Welcome! Perry UMC has many senior activities. We invite seniors in the community to join us, whether or not they are a member of Perry UMC.

With joy in Christ,
Roland Fall, Associate Pastor of Congregational Care

Perry UMC Prime Time

Welcome to Prime Time!
Events for 55 and older members of Perry UMC. We would also like to outreach and welcome other seniors in our community!

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Exciting Prime Time

Plans for 2013

Activities Are Listed

Below!

Prime Time 2013 Activities Schedule

February

Prime Time Luncheon, Thursday, February 7, 12:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall, Description: Marguerite Messer’s dinners have been pleasing the Prime Time crowd for many years! They are delicious and she always creates an interesting menu. During this February meeting we celebrate Valentines, and you are invited to wear the colors of Valentines if you desire! Following the luncheon (which is always served by expert waiters!) we will enjoy the thoughts of Mayor Jimmy Faircloth. Plan to join us for all the luncheons this year. Call the Church Office to make a reservation by the Tuesday before the Luncheon at 987-1852.

Outing to Shannon’s Restaurant, Friday, February 15, Depart PUMC at 5:00 p.m., or Meet at Restaurant at 5:30 p.m., Description: Shannon’s Restaurant is a great place to eat, serving delicious seafood and other entrees. Join us for this fun fellowship time! Call the church office to make a reservation no later than Wed, February 13: 987-1852.

March

Prime Time Luncheon, Thursday, March 7, 12:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall, Description: Join us for a delicious meal, warm friendly fellowship, and a good program! And in March we remember the “luck O’ the Irish” so wear your green, sport your shileighlees, green derbys, and join the fun! The program this month will be the Westfield Literary Society, a talented group of young singers from Westfield. Call the Church Office to make a reservation by the Tuesday before the Luncheon at 987-1852.

Outing to Jeneans Restaurant and The Macon Little Theater play entitled: “Some Enchanted Evening”, Friday, March 22, Departure Time:5:00 p.m., Description: The Macon Little is known for its fine performances, so this great musical should come to life on their stage! Isn’t it time you took in a great Rodgers and Hammerstein theatrical performance? If the time is right, join us for dinner at Jeaneans and then the play. I don’t think you will disappointed with the evening! Call the church office and make a reservation: 987-1852. We must purchase tickets early, so please make your reservation soon, by March 1.

April

Prime Time Luncheon, Thursday, April 4, 12:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall, Description: Join us for a delicious meal, warm friendly fellowship, and a good program! Call the Church Office to make a reservation by the Tuesday before the Luncheon at 987-1852.

Outing to Willow Inn Restaurant, Social Circle, GA, Thursday, April 18, Depart PUMC at 9:00 a.m., Description: The Willow Inn Restaurant is renowned for its fine cuisine, so a great meal is a given! Then it’s on to the sights and sounds of Social Circle: antique shops, variety stores, and more! We’ll be gone most of the day, arriving back in Perry in the late afternoon or evening. Come along and “socialize” in Social Circle and the Blue Willow Inn Restaurant. Call the church office and make a reservation: 987-1852.

May

Prime Time Luncheon, Thursday, May 2, 12:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall, Call the Church Office to make a reservation by the Tuesday before the Luncheon at 987-1852.

Overnight to the North Georgia Mountains, May 6 & 7, Departure from PUMC at 8:00 a.m., Description: Let’s go to the high country, the inspiring North Georgia mountains! We’ll travel by church buses to Hiawasee and check into one of the good, local motels (name TBA). After check-in, we’ll enjoy the sights and sounds of downtown Hiawasee. There are many shops to visit in this quaint North Ga town. Later that evening we’ll head to the Chop House Restaurant for a delicious meal. The next morning we will visit the Hamilton Rhododendron Gardens, which should be in full bloom! After lunch, a special treat: The John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, N.C. (30 minute drive). Here we can tour the campus of this interesting school where they teach the folk arts of the past and present. After we depart the Folk School, we’ll head to Perry with a quick stop at Alexander’s Hardware Store. This is a unique “don’t miss it” stop. So... come along and climb the North Georgia mountains with us! Call the church office to make a reservation, 987-1852. (Transportation is free, but each person is responsible for their room and board on the trip; bus snacks will also be provided at no charge!)

June

Prime Time Luncheon, Thursday, June 6, 12:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall, Call the Church Office to make a reservation by the Tuesday before the Luncheon at 987-1852.

