Fellowship

“What’s the use of displaying all of these Christmas items if no one sees it!” That sums up the reason why Cherry and Woody Everett have thrown their magnificent Christmas party.||Pictures don’t do the Everett’s Christmas justice. The centerpiece is the Christmas village of 19th century buildings – hotels, a bank, a church, a ski facility and various commercial enterprises – even some modern additions like Krispy Kreme. It fills an entire room. There is the sound of a hundred moving items. And Cherry can tell where they purchased ever one.

Besides a dinner and fundraiser where the men cook for the women, this year featured a murder mystery in Pandora City|How could a church fundraiser where the men cook for the ladies lead to this gruesome murder ? Everything seemingly had gone well. Everyone dined on a feast of venison, meatloaf, fish, macraoni, salad and varous deserts. But there was tension in the air from the time of the appetizer where the citizens of Pandora City confronted each over concerning imaginery and real wrongs.

We had about 30 people in Johnny’s pavilion enjoying Stanley’s chicken, numerous vegetables, apple and pumpkin as well as participating in a costume contest, won by Genevieve. Mary Lawrence Hicks and a group from Richmond and King George provided lively jazz music. ECW silent auction made over $2,000.

About 20 gathered on the last night of 2012 for fellowship, food and more food. Johnny cooked his venison as the main course but there were openers of chicken, small hotdogs, cheese and with the meal many vegetables and later desserts.

The Men cooked the meal (fish, beef, pizza, macoroni, asparagus, two types of salad, chees) with cupcakes for desert. We had a game afterward designed by Barabara Wisdom and Cindy Fields. Lots of laughts. Thanks to all

About 30 people came to the 10th anniversary of this event on a beautiful May evening. We thank Tom Mahoney for coming up with the idea. Appropriately it was scheduled in 2012 on the day before Mother’s day. Highlights included Dave Fannon’s catfish, Dave Beck’s shrimp and Laura Carey’s poundcake. Afterwards there was the “newly wed game”, 5 couples participating and the Betchy’s as the winners

Gospel on the River was moved to St. Peter’s in 2015 to provide a more ecumenical setting. The crowd was larger at 37, attracting some local Baptists. Helmut and Jim have led the music for the last few years but this year invited one of Helmut’s former violin students which added to the music. They also printed a new program with larger print. They added pieces (“Go Forward”) that Jim remembered from his mother’s hymnbook. The pieces used at the event are old time Gospel hymns which are beloved but have been eliminated from some hymn books or not sung as much. By the end of the service, weather was glorious as was the music.

|We had 30 people at Gospel on the River at the Reynolds pavilion in Portabago Bay, slightly down from last year at 35. Social hour was the for the first 45 minutes. Beer and wines were standard fare along with Nancy’s wonderful fish, Andrea’s bread, mini casseroles, finger food, Cherry’s cookies and ham sandwiches. Helmut and Denise Symonds led us through the pieces.

A photo gallery by Barbara Wisdom. A wonderful late afternoon of hospitality, conversation, music and the singing of traditional hymns along the beautiful Rappahannock River, Sept 21, 2014.