SISTERS WITH A PURPOSE of West End Baptist Church met in the church fellowship hall for their annual Christmas auction in November. Each member brought their favorite party food and after food and fun, the group settled down to the business of buying items being auctioned. Clifford Baker, auctioneer for the night, made the good time even better as he tried to describe some of the items on the tables. As usual, the bidding went back and forth with good natured bantering accompanying the process. Overall the night was a huge success with $716 being the final amount to be divided among Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, Christian Service Center, DHR, and other needs in the community.

Those enjoying this night were: LeAnn McCullars, Yvonne Masten, Lisa Burdette, Robin Croft, Sherri Foster, Molly Kiser, Mandy Mills, Ashley Hudmon, Debbie Miller, Paige Pirkle, Bobbie Holley, Pam French, Megan Gilbert, Helen Scott, Barbara Lankford, Jo O’Berry, Teressa Manuel, Peggy Harris, Sherri Adams, Monica Kimbrough, Rita Fetner, Johnna Nelson, Beverly Story, Lula Walls, and Donna Downs.

On Monday, Dec. 4, Sisters With A Purpose, along with their spouses, met in the church fellowship hall for their annual Christmas party. The food tables were filled with an abundance of party foods and desserts brought by the members.

Following the meal, the games began. The men and women competed against each other in unwrapping large saran-wrapped balls, filled with candy. They had to wear oven mitts as they worked against the timer. Even though the men seemed to be winning, the ladies surged ahead at the last minute and were the champs. Individuals were then chosen to pick up candy canes using another candy cane held between their teeth. The winner was only able to pick up three canes. The last game was coin hole, a table top version of corn hole. The pennies used to ring the holes bounced all over the tables and floor and the highest number to ring the hole was two. The ladies then gathered around the Christmas tree to reveal their secret pals for 2017 and exchange gifts.

Those enjoying this great evening of fun and fellowship were: Donna and Don Downs, Sherri and Jeff Adams, Sherri and Joe Foster, Lisa Burdette and Brad Jones, Rita and Gaines Fetner, Ashley and Matt Hudmon, Robin and Billy Croft, LeAnn and Karo McCullars, Beverly and Charles Story, Helen and Phillip Scott, Molly and Chris Kiser, Lula and Jerry Walls, Mandy Mills, Pam French, Paige Pirkle, Jo O’Berry, Samantha Howard, Barbara Lankford, Alicha and Michael Barnes, Teressa and Rickey Manuel, Laura and Randy Keafer, and Bobbie and Donny Holley.

On Saturday evening Dec. 9 and Sunday morning the 10th the adult choir of West End Baptist, under the direction of Truett Pirkle, presented their Christmas Cantata “The Light of Christmas”. It included beautiful arrangements of some older Christmas music and introduced several new songs to be enjoyed for years.

Following the cantata program on Saturday evening, the choir and their families gathered in the church fellowship hall for their annual Christmas party. Pastor, Don Downs, recognized Truett for the fantastic job he does and the choir presented him with a Christmas gift.

After the blessing, the group enjoyed a variety of soups along with sandwiches, hot dogs, chips and dips, and a large assortment of desserts. Choir members include: Truett and Paige Pirkle, Kenny and Debbie Miller, Beverly Story, Jo O’Berry, Sherri Foster, Floy Aikens, Mary Herren, Pat Bledsoe, Donna Downs, Donny and Bobbie Holley, Karo and LeAnn McCullars, Jerry and Lula Walls, Jeff and Sherri Adams, Megan Gilbert, Ashley Hudmon, Pam French, Molly Kiser, Helen Scott, Taylor Pike, John Reeve, John and Dot Penn, Charles and Peggy Harris, and Rickey and Teressa Manuel.

On Tuesday, Dec. 12, the Young at Heart of West End celebrated Christmas with breakfast at Cracker Barrel. Before leaving the church they assembled in the Tea Room for a time of prayer requests and praise reports. They enjoyed shopping, playing checkers, and some time to fellowship on the porch of the restaurant before their tables were ready.

Everyone enjoyed their favorite breakfast and a time to relax and talk before loading the vans to head back to the church. Those attending were: Ann Lane, John and Dot Penn, Bob Paradowski, Kenny and Debbie Miller, Gaines and Rita Fetner, Lillian Scott, Jimmy Scott, Jerry Walls, Faye Gauntt, Mike Pruitt, John Reeve, Faith Pruitt, Mary Herren, Doris Lashley, Joyce Arrington, Doodlebug Turner, Bruce Lashley, Mae Thompson, Floyd and Floy Aikens, Jennifer Wright, and their leaders, Don Downs, Peggy Harris and Bobbie Holley.