Road Trip to Indianapolis
July 5-8
Part 1
After dropping off some reports at TFC’s International Office (not far from Three Mile Island) we headed west.
Why am I suddenly hungry for ice cream? I guess I better not try to get inside, because the notes say “Security Camera on Board.”
After four hours on the road, the skyline of Pittsburgh came into view. This was our destination for today.
Our GPS unit took us right to David L. Lawrence Conference Center where the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference was being held.
Water flowing under the convention center
We were a bit early for the 3:30 p.m. reunion of our 2008 300th Anniversary Brethren Heritage tour of Germany and Switzerland, so enjoyed some of the beauty surrounding the center.
A water fall
A beautiful view of the Allegheny River
We eventually relaxed near the large windows, just outside the main room where many delegates and attendees were assembled.
The river was busy with boats, as this was the July 4 holiday for many people.
After meeting our friends John and Arlene Heisey (who were attending the conference), we headed upstairs to the room where the Germany/Switzerland reunion was being held. In the process we walked above the large meeting room that I mentioned earlier.
The Reunion – what fun to see these tour friends again. Arlene Heisey’s scrapbook was a highlight.
Left to Right: John & Arlene Heisey (PA), Debbie & Ken Bomberger (PA), Paul White (VA), Rick & Pat Edwards (NC), Joyce & Bill Brumbaugh (IN), me & Cerwin (PA).
There were eleven in the room most of the hour-and-a-half, plus four others you will meet later. That means there were fifteen of the twenty-eight tour members at the conference.
We were pleased to see Stafford Fredrick. Ken looks like he is ready to punch him with a boxing move, but he is actually preparing to hug him.
We weren’t sure if he and Linda (VA) were going to get to the reunion, because he was the “keeper of the light” in the main meetings. In other words, he was the timekeeper for those who were asking questions or responding to them.
Ken welcoming Linda.
After a wonderful time with our tour friends, we headed back to the conference area, with a goal of stopping in the large display room.
Arlene decided to leave her scrapbook at the Brethren Revival Fellowship booth. Her son-in-law Eric Brubaker was manning it when we arrived. John is greeting Melody Keller, a friend from Maine.
Mary Zimmerman, a friend from our church, was helping at the New Windsor booth. They were selling items that were made in third world countries, some from our church members in these countries.
We were exceptionally pleased to meet Jim and Pam Hardenbrook (currently from Alaska). They were our Germany/Switzerland tour hosts, and could not come to the reunion because of a conflict in meetings.
John and Cerwin
We decided to try the Sonoma Grille for supper.
It was a delightful evening.
The restaurant was full and noisy, but we were seated in a back area that was wonderfully quiet. We see John and Arlene frequently as we go to church together, are in the same Sunday school class (he is our teacher), but rarely spend time together – just the four of us.
After saying goodby, they went on to an evening meeting, and we proceeded west another fifteen miles where we had a motel reserved for the night.
Maybe we can find some alone time when we go back for the chapel dedication in September.
