We Need Each Other
We need each other. We need to be together. We will always need to be together. Especially seniors. It’s been over two years since we seniors at First Christian Church in Huntington Beach met. We have missed each other. We have lost track of some who needed help, were sick. We didn’t all know. What can a few of us do to plan a time to sing, have fun, laugh, visit and catch up on how everyone is doing?
Because of that hunger for fellowship, seven seniors, including myself, met months ago.
What can we do for seniors? Our little crew was born, most from our Life Group. Lots of creative ideas were put on the table. An event was planned. What had we missed so much? Singing together! Of course! Singing the traditional hymns of the faith. Oh, if we could just get Don and Lyn Sewell to come and lead us in a sing along: Don, on keyboards, the master arranger, retired choir director and wife Lyn with her beautiful voice.
A fun video of the great dancers from movies and Broadway were added for entertainment – A Blast from the Past
And so, we went to work. With the help of John Paul, a director of activities at FCC, and with the encouragement of lead pastor Scott Martin, we combined the churches email addresses, and phone numbers of seniors with all of ours. We called hundreds to invite them to the event, leaving messages, and sending the date. January 9, a Sunday afternoon, at 2:00.
But who would come? Maybe 50? After making contact for many hours and days, we were stunned by the overwhelming response! To our complete joy, 185 seniors were planning on coming!
My favorite job was contacting the Sewells. After all, they are retired. But, yes, of course they would come. And I had the privilege of introducing them on the program. I was thrilled to share of the dedication of their entire lives to ministry and Christian music, and the beautiful love story of their marriage, celebrating fifty years next summer. He is the reason that Wally and I, newly married in 2004 and visiting local churches, came to FCC. Arriving at the door we were greeted with the powerful piano playing of Don. Having studied piano myself, my ears perked up as we heard his beautiful arrangements that lifted our spirits through the roof. We stayed permanently!
Anyway, Saturday, the day before the event, we seven worked in the Shed for five hours setting up tables. Most impressive to me is the devotion and love of our crew. Who are these determined seven? The young and healthy? Well, not exactly. Here we came, three with walkers, one limping, some with back braces, recent surgeries, and all with medical conditions! But dedication and love is a great motivator.
Some of the crew ladies had ironed all the new tablecloths, some brought freshly cut flowers for each table, and one brought fresh cookies for our speakers. One of our men helped set up the sound system, and the day of the event several of our crew delivered 30 freshly baked pies from Marie Calendar’s while all of us decorated that gigantic room called the Shed.
A huge thank you to John Paul who worked with us through the weeks before and at the event.
What a great success! So many smiles, mask and all, so much laughter, so much robust singing!
Lead Pastor Scott Martin and John Paul welcomed our guests.
As I watched each of us work together I thought about why we did all this in the midst of our busy lives, each of us with families, regular commitments and yes, easily tired in our autumn years. I realized that all that effort comes from love and concern for others and the hope that we can have regular times together, to keep track of who needs help, and who needs prayer. After all, most of us have served in various churches our whole adult lives and are still serving in some capacity. But now, at our age, we have special needs. Many don’t have family living close by and have been especially challenged these two years with the isolation from Covid. Yes, we really do need each other.
What does the Lord want for us? What does He want us to do? How can we help each other and not only the whole body of the church?? How can we stay in contact?
Our little crew has done everything that we know to do in giving this event to bring us together again. We hope that something wonderful, something good will grow from this for seniors. We offer it up to Him that His will be done. Think about it and please pray about it.
Happy New Year, and much love and blessings to all of you.
Annie
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