Meaningful

David Hyers probably would say he was not much different than a lot of other teenagers in 1953. He had his interests and his talents.

Some have mechanical intuitions; some are natural athletes. Others are more musically inclined.

That was David Hyers.

Growing up in Cincinnati the son of a Baptist pastor, the church was full of music. David loved music.

“God gave me an ear for music,” he said, “and my parents gave me piano lessons.”

Some of those lessons were taught by Frederick Wilhelm von Kappelhoff – the father of Hollywood icon Doris Day (born Doris Mary Anne von Kappelhoff).

David says he was a quiet child. Actually, he describes himself as “very timid and bashful for most of my childhood and youth.”

His inspiration was his older brother, a student at a Christian university – not Carson-Newman. From his first year in high school, David was determined to follow his brother’s footsteps. If everything worked out, David and his brother would enjoy one year, David’s first and his brother’s senior term, on campus together.

But our plans are not always God’s plans. The summer of 1953, just a few weeks before the brothers were to head to school, things changed. David’s older brother felt, with just one year left, it was time to go somewhere else. There was not much time, and they had no idea what the next steps were. So they prayed.

Remember, these were days long before the internet where information was only a few keystrokes and search words away. In the end, he experienced a turn of events not unlike hundreds if not thousands of other fellow alums. Their new home found them as much as they found it.

“We prayed and looked at some Southern Baptist schools,” David said. “And even though we knew no one who went there, we decided to go to Carson-Newman. All we knew was our dad knew another pastor in Cincinnati who had gone there. God will do anything to get us where He wants us.”

Upon arriving at Mossy Creek, David found himself in the same situation as many students; he had no idea in what area he wanted to major. But, David said, God was at work laying the steps on the path even though he did not realize it.

One of the very early stepping stones was laid the first week of his freshman year – at orientation. A group was singing and another student standing beside David commented that he had a good voice and suggested he try out for the Carson-Newman Chorus, which he did.  Next, he was chosen to serve as the pianist for the Columbian Literary Society and to play for student groups traveling to churches and schools to promote C-N. He joined the Baptist Student Union Choir, and he and his brother started a musical trio that stayed busy the whole school session. … And that was just his freshman year.

His sophomore year he made the leap to try out for Charles “Fessor” Jones’ and the A Capella Choir. David said he barely made it in, but he did. He also joined the school’s “Definite Service Band” organized around 30 years earlier for students committed to ministry and foreign missions.

For years David had enjoyed music, loved it actually. And after two years of joining nearly every group he could, and starting one of his own, along with some encouragement from Bible and Greek professor L. Dan Taylor, God had made it clear, music was not just a hobby for David, it was his calling.

David said it was clear. Already having used terms such as quiet, timid and bashful, he goes further and adds introverted. His only choir experience prior to coming to Mossy Creek was a Saturday afternoon Youth for Christ choir and the one at church – both focused mainly on hymns. The choir at David’s high school included about one-third of the student body – too many for the introvert.

“God had some catching up to do,” David said. “And He could not have done more. Every year I gained more extra-curricular music opportunities.”

Not just opportunities in music, but life as well. There is a lot that follows, as David states “Now look how God works.’ There are lots of dots to connect. But it all comes full circle.

Early his junior year, David believed he needed some experience directing choirs and tried out at three area churches, one for three weeks. None called. As the semester neared the Christmas break, his advisor told David he had heard from the pastor of one of the churches and said he would have been called if he had sung a solo. He tucked away that nugget of information.

Another opportunity. Another tryout. This time, at a church in Johnson City. He sang this time and, wouldn’t you know it, the church called David.

He drove from one J City to the other – pre-Interstate 81 – each week. A Carson-Newman student, a senior, was a member of the Johnson City church. Her fiancée was at seminary so she caught a ride home every weekend with David. Her dad even provided a place for David to stay.

They became friends. To the point, years later, when David graduated from seminary, he heard from one church. Only one. How did they get his name? From the senior’s former fiancée, now husband, Joe Stacker, Carson-Newman class of ’54.

Three years into his service at that first church, David noticed a young lady. From Bessemer, Alabama, she was in town visiting cousins. This year they celebrate their 62^nd anniversary.

God is good isn’t He? There is more, of course. Much more. David has example after another after another of God’s handiwork in his life and career that occurred because of his experience at Carson-Newman – a school he was not originally going to attend; a school where this quiet, timid, bashful introvert was voted most popular his senior year of 1957.

The summer working with troubled youth in Crossville, Tennessee – which he calls three of the most rewarding months of his life. The various churches in which he had opportunities to serve. Being called to First Baptist Concord in Knoxville – again recommended by Joe Stacker — where he spent 30-plus years in ministry.

All of it important. All of it meaningful. All of it grown from a foundation formed at Mossy Creek.

“How awesome is God?” David asked.

Unbelievably awesome we believe.