Warm smiles and cheerful bird songs greeted the ladies of the Manassas Seventh-day Adventist Church (Va.) and their guests as they entered the garden (the Fellowship Hall) on Sunday afternoon, April 12. Bird pictures, nests and birds’ eggs accompanied the music and fresh flowers completed the decorations. The ladies enjoyed finger sandwiches, salads and desserts as well as lemonade and an abundance of herbal teas. And, of course, the opportunity to fellowship together.
The keynote speaker was Sharon Cress, associate for pastoral ministries for the Potomac Conference. Her talk, “Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places,” highlighted the stories of four ladies in the Bible, including the woman at the well and Mary Magdalene. Cress also asked the ladies to guess what three words most like to hear. The answers: I love you, I forgive you and come to supper. After finishing the more formal presentation, Cress shared a little about her personal journey.
The spring tea is a tradition at the Manassas church, and designed to be an outreach event as well as a pleasant and growing experience for the members. Of more then 50 attendees, about one quarter were not members of the church.
