Gordon Anderson made his first appearance at Broadway not in a suit and tie, but wrapped in a blanket in his mother’s arms. The years was 1928 and he was only a few weeks old. Fast forward 92 years, and Gordon Anderson is still a member of Broadway Church of Christ. Gordon’s first memories of the church are from its former location at Broadway and Avenue N. It is at that location where Gordon was baptized at age 13 in 1941. However, the baptism didn’t go exactly as planned. Gordon and a friend both wanted to be baptized one Wednesday evening, but it was discovered that the thermostat on the baptistry had malfunctioned and the water was way too hot! So, the two young men had to wait a day for the water to cool off and they ended up being baptized on Thursday.

The first Broadway pulpit minister Gordon can remember was John T. Smith, who he recalls was a very soft spoken man in a time before microphones. Smith served his second stint at Broadway from 1929-1938. He was followed by G.C. Brewer, who Gordon recalls working with during Vacation Bible Schools. During Gordon’s high school years, the teens gathered on Sunday evenings in an annex constructed on the west side of the main building.

Gordon was part of the early years of the Bible Chair (aka Campus Advance, Christ In Action) as he was an active part of Broadway’s college group during the years he attended Texas Tech. Longtime Broadway associate minister Horace Coffman played some very big roles in Gordon’s life following college graduation. Horace introduced Gordon to a Broadway secretary, Jean Ousley, and that introduction led to the lovely wedding of Gordon and Jean in the Broadway chapel in 1954. Horace also took advantage of Gordon’s vocal talents and asked him to be part of the wedding chorus and sing for funerals. Gordon regularly led singing for Durwood Sanders’ Bible class.

Gordon served as a deacon at Broadway and he and Jean raised their two children in this church family. Sadly, Jean was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and Gordon stepped away from his position as deacon to care for Jean. After Jean’s passing in 1977, Gordon continued to be a faithful member of this church. God blessed him again when he began a relationship with fellow Broadway member, Bula Moudy, whom he later married. Gordon and Bula were married for 40 years before her recent passing, and as a couple they were steadfast in their love and service to Broadway. They were members of Classic 9 Bible Class and were active with the Young at Heart (aka Sunshiners) group.