By Maree Garchow
Visiting with friends is a joy! Catching up on news and reminiscing with family and friends is especially important for someone our age, especially after the moratorium on in-person meetings during the COVID pandemic.
We all lost that time, but unfortunately at our age, the changes seemed even bigger. Our memories are not always as sharp as they once were, and some of us are more forgetful. Physically we are now experiencing increased difficulties getting around, and some of us need to use a walker or a cane. Some of us are also dependent on others for a ride. This means we often can’t make it to church as frequently as we once did, and we don’t get to reconnect with friends.
So imagine our delight when a phone call invited us to a luncheon at Faith: “A Gathering of Friends.” This was an opportunity to share a meal and get together with friends.
On arriving at the luncheon, we were ushered into the Fireside Room to a table decorated with cheerful flowers. While we got settled and introduced to others at our table, Carol Behm played the piano softly in the background. We shared a tasty meal, talked, and reconnected with some of our friends whom we had served with on church committees but whom we had not seen since March 2020. We also met some new folks at our table whom we hope we will see again. Unfortunately, some of our old friends couldn’t join us because of health issues. They were really missed!
We enjoyed sharing a meal and the opportunity to reconnect with people, and we look forward to getting together again next year. In the mean time, we eagerly anticipate Pastor’s monthly visits, communion, and the Caring Committee’s quarterly visits to deliver bags with Portals of Prayer. These visits encourage us. They strengthen our faith and show us we are not forgotten.
Many thanks to all of our old friends who came, our table hosts, those who shared their talents, and those who planned the event and helped out: Mary Ann, Arlene, Carol, Mary, Jan, and Maree.