General Conference

As we mentioned earlier, we are now at General Conference in Fort Worth, Texas. (Yes, everything IS bigger in Texas--even the thunderstorms.) We're doing a blog for the Wyoming Conference delegation, so you can read about our General Conference adventures here.

benefit concert

One of the parishioners in the church that Eric grew up in (East Berkshire UMC) asked me to post this. They're having a concert that will benefit Henderson Settlement--we appreciate so much their interest in the ministry here in Frakes!

From Jan:
The Caring Covenant Cooperative Parish is promoting this as this year's first
"event" (I am on the committee). The group I sing with - Voices of Praise,
is leading a Praise & Worship Concert just one week from this Sunday.
It's scheduled for 3-5 p.m. Sunday, April 27th at the Newark Valley 1st
UMC. Other participants will be; the group ReJOYce, Rev. Nancy
Adams, Pastor Donna Martin and Jewel Griffith. We're really excited
and looking forward to sharing in this ministry of music to benefit
Henderson Settlement.

Texas

Howdy, y'all!

As Eric mentioned in his last post, we're in Texas for the UMC General Conference. We took our time getting here, since we figured we'd better take this opportunity to see parts of the country that we've never seen before. (I'll post more about that, including pictures, tonight or tomorrow.)

I'm working as a page, which seems like it'll be a pretty interesting job. I've already met people from South Dakota, South Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio, and the Phillippines! AND the president of Liberia (a woman--hooray!) will be here next Tuesday, so that'll be amazing. Bill Gates's dad will also be here--who knew the Gates Foundation was so interested in the UMC?

This General Conference thing is really intense--there's all kinds of security in place to make sure that the right people are in the right places and that the wrong people don't end up in those places. It's so much bigger of a deal than I thought it'd be. It's like working for the government.

So that's that. Thanks for your prayers to get us down here...we are excited to be having this experience!

general conference

Last May I was elected as an alternate delegate of Wyoming Annual Conference to attend the United Methodist Church General Conference. Tomorrow morning we will start driving west to Fort Worth TX, taking our time to go through Memphis TN and Hot Springs AR, what other chance would we have to drive through that part of the country. I have been receiving lobbying letters and DVD's and wading through the three large books of resolutions that will come before the conference. As an alternate I may spend some time with voice and vote when our two primary lay delegates may need a break but in general I will be able to pick and choose which sessions I will attend. During the next two weeks I as well as our other delegates and Sarah, who is a page, will be posting thoughts here.

cousin ira

This past weekend we were able to make a road trip to Carrboro North Carolina to visit my cousin who is a senior at UNC Chapel Hill taking difficult classes like SCUBA so he can graduate. He showed us the campus and the local hotspots Saturday night. On Sunday we had some good brunch at Ye Olde Waffle House, went shopping for some sneakers (above) and pet supplies (later) and then went to see the first half of the play Angels In America. There was alot of hangin out and not doing much, which is what we needed.

peepers

They have been here for a few weeks but I have not had the chance to get a recording and get it up until now. One of the best sounds in the world is peepers, it means that spring has arrived and that there is life in the land that has been cold and brown and frozen for the past few months. So click above and turn up your speakers real loud.

Tuppers' newsletter

I thought some of you might appreciate some news from our friends Mike and Lori Tupper. Mike is the pastor of the Hope UMC, and Lori is the first-grade teacher at the Frakes School Center. Since Mike has missionary status within the United Methodist Church, he and Lori put out a monthly newsletter for their friends, family, and supporters. They agreed to let us put their newsletter on our blog--I asked them because I thought it'd be good for y'all to hear perspectives from people who work deeper in the community than we do.

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Mike's Journal

We celebrated Palm Sunday by receiving four new members into the life of our little church. We've now received nineteen new members in the past two years. Our membership is now thirty-five. (I used to think that churches with membership under fifty should be closed!)

One of our newest members was a living member for only four days. Dru Robinson had been confined to a hospital or nursing home bed since the first of the year. She talked about going back home and getting out to church by her birthday in June. She told me, "I'll join the church that first Sunday I'm back." A few weeks ago Dru was enrolled in Hospice. I decided to hurry the membership process up. I asked Dru if we could bring the church to her instead of waiting for her to come to church.

About a dozen of us gathered around Dru's bed on that Palm Sunday afternoon. She was very alert and talkative that day. She seemed more like the Dru I've known. She said, "Someday, I'm looking forward to seeing my husband again." (Her husband passed away a year and a half ago.) "I also am looking forward to meeting my grandfather, Bill Henderson. He was killed before I was born. But I've always wanted to meet him. I have so many questions I want to ask him." (Bill is the man who donated the land for Henderson Settlement and after whom Henderson Settlement is named.)

