1961 John F. Kennedy takes over as President
1961 The Beatles perform for the first time at the Cavern Club
1961 The Bay of Pigs Invasion of Cuba
1961 President Kennedy announces Apollo to put a man on the moon
1961 The Six Flags Over Texas theme park opens
1961 Roger Maris hits 61st home run in the last game of the season
1961 Hymn, Heaven Came Down and Glory Filled My Soul, was written.

In my first church, Oakdale Church of the Nazarene 1985 – 1990, we would have an evening service on Sunday with testimony time. People would stand in between songs and tell about what God is doing in their lives. I remember one gentleman by the name of Lloyd Moore, that stood up and in a gruff voice, like Jimmy Durante’s voice, said, “I’ve got heartburn! Heartburn for Jesus”, then he sat back down. I am sure there were many wonderful testimonies given during those services but the “Heartburn testimony” is the only one I remember. Heartburn for Jesus! I can still hear him.
In 1961, songwriter John Peterson was leading a service much like I just described. In that service a gentleman stood to express how he felt the night that he accepted Jesus. He said he felt like, “Heaven came down and glory filled my soul”. John could not get those words out of his head. He decided to use this testimony as a theme for a song. In one week he was able to write the tune and the lyrics to our Foundation Hymn for Sunday January 20, 2013.
Do you remember the day you turned your life over to Jesus? For me it was August 19, 1974. I was in Jr. High. I got a ride to Monte Vista Chapel with my friend’s mom, Judy Fiorini. I went because there was this really cute girl named Robin that I had a crush on. (She is now my wife) After Sunday School Jerry Balswick (Balswick Tire) took me aside and asked me, “Morri, if you died tonight do you think you would go to heaven?” I decided that day that I wanted to spend eternity in Heaven. Jerry led me in a payer and I received Jesus as my Savior!
The hymn writer John Peterson wrote this hymn of testimony about receiving Christ as personal Savior. As we sing it think of the day Christ came into your heart.
Verse 1
O what a wonderful wonderful day
Day I will never forget
After I’d wandered in darkness away
Jesus my Savior I met
O what a tender compassionate friend
He met the need of my heart
Shadows dispelling with joy I am telling
He made all the darkness depart

Chorus
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul
When at the cross the Savior made me whole
My sins were washed away
And my night was turned to day
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul
John W. Peterson
© 1961 John W. Peterson Music Company