BUSY!!!

Our church observes Lent with Lenten services on Wednesday, Sundays are not part of Lent.  But you would think we are in any other season of the church year the way our little church is doing.

Every quarter (I guess) we have a Trivia night.  It isn't church trivia - it is general trivia.  Out Seminarian (and Worship Leader) is a mid thirthies guy.  His history is interesting.  He was a devout church goes - even going to a Lutheran school throughout school, and to a Lutheran university.  Then something happened, and he quit.  Didn't want a thing to do with church.

His wife has been a devout church goer, and so is her family.  When our church organized, they were some of the first to join.  Laura convinced Mike to come - once.  Well, that was then, and now he is going to Seminary. 

During his time away, he worked as a bartender.  And he would organize these trivia nights at the bar.  There they were for money for the teams.  For us, no.  The money we donate (because it is not mandatory) goes to something the church is funding at the time - and not our operating expenses.  Although for a time, it looked like that would be a good idea.  We almost needed to be our own charity.

So - Friday night (in Lent mind you), we had Trivia night.  G and I were going to go, but a spring thunderstorm was threatening with hail and all, so we stayed in.  I think the turn-out was good 

Last night was our "Festa Italiana" dinner.  We have been working on this for months.  It is to pay for our Vicar.  Now what is a Vicar?  It is like a "Practice Teacher" only it is a "Practice Preacher."  She is completing seminary, and this is her internship.  The sticking point is that we need $20,000 to pay her for the year she is with us.

One of our members thought up this dinner.  I really thought it would be a flop because they set the tickets at $100/person or $600/table of 8.  Time went on, and the tables weren't selling.  For the longest there were only two tables bought.  As it turns out, instead of the 10 we originally set, we ended with with 11 (at the last minute - causing a lot of weeping and gnashing of teeth).  We hoped to clear $6000, and we cleared $6400 with more coming in.

I was in charge of the decorations.  I have a "team" of ladies who can channel Martha Stewart and transform our little store front church into quite a nice place for something.  So we went to work yesterday morning, and transformed it into a quaint, cozy Tuscan restaurant.  The meal was lasagna, which I was afraid would be cold as ice since people had to bring the cooked item from home. 

It was all prepared by one person, and she THOUGHT SIL could cook them all in his restaurant cooker, AND would have the rolling holding cabinent to keep them, but that didn't happen.  I am sure that poor woman probably gained a million grey hairs, and lost 15 years off her life with this dinner.

But it was beautiful.  The food was adequate.  The wine flowed freely, and there was plenty.  The entertainment was her brother who is an opera singer in New York.  It was great.

But all this happening in Lent???   What are we giving up again?