Date: Fri 11-Jun-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: JAN

Quick Words:

Jack-Tanner-bicycle-birthday

Full Text:

A 50th Birthday Journey Home

(with photo)

BY JAN HOWARD

The Rev Jack Tanner, pastor of Newtown Christian Church on Sugar Street,

observed his 50th birthday on June 1, but he wasn't content to just have a

typical birthday celebration.

He wanted to do something more, to make the most of this milestone in his

life. He decided to challenge himself and by doing so to challenge others to

help him celebrate by contributing to three projects.

On June 16, Rev Tanner will begin a 900-mile bike ride from his home in

Newtown to his home town of Rolling Prairie, Ind. to celebrate his birthday

and raise money for three of his favorite causes: All God's Children Inc, a

mission to support children orphaned because of AIDS; new church planting in

New England, specifically in Connecticut; and the work and ministry of Newtown

Christian Church.

He waited to begin his ride to his home town so he could see his daughter,

Janet, complete her lacrosse season and attend his son Jamie's graduation from

Newtown High.

In December, he wrote some friends about his intention to ride to his home

town. "A couple of years ago I was impressed with the fact that Mike Trout,

co-host of Focus on the Family radio show, rode his bike across the country to

celebrate his 50th birthday," he wrote. "I am not quite that ambitious."

In early March, he sent another 200 to 250 letters to friends, acquaintances,

and other churches, telling of his ride and challenging them to financially

support his bicycle ride to Indiana.

As of June 4, he has raised $4,500 for his projects. "I'm very pleased," he

said this week.

His goal is to try to ride the 900 miles in celebration of his 50th birthday

in a total riding time of 50 hours. "My goal is to set aside eight hours to

ride, stopping for lunch and breaks of five to ten minutes every hour," he

said. He intends to spend five hours a day riding, averaging about 16 miles an

hour. He said he hopes to start by 8 am each day, but will start earlier if it

is going to be hot.

"I'm shooting for 50 miles a day," he said. His first goal is the

Poughkeepsie, N.Y. area.

He mapped out his straight east-west route on the computer, he said, noting a

good part of his ride is on Route 6.

His children will follow him in the car for a couple of days and will then

come back to Newtown, he said. His wife will follow him the rest of the way to

Indiana where he will rack the bike and return to Newtown in the car.

"I hope to be there by July third or fourth, then head back home," he noted.

He said he and his wife will be camping out or staying with friends along the

way. All of the gear will be packed in the car.

"I'm traveling as light as I can," Rev Tanner said. He will carry his

hydration pack, some spare parts for the bike, and a cell phone.

Though he has never done anything like this before, Rev Tanner began training

for his 900-mile bike ride last summer, beginning by lifting weights.

At the beginning of August, he started riding a stationary bike, and then

purchased a stand to convert the bike he will ride to Indiana into a

stationary bike. Starting about Christmas, he rode the equivalent of 20 miles

a day until March, when he began riding outdoors.

"I'm not a bicyclist, and our roads are narrow and curvy. I was afraid to ride

on the road because I never had ridden here," he said.

Now he is riding up to 15 miles a day and wants to try to get up to 35 or 40.

"I'm learning where all the hills are," Rev Tanner said. "I rode over to the

high school. The first time I went up Mile Hill Road, I had to get off the

bike twice. You just have to take your time."

Rev Tanner has had a complete physical checkup and received a thumbs up from

his doctor, who said everything is fine, though averaging 16 miles an hour may

be pushing it a little bit. Rev Tanner said it may be more like eight to ten

miles an hour.

"It will be something different," he said of his birthday celebration bike

ride.

All God's Children, Rev Tanner's favorite project, 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, with their three children, James, Jamie, and Jenilu, had

lived for six years in Zimbabwe, serving with Hasten International. They saw a

need for a special ministry with the orphans created by the epidemic of AIDS.

After consultation with officials, the government gave 25 acres of land for

the purpose of building a children's home and an AIDS care unit for children

who are HIV positive.

In 1996, the Hayes founded All God's Children to promote and develop the Lucy

Pruett Memorial Children's Home and AIDS Care Unit. An advisory board has been

formed to help with fund raising.

The project will provide for a home for 88 children and an AIDS care unit with

housing for 20 children. Cost of the project is estimated to be about

$200,000. As of February, only $20,000 had been raised.

"I hope next summer to help with construction of the AIDS care unit," Rev

Tanner said. "They have started the hospital part of it." He said 172 people

die every day in Zimbabwe from AIDS.

Rev Tanner noted in his letter to his friends that North America is the only

continent where Christianity is not growing and that there is a need for new

churches in all of New England and specifically Connecticut. His church is

committed to helping plant new churches in New England but would like to be

able to do more, he wrote, and contributions for this project would make this

possible.

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. According to

Rev Tanner, there have been several improvements on the property and

facilities through the years but further improvements are needed.

Rev Tanner said he would like to add a new staff person, add on to the

building, make improvements to the property, and add new lighting and a sound

system to the sanctuary.

Checks should be made out to Newtown Christian Church, designating one or all

of the projects, All God's Children Inc, new church plants, or Newtown

Christian Church.

Rev Tanner and his wife, Penny, have lived in Newtown for 16 years. Their

daughter Tammy lives in Colorado, Jamie is graduating this year, and Janet is

a junior at Newtown High School.

He has been the pastor of Newtown Christian Church since 1980. Prior to this,

he was the youth minister in La Porte, Ind. for eight years. Alan Richardson,

the church's youth pastor, will fill in while Rev Tanner is away.