Do some things for fun

Last Wednesday night we had a cookout at our church.  Not a new idea or big news, but it was fun.  Fun, despite the fact that we had to move inside from the town park next door because rain was on the way.  Fun, even though we were jammed into our old fellowship hall because we let a local camp use our "new" kitchen and fellowship hall during July.  (Both were built 10-years ago, but we still have the "old" so the new one is...well...new!)  We grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, ladies brought side dishes and desserts.  Our makeshift serving line was laden with sliced tomatoes, cole slaw, potato salad, chips, relish, chili, brownies, cake, pie, and the list goes on.  Over 50 people came (our usual Wednesday supper is 25-30), and we had a church business meeting around the tables after supper.   Great spirit and lots of fun for a hot Wednesday night in July.

Then today, Sunday, we had a really great singing duo, The Church Sisters.   Sarah and Savannah Church (their real name) are the cutest 12-year old twins you'll find anywhere, and they can sing, too!  With their "Alison Krause" sound, they sing the old country gospel songs like "I'll Fly Away," and some newer stuff in the same tradition like "Down To The River To Pray."  Our normally reserved folks clapped through a couple of numbers, and generally enjoyed the girls, their brother and step-dad on guitar, and a friend of theirs on bass.  Oh, because they had prepared 12 songs to sing, I ditched the sermon today.   No one complained, much to my dismay, but The Church Sisters were a refreshing change during the long, hot summer.

We need to take more time to have fun at church.  Make sure your congregation has opportunity to laugh, sing, kid one another, and enjoy being together.  This was a good week for us, and I hope it was for you, too.  Oh, and both items presented at the business meeting passed unanimously.  Maybe it was the hot dogs...