Encouraged by Pastor Tim’s sermons on loving our neighbors, Wally and Dorcas Schaefer and Pres and Carolyn Nowlin invited old and new neighbors to a chicken barbecue in early June.   Getting to know our neighbors seemed to be the first step toward loving!  Wanting to catch families before school dismissed for the summer and thinking a week night might be more convenient than a weekend when folks are often away, they chose a Wednesday night.

     Wally and Dorcas agreed to host the gathering at their home and to provide barbecued chicken, and the Nowlins handled planning details.  About three weeks before the party, an invitation was mailed to thirteen families, and a follow-up card was sent the week before the date.  The hosts provided drinks, and each guest family was asked to bring a dish to go along with the chicken.  A special feature of the evening was music by the Landis family.

     Seven new neighbor families, including newlyweds Timothy and Anna Nice, and five “old” families (a total of forty people) shared wonderful food and a delightful time getting acquainted around tables borrowed from the church. 

The younger children played happily with rolling toys provided by Jesse Landis, and the older ones engaged in a variety of sports and games.  There are apparently few strangers under eighteen!  

     With enthusiastic encouragement from some of the guests, the Nowlins and Schaefers hope to host another gathering in the future.   If the newcomers enjoyed the evening as much as the hosts did, the barbecue was quite a success, and loving our neighbors was altogether joyful.