She sat in the auditorium chair, shaking her crossed leg, a normal post-speech habit.

She had researched many jokes to tell during her presentation, Better Together: A Story About the Power of Connectionalism.

One she had not told:

I like to stay in shape physically so, when out of town recently, I called the local gym.  I asked if they had a swimming pool.  “Sorry, it’s closed because it’s not working.”  Did they have a weight room.  “Sorry, it’s closed because it’s not working.”  Did they have an elliptical training room?  “Sorry, it’s closed because it’s not working.”  Did they at least have a sauna to use after a long run?   “Sorry, it’s closed because it’s not working.”  Well, I asked, is anything working in that gym?  “Yes,” the receptionist replied, “but I’m not worth much.”

Somewhere, the refrains of Bach’s Air from the Ouverture No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068, played on the Light Classical Music Choice digital channel, Matthias Bamert, Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.

Echoes of Joel Robinson, soloist, singing Great Is Thy Faithfulness, pushed against the sounds of people breathing, motor vehicles accelerating and Kevin Long’s organ piping.

Dr. Tom Lovell thought back to his sermon, Predestination: Is It All Planned Out?

O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing.

Gene Joiner, executive director of Maranatha Camp and Conference Center stood up to speak that day – 24th July 2011 – to announce the exciting news the camp had hosted 463 campers that summer.

Wilson Blair, with a nod to Warner Durnell, handed out copies of a document that declared:

THIS IS TO CERTIFY

THAT

Chapter of Presbyterian Men, First Presbyterian Church, Athens, Ala.

is officially affiliated with the

NATIONAL COUNCIL of PRESBYTERIAN MEN

in the

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Rosemary thought back about her speech.  There she was, a CLP, happily married for 32 years.  A student of the Book of Order, old and new.

She remembered well her conversion to Presbyterianism, having wandered from her Catholic upbringing through the Episcopal denomination.

New faces bring new ideas.

“How many Presbyterians does it take to change a light bulb? ‘Change?’ the Presbyterian congregation asks in shock.”

Organised people love Presbyterianism because their religious practice is conducted by committee – better together, in other words.

A look back is a look forward.

Love – social connectedness on the individual, family or cultural level – is what a female-led flock in Big Cove, Alabama, is all about.

Better than a 30-minute wait for a cup of soup at a local restaurant because only the overworked kitchen workers, not the servers, have permission to dip a ladle in the vat.

Manage by walking around and make proactive changes, regardless of corporate office edicts, religious or secular.

= = =

Thanks to Katie Erickson at The Apollo Cafe, Ricky D at [unnamed because of poor kitchen service, despite post-service discount provided by the manager, Dustin], Aaron/Zach/Crystal/Dana/Pat/Carson at UBC, Amber at Arby’s, Octavio R at Sandoval’s, Kim and elizaBeth at Panera Bread, Kay Hanks at Publix, kitchen workers at Maranatha dining hall.