I asked Dru if she believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as her Savior and was following Jesus as her Lord. I asked Dru if she was willing to join the Hope United Methodist Church and support it as much as she could. She answered in the affirmative. We held hands and I prayed for Dru. I presented Dru with a Membership Certificate. She held it up in pride. We concluded our time together by celebrating Holy Communion. The Lord was with us.

Four days later Dru died. She finally got her wish to see her husband and Bill Henderson. The picture of Dru holding up her membership certificate was in the slide show at the funeral. The framed membership certificate was placed by the casket at the funeral. The last thing the funeral director did before closing her casket for the last time was place her membership certificate inside the casket with Dru.

Another grandchild of Bill Henderson joined the church on Palm Sunday. P.O. Cobb had been attending the church sporadically over the past fifteen years. He's married to Sheila, a lady who came to Henderson Settlement a dozen years ago as a US-2 United Methodist missionary.
P.O. is the father of Lona. Lona is the one child who never misses Sunday School and worship. Lona is a first grader in Lori's class at the school and has been taking piano lessons on Saturdays from our piano player, Philip. On Easter Sunday Lona played in church for the first time. She played the melody for "God is So Good". We're so proud of Lona!

The other two people who joined the church on Palm Sunday were Sarah Reid and Eric Yetter. They are one-year volunteers at the Settlement. They recently graduated from college in Pennsylvania and New York. We've enjoyed having Sarah and Eric over to our place often. We hope their youthfulness rubs off on us! Sarah is working in the library and Eric is working on the farm. They are not paid, but do receive room and board for volunteering. (Anyone who volunteers to work for a month or more receives free room and board.) If you want to see pictures of the Settlement and hear stories from them, go to their blog: http://goingtothefair.blogspot.com

Our latest prayer concern is a KKK Rally in the nearby town of Pineville on April 11-13. Pray that God might help our church and community respond in Christ-like ways in a world that is hurting and hurtful.

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Lori's Journal

March in Kentucky brings an end to snow days (finally!), the beginning of sudden showers and daffodils ("Easter flowers") and walkers on the new Settlement walking track.

Life with my "short friends" was fun as we began an economy unit. I paid them $10 a week for coming to school, but they had to pay me $5 rent for desk/chair, $1 for a pencil for the week, and $2 for their paper.

"Miz Lori," they whined that first day as they handed back 8 of their 10 play dollars, "that don't leave us much money."

"Welcome to life." I said, collecting their money.

On Friday, they had to fill out job applications for the next week. The application was very basic…name, phone #, what position they wanted, and why they would be good at it. Some of my favorites were:

LINE LEADER: "I would be good at it because I like to eat first."

CABOOSE (Last in line and reports any misbehavior in the halls): "I have good eyes and I am ones" (honest)

BANKER (Trades $1 bills for $5s and $10s): "I have a sootkuys" (suitcase)

BOARD ERASER: "I am very fast."

Along with our economy system, March has been a month to practice what we have learned about writing paragraphs. When a student turns in a paragraph with poor handwriting, I might absentmindedly tell them, "Your handwriting is atrocious, redo it please." I had just made this statement to Paige one day last week when the reading recovery teacher walked into the room. Paige looked at her and said proudly, "My handwriting is atrocious!" Miss Stephanie laughed and asked Paige, "do you know what 'atrocious' means?" Paige shrugged her shoulders, "Nope, but Miz Lori says it is atrocious." I laughed at my assumption that they always understand me and her sweet acceptance of what I say.

March is a fun month in the life of a first grade teacher because you really get to see the progress of the kids. Sometimes it would take years to see progress in the life of my kids with special needs, but with first graders, it seems so sudden. You suddenly realize they can read, write, and think a bit more deeply. They still love school in first grade and only miss a day if they are truly sick and mama insists they stay home.

