Dr. Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993)preached at this church for 52 years. This statue of him by John M. Soderberg was placed here to celebrate his 100th birthday on May 31, 1998. It depicts him with his left hand in his pant pocket casually lifting his suit jacket. His right arm is outstretched with his index finger pointing as if he was in the act of giving a sermon. Interestingly, his career diminished seriously after he came out against the election of a Catholic, JFK, in 1960. Another bit of onteresting trivia...when Peale had come out against the election of Adlai Stevenson in 1952. Stevenson retorted with "I find Paul appealing and Peale appalling." source- (
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Besides being a minister, he was a prolific author...best known for his "Power of Positive Thinking". He coined the phrase, "When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade."
Wikipedia (
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"Some of Peale's booksThe Positive Power of Jesus Christ (1980) ISBN 0-8423-4875-1
Stay Alive All Your Life (1957)
...Guide to Confident Living, Ballantine Books; Reissue edition (September 1, 1996). ISBN 0-449-91192-6
Six Attitudes for Winners, Tyndale House Publishers; (May 1, 1990). ISBN 0-8423-5906-0
Positive Thinking Every Day : An Inspiration for Each Day of the Year, Fireside; (December 6, 1993). ISBN 0-671-86891-8
Positive Imaging, Ballantine Books; Reissue edition (September 1, 1996). ISBN 0-449-91164-0
You Can If You Think You Can, Fireside Books; (August 26, 1987). ISBN 0-671-76591-4
Thought Conditioners, Foundation for Christian; Reprint edition (December 1, 1989). ISBN 99910-38-92-2
In God We Trust: A Positive Faith for Troubled Times, Thomas Nelson Inc; Reprint edition (November 1, 1995). ISBN 0-7852-7675-0
Norman Vincent Peale's Treasury of Courage and Confidence, Doubleday; (June 1970). ISBN 0-385-07062-4
My Favorite Hymns and the Stories Behind Them, Harpercollins; 1st ed edition (September 1, 1994). ISBN 0-06-066463-0
The Power of Positive Thinking for Young People, Random House Children's Books (A Division of Random House Group); (December 31, 1955). ISBN 0-437-95110-3
The Amazing Results of Positive Thinking, Fireside; Fireside edition (March 12, 2003). ISBN 0-7432-3483-9
Stay Alive All Your Life, Fawcett Books; Reissue edition (August 1, 1996). ISBN 0-449-91204-3
"You Can Have God's Help with Daily Problems" FCL Copyright 1956-1980 LOC card #7957646
Faith Is the Answer: A Psychiatrist and a Pastor Discuss Your Problems, Smiley Blanton and Norman Vincent Peale, Kessinger Publishing (march 28, 2007), ISBN 1432570005 (10), ISBN 978-1432570002 (13)
Power of the Plus Factor, A Fawcett Crest Book, Published by Ballantine Books, 1987, ISBN 0-449-21600-4
This Incredible Century, Peale Center for Christian Living, 1991, ISBN 0-8423-4615-5
Sin Sex Self Control, 1977, ISBN 0449235831,ISBN 978-0449235836, Fawcett (December 12, 1977)"