Keenagers Program at LaGrange

LaGrange church of christ – home page and index

KEENAGERS at LAGRANGE

While attending the Williamstown Workshop in 1977, Paul Himes, Dean and Brian Hoggatt visited the “Jolly 60’s Program” at the Byesville OH congregation, led by Byesville preacher Abe Miller. After another visit to Byesville by Norm and Merilyn Herron and Dean and Thelma Hoggatt, the “Keenagers Program” began in LaGrange, following the Jolly 60’s format, on Monday, April 17, 1978. At the initial (and only) Monday meeting, Gospel Meeting preacher Coleman Crocker showed slides of his trip to the Holy Land. There were 29 in attendance for the April 17^th meeting, when a new weekly meeting of “Keenagers” was announced.

The regular Thursday meeting of Keenagers started on April 27, 1978, when 29 again attended, including seven on one of the Joy Busses. In 1979, Bus #5 with a wheelchair lift was purchased as the “Keenage Karriage”. Keenagers met weekly, except for breaks, due to holidays, VBS, or staff workers at Camp Indogan sessions. The weekly program included announcements or speakers relevant to the Keenagers, fun activities, singing, Bible lesson, and brunch, which became more of a “lunch” as the Program progressed. Attendance was as high as 77. The Keenagers’ theme song was written by LaGrange member (and Keenager) Clayton Langston,

We are the Keenagers, and we’re here today,

To learn about our Savior. That’s the only way.

So pray and sing his praises, to make a brighter day.

Give brother and sister a helping hand, along the way.

Keenagers occasionally met at Country Place Apartments in LaGrange or went on field trips to Camp Indogan or other attractions. Every year in April, the Keenagers’ Anniversary was celebrated.

Similar to the successful Bus Ministry, the LaGrange Keenagers’ Program was a model for several other congregations. Norm Herron explained the format at lectureships, workshops, and visits to area congregations.

The Thursday morning schedule continued until December 12, 1991. Beginning December 17, 1991, the weekly Keenagers meeting was changed to Tuesday mornings, to better accommodate the change in staff. There were 31 present for that first Tuesday (December 17^th) meeting.

The Keenagers Program ended in October 1995, when Dean and Thelma Hoggatt announced their plans to spend three months in Nigeria at the beginning of 1996.

197808xx Keenagers

19780801 Keenagers exiting

19780801 Keenagers in lobby

19780801 Keenagers kitchen help - Penny Oakley Sharon Simpson Hazel Miller

19780801 Keenagers misc from Norm Herron's slides 001

19780801 Keenagers misc from Norm Herron's slides 002

19780801 Keenagers misc from Norm Herron's slides 003

19780801 Keenagers Norm Herron teaching

19780801 Keenagers on bus

19780801 Keenagers singing Carl Jesse Zoa Paul

19780801 Keenagers Thelma Hoggatt and Penny Oakley serving

19780830 00002 - Keenagers bus 2