By JONATHAN SNYDER
Mayor John Whicker held his annual prayer breakfast Thursday morning in a nearly full capacity Wells County Commerce and Visitors Centre.
After breakfast was served and guests were seated and talking with others, Whicker called up Tony Garton to give the speech for the event.
Garton served as a physical education, health and driver education teacher for 33 years. His “Buckets For Santa” charity fundraiser has raised “untold” thousands of dollars for families in need for over 50 years. He was inducted into the Bluffton High School Hall of Fame in 1998 and was named Wells County Citizen of the Year in 2015.
Garton’s enthusiasm for speech was prevalent as he constantly engaged with the public throughout. Garton invited Wells County Sheriff Scott Holliday and Family Ford Vice President Todd Reimschisel up for a demonstration on where people’s eyes should be looking.
Reimschisel was given a broom and told to balance it on his hand while looking at the handle. He struggled and the broom fell nearly instantly. Holliday was given the same broom and told to look up at the bristles. Holliday kept the broom balanced for a longer period of time with that technique. Garton performed the experiment to say that people’s eyes should constantly be looking up towards Christ.
Garton went on to talk about some expectations that we often associate with prayer. Garton stressed that prayer does not have to be eloquent or in a church context only, but rather can be done anywhere, anytime without any expectations.
“You don’t have to be in a church,” Garton said. “I did a lot of praying on my bike. I do a lot of praying on my lawnmower.”
Garton also noted that while prayer can be focused on things one has done in the past, prayer mainly helps out one’s future. He further stated that people’s worth in Christ is found right at birth and that Jesus’ life and death ultimately gave people that worth.
“When you and I were both born, God said, ‘You have value,’” Garton said. “The worth ultimately came when he sent Jesus here to be with us on this earth.”
Garton also challenged the public to pray about their salvation. He stated that ultimately it’s up to God and ourselves as to whether or not we go to heaven.
“There’s only one person that knows whether you’re going to heaven or not. And that’s you.” Garton said.
The Rev. Terry Epling of First Presbyterian Church gave the invocation for the proceedings. After Garton finished his speech, Whicker thanked the staff, Garton and his assistant Brenda Jackson for their role in making the prayer breakfast possible. Whicker also showed his gratitude for Garton’s ability to speak from his heart.
jonathan@news-banner.com
