Summer has been here and gone, except for the memories of meeting new and old friends. Grandpa and Grandma had a needed vacation where we could just ‘relax and enjoy.’ First we headed for West Virginia, with a stay-over in Indiana; we drove into Fairmont, WV, late afternoon on Saturday, August 5. We visited with David and Myra Hamilton. It is many years since we had fellowship with these beloved friends. We looked at pictures of the family, specially the grandchildren (each of us soon expecting another grandchild). It was in the year of our Lord 1970 that Grandpa had the joy of marrying David and Myra. After Grandpa left Fairmont to serve in a church in Tennessee, we had gotten together. Now the years have passed and we promised not to wait too long. When we arrived in Fairmont on that Saturday David and Myra took us out to a great restaurant which we had enjoyed back when…Murriel’s (?) still served the best Italian food you can find anywhere. We worshipped together the next day and met old friends when Grandpa was the minister. It was great getting re-acquainted and experiencing good changes.Monday morning, Aug. 7 we took off for Rockingham County, Virginia, and the Free Church Conference of 2006. Grandpa and Grandma stayed at Lost River Retreat Center sixteen miles away in West Virginia as there was no room in the ‘inn’! Near there was the Appalachian arts and craft shop where a number of us visited during the week (there we bought a birthday gift for our Philip in Pennsylv
ania—a gift from West Virginia as he was born in Fairmont). Each morning and evening we traveled 16 miles to the conference. We had chosen this conference for the reason of getting re-acquainted with friends we had met when Grandpa served a church in Falls Church, Va. It was so good to fellowship with Sherman Isbell and his wife Lisa. The conference gave us both spiritual and physical refreshment. Our fellowship was enhanced by the appointment of certain tasks in ‘meal preparation’ in the Red Oak Lodge kitchen. Lisa was in charge of the food etc and we could not have had better food or better fellowship at each meal.The speakers were another reason we chose to go to Virginia. The Rev. John J. Murr
ay of Glasgow, Scotland spoke on the life and ministry of Professor John Murray (1898-1975), and on Robert M. M’Cheyne (1813-1843) and Andrew A. Bonar (1810-1892). The Rev. Kenneth MacDonald of Snizort, Isle of Skye, Scotland delivered tow evangelistic sermons. We enjoy the fellowship of theses men. (Kenneth and his wife Colleen is pictured with us.)We met friends whom we met at the PEF Conference last year. A new friend who loved to talk sports. A family who belong to a church in Ohio pastured by an old-time friend. There were many children, youth, and young adults whom Grandpa enjoyed as their conversation was a blessing. Grandpa wished he could of play volley-ball but just do
esn’t hop as high anymore. The spirit of true worship lifted our souls as we heard the Word of God proclaimed faithfully, the joyous singing of the Psalms, and the fellowship one with another in faith of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus! The beauty of the area reminded us of our glorious Creator. We don’t know where our summer break will take us next year, but we know that our Lord has something pleasant for us.
