Jim Garlow’s younger twin brothers, Bob and Bill, began singing in four part harmony, with their first cousin, Don Garlow, and the pastor’s son, Daniel Seitz, when they were nine years of age. The tiny country church – Morgan Chapel, near Ames, Kansas –  wanted a quartet, but was having trouble finding four men who were able or willing to form a quartet, so they dropped down to these children to find a willing foursome. They were then asked to sing in a church six miles away, in Clyde, Kansas.
 
Big brother Jim traveled with them most of the time as emcee and guitarist. Cousin Janet Garlow (later Holsing), when schedule permitted, was the pianist. Other time, big sister Judy Garlow (later Everett, Wade) accompanied them on the piano. When he could, brother in law Dick Everett accompanied them on bass guitar.
 
Little did they know that that would open doors for ministry. Over the next eight and a half years, AstroNotes performed 500 concerts in 9 states, mainly in the Midwest, but also on the East Coast. This album was recorded in 1972. The touring ended with the death of Bob Garlow in a plane crash on April 20, 1974.
 
We hope these songs from 50 years ago will be a spiritual blessing to you.

In 1967, as a college junior, Jim Garlow, first tenor, formed a gospel quartet called The Sonics, with second tenor Steve Cummings, baritone Gary Sawyer, bass Jim Fookes, and guitarist Travis Hutchison. All were students at the time at Miltonvale Wesleyan College in Kansas (now relocated, and known as Oklahoma Wesleyan University). All were majoring in pastoral ministry. All became pastors, and remained so throughout their adulthood. Almost six decades later, all remain good friends, though geographically scattered: Jim G. (California), Steve (Colorado) Gary (New York) Jim F (Iowa) and Travis (Texas).
 
Jim used to say, “We probably weren’t great musically, but somehow, God really did bless us. We saw God move, drawing people to him, in services when we sang. He chose to somehow use us.” May these old classic songs bless you.

Perhaps you are too young to know what a 45 album is. If so, here is picture of one. In 1970, Jim, while working on his masters degree at Bethany Nazarene College (renamed Southern Nazarene University) in Bethany, Oklahoma (Oklahoma City area), recorded a 45 album with two songs: The Man, and Psalm 19. On the flipside was a short sermon titled, “The Football Game of Life,” which told the story of Roy Reigels, who played center on the University of California, Berkeley football team. At the 1929 Rose Bowl game, he picked up a fumbled ball, became disoriented, and ran 67 yards in the wrong direct, cause his team to lose the game. In this short sermon, Garlow makes the case that Roy Reigel’s blunder is of little significance, in contrast with people going the wrong way in life. 

On April 20, 1974, three college freshmen at Mid America Nazarene College (now University) in Olathe, Kansas, died in a plane crash near White City, Kansas, while returning from a concert in Sublette, Kansas: Bob Garlow, 19, Bob’s first cousin Rick Crouch, 20 and Bob’s college roommate, Dave McKenzie, 19. These three were passionate about the Lord, full of life, highly energetic and fun.
 
In the weeks after the deaths, Bob’s older brother Jim Garlow, gathered small cassette recordings from persons who had been in the audience the various places they had performed. There were no professional recordings available. In addition, numerous pictures were collected from many sources, which were used in the foldout album. These picture show times these young men were with well known composers such as Bill Gaither and Andre Crouch.
 
A student named Ray did a pencil sketch of Bob with Jesus’ arm around him, as well as a pencil sketch of all three boys. The three collegians were part of a much larger choir called “Young and Free.” When someone dies at ages 19 or 20, they are remembered at that age forever, as they never age. Thus the title was used, “Eternally Young and Free.”
 
The design of the album jacket was done in a way to show the release of the earthly body (actual photographs) to the heavenly, vague appearance (pencil sketches) of the young men.

In 1978, Jim Garlow launched a seminar called L.I.T.E. (Lay Institute to Equip), designed to equip laypersons for their ministry. “Ministry” is not reserved for pastors. All followers of Jesus, if they are understand themselves properly, are called to bona fide “ministry.” The following year, Jim completed his doctoral dissertation for his Ph.D. on historical theology at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey, on how John Wesley equipped the “lay preachers” in the 1700s in England.  
 
Garlow noticed a pattern. Wesley understood that the laity were (1) called to ministry, (2) gifted for ministry, (3) to be trained for ministry, and (4) sent into ministry. In 1980, Garlow wrote the book Partners in Ministry, based on these four concept. He later did two videos, Partners in Ministry and All God’s People on these concepts.
 
In 1981, Garlow wrote a 12 song musical on the topic, once again based on the four concepts listed above. Actually, it should be said that Myra Schubert helped write it, as she was the one who took Jim’s very raw and rough cassette tape recordings and sketchy notes and arranged all the songs. They were first performed by a select group of voices at the Lay Ministry Congress at Bethany First Church of the Nazarene, Bethany, Oklahoma and then at the Crystal Cathedral, founded and pastored by Robert Schuler, in Garden Grove, California, as part of a major lay ministry training event there.
 
Although written more than forty years ago, it is hoped that these songs will motivate persons to understand that they if they are a follower of Jesus, they are “called into ministry,” regardless of their occupation.
 
The record album comes with a full musical score.