Great times.
Hey Everyone,
I had a GREAT weekend. I went to a reunion of an organization I used to belong to back in the late 80's & early 90's called Crusade. The short definition is that we were an non-denominational Christian organization that existed to support the local Christian Heavy Metal bands that had sprung up around the Kansas City area in 1989.
We published newsletters, fanzines, and did our best to promote shows the bands held. we would try to find places they could play either cheap or free. I was one of the older guys and I was only 25. Most of the people involved were closer to 18. We had a great time back then. A lot of friendships were made and a lot of burdens were shared. It was a great time of growth and discovery for many of us.
As we all got older, we married, went to college, got real jobs and eventually drifted apart. To my knowledge there was no animosity, just growing in different directions. Some of us never lost track of each other. Me, Brian thanis_bloodsto , Patrick megiloth , Troy lordslar , JJ mr_dark , Shane adonijah74 , Massa mr_dark and Al dlmorgoth all at least kept in touch, even when we were a few states apart. Others groups of friends also kept together through the years without missing a beat. Altogether there were a few hundred kids/young adults involved with Crusade throughout it's existence.
Sunday was the very first time a reunion was held. Even though so few of us made it we stil had a blast! There are some of those guys & girls I hadn't seen in 15 years! It was cool to see them - many with growing families. We watched old videos of some of the old shows put on in local venues as well as some shows from various stages at Cornerstone festival. So many good memories were brought back to life. Sometimes I was on the verge of happy tears seeing all of us back together again.
For those few precious years all of those folks were an extension of my family. We talked together, learned together, prayed together, discovered many things about our shared faith that we may never have found otherwise.
We had some GREAT roadtrips, faced adversity, weathered attacks from those among our own (Christianity) who decided that we were evil just because we had long hair and/or wore leather, and STRIVED throughout all of it.
Crusade has an awesome legacy. I'm quite proud of the part I played in it. I'll always be thankful for the time I spent with that group of brothers & sisters. Even now after so many years apart, we fit like pieces of a puzzle. I already can't wait for next year's reunion...
P.S. Coolest story of the night. When Mike & Allison Gile were being rushed from a delivery room into surgery for a C-section the hospital staff told Mike to just go and they would make sure their stuff was brought along later. As luck would have it they left his jacket behind. When he had time to go back to get it he found the delivery room in use. Another old Crusader who Mike hadn't seen in years (Grady Merritt) was there with his wife. What a way to reconnect!