A different Monday than last week!!!

What should have been a shorter meeting tonight ended up going until nearly 9:00 pm,and even after the meeting was adjourned, we ladies just sat around talking for a bit. No one really seemed in a big hurry to leave, for no apparent reason other than to visit. The agenda was short, little business to address and yet we managed. Pastor was in the Council/Elders meeting next door so was unavailable for our opening devotion or to give his report. 

It did not occur to me that he would not be there, though I should have known. On such occasions I have a devotions book designed for women to use, but did not have anything prepared. On the fly, I grabbed a flyer/handout lying on the video cart, provided by the WELS Connection which I thought I would read to the group. Instead, though, the conversation started on its own in regard to the appreciation of The Athenasian Creed we read in full Sunday as well as some of  the questions it stirred. This was not my idea, it sort of evolved. 


Judy C. sneaked into the men's meeting to nab a hymnal for us to read aloud one of the areas of the Creed in discussion. I think a Bible study or catechism visit is in order and will request such. It only just occurred to me now that not one person mentioned our former pastor being there yesterday....

Our Elder left his meeting and came into ours to present to us. Cliff brought along a proposed 'addition' between the fellowship hall and the chapel, enclosing the breezeway, enlarging the space, and so on. Very nice! So we won't have a choir loft---I can live with that, just so we can have the drywall repaired and painted, roof leaks repaired, and some landscaping done. 

A Bible study this a.m., Twila gave me a menu she found under her windshield wiper the other day for a newly opened Greek restaurant in Orange Park. The menu showed traditional Greek food items as well as American fare such as Belguim waffles and French fries! The ladies decided to hold our summer 'picnic' at this restaurant, pending my finding out if they can seat a larger group. Larger in number, I mean.

Justin worked a long day today, coming in shortly before I left for Ladies' Group. He wanted to chat but I was in the midst of an e-mail I was trying to get out before having to leave. I did remind him that his bathroom and its fixtures needed cleaning, which he acknowledged. When I came home, I could smell the cleanser and asked how it was coming (he was seated at his desk, playing video games). "Well, it's sprayed..." meaning the bathtub. He is going to finish it off tomorrow. He'd better!

                                                 

Linda J. and I had a nice phone conversation this afternoon which is always a good thing. We could have talked even longer but my phone battery was going. It's hard for me to talk when tethered as the charger is plugged in behind my nightstand. Because I neglected to charge the phone overnight, I did not have a full battery for the day. Shoot! We had words left over!

This morning was Bible study, the conclusion of "Bearing Each Others' Burdens". We will be on recess now until nearly August due to VBS and then Pastor's vacation. We will starve, in more ways than one. Sundays will have shortened Bible study due to our earlier service time. Thankfully Victory's class goes through the summer, plus the BIC on Tuesday nights  there. We are soon wrapped up at GS with BIC with only a few more lessons to go through. Amber is concerned about the confirmation process after seeing the young people's confirmation. Judy and I assured her the adult version of this is much simpler, with her answers much like her baptism. She wonders what comes after confirmation and both Judy and I said, "Bible study!"

Pastor asked me at Bible study this a.m. if I had ever lead one, as part of the lesson. He said it is not impossible for a woman to lead a ladies study, that  I could have lead many of the classes on Mondays if we knew in advance that Joseph would not be there. He has been absent much of the year, having had some health problems. Not that I would do it, but that I could, or any of the ladies could. The last part of the lesson was about Called workers and what the lay people can do to assist them or assist the congregation. 

At lunch, Judy said she would host the ladies for a Bible study if I would lead it, and many said, "Yeah, we'd come!" Oh, oh! As I said to Linda J., I would have no problem setting up the laptop and playing back the Prof. Deutschlander retreat lecture on "The Theology of the Cross". The Ladies' Bible study group that meets in Mishicot, WI is going to cover this as well, and I believe Kathy W., who leads it, said there are study guides available as well for this. Hmmmm.....