PROGRESS

Today the metal building was ordered. It is the long lead item in the church building construction and the decorating committee made the tough decisions on the color for the external metal panels to compliment the brick that will match the parsonage, told our builder and the building is on order.

The parsonage committee is working to complete the parsonage so that our pastor can have his new home to replace the one that burned. The contractor is still installing plumbing fixtures and has not finished the final cleaning. Curtis Cooper took time from moving into his own home in town to connect the sewer and water service. The driveway needs to be completed to permit getting a car to the house and work needs to be done on the lawn. The furniture can be delivered as soon as the house is cleaned. Plans are being made for an open house and should be finalized when the pastor returns from South Dakota.

BUILDING CONTRACT SIGNED!

Some pagan societies celebrate the Spring arrival with drinking and orgies, but our church celebrated by signing a contract to build our new church building. Within a few minutes of the arrival of Spring Curtis Cooper and Charles Rodenberger signing for our church and David Beard signing for Thomas Hicks Construction, Inc. agreed to start building March 21 with a completion date of December 15 on the design approved by the building committee. Lindy Cooper recorded the event as photographer and I am sure photos will be in the next newsletter.

BUILDING BREAKING NEWS

David Beard reports that he has a set of plans that he can work with and is now rechecking with his subcontractors to see that their bids on the completed plans are firm. Please be in prayer for the Building Committee as they meet Tuesday, March 20 at 7 p.m. I pray this is the last hurdle to start construction on the building that we have been waiting for.

Rev. Senkel reports that he will miss the meeting. Next week he is making a trip to see his daughter in South Dakota to take her some baby furniture for a coming event. He will preach this Sunday and our Presbyterian engineer pastor will be preaching the next Sunday.

The women's group has been very successful and our committees are working. Evangelism is starting to work. We got some rain, the grass is greening up and the Lord continues to bless us!

GLORY BEES ?????

OUR LADIES CLASS MET LAST NIGHT, WEDNESDAY, AND DECIDED ON A NAME...GLORY BEES. WE ARE NOT QUITE SURE OF THE SPELLING YET. THIS WAS CHOSEN BECAUSE WE HOPE TO BE LIKE BEES GOING FROM FLOWER TO FLOWER, PLACE TO PLACE, SPREADING GOD'S WORD. THERE WERE 19 IN ATTENDENCE. PHYLLIS HARRIS GAVE A GREAT LESSON ON MUSIC AND THE BIBLE WITH CONNIE SWIFT PLAYING THE KEYBOARD WHILE WE SANG SONGS THAT FIT DIFFERENT SCRIPTURE. CONNIE ALSO SERVED A DELICIOUS MEAL.

RHONDA SWIFT AND MANDI SOWELL WILL BE IN CHARGE OF THE MEXT MEETING APRIL 4TH DURING HOLY WEEK. COME JOIN US FOR A FUN TIME.

JUDY PORTER

MISSION ACTIVITIES

Since my ears were burning, I decided I better post to this blog.

The Food Pantry is very busy these days. We are serving an average of 40-45 families a month. Donations of food and money still continue to come in. We are having to buy some food every month to suppliment our groceries. Luckily we have not had to purchase meat. That luxury may be coming to an end soon. The local locker plant is in the process of being sold. They have been donating unclaimed meat to the local pantry.

Betty Browning of New Mexico called me recently to ask if I would take over her longtime project of making needlepoint nameplates for those in the Rising Star Nursing Center. Her eyesight is getting too bad to continue this project. Of course, I said I would. I contacted Mandi Sowell, Outreach Chairperson, and offered this project to her committee. I, along with other committee members will help her do this. There are 40 people in the nursing home now, up from 32 when my mother went to live there. They all enjoy visits. So if you have any spare time...go and visit those in the nursing home.

Our "ladies night out" will be meeting Wednesday, March 7th, at 7pm in the Presbyterian Church basement. Phyllis Harris and Connie Swift are in charge of the program and refreshments this month. There were 21 ladies at the first meeting. What a fun time we had. Come join us the first Wednesday night of each month.

BUILDING UPDATE

I can't believe we haven't had a post in February. The building committee had a contract prepared with a February 1 date to sign with construction to start on February 2 but after meeting with the contractor we decided to wait for the final plans that would agree with the bid that the contractor had given us. David Beard took his revised plans to Granbury and met with Pro-Cad to have them changed. They have been working on them and this morning Barry Gilbreath with Pro-Cad said they are complete and waiting on the architect's signature. She has been ill but he expected her to come in today to seal them. Let us pray for her and for the plans. I am looking forward to construction starting in March with a building ready by Christmas. Join me with your prayers.

We need more input to the blog.
Judy, keep us posted up on the Food Pantry activities and any Mission projects that you know of.
Jim, you could post notices of church activities.
Anyone can comment!