Memories of John Lennon

When I heard about John Lennon's death...

I was surrounded by fellow college students at a Christmas-themed gathering in the Student Center of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale Illinois in 1980. The event was organized by the local chapter of Campus Crusade for Christ but it was an excuse for any interested students from a variety of groups to socialize and enjoy the holiday spirit.

From my sketchbook, a drawing I made of Lennon just a few years after his death.
© O. Douglas Jennings. All rights reserved.

Early on, a student arrived who I recognized as being in a couple of my classes. Tall, slim and outgoing, I had not realized he was member of any Christian group on campus. But he got everone's attention to say he had heard that John Lennon had be shot and killed in New York.

The crowd's initial shocked silence gave way to murmurs of disbelief and grief. The student who had broken the news, and whom (I'm embarrassed to admit) I thought was enjoying being the center of attention, led us all in singing Lennon's song "Imagine".  I seem to remember that we sang "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" as well.

It is a good one, for sure.
🎶✨🌟Happy Xmas (War Is Over) https://t.co/5421Qchv13 via @YouTube

— O. Douglas Jennings (@odouglasj) December 26, 2020

The gathering went on after that. I have flashes of visual memories of the room and my fellow students from that evening. John Lennon was not a particularly popular figure among many Christian groups at the time since he had flippantly remarked that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus at some point. And he expressed sympathy for socialist ideas, according to what I had been told. So that our Christian group was led to sing songs in his honor at his passing has always stuck in my mind.

I don't remember the student's name who led the Lennon songs. Nor do I ever remember seeing him at other gatherings after that.