BIG adventures coming up!

Jerry and I are each about to embark on adventures. I am presently in Kansas City for a week. I will be able to spend time with Carla in her home as well as spend a couple of days in Marshall MO, where Jerry served for 13 years. It will be grand to see a number of old friends and renew some relationships. I fly to Midland the following weekend for several days. Jo will join me in Midland, and we will be joining two Midland friends to attend the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show for a few days. Jerry will fly out Tuesday morning for Los Angeles to meet up with a "Faces of Children" mission group coming from Midland TX. Several of these "missionaries" have gone to Uganda together in previous years, and now they are off to Thailand to share in ministries dealing with children at risk, which is the focus of Faces of Children. To receive email updates on this mission trip, you can email claufer@facesofchildren.net and ask to be put on the mailing list. If you want to listen to some of Jerry's preaching from Sammamish Presbyterian Church, you can find this at http://www.spconline.org/pages/Misc/CurrentSermonSeries.html (guess you will have to cut and paste!), then click on "sign up for podcast". Jerry wanted me to also share with you the following website for audio sermons by Earl Palmer, Senior Pastor at University Presbyterian Church in Seattle. We have been able to attend their evening service on several Sundays. We are always blessed by the service. http://www.upc.org/worship.aspx?id=452 Earl is truly gifted, and can really open up the Word in his preaching. (Now you know what one pastor does on his Sunday evenings off!) We covet your prayers for our travels and especially for the missionaries going to Thailand, in all that they do. Much love, Mary

What goes around, comes around

In 1964, we moved to Hobart OK to serve in our first pastorate. Please meet Greg Calmes, who (as a high school junior) served on the PNC (Pastor Nominating Committee) that called us to that church. Jo, standing here beside Greg, was born in Hobart in 1965; and Carla followed in 1967. Greg's parents, Jack and Mary Jo,(please note that our eldest carries the same name) who had raised two boys, loved having our daughters as their own and had one or the other with them as often as possible. Now lets fast-forward to Christmas 2007: Carla is seen feeding Greg's first grandson, Jake, while we were together over Christmas...just as Greg and his parents, held our Jo and Carla forty years ago. Sharing this year in Sammamish with Greg and Bobbi is just very special to us--and brings back so many wonderful memories of the saints in our first parish in Hobart who nurtured us, loved us, and literally raised us--and then sent us on our way. Like I keep telling you - We're so glad we're a part of the Family of God!