SENIORS AND COMRADES ENJOY “BEST EVER” SPRING BREAK
"It just gets better and better". "This has been the best yet". These are just two of the comments made at the end of the Spring Break at the Causeway Hotel when we were all saying our sad farewells on Friday morning.
Forty-five of us "took over" the Causeway Hotel on Tuesday afternoon, 3rd May. We were welcomed at the Hotel with tea, coffee and tray bakes and at 6 p.m. we gathered in the dining room for our first beautiful dinner. At 8 p.m. we met in the lounge for our "Getting to Know You" meeting led by Barbara Lowry. Gerry McIlveen led us in some great singing with Dorothy Morrison at the piano. After breakfast on Wednesday morning we met for our "Thought for the Day". This was led by Janie Ferguson and the message was brought to us by Olive Gardiner. Olive spoke of Jesus washing the disciples feet and challenged us all in our service for Christ.
At 11.30 a.m. we set off in a convoy of cars to Garvagh where we had lunch at T.B.F. Thompson's Trinity Rooms. This was a most enjoyable lunch after which we were shown a very inspiring DVD of "Footprints in the Sand" followed by a short talk on the work carried on there. We then were free until our evening meal at 5.30. Once again, after our substantial meal, we met in the lounge when Barbara led us in worship and Dorothy and Gerry led our chorus singing. Our guest speaker was Rev. Drew Moore, retired minister of Hill Street Presbyterian Church, Lurgan. Barbara interviewed Mr. Moore and in answering her questions he gave us a very interesting and sometimes amusing, insight into his life and God's calling on his life.
Thursday was a free day for us after "Thought for the Day" led by Janie and with Olive once again bringing us a very challenging message. She spoke about Martha and how different she was from Mary. Many of us could identify with Martha and this encouraged us greatly to take stock of our lives and get our priorities right.
After our evening meal we met in the lounge for our concert. This was followed by a C.E. Meeting which took the form of a shipwreck meeting which meant everything had to be done from memory! Many took part in the concert which included musical items, solos, poems and two poems written specially for our Break and of course there was a sketch performed by four quite disreputable old-age pensioners in a retirement home. This sketch had a very surprising and hilarious ending and was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. Quite a few then took part in the C.E. Meeting which again underlined the value of the training received in Christian Endeavour. We had a truly blessed evening.
After breakfast on Friday morning we had some expressions of appreciation and thanks for the staff of the Hotel who looked after us really well, and for the work of the Committee, especially Barbara, and then Mr. Poole brought our Spring Break to a close in prayer.
We are all looking forward, God willing, to our Spring Break next year. Do plan to come.
Janie Ferguson.
