En mai, quant rose est florie,

Sunday, October 22, 2006

It was back to the Kirk of the Hills for Dr. Trade-Winds last service at senior pastor. Unfortunately OLeif was unable to attend already being committed to playing for the service at Grace that morning. Collette had not been to a service at Kirk since she and Carrie had visited one Sunday right before Dr. Trade-Winds four-month sabbatical four years before. And now they would all be returning again after seven years.

That cold October morning saw a pleasant farewell service where he gave the benediction at the end of several homilies on God’s faithfulness and a good number of hymns. This was followed with a reception in the gym, which was dark but for street lights twined in ivy set up here and there and candles on tall tables with roses. A band played in one corner and a buffet of sausage biscuits, strawberries, quiches, little cinnamon rolls, and even tiny cheesecakes was laid out in the center. Upon entering the gym, Collette was reminded of all the Sunday Schools seven years before that she had attended in that gym. The same old smell. She hadn’t stepped foot into it for ages.

And there were old friends there – Mrs. Shetland (now 91), Mr. and Mrs. Gabriel (whose oldest son, Joe’s age, was six foot, four, 240 pounds, and was going to Mizzou to play football and major in photojournalism), Mrs. Appelrock (whose short gray hair had grown out as long gray hair – she gave them all hugs), and Mrs. Muriel Battledore (who had just survived cancer for the second time). It was good to see some old faces after all that time.

Later in the afternoon, Joe took a long bike ride and OLeif, Collette, and Rose picked him up so that Rose could shoot some pictures of autumn trees which Joe said were just beautiful down by the river road. Then there was the traditional sausage supper from the church down the road right before youth. Busy days…