Newspaper Page Text
News from Local Churches
From The Church Bulletins
PAGE 18, DECEMBER 22, 2008, THE ISLANDER
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The beginning of a new year always
seems to include a look back over the
old year and the hindsight of see
ing God's guidance
by opening and clos
ing doors to keep me
in His perfect will.
Even when I choose
a wrong turn He
gently gets me back
on His path.
2008 was a very
special year as Billy
and I celebrated 50
years of marriage and
53 years together!
I was only 16 when
God led us together
so Billy finished rais
ing me and I got him
early enough to train
him just right! We
have been blessed
with four wonderful
children - Billy Jr.,
Beth, Jim and John
- and as regular readers of Pew News
know the icing on our cake is our five
grands - Emily, Piper, Avery, Will
Riley and Galen.
God led us from Atlanta to Jack
sonville and then wonder of wonders
He moved us to St. Simons in 1966
- just in time to birth John on good
old Georgia soil. He led us to commu
nity involvement in areas unique to
our family at the time - PTA, School
Board, Band Boosters and later on
Nursing Board and Elections Board
for me - creating the Sea Island Credit
Union, Planning commission, Charter
Commission and Democratic Party
leadership for Billy.
He led us to missions involve
ment through Jubalheirs, Wycliff
Bible Transla
tors and Open
Doors ministrys
and allowed
us to travel to
South America
and Europe to
see those "real
live" missionar
ies in action and
led us to prayer
and financial
support to keep
them where He
had led them.
The thread
that held it all
together was our
church involve
ment, first at
St. Simons First
Baptist Church
and now at Fred
erica Baptist Church. Through all the
community involvement we were able
to keep our priorities to marriage,
family and church first and God has
Mr. and Mrs. Billy Gibson in 1958
1
Patty Gibson
Christ Church's Louchery Series tackles
contemporary topics in historic setting
Laymen and clergy from all over
the eastern seaboard will gather Janu
ary 12-15, 2009 on St. Simons for the
Louchery Theological Series at historic
Christ Church, Frederica. The title of
the conference is “Living in a Brave
New World, Christianity in the 21st
Century.”
Two distinguished speakers will lead
the group in lectures and discussions
centering around crucial topics of the
present day. The Reverend John Kerr
is a priest of the Church of England. He
is currently on the staff at the Bruton
Parish in Williamsburg, Virginia and
serves as Episcopal Chaplain to the
College of William and Mary. He is a
founder of the Society of Ordained Sci
entists and formerly taught at Oxford
and Winchester College. Dr. Kerr’s
topic at the Louchery Series will be bio
medical ethics.
The Reverend Canon Christopher
Chase is rector of Good Samaritan,
San Diego and former chaplain to the
University of Tennessee. Canon Chase
is recognized as an expert on Islam and
will lead discussions on this subject.
Out of town guests attending the
conference will be housed at Epworth
and meet each day at Christ Church for
the lectures and interaction with the
speakers. Local residents of all faiths
are welcome to attend. A donation of
$25 is requested. For more information,
call The Rev’d. Dr. Ladson Mills at 912-
638-8683 or 912-577-8688. Information
and registration forms are online at
www.christchurchlFederica.org and at
the church office. □
Attention all churches - send
your church news or bulletin (if
you are on line) to The Island
er Newspaper at ssislander@
bellsouth.net or fax 912-265-
3699. Deadline is Thursday
noon prior to the Monday pub
lishing date. There is no charge
for this service.
For wedding, engagement,
obituary announcements call
The Islander Newspaper at
912-265-9654, fax 912-265-
3699, or email ssislander@
bellsouth.net
There is no charge for this
service.
In Memorium
Karen Howe Kirkendall
Karen Howe Kirkendall, 66, a resi
dent of St. Simons Island, died Thurs
day December 11 in the Southeast
Georgia Health System in Brunswick.
Mrs. Kirkendall was a native of Den
ver, Col., and had been a resident of
Glynn Comity since 1964. She was
a member of the St. James Luther
an Church and the W.E.L.C.A. of the
Church.
Survivors are her husband, Preston
Kirkendall of St. Simons, a daugh
ter, Kristi Smith (Chris) of St. Simons
Island, a son, Kevin Kirkendall (Brett)
of Mobile, AL., 6 grandchildren, Preston
Kirkendall, Brewer Kirkendall, Sarah
Grace Kirkendall, Coley Krieg all of
Mobile, AL., Kayla Smith and Ashley
Smith both of St. Simons Island, a
sister, Barbara Gubens (Alfred) of San
Diego, CA., and several nieces and
nephews.
Funeral Services were held Tuesday
December 16 at St. James Lutheran
Church in Brunswick with Rev. Jen
nifer Wheetman officiating. Interment
will follow in Oglethorpe Memorial gar
dens on St. Simons Island.
The family received friends at Edo
Miller and Sons Funeral Home on Mon
day evening, December 15.
Active pallbearers were: Roy
Blaschke, Wayne Quinn, Jim Royal,
Richard McKinna, Louie Rutland, Earl
Perry, Wil Meyer, and Clyde Smith.
The family request those wishing
may make memorials to the St. James
Lutheran Church or the Hospice of the
Golden Isles. □
blessed that over and above all we
might have imagined.
We have traveled through Spring,
Summer and Fall and now find our
selves in the Winter of our lives
with hearts filled with joy and peace
because we have allowed Him to open
and close those doors to direct our
paths in the way He would have us
go which we admit wasn't always our
choice but hindsight proved His way
was always best.
As the New Year begins we would
encourage you to commit to allowing
God to choose your path this year.
If you are not actively involved in a
church this is a good time to find a
place of service in the church of your
choice. Yes, God is everywhere and we
can worship Him on the beach or in the
mountains, but man was made for fel
lowship with others and we find that
fellowship in His church. Our church
friends have walked with us through
the valleys of life and rejoiced with
us on the mountain tops because we
share His love.
Happy New Year! □
F airhaven residents learn
computer skills from C.B.
Greer Elementary School
students every Wednesday. The skills
class is just one of the many activities
available to residents.
Fairhaven and Greer are Partners
In Education and the computer
skills class for Fairhaven residents
is the pilot for a Statewide Inter-
generational program.
Call 280-0078 today to find out about
all of the activities available to residents.
Let Fairhaven make a difference in your life.
C ¥airhavm
Mr Assisted Living Residence end Adult Day Club
Out in the Community!