Congregational Sharing
Submitted by Shelby Jean
Whitt
Advocate of Aging for Presbytery of Eastern Virginia
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(Toy soldiers) |
Although I loved the church I was going to and the people attending, it hit me one Sunday there was something missing. I saw folks come to worship every Sunday with the same bland expression before and after the service and I felt something was missing. After some discussion with others in the church the idea was set in motion to promote a fellowship evening once a month for the congregation and friends. Dinner was prepared and a charge of $4.00 covered the cost of the food. In the beginning we had dinner and a show for the congregation once a month (now every other month). I asked different members to be in the shows - to sing, tell stories, to dance, and do skits. We began to see each other in a different light. People were responding in a friendlier way. The greatest benefit was to see how the attitudes changed on Sundays: everybody smiling when they came to and from the church. I felt the people were not "missing" anymore. It's amazing what smiles and hugs can do for the congregation. I know God has blessed and is blessing each of us through this Fellowship. We have been doing this program over 10 years in our church and it's still a fun evening of Fellowship and Foolishness and thus was born the Squires Prime Time Players. It is through the love of God the Father
that we have been blessed. |
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(You are my sunshine) |