Dennis Lee Durham

Dear Dennis – An open letter to my spiritual father, Dennis Durham

17 February 2025

Dear Dennis,

I hope this letter finds you well and also those whom you love. I have thought often about past events and considered writing this letter for a long time. But, as the poet noted, “way leads on to way,” and I never seemed to get around to writing. It’s always easier to do nothing, after all.

I want to thank you for the influence you had on my life and for your willingness to let God work through you to bring me into the Kingdom (and not only me, but my parents and brothers as well). I’m sure you are aware of that, and I will love you eternally as my spiritual father. When I came to know Christ, I was also deeply influenced by the Christian countercultural movement of the time. I know you were also a part of this due to your involvement in Youth For Christ, and you brought much of that into your youth ministry at St. James. My conversion experience and my exposure to the counterculture set me on a trajectory that lasted through my whole life and continues to this day.

I also want to convey to you just a little bit about the spiritual legacy God birthed through you, of which you probably are unaware. I know some about the consequent ministry that others (who were converted through your St. James ministry) carried out (most notably Allan and Susan), but I will share with you some of my journey.

As you may remember, when I was 17 years old, my plans for the future were to manage and own a franchise of Environment Control and to become wealthy along the lines of the philosophy of Robert Schuller. I did manage and partly own the company for several years. But God had a different plan for my path. Allan was at that time also working in Youth For Christ leading the Loch Raven Campus Life club that you established. Eventually, Allan and Susan moved to Columbia (Maryland) to establish and lead some CL clubs there. Bob Arnold took over the leadership of Loch Raven Campus Life (LRCL). I had been involved in the club while Allan led it and had formed many relationships with students my age and also volunteers. When Bob took over, I continued my involvement as a volunteer staff member. At some point, Franklyn stepped down and Bob took over as the MMYFC Executive Director. I, in turn, took over as the LRCL club leader.

During my time leading LRCL, I continued to develop a community of people (many of whom had become or were in the process of coming to Christ through the club) that had begun to coalesce under Allan’s, then Bob’s leadership. This group consisted of perhaps 50 or more people. Many of them served in LRCL as volunteer staff. Out of this community, many participants went on to lifelong ministry. Also, many marriages emerged. I can think of 20 or more marriages that resulted from that group, and all of them are part of the legacy that you set in motion.

Also during my time at LRCL, many students came to know Christ, and some of them also went on into ministry. For example, through the Johnny Cash Youth Special (1979), I met a student named Tom who started attending LRCL. Tom became a Christian (and his dramatic conversion led to the conversion of both of his parents and some of his siblings as well). I also had a (female) student named Stuart involved in the club. She, too, came to know Christ (and her conversion led to the conversion of her parents and her siblings as well. In fact, her younger brother currently works in the national YFC office). Eventually Tom and Stuart married. They stayed involved in MMYFC in various capacities. Eventually, Bob asked them to start a CL club at Perry Hall High School (where some of their children attended). They started the Perry Hall club, and again, much fruit resulted from this ministry. Stuart just recently retired from MMYFC after many years of service.

Let me share with you another story. Connell (Byrne) got involved in LRCL as a result of you visiting the school in search of students interested in helping out with Scream in the Dark. I met Connell at LRCL, and we developed a lifelong friendship. Eventually, a student named Carol came through the club. Both Connell and Carol became Christians, and later still, Connell and Carol married. Connell was an artist and stayed involved in MMYFC on an artistic level for his entire life (he passed away several years ago from cancer). Carol became the office manager for MMYFC and still to this day works there.

Mark Gornik was another student who came to club. He had been expelled from public school and was a student at Lutheran High School (a block away from LRHS). He became a Christian through LRCL and a part of the LRCL community I mentioned. Eventually, he went to college and seminary and was the founding pastor of New Song Church in Sandtown (West Baltimore). The entire church planting team at New Song consisted mostly of people who had come to Christ through LRCL. As a sidelight, eventually Mark Lange (a convert from St. James) became a leader also in New Song Church. Mark Gornik went on to get his PhD and start a ministry and seminary in Brooklyn (NY) that continues to this day.

Let me share briefly about my own family. I, too, married a girl I met through LRCL. We have 5 children. My oldest son attended JHU and got involved in InterVarsity there. He eventually became an IV staff leader there and married a girl who was also on staff. Later, he moved to west Philly to serve as a regional director for IV, overseeing the ministry on many college campuses in that area (such as Villanova). My oldest daughter got involved with MMYFC and also worked on staff. She met her husband through YFC. They now have 5 children of their own, so the story continues. My third child met her husband through the Perry Hall Campus Life ministry, and my youngest 2 children were both involved in that ministry as well.