Outing to The Atlanta Braves Vs. The San Francisco Giants Baseball Game, Saturday, June 15, with game beginning at 4:05 p.m. at the Atlanta Braves Stadium. The church busses will depart at 12:30 p.m., Description: “Play ball!” will be the umps call as the game begins! This rivalry has a special attraction for us as Buster Posey, who is married to Chesley and Evelyn’s granddaughter, is a MVP San Francisco Giant! We’ve pulled for Buster and the Giants in the two World Series they have won, celebrating Buster’s significant contribution to each title. At the stadium we will have good seats in the shade; also there is plenty of delicious snacks and drinks available for sale at fairly reasonable prices. There will be no charge for transportation (including bus snacks), but each person is responsible for their own ticket and meals. Call the church office to make a reservation, 987-1852.

July

Prime Time Luncheon, Thursday, July 11, 12:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall, We will celebrate our country, the USA, the land of the free, during our July Luncheon: you are invited to wear your red, white, and blue and join the celebration! Jeff Kleghorn, a superb pianist, will be back for another performance! Don’t miss Jeff’s awesome musical talent and his friendly joyful personality. Call the Church Office to make a reservation by the Tuesday before the Luncheon at 987-1852.

August

Prime Time Luncheon, Thursday, August 1, 12:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall, Call the Church Office to make a reservation by the Tuesday before the Luncheon at 987-1852.

Outing to the Jarrell Plantation Historic Site and Rivercrossing Mall, Thursday, August 22, Departure on PUMC busses at 9:00 a.m. Description: The Jarrell Plantation dates back to the time before the Civil War and has been owned by one family since it first came into being 140 years ago. Come along and step back into history as we visit this unique historic site. Located northwest of Macon, it is in the proximity of the new shopping area The Rivercrossings, so... let’s have lunch and do a little shopping! Many shops and restaurants are readily available to serve you. Please call the church office to make a reservation for this trip: 987-1852.

September

Prime Time Luncheon, Thursday, September 5, 12:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall, Call the Church Office to make a reservation by the Tuesday before the Luncheon at 987-1852.

Road Trip to Nashville Tennessee and the Grand Ole Opry, September 24-27, Wednesday through Friday, Via White Star Tours, Departing PUMC at 7:00 a.m. Description: As the attached brochure indicates, this is a jam packed, fun filled trip! We’ll see a lot, hear a lot, and do a lot! And we’ll even attend the Grand Ole Opry! Wow! Read the attached brochure carefully and if this trip is for you (and I hope it is!) then make your reservation by calling the church office at 987-1852. Nashville here we come!

October

Prime Time Luncheon, Thursday, October 3, 12:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall, Call the Church Office to make a reservation by the Tuesday before the Luncheon at 987-1852.

Outing to The Methodist Home for Children and Youth, Date and Time TBA, Depart via church buses at 9:00 a.m. Description: The Methodist Home for Children and Youth has been serving young people for many, many years in Georgia; as a local UM congregation we have supported this wonderful and significant ministry. Join us for tour of the Home and see for yourself how this ministry has impacted for good the lives of so many young people. We will also enjoy lunch together at one of the fine eateries in Macon. Come and be inspired by the loving ministry of the of the children’s Home! Call the church office to make a reservation for this trip, 987-1852.

November

Prime Time Luncheon, Thursday, November, 12:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall, Description: Thanksgiving is always on our mind this time of year, and that is the theme of our November meeting. Call the Church Office to make a reservation by the Tuesday before the Luncheon at 987-1852.

Outing to Daffney Lodge Restaurant, Thursday, November 21, depart PUMC at 5:00 p.m., Description: Thanksgiving Day is the following Thursday, November 28, but we will gather for a special meal a week earlier to give thanks together. The Daffney Lodge Restaurant is renown for its good food, warm ambience, and friendly staff. Join for a “thankful” time! Call the church office to make your reservation, 987-1852.

December

Prime Time Luncheon, Thursday, December 5, 12:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall, Call the Church Office to make a reservation by the Tuesday before the Luncheon at 987-1852.

Prime Time Christmas Party, Thursday, December 19, 6:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall, Description: Christmas is a special time of celebrating family, friends, and the gift of God in Jesus Christ given to all. Our Prime Time celebration is a warm and enthusiastic mixture of all of these elements as we enjoy the joy of fellowship, a delicious meal, and a wonderful program of the glorious themes of Christmas. Our celebration is in the evening, and if you need a ride, please let the church office know so we can help you arrange it. We do not want anyone to miss this special time because the do not drive at night. Please call the Church Office and make a reservation, 987-1852, and we’ll see you for this special “HO-HO” time! Merry Christmas!

Information

You Are Invited! To

Join Our Prime Time

Outings!

Everyone Welcome On All Outings!

