Remembering Gene Anthony Ray

Shavar — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:55:00 +0000

This is weird. Started reminiscing about when I had my church again. What an interesting time in my life. I still love that little church I pastored. It was a fiery church. I was a fiery preacher. “La Iglesia Viva,” baby.

“The Alive Church.” It was my little congregation of about 50 in North Hollywood, California.

In the 4 years I pastored (1996-2000), we had a ton of people come THRU our church. Rich, poor, famous, the sick, the homeless, Latinos, Black folks, White folks, transvestites, a few witches, actors, actresses, models and singers, propheliers, you name it. A lot of people came to our church when they didn’t feel like going down to their home church in South L.A. to West Angeles, 1st A.M.E., Faithful Central or Pastor Clarence E. McClendon’s Church of the Harvest, lol. I memba one time I was like, “Who is this Pastor McClendon?” And one Sunday, after my little service, my deacon and I visited Church of the Harvest on West Adams Blvd. in L.A.

Man, it was huge. 8,000 members strong, drums playin’, Zildjian cymbals, full choir in full effect, and a big-time congregation on fire! To top it off, Pastor McClendon hadn’t even arrived yet. He was late and made a grand entrance. He bursted onto the pulpit and the people erupted! My deacon (a big, tall, 6’4″ Nigerian named Kingsley) looked at my 5’6″ frame. I looked at him. And I said, “We’re finished.” LOL!

My little church was cool, though. Non-religious and non-denominational. One thing I CAN tell you though, lol; it’s them SMALL churches that are the most anointed, if you know what I mean. I shouldn’t say “the most anointed.” I’m being biased, forgive me. Anyway, I would love to share more with you about all my crazy and fun times pastoring my church some time in the near future.

But cut to the chase.

I had this 1972 Ford 16 passenger van. A clunker that was donated to the church. Even though I had a few deacons, I loved picking up my own flock for church service. I really had no choice. I could’ve delegated lol, but a few of the “brothers” (deacons) didn’t have valid driver’s licenses at the time, lol.

I did it all in my church. I swept, cleaned, even moved upstairs from the church with my family to be closer to my members. I was serious about my church and my calling–”I wasn’t acting.” Ironically, and in hindsight, that little church was the very place where I lost the most of my money, a hundred thousand or so in residuals from my acting career, and the church’s offering all went to that little church. The rent and lights alone for the church was $3500 a month, and with only 20 or so faithful givers, after three and a half years–hard to stay afloat.

Yeah, I got burned out, man. I preached EVERY SINGLE SUNDAY FOR NEARLY FOUR YEARS STRAIGHT. Towards my last year, when I started getting sick from exhaustion, I tried to delegate some of my church duties to another young minister and then I eventually teamed up with an El Salvadorian Pastora by the name of Hermana Alicia in the final year–thus the name “La Iglesia Viva.” I overdid it big time. Trying to do everything for everybody. I would do anything to try and grow my congregation. You see, in Los Angeles, and in many church circles, having a BIG church meant you were “blessed and highly favored.” Of course, I realized later on, that this was not true. God loves the itty-bitty churches! The things I experienced with my Hispanic congregation–I would not trade for the world. However, I certainly believed at the time, that a BIG church meant you had the favor of God. Graduating after four years of Bible school (1992-1996) from one of the largest churches in the United States did not help my situation, lol. I will go to my grave without holding any grudges or regrets about the decision I made to spend 8 years of my life engulfed in ministry. In my heart I know I stored up many treasures in heaven. I have seen so many people’s lives changed because of that little church.

Anyway, my members were a “trip” sometimes but I still love’em, lol.

I’d be knocking on the door, ready to pick up a family and they would tell me to come back in 20 minutes ’cause they weren’t ready lol! I’d do my rounds and go all out my way pickin’ up folks, lol. Once I got the van halfway filled with people, I’d make it back to the church with nearly a full congregation (of about 41!) waiting for “The Pastor.” Yep, late again!

Well, one day, one of my members told me he was a good friend of Gene Anthony Ray (Leroy from the TV show Fame) and told me that Gene needed prayer and wanted to know if I could pick him up for Sunday service.

I was excited, got up extra early to pick up Gene’s friend and headed to Gene’s place. Gene used to live in an apartment building right smack on Hollywood Blvd.—not too far from Nina Simone’s old place.

The conversation with Gene and his friend on the way to the service was lively, lol. We talked about “the business” and reminisced about how great New York is. Cut to:

Testimony time in the church.

Gene got up and it was kinda sad, man. I remember noticing how frail he looked. He gave such a heartfelt testimony of his relationship with God. He told my little congregation of about 32 that day that he was sick and needed prayer. He asked me to pray for him so I lay hands on him and prayed the best I could for him.

He didn’t really get into the details of what he needed prayer for—all I know is that he passed away a couple of years later.

After church, on the way to dropping Gene off at home in that big ole’ 16 passenger van; it all seems way too surreal to me now.

It was a fun ride on the way back. Gene was funny. Gene had “jokes,” lol.

Gene Anthony Ray (May 24, 1962 – November 14, 2003)

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Remembering Gene Anthony Ray