Dennis, I could go on at length with many more similar stories about people who met Christ and entered the Kingdom, and all of these conversions are the fruit of your ministry. (As a side note, the Campus Life Club at Loch Raven continued until recently. Also, a middle school club grew out of LRCL at Pine Grove Middle School. This club lasted for many years. The Perry Hall club continues to this day.) I have not even shared with you about the fruit of the ministries I led at Ekklesia (a church plant), Faith Christian Fellowship (neighborhood and youth ministry), Hunt Valley Church, and my almost 20 years of teaching at Liberty Christian School (or the fruit from the YFC ministries birthed out of LRCL such as the Perry Hall club).

One day in heaven, many people are going to come up to you and thank you for the role you played in their spiritual journey. Like Abraham long ago, you have a rich spiritual legacy of literally thousands of people who are your spiritual children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and beyond (and these are just the ones I know about).

So again, my brother in Christ and spiritual father, I thank you and give glory to God for all that He has accomplished through you. Take care, and maybe we can catch up on some sunny day.

With eternal gratitude,

Gary

A select list of the some of the fruit of the LRCL ministry:

Susan and Allan Tibbels, their children, and grandchildren

Jeanne and Bob Arnold, their children and grandchildren

Lucia and Gary Tibbels, their children and grandchildren

Carol and Connell Byrne, and many of their family members

Jean and Bill Vencil, their children and grandchildren

Therese and Jim Wall, their children and grandchildren

Stuart and Tom Sweitzer, their children, and many of their family members

Betsy and Chip Pierce, and their children

Rita and Mark Gornik

Donna and Randy Martin, their children and grandchildren

Bev and Jim Gorman, their children and grandchildren

Laura and Gary Huber

Linda and Joe Goucher

Chambliss and Chris Muffoletto

Debbie and Tony Honig

Val and Chris Burn

Sarah (Gorman) and Paul Straw

Janet and Walt Hovatter

Theresa and Paul Roberts

Kelti and Dave Burch

Julie and Don Morris

Fran (Wall) and Mike Donafrio

Edie Bernier

Bill Byrne

John Byrne

Glenn Kunkel

Larry Kunkel

Ellen Goucher

Nancy Goucher

Craig Cole

Pat Schroeder

Carole Frazier

Claudia Harris (Gempp)

Rob Baker

Steve Waters

Dave Martel

Sue Brown

John Houseman

Bob Morgan

Mark Wah

Brian Brusio
His sister

Jim Burkhardt

Scott Burrier

Chris Catterton

Bernie Dvorak

Susan Gornik

Karen Gornik

Ellen Huber

Shelly LaClair

Paul Landefeld

Tom Mann
Brian
And other friend

Steve Fuschlager (sp?)

Cheryl Maternick

Terry Maxwell

Lynn Miller

John Muffoletto

Bob Vencil

Becky Wall

Shannon Considine

Jose Gonzales

Kevin Burn

Jim Wagner

Mike (Scott’s friend)

Len Nittinger

Gay Breckinridge

Brenda Gempp

Barb Nizer

Liz Bacon

Mary Kay Bacon

(If anybody knows of others or wants to turn themself in to add to the list, let me know.)

Dennis served the Lord his entire life, and I saw firsthand how much love he had for his coworkers and for every guest who visited the Creation Museum. He could appear strict at times, but it all came from his desire to teach others, young and old. Dennis was always recommending different books, videos, travel destinations, restaurants…Dennis knew a lot of stuff. He once let me borrow his old, fragile copies of C.S. Lewis’ “Space Trilogy” (and wouldn’t take “no” for an answer), and I enjoyed reading each book, but the real reward was getting to discuss them with Dennis. He leaves behind a great example for us to imitate.

Dennis was the first person I ever worked with at the Creation Museum Bookstore. He wisely guided me and taught be how to properly care for Legacy Hall and how to best organize it so the guests would be impressed. He was one of the hardest workers I’ve ever met and he did everything with a strong drive to serve his Heavenly Father. My heart aches as he was truly like another grandfather to me. But I’m overjoyed I will see him again in the coming life, praising and glorifying God with new bodies.

Dennis was a dear man gifted with many talents. He was an amazing photographer, a naturalist, an ornithologist, a Bible scholar, and most of all a dear friend and brother in Christ. He will be greatly missed. We know that he is now experiencing joy unspeakable and full of glory. We send much love to Debra, Nicole, and Christopher. Larry and Vicky Bohlman

Debra;
We will miss our conversations with Dennis. The knowledge he had was INCREDIBLE!!! He was an inspiration to me as I witnessed his joy in talking about you, the kids, his faith, and the Creation Museum. John and I feel VERY blessed to have know Dennis and spend time with him. Our hearts are sad for you Deb but know that Dennis was welcomed into heaven by Mom and those he loved that had gone before him. He is in his “GLORY” place talking to everyone! He will be missed by many. LOVE YOU DENNIS!!!!
John and Sherry Weber