pressed on to Fort Worth the next day arriving after midnight. Some of my friends think me insane but my four kids endured a 940 mile car trip in one day and then another 840 mile journey when we drove from OK to Indiana after visiting friends there.


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## Solus Christus (Aug 30, 2008)

I'm reminded of Acts where the early Christian church had that spirit of fellowship. And that they freely gave to one another. This truly was an edifying post to read.

Glad to also hear you safely arrived in VA. Me and my wife used to live in Northern Virginia area, specifically, Alexandria and then Woodbridge. I still even have some of those zip codes memorized from my days working at FedEx. Thanks for posting!


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Aug 30, 2008)

That area is nice once you get south of Dale City/Woodbridge. Too much going on north of that line...


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## Herald (Aug 30, 2008)

Rich, welcome home.


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## Solus Christus (Aug 30, 2008)

Backwoods Presbyterian said:


> That area is nice once you get south of Dale City/Woodbridge. Too much going on north of that line...



I wholeheartedly agree. Dale City had a really great layout, nice multi-ethnic stores minus all the traffic. I miss it.


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## Semper Fidelis (Aug 31, 2008)

By the way, I wanted to assure everyone that I washed that white striped shirt in between wearings.


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## JonathanHunt (Aug 31, 2008)

At first I thought this thread was about a reformed smackdown tag team.

Anyway, great pics, and Randy, way to go trying to turn a board admin to baptist covenant theology!!!


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## Ivan (Aug 31, 2008)

Semper Fidelis said:


> By the way, I wanted to assure everyone that I washed that white striped shirt in between wearings.



Yeah, that's the first thing that I was wondering about. 

My mother would be proud of you.


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## Ivan (Aug 31, 2008)

JonathanHunt said:


> At first I thought this thread was about a reformed smackdown tag team.
> 
> Anyway, great pics, and Randy, way to go trying to turn a board admin to baptist covenant theology!!!



That would be awesome! However, I'm not holding my breath!


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## turmeric (Aug 31, 2008)

I can't get the picture of you and "the Boot" to load, but the other ones are beautiful. Welcome to the USA again, Rich!


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## Anton Bruckner (Aug 31, 2008)

Fred could never escape his Italian roots. Poor guy.


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## Gryphonette (Aug 31, 2008)

Great photos!

I'm disappointed the DFW meeting never materialized, though. :^(


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## Semper Fidelis (Aug 31, 2008)

Gryphonette said:


> Great photos!
> 
> I'm disappointed the DFW meeting never materialized, though. :^(



Me too. I'll be out there in a few months for a longer visit.


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## Presbyterian Deacon (Aug 31, 2008)

Welcome back to the states.

Been following the Semper Fi world tour with interest. 

One question:
When are you coming to New England?


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## Semper Fidelis (Aug 31, 2008)

Presbyterian Deacon said:


> Welcome back to the states.
> 
> Been following the Semper Fi world tour with interest.
> 
> ...



New England is, unfortunately, unlikely. Though my parents both hail from New London, CT when my grandmother died in 1994 I have no relatives that still live there and we never lived there growing up.


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## Ivan (Aug 31, 2008)

How 'bout the Chicago area?


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## Semper Fidelis (Aug 31, 2008)

Ivan said:


> How 'bout the Chicago area?



Theoretically possible on way to/from Texas.


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## DMcFadden (Aug 31, 2008)

I'm jealous! Glad to have you back, Rich.


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## Presbyterian Deacon (Aug 31, 2008)

Okay. Had to try!

 I know! How about a tour of the Groton Sub Base?


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## Ivan (Aug 31, 2008)

Semper Fidelis said:


> Ivan said:
> 
> 
> > How 'bout the Chicago area?
> ...



I know Bob would like to meet you too. We're both near Rockford, IL, which isn't far from Chicago. I'm sure we could work something out.


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## Semper Fidelis (Aug 31, 2008)

Presbyterian Deacon said:


> Okay. Had to try!
> 
> I know! How about a tour of the Groton Sub Base?



Been there. Done that. Got the T-shirt. It's actually a tour of a sub at that base that convinced me that I would hate being a Submarine Officer in the Navy my Freshman year in college. I switched options to Marines my Sophomore year.


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## Presbyterian Deacon (Aug 31, 2008)

Semper Fidelis said:


> Presbyterian Deacon said:
> 
> 
> > Okay. Had to try!
> ...




Um.......


Um.......





Okay......

I got nothing!


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## Marrow Man (Aug 31, 2008)

Yeah, that's a great pic of you and James White, but I bet you don't have a pic like this:






Here's a pic of me and Dr. White. Both of these are from the Alpha and Omega cruise from 2006.


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## Kevin (Sep 1, 2008)

I love to see photo's of PB members meeting with other members of the board.

It makes us seem less nerdy & more... "mainstream".


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## DMcFadden (Sep 1, 2008)

I love to see diehard Presbyterians cavorting with with the likes of James White. See, as they say in _O Brother Where Art Thou_, 


> *Pete*: Well I'll be . . . Delmar's been saved.
> *Delmar O'Donnell*: Well that's it, boys. I've been redeemed. The preacher's done warshed away all my sins and transgressions. It's the straight and narrow from here on out, and heaven everlasting's my reward.
> *Ulysses Everett McGill*: Delmar, what are you talking about? We've got bigger fish to fry.
> *Delmar O'Donnell*: The preacher says all my sins is warshed away, including that Piggly Wiggly I knocked over in Yazoo.
> ...


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## Marrow Man (Sep 1, 2008)

Well, that second photo was taken right before he and I argued over the subject of baptism. I made a self-deprecating funny and he got a bit huffy with me.


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## Iconoclast (Sep 1, 2008)

Thanks for posting the pictures.
It is good to see believers enjoy fellowship around the word. Before you see each other face to face, you were able to get to know each other through the written word here on the board, and maybe by email.
It is a nice illustration of how God has used His word written as scripture to be a main instrument of revealing Himself to each of us.
All of His attributes,promises , and mercy to us given to comfort us and let us know why we are here, and how soon we will see Him face to face


> 28So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation


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## PuritanCovenanter (Sep 2, 2008)

JonathanHunt said:


> At first I thought this thread was about a reformed smackdown tag team.
> 
> Anyway, great pics, and Randy, way to go trying to turn a board admin to baptist covenant theology!!!



Sorry guys,

I wasn't trying to do anything of the sort. I gave Rich my set of Reformed Baptist Theological Review Journals. They had some articles in them on topics we had discussed. And the discussions weren't about Baptist Covenant Theology. Although there were some good articles in those journals on the subject. 

It was a joy to have Rich's kids. I loved having the little ones around. I can identify more with them than adults most of the time. LOL

I loved having the L. family and Ruben over. They are all such a joy. Thanks for gracing my home you guys. It is a better place because of it.


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