Graham returning to Los Angeles for crusade

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Returning to where he first attracted national attention, Evangelist Billy Graham will hold his seventh crusade in the Los Angeles area July 29–Aug. 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

Nostalgically, Cliff Barrows read a letter of acceptance from Graham during an “Announcement Celebration” Feb. 9 in the Henrietta Mears room of First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood. Barrows pointed to a photo of Graham and Mears, director of religious education at the church years ago, above a fireplace in the room. Mears had opened her home for prayer, encouragement and personal invitations to many actors during that first crusade in 1949 in Los Angeles.

“Billy loves Los Angeles,” Barrows told Baptist Press. “His desire before his time is over is to hold a crusade on the West Coast and one on the East Coast.” On Jan. 8, Barrows announced Graham’s first 2004 crusade will be held at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium in June.

Graham was released Feb. 1 from the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., where he was recovering from a partial hip replacement. He will undergo outpatient therapy for several weeks after which doctors expect a full recovery, said Larry Ross, Graham’s media director.