God and Elvis in Illinois

The First Church of God in tiny (pop. 6,800) Benton, Ill., has a new patron saint of sorts: Elvis Presley. The fundamentalist church's affiliation with the late rock star began last February when the Rev. Lloyd Tomer was faced with a $1 million debt from the building of his new chapel. The 500 parishioners were praying daily for the Lord to show them some way to pay their debt when, according to Tomer, God answered in the person of one Robert Philpot, a Dallas oilman. In search of a promotion gimmick to introduce his new engine additive, called Add-A-Tune, Philpot offered to buy one of Presley's planes (for $2 million) and take it on a fund-raising tour for the church. Next week, the Convair 880, named Lisa Marie for Presley's daughter, will take off on two wings and a prayer for the Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium and the start of a three-month, 50-state tour. For $300, visitors not only will get to climb aboard and "see where he slept when he visited with friends," but will receive 15 sets of color photos of the plane's interior and twelve kits of Add-A-Tune engine booster.

"At times God says to me, 'Go get 'em, Tiger,' and I go get 'em," says Tomer. As a fund raiser, "this sure beats chili suppers."

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