Evergreen Outreach
By Charlene M. Jett
What a great day for Evergreen Outreach and the First United Methodist Church. We are really busy this week with Vacation Bible School (Sunday through Thursday), using the same Wesley Hall as EO. Our meeting on Monday brought in a complete and total full house, nearly standing-room only!
Bette Stolte was at the piano, welcoming everyone with many good and uplifting songs, like “I’ll Fly Away.” We shared refreshments and sang "Happy Birthday" to four members: Brenda Swiecicki, Ryan Hunter, Sandy Beegle and Angela Ondes.
The Rev. Roger Grimmett was in charge of our devotions, and he delivered them emphatically! He started by reminding us of the Ten Commandments. The first and most important one being to have no other Gods before him (also known as “love your God with all your heart, mind and soul”) and the next most important one is to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Grimmett shared, with a big grin, that he has two brothers, and was made aware, at a very early age, that “thou shalt NOT kill.”
He emphasized that only through Jesus can we truly be joyful – life isn’t meant to be like sucking on a green persimmon! Nothing compares to the joy found in following Jesus. If we can be of good cheer, we will become like Jesus and overcome the world. (This doesn’t mean geographically, it means that when we die our spirit will go to heaven and be with God, just like Jesus did at the resurrection on Easter.)
Judy Varga and Randy Schukar gave us a great show! I would really hate for any of them to have a family argument with Bob Varga, since he sets up the electronics and can pull the plug at any moment! Randy started out by singing “Without Jesus, I’m a Ship Without a Sail,” and next, Judy sang “How Great Thou Art.” Wow, what a voice! I’m sorry to say that the dancing is not of the same caliber as the singing. We flutter and cluck to the "Chicken Dance," and we whistle and shuffle to "Locomotion," but WE have happy feet! Too bad you missed it! Again I’m not going to try to remember all the titles to the songs, but suffice it to say that once set in motion, my feet take over and the song titles get left at the side. I do remember “Heartaches by the Number” and “Your Cheatin’ Heart.”
Great big thanks to all my friends for dancing with me, and for singing with Judy and Randy. What a really great day we had. Even the Rev. Jim Fackler had to be reminded that he was wearing a priest’s collar!
We had Erna’s daughter, Amy White, with her grandchildren (Kailyn and Evan) visiting us again. Really good looking and sweet kids. But I have fallen in love with a new waltzing partner – and as I hold him in my arms, I remember that his feet are not touching the ground and he is only 1 year old! He will need a very big date book someday! As things wound down, the circles of friends got smaller and smaller, until the music stopped.
The pinochle players, Richard Kruenegel and Shirley Locke, tied with Rosamund Hobler and Mary Woolsey, with both teams winning one game.
It’s time to say special prayers for Peggy Lippold, who we miss very much, and for Randy Schukar, who will have throat surgery on Aug. 2 in St. Louis. Beulah Brown is still recovering at Fayette County Hospital, and practicing new steps, with her bionic leg. God bless everyone, until we meet again!
