Christian Family Day at New

Stadium Scheduled for July 15

By Angela Boen

With a brand new stadium and the promise of the Cardinals winning a trip to the 2006 World Series, this year’s Christian Family Day will be a big hit! CFD is celebrating its 16th year as one of the Cardinal’s biggest ticket draws. This year’s event is on July 15th against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Game time is scheduled for 12:15 p.m.

This year’s main speaker is Heisman Trophy winner and Former NFL quarterback Danny Wuerffel. Wuerffel tells a powerful story as his family fled for their lives as Hurricane Katrina destroyed their home and belongings. Wuerffel has had many successes in life as he played football for the University of Florida Gators and later going on to win the Heisman trophy award along with a college football championship. He was drafted in the fourth round by the New Orlean Saints and was at the peak of his career when he gave it up to start an inner-city ministry in New Orleans. Wuerffel and his wife Jessica began Desire Street Ministries, an outreach to kids that needed a safe place to call home. Their mission is to transform their neighborhood through spiritual and community development. Before Hurricane Katrina, Desire Street Ministries was the second largest housing project in the country. The couple has begun rebuilding their lives and their ministry, and Wuerffel tells a story of hope and encouragement.

Along with powerful testimonies from Cardinal superstar, Albert Pujols and his Christian teammates like Braden Looper and So Taguchi, lives will be changed as CFD brings in 3000 underprivileged kids through sponsored donations. The kids along with volunteers will meet at Kauffman Park before the game for a free lunch, clowns, blow-up games, and puppets. The kids will be treated to CFD’s biggest hit, the Cardinal baseball testimony cards. Many have come to Christ and have strengthened their walk with Christ as the baseball cards have been shared around the city of St. Louis and around the world to as far as Africa.

This year’s musical guest will be the Joel Engle band. Engle’s band currently has two number one hits on the Christian contemporary hit list, In the Shadow of the Cross and Louder Than the Angels. His life story is one of redemption and loss as his father left him as an infant. His mother then died when Engle was a young teen and he was later left homeless when his grandfather passed away and his aging grandmother was unable to care for him. He became a ward of the state and later gave his life to Christ when his foster family shared with him. Engle’s anthem song The Father I Never Had is a powerful ballad about the relationship he developed with his Heavenly Father when his earthly father abandoned him.

Calling the plays at this year’s CFD Wayne Hagin who will serve as the master of ceremonies. Hagin, formerly of KMOX, is also the new face of the WB11. Wayne will be working along side this year’s honorary chairman, Ricky Horton, who is Wayne’s new broadcasting partner and the director of Fellowship of Christian Athletes of Greater St. Louis.

This year’s CFD will be swinging for the fences. So make sure your family and church are in attendance for the first CFD in the new Busch Stadium. This new beginning will have a lasting impact on eternity. To purchase tickets go on line to christianfamilyday.com or call (636) 227-9788.

Angela Boen is a free lance writer from St. Louis, MO and can be reached at Carrottcake11@aol.com