Unusual Sunday

 I had some extra work to do this morning so got up a little early. That way I had plenty of time to down a couple good strong cups of coffee before getting started. I needed to make a double batch of caramel brownies for our dessert tonight and also made 3 pounds of cheese carrots for the meal tonight. We picked up Rhonda just a little after 9:00 am and made it to church early. Ryan and Steven were the door greeters today so Ruth came early. Kathy and Randy brought Nancy and they had already arrived. Nancy was more than happy to hang her coat up and wait for mom and Joan. Craig Stickling had the morning message on 1 Kings 18. I know the story of Elijah going against Jezebel's 450 prophets but Craig brought out after that shocking ending of the fire from heaven then the rain after 3 and a half years of drought, Jezebel put out the word she was going to kill Elijah and when he got the messge how depressed and alone Elijah felt. This message really needs to be listened to again as I'm not explaining it near as well as Craig did. Click HERE to watch that message.  Lunch was amazing but then Cheryl served. She had build your own deluxe taco salad. Below is a picture of a very fancy plate. 

Some of us didn't make our plates quite so fancy. 

Cheryl also had a nice selection of sweets. Below are just a few.

Tim Roecker had the afternoon message. It was good to have him back on the pulpit. We had been missing him since he hurt his back. He opened to 1 Kings 8 another familiar story of Elijah. Click HERE to listen to that. Since I had company coming for dinner tonight we left pretty quickly, walked out of the sanctuary to grab our coats when we smelled smoke. We were walking toward the parking lot door and saw smoke. We went through the door to the steps and could see smoke rolling out of the heater up on the ceiling.

Spark came around the corner right then to run downstairs to shut the breakers off. Steven and Ryan went running to the thermostat to try to turn it off from there. Tim Funk carried up a ladder. Mark went out to the car to grab a screw driver to take the bottom of the heater off. The metal case of the heater was really hot so gloves were needed. I'm not sure who brought the gloves but Ryan was able to get the bottom off the heater. We could not see any flame. Meanwhile the fire alarm went off. Mike Waibel was able to shut that off but not before the fire department was on the way. With the first fire truck that arrived came 2 men and they had an infrared meter that they pointed up at the heater to see if anything was burning. 

The second fire engine arrived and these men came in carrying a big fan which they set up in the doorway at the top of the stairs to remove the smoke.

The smoke was cleared out pretty quick. Thanks to the timing (it started at the end of the second service) and to the fast reaction time of those that knew to shut off the breakers, the only damage was to the actual heater. Mark went with firemen to tape off the breaker so no one would turn it back on. He called Philip then to get a new heater ordered. I mentioned the church building was old and he said, "no this part was built in 1977 and the heater installed then." Well that is the year we got married and we've been married a LONG time so I'm pretty sure it was OLD.

We left then, stopped at Aldi to pick up the potatoes for tonight's meal, went straight to the barn to start the oven then home to grab the rest of the food. While cooking at the barn Joan called to tell us the last camper out was being delivered today. That needed to be winterized before putting it in the barn and since it is below freezing today and tonight Joan and Mark winterized it right after it arrived. 

I snapped the picture when I took sheets and towels up to the apartment to be washed. I was thankful for 3 washers and 3 dryers today. We had a lot of guests stay and there is a lot of bedding and towels to be washed. 

I still had supper ready by 4:30 pm. We had 28 for dinner. 

Supper was delicious. My friend Sam (I've never met him but he must be a cook at Sam's Club) makes a mean hickory smoked brisket which was the meat served. I cooked everything else. After supper the kids were playing on the bouncy house when one of the baffles blew. 

Now there is a bump at the back. The kids think this makes it even more fun. The volleyball games were fun to watch and the kids had a ball letting the air out of the bouncy house then filling it back up.

Rhoda and Lee were going to take Nancy home so I stopped in at mom's to pick up Nancy and take her to the barn. Karin had finished the Wizard of Oz puzzle I worked on on Saturday.

When I got Nancy to the barn she had to pose next to the Christmas Tree SHE helped decorate.

Rhoda and Lee were the last to leave the barn but that was because they were putting all the balls away. Nancy was very glad to go with them and I am very glad they are willing to take her home.

 Mike and Diane took the Solar Coaster out on the Gulf of Mexico today. THEY had sunshine and warmth.