Source: Henry S. Dziekan III / Getty Images
Pastors Rudy and Juanita Rasmus of St. John’s Downtown are known for their love of Houston and for embracing the community. So it was fitting the spiritual duo recently celebrated their birthdays (his 60th on June 9, her 55th on June 19) with an evening block party and sneaker jam and invited the public.
Some 250 guests filled the church gym and nearby street wearing their sneaker best. Even Mayor Sylvester Turnersported his own tan canvas slip ons. The Rasmuses – she in grey-sequined Converse sneakers and he in gray-striped ones – welcomed guests, enjoyed the food-truck fare and danced the night away to live music, including the sounds of famed jazz trumpeter Tom Browne, known for his 1980s hit, “Funkin’ for Jamaica.”
In addition to co-pastoring the church, which has grown to more than 9,000 members, the Rasmuses founded and continue to operate the nonprofit corporation, the Bread of Life, Inc., which provides an array of services to homeless men and women daily in the Bread of Life facility on the St. John’s campus.
St. John’s is also the home church of Kelly Rowland, and Beyoncé and Tina Knowles and includes the Knowles-Rowland Center for Youth and the Knowles-Temenos Place Apartments.
In 2014, Rudy Rasmus penned the book, “”Love. Period. When All Else Fails.” The Chronicle profiled him at the time. Click here to read the story.
Source: Chron/Joy Sewing
PASTORS THROW A BLOCK PARTY was originally published on praisecleveland.com
