Saturday Shout Outs: REUNION!!!

The reunion of the 1994-2000 student ministries of the First United Methodist Church of Kissimmee, Florida, is happening one week from today, and the excitement is building! I wanted to take this opportunity to make sure everyone is up to date on the details, to share another video slideshow of great old pictures, and to thank a few people who are making this great event happen.  So let's get started!

First of all, I need to say a big THANK YOU to Teresa Reep Tysinger, Kelly Jeck Trace and Dwight Oakes who have all been working to help make next weekend special.  I appreciate all of their efforts so much, and I hope everyone will be sure to thank them for their efforts.

The schedule for the weekend is set now.  Saturday (April 20) at noon there is a picnic at the Wayne Crotty Shelter (NOT the actual name; I keep forgetting to ask Kelly which shelter we reserved. Stay tuned to Facebook for that detail!) on Lake Toho. This is a chance to bring the entire family and just hang out and have fun.  Remember this is not a Potluck; bring whatever you want for your family to eat and drink or you will be OutOfLuck! :)  No reservations are needed, and if you find yourselves available at the last minute, come on out!  There is no truth to the rumor that Jerry Hanbery will be performing live at this time.  Maybe at dinner...

Speaking of which, after an afternoon break we will gather again around 6 PM at the Broadway Pizza Bar, located on Broadway a short distance from the church. This gathering is for adults, and we would love to know if you are coming ahead of time so we can let the restaurant know a number. HOWEVER- we're not turning anyone away, so come if you can!  As of this time it looks like there will be around 35 of us for dinner, although that number will likely go up. In addition to whatever food and drinks you choose to partake of (and pay for- dining and dashing are frowned upon!), there will be lots of time to hang out, get reacquainted and tell old war stories that may embarrass you.  We may even sing a song or two if the spirit moves us.  And there will be name tags in case some of us don't look quite as young as we once did.  Not me, of course...I was always old!  Stay as long as you like, or until we get thrown out!

Then for those who will be around on Sunday morning (and that includes me!) Kelly has invited us to join her at the 9:40 am service at FUMC-K.  It is a more contemporary service, and she and Dwight have been working so the congregation might sing a couple of our old songs during worship. For anyone who can, it will be a great chance to worship together again!  And then to wrap up the weekend, we will head over to Fat Boys around 11 am for lunch together.  Sounds like the perfect way to wrap up a weekend in Kissimmee!

I hope that some of you are as excited about this as Lauren Carr Cacciatore, Teresa, Jerry, Lisa Kraus Spires, Cindy Martin, Dr. Jill and myself are.  I can't wait to see everyone.  It is always tempting when planning such an event to lament all of the people you would love to see but are unable to attend.  And we have alread heard from folks like Matt & Dana Schmidt, Ben Thompson, Jacob Lupfer, Erin Augenblick Shannon, Cyndi Reep Browning and a few others that they are unable to join us. But way back in the youth group days I always planned our crazy summer schedules thinking that it was not about who couldn't come; it was about the folks who showed up.  And thus it will be next weekend.  People will be missed, but those who can join us will celebrate with each other the bond we share and the stories we lived through.  If you can come out, please do.  We'll be waiting for you! 

And finally, here's another little slide show of old pictures and music to help remind us all WHY this reunion is a good idea.  Life has certainly been better for me Since I Met You!   Enjoy, and have a wonderful weekend!