Staff Reports



MOULTRIE — The +55 of Trinity Baptist Church held its January meeting, in the social hall, on Jan. 25, with new director, Joyce Barber, presiding.

The tables were covered with cream colored tablecloths and had fish bowls with camellias in them. The food table held an arrangement of pink and rose colored lilies, snapdragons and roses. Elaine Durham was responsible for the tables and the camellias were grown in her yard.

Deloris Shuping greeted the members as they arrived and asked for any prayer requests they might have. She also gave each person a card with a name on it and told them to find out two things about that person that they did not already know.

The meeting was opened with prayer by Barber and she then thanked Mabel Jones, cook; Jane Gibbs, hostess and Faye Fussell for the meal of vegetable soup, sandwiches of turkey and ham with cheese and apple dumplings.

Visitors recognized were Madeline Alfred, Elaine Durham, Joan Holman, Gloria Rogers and Mary Wilson.

The “sunshine girl,” Larue Calhoun, entertained the group with some jokes and everybody seemed to have some good laughs.

Rose Cochran played the piano as the group sang “Happy Birthday” to Suzy Brock, Ernie Feille, Henrietta Sprayberry, Grace Todd and Dan Ward. They also sang “Happy Anniversary” to Lasse and Hiller Gammage, who were celebrating 20 years of marriage.

The devotion was by Elaine Durham and her topic was “The Greatest Artist Paints Daily.” The story was told of a Chicago produce dealer, John Cooper Smith, who felt watching the sun rise each morning was such an important gift in his life that he mentioned it in his will. He left his estate to his widow and then made this bequest to his other relatives: “To my remaining relatives, I give the sunshine, the birds and the bees, wherever the above mentioned may be found. The greatest art exhibit you will ever see opens daily at dawn. And equally wonderful, this exhibit is free to those who receive it.”

The memory candle was lit by Barber in memory of the life of Lenore Durham who was born on Jan. 31 ,1915, and died Dec. 28, 2009, just a few days short of her 95th birthday. Betty Bell spoke lovingly of Lenore and her dedication to her family, friends and especially of her “dedication to God.”

The mission activity for the month of January was the Haitian people. A special offering was given as members signed in for the meeting.

Their prayers for the sick and bereaved were prayed by Zack Dawes.

The program speaker was Leslie Peretti and she was introduced by John Grobe. She is the community outreach coordinator for the YMCA. She is originally from New Jersey and has lived in Moultrie since she was twelve years old. She’s worked at Heritage Church for the past 13 years and has been at the YMCA for the past two years. She has four dogs that she considers her children and enjoys reading and spending time at the beach, whenever time permits. She said her biggest passion in life was the Lord and her “desire is to live for Him and be a vessel that He can use to minister to others.” She loves going on mission trips to serve those in need and she has traveled to Israel, Honduras, Brooklyn, N.Y. and ten other locations in the United States. She gave her testimony and said “God had molded and made her for the job she now has at the YMCA.” She encouraged the group to “live your life serving God and enjoying it so that we may finish life well.” Her scripture was taken from Jeremiah 29:11.

Among those attending, were Madeline AIlred, Joyce Barber, Betty and Fred Bell, Marilyn and Charles Berry, Ruby Bowermeister, Hazel and Kirk Boyd, Elaine Bricker, Larue Calhoun, Cary Carmichael, Rose Cochran, W. C. Crawford, Frances Daniel, Zack Dawes, Elaine Durham, Amorelle and Ernie Feille, Carolyn Flowers, Faye Fussell, Hiller Gammage, Jane Gibbs, Nancy and Leroy Gray, John Grobe, Mickie Hancock, Dorine Hendry, Barbara Hendricks, Faye and Hoyt Holland, Joan Holman, Marilyn Huber, Mabel Jones, Viola and Andy Jordan, Joyce and Jim Kirk, Claire Lewis, Henry McDonald, Chris Newton, John Newton, Laverne Norman, Gloria Rogers, Delores and Al Shuping, Dorothy Smith, Julia Smith, Rhett Smith, Jean and Hank Spain, Henrietta Sprayberry, Mary Jo and Bobby Stone, Sara Tanner, Carl Tolbert, Jane and Pat Tomlinson and Mary Wilson.

The meeting was adjourned with Larue telling one more joke.