To Indiana—

Local Pastor Plans Another Fundraising Bike Trek

By Jan Howard

The Rev Jack Tanner, pastor of Newtown Christian Church on Sugar Street, is challenging himself again by riding his bike from Restoration House Ministries in Manchester, N.H., to SunCrest Christian Church in St John’s, Ind., to raise funds for two projects.

Five years ago Rev Tanner challenged himself with a 700-mile bike ride from his home in Newtown to his hometown of Rolling Prairie, Ind., to celebrate his 50th birthday and to raise money for three of his favorite causes.

His approximately 1,000-mile bike ride this year, which begins May 17, will again benefit those causes: All God’s Children Inc, a mission to support children orphaned because of AIDS, a new church planting in Boston in the spring of 2005, and Newtown Christian Church.

Unlike five years ago, when he rode alone with vehicular support from his wife Penny, he is riding with a friend, Curt Nordhelm, who was inspired by Rev Tanner’s ride five years ago. Mr Nordhelm is handling all details of the bike trip, including mapping of the route.

“This time I’m just going along for the ride,” Rev Tanner quipped.

The riders will be followed by members of Mr Nordhelm’s family and friends. At night the pair plan to stay in hotels or with friends and family along the way.

Rev Tanner said the goal is to finish this bike trip in less time than that of five years ago when he finished the approximately 700 miles in an average of 63 to 64 miles a day. He hopes to reach their destination this year by riding 73 miles a day.

“We hope to be there on the 30th,” Rev Tanner said. “The church there is having a big tailgate party and activities after we arrive. Children from the church will join us riding their bikes.” That last part of the ride will have a police escort, he said.

The original plan was for the two men to bike to Mr Nordhelm’s hometown, Peoria, Ill. However, Rev Tanner said, “The church in Indiana is a big supporter of the church in Boston.”

Part of the money raised by the ride will be used for Rev Tanner, Penny, and their three children, Janet, 22, Jamie, 23, and Tammy, 27, to travel to Zimbabwe to take part in an All God’s Children ongoing building project for children with AIDS or affected by AIDS.

The last time Rev Tanner was in Africa he helped build a chapel and a lodge for AIDS affected children.

In preparation for the bike ride, Rev Tanner has sent 105 letters to friends and family members seeking donations, and people are responding. Receipts for donations will be sent, Rev Tanner said.

Rev Tanner also began training in September. In April, he said he was riding 20 to 25 miles a day, and hopes to increase that to 40 before the trip.

He had a checkup by his physician in January, and received a thumbs up. “He said there is no reason I can’t do it,” Rev Tanner said. In fact, his doctor, while advocating for about 50 miles a day, was “surprised and impressed” by the hours per day Rev Tanner rode five years ago.

“I know my limitations,” Rev Tanner said, noting if he is tired he does not ride as many hours that day.

Because his wife is not traveling with him this year, he will be in contact with her through a donation of a cell phone the two men received from Sprint.

Rev Tanner said he is appreciative of the community’s response in any way, noting, “I covet their prayers.”

Donations for Rev Tanner’s bike ride can be sent to Newtown Christian Church, 210 Sugar Street, Newtown, CT 06810, designating one or all of the projects, All God’s Children Inc, new church plants, or Newtown Christian Church.

All God’s Children is a special ministry founded by missionaries Jim and Denise Hayes who Rev Tanner and his daughter Tammy met in 1997 while working at a Christian camp in the Catskill Mountains in New York. Mr and Mrs Hayes, who lived for six years in Zimbabwe, saw a need for a special ministry with the orphans created by the epidemic of AIDS.

In 1996, the Hayes founded all God’s Children to promote and develop the Lucy Pruett Memorial Children’s Home and AIDS Care Unit.

Rev Tanner’s church is committed to helping plant new churches in New England, and contributions for this project would help make this possible. The ride is a way to recruit partners for the Boston project.

The Newtown Christian Church has been in Newtown since 1965, when it met in the town hall. The present church was built in the fall of 1967.

Rev Tanner has been the pastor of Newtown Christian Church since 1980.