All I can say this week is that we are blessed! We have had a very busy, but a very blessed two weeks. We have had some dandy east coast thunderstorms. We have had some very heavy rain storms. But last weekend was absolutely fabulous. The temperatures stayed at about 80 and the humidity was low. Even the bugs seemed to take a vacation and left us alone. The wedding took place at a lovely spot down on the Potomac River. That was the location where Julie and T (His real name is William Turnor Wootton, but we always know him as “T”) had their first walk that led to their first date that led to their first kiss, which was also by the Potomac. Now, exactly twenty years since they first met they were married. There were only about 35 people present, but each one had some special meaning.
The best man was T’s dad and the matron of honor was our own Andrea Clarke. Ingrid and I both walked the bride down the aisle and when I asked, “Who gives this woman to marry this man?” Ingrid responded, “We give her to you, but we’re not giving her away. Today we accept you as our son and we, along with Hanna, Norm and Carol, are now one big family.” And we are!
From the wedding site we had about a thirty minute drive through country farms to Grandale Farms for the reception. This was an absolutely lovely location with absolutely superb food and such a pretty and serene setting for the occasion.
The bride and groom flew out to Oakland Monday morning. There they rented an SUV and went to our home to pack up the belongings Julie had there. On Tuesday they drove down to Long Beach to pick up a rental truck, get all of her things out of storage and begin the cross country drive. Please keep them in your prayers as they complete this journey and begin a new life together. God has been good. Thank you for your prayers on her behalf over the past year.
There will be a memorial service for Clara Anderson on Sunday, the 16th and another for Dorothy Holland on the 22nd. Both of these will be in our sanctuary and all are invited to come and share memories and celebrate the lives that they lived and all that they gave in service to their church.
I am also sad to report that Andrea Clarke’s mother passed away last Tuesday morning. She returned from Virginia Monday evening and was able to talk to her on the phone and has now flown down to San Diego for services this weekend. Please keep all of these families in your prayers during these times of loss. We are never ready to lay moms to rest.
Please keep in mind the Northern California Conference Convocation next Sabbath in Sacramento. This will be a very special day for the conference family with a marvelous concert in the afternoon featuring a large choir under the direction of Ralph Carmichael.
Another date to remember and to put in your calendar is October 20. This will be the date for our annual Homecoming Sabbath. The Bay Area Men’s Chorus will be here for the worship hour for lots of great music and I will have a special message for the day as well. You know what great dinners we have over in the school gym afterwards. So, you don’t want to miss this and this is a great chance to invite friends and neighbors to come and worship with us.
School is well underway at Napa Christian by this time. The enrollment looks OK, but we still need your prayers and support.
Today we are giving our affirmation, encouragement, and support to all of the teachers in our congregation. These men and women make a huge impact on our community, our church, and particularly on our children. Every teacher needs to know that we appreciate and value the ministry that they have undertaken. Thank you, teachers! You deserve so much more than a coupon for a pie. But please take this as a small token of our heartfelt thanks for the big job you have taken.
Many of you have been asking about our church directory. Olan Mills dropped the ball in that they lost our sign-up sheets and nearly half of you were not reminded of photo appointments. At this point our directory would be horribly incomplete. We are trying to work with them in scheduling some more photo dates so that we can get the job done. I am sorry for the delay and the inconvenience. I’ll keep you posted on the results of our negotiations.
It looks like it’s going to be a busy fall season once again. I am always happy to see so many new faces in our church. If you see someone that you don’t know, please make sure that you make an opportunity to connect with them. There are often visitors who are looking for a church home. You and I both know that this is a truly great loving church family, but they won’t know it unless you go out of your way to tell them and show your interest in having them return. It is a simple tool, but a warm welcome is always appreciated.
Well, my grandchildren are calling (loudly) for me to come and pay attention to them so I’ll close this for now and I am looking forward to the fact that as you read it I will be there with you. You’re the best.
