Yesterday when Dee went to work, I went to an old friends Memorial Service. The service was for the wife of a pastor friend who preceded me at my very first church, the Mooncrest Community Baptist Church. The newspaper said that he had served that church for 10 years and that it was his only pastoral congregation. It seems he and his wife eventually founded a personal care home here in Gibsonia just 5 miles from my house. The service was very nice. It was packed with friends and family. It was interesting to watch another clergy lead the service and make the connections with the family. Tim did a good job.
One of the reasons I went was in hopes of seeing some of the members of my former church. As it turns out there were 6 people from my first congregation there. Four of them I hadn't seen in 35 years (they are now in their mid 70s)and the other two we looked up shortly after we moved here earlier this year. It was really nice to see them. I recognized the husbands. I said quietly, "Is your name John?" and John said with a smile on his face and an outstretched hand "Hi Paul." And to Parker I said the same to Parker. Their wives saw us shaking hands and then recognized me I guess. There were hugs all around. Since they were on their way out of the sanctuary to the cemetery, we didn't get to talk much. I showed them Dee and Kerri's pictures. I didn't go to the cemetery. But it sure was nice to see them after all those years. The four had moved to Sandy Lake.
I left the church in the North Hills and went to Rotary for lunch. To my surprise Ron, Rita and Madelyn Campbell were there. (Earl and Marilyn's son and family). Maddie was being honored as an outstanding student along with 5 other students from Mars High School and Pine Richland High School. We had a nice chat. It was good to see them. I hadn't seen them for many years, although Dee sees Rita at the gym almost weekly. I enjoy hearing the high school seniors talk about their activities, various ways they do community service through the schools and also their hopes for the future.
After Dee got home, we went to Butler. We dropped off some things at Ruthie's, had pizza and salad at Russ and Kathy's and got to see Marissa and the new baby, Conrad, now four months old who was born on my birthday this year. Afterward we went to the funeral home in Butler to see an old friend of Dee's at the funeral home. She was able to reconnect with the daughters of the man who died. She'd grown up with Patty and Bev in their old neighborhood. Plus, a man named Joe K. had returned to the funeral home in the evening because he wanted to see Dee and say hi.
Quite a day really. We saw people we'd know for at least 40 years plus. That sort of thing could never have happened in NJ. We were just too far away. It's nice to be here. We are blessed.
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