14 • The Beacon June 16 , 2022
Enjoy some fun in the sun with your fellow Christians
Last year our church became acutely aware that the effects of society ’ s busyness coupled with the pandemic were bleaching out our desire and ability to just hang out and enjoy one another . From that thought , the first Sunday of the month , monthly mixers were born . This Sunday of the month has become
a greatly anticipated , much enjoyed by all church family event . For me it calls back a time when communities took time to enjoy one another ,
family and friends alike , open to whomever shows up , in a large group community setting .
The first time I recall encountering something like that was our little town ’ s ice cream social . I don ’ t know who sponsored it or exactly what my grandmother had to do with it , but somehow she was in on the planning of the adventure . The time and place would have been early / mid- ‘ 60s in our small town ’ s community park .
I remember huge tubs of ice cream , vanilla chocolate and strawberry . There was a table filled with toppings , chocolate and caramel sauce , strawberry , cherry , blueberry toppings too . The cost was a dime a trip , and what a day . I was allowed two trips . There was even a band playing in the old time , turn of the century bandstand . The little park was jammed . Parking was not to be found . Lucky for me my grandmother lived just down the street , so we just walked . Plus , I got to walk with grandma back to her house after the event . It was wonderful .
Another such annual gathering I remember is the dessert social after the last night of our Catskill community ’ s high school musicals . Even if we weren ’ t so prejudiced because it was our kids , those high school productions were top shelf .
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The actors in costume would meet us in the hall and then adjourn to the high school cafeteria . We ’ d talk about the Beauty and the Beast , Capt . Von Trapp and Maria , Marmee and Meg , Tevye and Golde and more . Mrs . Jones was always good for several 800-calories-a-bite , aorta-plugging desserts .
Now that I think about it , everybody else ’ s confectioneries were pretty fabulous too . Not saying I ate them all , but I made it a point to get to most of them . Afterward , we all pitched in to ensure the cafeteria would be clean , ready and good to go for Monday .
Moving to the present , last Saturday evening a bunch of us met at the church ’ s picnic shelter to get prepped for the monthly Sunday . We trucked in some grills , rolled out tables , chairs , benches , garbage cans , spotted placement for the children ’ s bounce house and all the other nightbefore preparations we could make . The weather was beauty . You couldn ’ t
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Sitting next to Mark Spang is always an experience to remember , but my favorite memory from that table was the smile on Gerald Smailes face just before he chomped into that custom-crafted double deluxe cheeseburger . As good as everything tasted , the best dessert of the day for me was seeing everyone having so much fun just hanging out together . The icing on the cake for it all was two little boys exclaiming , “ This has been the best day ever .” I ’ d say that more than covered the cost of the bounce house rental .
Life brings a lot of trials and tribulations . Hopes and dreams get dashed . Sharp words get spoken . If care isn ’ t taken otherwise , discouragement , despair and depression can crash anyone ’ s life party at any time , sucking the joy right out of one ’ s very next breath . Be it a few or a flock , that ’ s why it is so good to take time each day to enjoy life and be happy .
The Lord created this life to be enjoyed . We should be about the business of enjoying it , apparently as often as we eat . And it gets even better when we enjoy it with someone else . Don ’ t miss the party . Enjoy your life . By the way , it tastes even better when you enjoy it with someone else . If not before , can ’ t wait to catch you at the next party .
Mike Jansen is the pastor at the Coshocton Christian Tabernacle .
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