Forget-Me-Not Garden Tea

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.    Proverbs 18:10

The program began after a half hour of settling in and enjoying various appetizers that the ladies had prepared. Gayle Brown opened the meeting with a welcome to the guests before Amy Hartley read "A Thought on Suffering" from The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis. One of the younger ladies led the group in singing Isaac Watts' hymn, "Am I a Soldier of the Cross". Maurina Dittenhaffer led the ladies in a prayer of thanksgiving for the food.

 Let our choir new anthems raise,
wake the morn with gladness;
God himself to joy and praise
turns the martyrs' sadness:
bright the day that won their crown,
opened heav'n's bright portal,
as they laid the mortal down
and put on th'immortal.


 Never flinched they from the flame,
from the torture never;
vain the foeman's sharpest aim,
Satan's best endeavor:
for by faith they saw the land
decked in all its glory,
where triumphant now they stand
with the victor's story.


 Faith they had that knew not shame,
love that could not languish;
and eternal hope o'ercame
momentary anguish.
Up and follow, Christian men!
Press through toil and sorrow;
spurn the night of fear and then,
O the glorious morrow!

On Tuesday, August 6, 2019, the ladies of WSBC and their guests gathered for their annual summer garden tea.  This year's theme was "Forget-Me-Not".  The basement fellowship hall was decorated with stone-wall backdrops, moss, and dim lighting to represent the Tower of Constance—prison of many women in historic France who suffered for their faith. Beautiful blue flower centerpieces added some cheer to the room.

After a break for a buffet-style dinner the ladies turned their attention back to the podium. Becky Myers read Psalm 42 as an introduction to the evening's main devotional, "Lord, Strengthen Me to Resist". Amy Stalnecker presented the ladies with some challenging truths from our Christian heritage, which should help us to remember in our hard providences that the Lord will provide strength. The ladies sang a less-familiar hymn, "Let Our Choir New Anthems Raise" by Joseph the Hymnographer (circa 800-883) before listening to Keri Myers play "It is Well With My Soul" on the piano.  Kathy Cox read "A Colloquy on Rejoicing" from The Valley of Vision - a collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions by Arthur Bennett. 

Desserts sweetened the evening. Then the ladies sang a last hymn, "Though Troubles Assail Us" by John Newton (1779). Karla Myers closed the meeting by thanking the ladies and inviting all to join the church group as they plan to begin a Bible study on subject of contentment this September.