We began writing our books in February. Each student had to come up with an idea, brainstorm with a group, list characters, dictate the story to Mr. T., revise it with me—adding adjectives and more description. Then I type it on the computer, cut and paste it in a hardbound blank book and then the kids had to illustrate each page and complete the title page, dedication page, and the "About the Author" page. This project all came to fruition last week as each child passed out 2 invitations apiece (but they could invite as many people as they wanted to their "Author's performance." Then for 3 days, each student sat in a huge wooden rocker at the front of the classroom reading their book before their audience of classmates and family members, showing their illustrations for each page. All this was followed by a short reception in the hallway with cookies and punch. Why do we do this? I asked myself as I was making cookies at 5:30 in the morning. But then I realize we do it to see a father come to hear his daughter read and practically busts his buttons with pride. It is worth it to hear Madison pronounce her words carefully because it is an important story to her. It is worth it to see the tears in Nana's eyes when Jacob reads that his book is dedicated to her. It is worth it to listen to Kenny giggle throughout his silly story because the principal cared enough to come hear him read. And when my Wesley had no one show up—my heart is warmed when other parents volunteer to stay so he can have a bigger audience.

I have learned so much in first grade this year…I am learning to appreciate the parents of my students as they demonstrate so much caring for ALL of the kids—not just their own. I am learning that you don't have to be on special assignment or a teacher to make a difference in the life of a child. Anyone can do that.

I can't wait to see what I will learn in first grade next year!!

Peace!

Easter in Ohio

Since it didn't make sense for us to travel all the way home for Easter, we asked Abby if we could visit her for the holiday. She agreed, and we headed north towards Cincinnati on Good Friday.

Because she likes organization and knowing what to expect, Abby made a chart of what we wanted to see and do during the weekend.

Friday evening, we went to Jungle Jim's, a CRAZY HUGE food store. If you ever have the opportunity to visit it, you are sure to be as overwhelmed and amazed as I was. They have pretty much everything you could ever possibly dream of eating there....and a lot of things you wouldn't want to eat at all.

Abby had to do wedding things for one of her colleagues on Saturday, so Eric and I hung out with her dog Moose. He tried to have fun with us, but he really had a hard time being separated from Abby, since we are not as much fun as she is. (It's ok, Moose--we understand.)

We went to a newly-opened IKEA nearby, which was quite an experience. Eric had never been into an IKEA, and we like their stuff, but what we didn't realize was HOW popular a new IKEA can be. The parking lot of the store was completely full, so we had to park at a school and be bussed to the store. There were THOUSANDS of people in that store. Insane.

We also went to a Skyline Chili restaurant for dinner. Eric can't go to Cincinnati without visiting Skyline.

Sunday was family fun day! Eric had put his foot down against having a traditional Easter dinner, so after church, we went to a Chinese buffet for dinner.

Then we headed to Ohio Caverns. (It has become a strange habit for us to visit caves when we're hanging out with Abby.) Nate, our sixteen-year-old guide, gave us our own private tour through the cavern.

Here we are with the biggest stalactite in the cavern--it's called something like the King Crystal...but I can't remember the exact name, so let's just call it the Giant Crystal Carrot 'cause that's what it looks like.

We rounded out our family fun day by going to Young's Dairy for ice cream. We were too late to participate in the Easter egg hunt (shucks!), and it was a little to chilly to do any of the other fun outdoor activities, so we ate our giant piles of ice cream and headed back.

We did, however, take advantage of this excellent photo op. Isn't it strange how well Eric's beard fits in with the goat cut-out?

Thank you, Abby, for hosting us again--we really enjoyed our Easter weekend with you!

hooray for visitors!

Last week, we were happy to have my sister Christie and her husband Tim come to visit us. Since they're full-time students, they were eager to get away to that ever-popular spring break destination: Frakes, Kentucky!

Here they are in the room where they stayed in the Balldinger Dorm. (Notice the color combination of light peach and dark turquoise--you won't find turquoise-colored bedroom furniture in most lodging facilities!)

They arrived on Monday night, and on Tuesday they did a little sight-seeing while Eric and I worked. Here's Christie flirting with Colonel Sanders (founder of KFC and Kentucky native).

Wednesday and Thursday, Tim and Christie helped me in the library. It was good to have their help, and it was even better to be able to hang out with them. We got to spend the evenings together, playing games, watching America's Next Top Model, and comparing paranoias (turns out Tim and I have some of the same neuroses!).

One evening, Eric took us on a tour of the farm. Here are some week-old piglets. Christie got to hold one of them--it screamed bloody murder!--but unfortunately we didn't take a still photo. (Ask Tim if you want to see the video footage!)
Eric showed us how much calves like lollipops.

And it turns out that we have ferns for heads.

It was so great to get to spend some time with our newestly-wed (yes, Aunt Barb, I know that's not a word) family. I don't know about the guys, but Christie and I got used to seeing each other every night, and it's sad now that we're ten hours apart again. Too bad that nobody's invented a good teleporter yet!

Thanks for visiting us, Christie and Tim--we love you!