AROUND ALLENTOWN by Julie Gartland: A look at events and happenings in the area.
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I thought I was early. Wanting a few minutes of silence with the Lord in the sanctuary before service began, I was so pleased to have made it to church, 15 minutes early at that. I haven’t been going to church lately (too complicated an issue to get into here, maybe I’ll write a book about it someday). I’ve missed the comfort and camaraderie of my church community.
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Submissions: Would you like to submit something for Around Allentown? If so, call Julie Gartland at 259-0158 or e-mail her at href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]. |
Standing in the narthex I listened to the silence of the church and felt the promise of solitude. As I put my hand gently on the doorknob (it rattles) of the sanctuary door, a small thought entered my mind: "What if the service has already started?" So I opened the door quietly, just in case, and there, in reverence, was a congregation full of people with their heads bowed in prayer.
I stood for a moment in shock before I sat down in the last pew. I tried to figure out if the church had changed its service schedule. Was it a special service that I had somehow missed the announcement of in the newsletter? The church had added an 8:15 a.m. service a year or so ago maybe this was an additional service to accommodate the continued growth of the congregation.
I decided to sit this service out and then I’d still be early for the 11 a.m. service. Maybe this was God’s way of making up for those times I’ve missed church.
Then it dawned on me I’m not 15 minutes early, I’m 45 minutes late. Daylight Savings. Fall back, SPRING AHEAD. Never have I missed anything from not resetting the clocks and of all places to be late!
It wasn’t that I didn’t know; I work for a newspaper and I saw the reminder of it on the front page. Maybe I was tired. Maybe I was refusing to have time jump ahead of me. Whatever.
I don’t think anyone realized my lateness (they’ll know now). I was so discombobulated all I could do was chuckle to myself and thank God I made it in time for communion. Later that day my son delighted in shocking me with one of those hand buzzer things as an April Fool’s prank. That too I had forgotten.
The Allentown Lions Club will hold a pancake breakfast from 8 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the Allentown Presbyterian Church on High Street. Breakfast is $4.50 per person.
The Allentown Lions Club will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 14, at Dr. Farmer Park on Lakeview Drive.
Due to the heavy rains last week, all soccer events were canceled. The rescheduled opening day is Saturday at the Imlaystown School.
Weather permitting, the Upper Freehold/Allentown Soccer League will conduct training drills followed by a scrimmage game at the Imlaystown School from 9 to 10:30 Saturday mornings through May 19 for boys and girls in grades 1-8.
The cost for the program is $20. Registration forms can be obtained via e-mail at [email protected] or by contacting Alan Nicholls at 259-2737. Bring your completed form to the field on the new opening morning this Saturday.
Also at the Imlaystown School on Saturday, the Allentown United U-10 soccer team will play its next game starting at noon in an early season showdown against the LMSA Tornadoes. So far both teams have won all their games in an overwhelming fashion, so this game pits the two titans of the league against each other. Please come out and support your team!
The Allentown Presbyterian Church senior high youth group will lead the community-wide ecumenical Good Friday service at 7:30 p.m. April 13 at Allentown Presbyterian Church. All are welcome to the service to reflect on this haunting day of our history.
We are receiving great writing pieces from young people in the area displaying wonderful writing technique, insight and imagination.
Please continue to send in your writing to be published in "In Your Own Words." Writing can be faxed to 448-8044 or e-mailed to [email protected] or [email protected]. Include your name, age, hometown or school and phone number.