Evergreen Outreach
By Charlene M. Jett
The program manager for this outreach meeting was Beverly Hood. She introduced singers Judy Varga and Randy Schukar, who would perform later.
The refreshments of cookies and tea were provided by Retha Burnam and Priscilla Roeder. Bernie Ray played the piano while everyone enjoyed their refreshments and visited; with 10 tables full of people visiting and catching up from last week, it does take a while to catch up on things.
The birthdays celebrated were: Erna Wasmuth (June 19), Betty Stone (June 14), Norma Shafer (June 23) and Norma Simmons (June 26).
The Rev. Tom Farrish gave the devotions based on John 17 and the lessons we should learn. He challenged us with the question of, “How much are we worth?” The answers he got varied from $1.97 to $3 billion.
He then demonstrated how the variation could occur by using an example of a basketball. In most people’s hands, a basketball in not worth a lot, but in the hands of Michael Jordan it can be worth more than $33 million.
Similarly, a baseball in the hands of Mark McGwire, can be worth $19 million. The staff (named Favor) in Moses hands, parted the Red Sea and gave us our freedom from the Egyptians, and the slingshot in David’s hands became a weapon of victory.
God can also amplify the effects of a mere two fish and five loaves to feed hundreds.
Rev. Farrish’s own personal example was his poor grades and feelings of unworthiness until God called him into use! And like the disciples, he followed God.
Everyone is special in God’s eyes, and he can heal our suffering, heart and soul through prayer and other means. We are worth a great deal to him!
Randy Schukar started the entertainment off with singing, “I Can’t Even Walk” which is a song about how he overcame paralysis by holding God’s hand. It really was beautiful.
Then, he livened things up and sang “Elvira” and “The Gambler” (Randy is an ace we should keep!).
Next, Judy Varga sang “I Believe” and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” She started the dancing with the infamous “Chicken Dance” and progressed to the Locomotion train, which made three laps around the room!
The last song was another solo by Randy, “Hey Good Looking,” or I just stopped counting.
While all this lovely commotion was going on, the two pinochle tables were fast and furiously in competition. Peggy Lippold and Rosamund Hobler won two games, against John Hunsley and Ruth Ann Scott (oops), while Shirley Locke and Joyce Muller won once, and Edith Elliott and Jeannie Schlicht won once.
I didn’t check to see who the gambler was among them. But if we all believe in God, he will certainly love us, heal our heart and soul – on that we don’t want to gamble.
