October 11, 2016 "Scarecrows and Hayrides" Speaker Anita Fleenor

​Apple butter making day and school fall break lowered our attendance at 4G’s last night but what a great time you missed.  There were so many choices of soup, beef stew, and chili that you wanted to sample all of them, but you can only carry so many bowls at one time.  Thank you Peggy Daugherty for our Haystacks to go along with our theme of “Scarecrows and Hayrides”.  We have one lady, but I won’t mention your name, Vicki Reeser, who loves to dress for our themes and last night she was delightful and put a smile on our faces.  

What can I say about our speaker, Anita Fleenor.  Anita has been going to Gray for many years and is a devoted supporter and volunteer for our church.  Anita lives in Kingsport, but instead of finding a church closer to her home, she held true to her home church.  That is the blessing of having a Church family, you do not want to leave them.  If you know Anita, you know she told us her story with true feelings and of course she made us laugh.  Anita told us about growing up in Nashville with a strong and enduring mother who raised 4 children alone after she divorced an abusive husband.  This determined Mom became a role model for Anita and is one reason she has become a strong person herself.  Being a divorced woman in the 60’s was not accepted very favorably and even though it was never said aloud to her, Anita believes that her Mom’s church turned her away after the divorce.  Her Mom quit going to church and taking her children to church.  But God always provides so Anita had aunts and uncles to spend time with and from them she learned the values of being a Christian.  As a young girl, she knew she wanted to have the faith and trust in God that they possessed.  When Anita married a Gray, TN gentleman, she moved here and came to the church the Fleenor clan attended.  At first, Anita dropped her children off for Sunday school but did not attend herself.  But we have determined ladies at Gray and just to name a few, Joanna Barnes, Pauline Sluder, and Phyllis Ramsey, as Anita puts it “nagged her” until she gave in and started attending Sunday school.  Well, Anita had no idea the blessing these ladies had given her.  Anita told us that she was baptized when she was 40 years old.  To me that is a true testimony of God’s grace.  Anita told us of the importance for her of Sunday school.  In Sunday school, you have a lesson and Bible studies to help you understand God and His Word and you have the wisdom and knowledge from the other people in your class.  If you have a question or something is confusing to you, you can ask and someone will always help you to understand.  When you are in a class every Sunday you receive sisters (and brothers) who support you, listen to you, never judge or condemn you, and hold in confidence whatever you say. You also know that when you leave that class you will have their prayers and love with you.  Thank you, Anita.

So the end of another year is getting closer and the next time we meet, will be November 8th.  Our theme will be “Cancer Awareness” and our speaker will be a cancer survivor, Gail Morris.  We are having a simple menu next month of sandwiches, salads, and desserts.  We are collecting donations for a needy family.

Hope you will be in Sunday school every week until we see you again,

Love and prayers,

Linda

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.  Proverbs 22:6
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