The first time I ever preached at COHIC was not nearly the first time I had ever preached. However, the events leading up to this occasion are very interesting. In January of 2004, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, COHIC held it’s annual winter retreat at Tuscarora Inn in Pennsylvania. Our entire worship team went up and I was scheduled to return on Saturday night for Sunday morning worship where which my Father would be preaching. By Saturday morning, it had become known to me that my brother David would, instead, be speaking.

            By Saturday night, snow had begun to fall and accumulate. Speculations were made concerning whether we should cancel Church in Kearny, NJ, which would ultimately mean that my brother and I could stay at Tuscarora. We decided to wait until the morning to see what the weather would be like.

            At 7:00 am, my brother Dave came in my room and said that we had to go. I showered, packed my things, grabbed my guitars and got in my car. Snow was falling and Dave was already a half an hour ahead of me as I slowly drove on 80 East. I left Tuscarora at 8 am. I needed to stop home to change since I did not have an clothes suitable for Church since I was planning on going home Saturday night. I got to my home at 9:20. I headed for COHIC after changing my clothes and arrived there at 9:40 for our 10 am service. It was upon my entrance that DJ Clancy handed me his cell-phone and told me that I urgently needed to speak to Sharon, Dave’s wife. The phone was already ringing and then Sharon answered and explained to me that Dave had totaled his car on 80 East and that he was alright, but was being picked up and brought back to Tuscarora. She then said that “they want you to preach”.

            With a little more than fifteen minutes left, I went to my car and got my notebook and made a few notes. I then attempted to turn on the sound board which had been disassembled due to the retreat occurring at Tuscarora Inn. I managed to hook up one microphone to a guitar amplifier. The sound didn’t matter: there were no sound guys around. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to record me speaking—but at least there’s no evidence to incriminate me.

            So it was me and my guitar and worship. I shared on Rom. 12:1 and 'Elijah leaving Elisha' from 1 & 2 Kings. After the speaking was done, people came up and told me how blessed they were. That was a nice feeling. When it was all cleared out and the place was empty, I packed up my guitar, shut the lights and got into my car. It was still snowing badly on the way home, so I took it slow. I was really tired so I played and sang along with “God Gave Rock and Roll to You” on my MP3 player a couple of times.

            Now I am home, and I have just ordered a large Italian sausage pizza which should be at my door in fifteen minutes.

~VJ Manzo 1/18/04