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Chancellor Roberts


titansforever

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I had the honor of meeting Chancellor Roberts on a couple of occasions due to my involvement in the Student Association. One time, a group of us were asked to join him for lunch after chapel. We dined with him in his private dining room at the top of the Grad Center in the LRC. It was like eating with a head of state. The salad plates were set down and no one reached for their fork until he did.

Desert was simply a cookie. Oral was in the middle of one of the many fascinating stories he told us that day. It might have been the one about the African chieftain he met while on crusade there. The chieftain shared with Oral that he had no heir as he and his wife had not been able to conceive. Oral prayed for the queen and laid hands on her. Within the year she gave birth to a son. So Oral is starting this story as the desert plates are laid out. He breaks off a piece of cookie and holds it in his hand waiving it in the air while he tells this story. No one dares to pick up their cookie until Oral finally puts that bite in his mouth. We didn't wait out of fear but respect.

He was a gracious host that day and made all of us feel welcomed into his dining room that day. On every occasion that I meet with him he made me feel special.

I truly believe in my heart that Oral Roberts did not join his darling wife Evelyn in heaven until this day because the Lord wanted him to see the beginning of this chapter in the life of the university he was instructed to found. I know from a friend that met with him since the Green family began their involvement what a blessing it was for him to witness this era. As this great university continues to grow and achieve he will continue to see it just from a much better angle.

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Louisville will have a moment of silence before tip off tomorrow to honor Oral Roberts.

Found this out a few hours after the news of his passing.

God bless Oral Roberts.

Have a good night.

That's incredible...

After spending the majority of today reading other people's stories about how O.Rob affected them, I find myself incredibly humbled and honored to be alumnus of this university. My prayers are with and for the entire ORU family tonight.

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Never got to meet Dr. Roberts, but always had utmost respect and admiration for the man of God that he was. He inspired us all.

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My first year at ORU 1979, a wingmate, Tommy Palmer, wrote this song to the tune of the Wizard of Oz. We sang it one Sunday night at vespers in the cafeteria. I can remember every word. It's real easy to sing along with. It goes like this...

We love you President Roberts,

We love you Evelyn, too.

We appreciate and think you're great

We're proud of O-R-U!

It doesn't matter what anyone thinks

From New York City to dear old Jenks

We know, we know, we know, we know

What's true!

Something good will happen to you!!

We love you President Roberts

And Expect a Miracle, too!

I remember President Roberts was there that night at vespers and had a big smile on his face after about 10 of us sang the song. Got a picture with him that night, too , with my Polaroid camera--you know, the one with the instant picture that would come out the front. I have the picture here in my office and got him to sign it in 2005.

Precious memories! How they linger!

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Eagleman's and Otis's stories of Oral pretty much sum it up and are in line with my experiences with Oral.

The man was GENUINE and had a way of making YOU feel better. Talking to Oral was like talking to an old friend.

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I'm organizing an "Unofficial Official Wear ORU Gear" Day via Facebook for all alumni, students, as well as anyone affected or affiliated with the university/Oral's life work this Friday. If you'd like, please remember to wear an ORU hat or shirt this Friday wherever you may be in remembrance of his impact on all our lives and so many others.

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We have so much to thank him for. His vision. His message. His university. His love for basketball. For me, his love for theology and the Spirit filled life. His ability to raise money for all these visions. Most most of all, i am the daily recipient of the blessing of knowing so many people that were shaped by him and ORU. These are the best, most committed people i know. And they all came from ORU. The church i serve in came from students who believed in Oral's vision. He will always sit in a place of honor.

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I will be moving this thread later today to the Free for All board so that it is not lost in the shuffle of basketball related topics in the coming days/weeks.

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Are you saying to post pics on our profiles wearing ORU gear?

Well Larry you're certainly welcome to :) however I just though it'd be neat in an act of solidarity by students and alumni to all represent the university on Friday in honor of Oral.

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President Roberts watching a basketball game from the sidelines at Mabee.

oralrobertsfan.jpg

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President Roberts watching a basketball game from the sidelines at Mabee.

oralrobertsfan.jpg

Wow, is that the same scoreboard that is still there?

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To the Oral Roberts University Family:

The memorial service for Chancellor Oral Roberts will be at 2 p.m. on Monday, December 21 at the ORU Mabee Center. All university offices will be closed for the service and university employees are asked to attend. We will also have a tribute at ORU when the students arrive back on campus next semester.

Your Servant at ORU,

Mark Rutland, Ph.D.

President

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How Oral loved ORU basketball when the Titans were really good back in the 70's under Ken Trickey....he always sat in a center section with Evelyn and would stand up and raise his hand towards us should any booing ever break out in the student section....TheEagleman vividly recalls us playing a huge game vs. SW Louisiana Ragin Cajuns (now LA-Lafayette) in a Saturday afternoon nationally televised game at Mabee Center...both teams were ranked in the Top 20 and the game featured two of the top 5 scorers in the nation in Bo Lamar and our Richard Fuqua....for some reason, Oral decided to sit in a chair at the end of the arena right in front of our student section....Mabee Center was loud and it was packed....midway thru the first half, a skermish broke out under the basket right on our end and their center and Eddie Woods started throwing elbows and punches at each other.....Oral, who was pretty tall about 6-3 or so and no one to be messed with sprang from his seat and ran onto the court to help break up the brawl with the officials....the crowd went nuts....it was a classic OR moment...I wrote about it in the Oracle the following week and suggested that perhaps Oral should challange Joe Frazier or George Forman to a 10 round bout....I was told that Oral got a chuckle out of that and I reminded him of it the day we chatted about a year later....what a man he was...had a big heart and loved God and the students....his messages always touched my heart...I grew a lot as a Christian in my 4 yrs at ORU.... :)

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