Our Prime Time group likes to travel! Periodically we board our church buses, or a charter bus, and travel to various entertainment venues and restaurants. We have taken overnight trips to near by cities (such as Savannah, St. Augustine, and Charleston), cruises, day trips to the Fox Theater, overnight trips to United Methodist centers on St. Simons Island and at Lake Junaluska, outings to the Macon Cherry Blossom Festival, the Aquarium in Atlanta, Braves games, and more. We have also taken numerous outings to local and area restaurants! Umm good! Other times we just have a covered dish supper and play bingo! We have a great time and everyone is always welcome on all of the outings!

Contact: Polly Mohr, 987-2829 or Rev. Roland E. Fall, 987-1852.

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JOY Choir (Just Older Youth!)
See Music Ministries for more info.

The Joy Choir is an enthusiastic group of adult singers over 55 years old! They meet each Tuesday morning and are led by our Music Minister, Dr. Jane Kimbrell. Go to the Music Ministies link above for further details. If you like to sing, you will really enjoy this group!

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Hospitalized?

We need your assistance. If you know of a PUMC member who is in the hospital, please notify the church office at 987-1852.

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Doctor's Appointment?

Are you a PUMC member needing transportation for medical appointments? Call Polly Mohr at 987-2829 or Marguerite Messer at 987-2364 and let them make arrangements for you.

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An Exciting Year

Planned for

Prime Time 2012!

Perry United Methodist Church

Events and Activities for the 2012

February 2: (Thursday) Prime Time Luncheon, 12:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall

February 14: (Tuesday) Valentine Dinner at the Fish and Pig Restaurant at Lake Tobesofkee! Delicious seafood or barbecue is on the menu, so don’t miss this fun night out with the group! We’ll meet at the church at 5:00 p.m. to take church buses to the restaurant.

March 1: (Thursday) Prime Time Luncheon, 12:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall

(Due to Holy Week the first week in April, we will not have an April Luncheon.)

April 12: (Thursday) Prime Time to Callaway Gardens: A day trip to the beautiful Callaway Gardens during the height of the flower blooming season! We’ll see the Day Butterfly Center, the Sibly Horticultural Center, more flowers than we can count, wildlife, and more! And for lunch, we’ll enjoy one of the Garden’s fine restaurants. Time permitting, we stop in small and quaint town Manchester, GA and peruse the shops. We’ll depart on the church buses for Callaway Gardens in the morning at 8:00 a.m. and return to Perry in the evening.  Additional details including admission fee TBA (To Be Announced).

May 3: (Thursday) Prime Time Luncheon, 12:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall

May 31: (Thursday) Prime Time to Atlanta: A day trip to the big city of “Hotlanta” and the world class High Museum of Art! Of course, it’s always exciting to see the Atlanta skyline! And after the museum, we’ll stop by The Varsity for a snack before the ride home! We’ll depart on a chartered motorcoach for Atlanta Thursday morning at 8:00 a.m. and return to Perry in the evening. Museum admission TBA.

June 7: (Thursday) Prime Time Luncheon, 12:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall

July 5: (Thursday) Prime Time Luncheon, 12:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall

July 12-13: (Thursday – Friday) Prime Time to Epworth-By-The -Sea (EBTS) on St. Simons: An overnight trip to the United Methodist Center on St. Simons Island. On Friday afternoon and evening we’ll see the sights, enjoy a seafood dinner, walk along the pavilion, and enjoy the quaint shops around the downtown pier area. On Friday morning we’ll have breakfast at EBTS and then visit Christ Church and Fort Frederica. We’ll enjoy an island lunch at an area restaurant and then begin the journey back to Perry. We’ll depart on the church buses for St. Simons on Thursday morning at 8:00 a.m. and return to Perry on Friday evening. EBTS motel pricing TBA.

July 19: (Thursday): Play ball! Baseball that is! We're headed to Atlanta to see the Braves play the Giants. We'll be rooting for both teams as Buster Posey, catcher for the Giants, has a conncection with our church family. This will be an exciting game and however it turns out, well, we'll be ok about that too! We will depart early on gameday, and arrive in plenty of time for th start of the game at 12:00 p.m. Call the office and make a reservation to attend this fun and exciting day trip! Church office: 987-1852.

August 2: (Thursday) Prime Time Luncheon, 12:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall

September 24 – 28: (Monday – Friday) Prime Time to Orlando, FL: This White Star Tours package includes: 4 Nights lodging, 4 Breakfasts, 2 Full course dinners, 1-Day admission to a Walt Disney World Theme Park: (Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, or The Magic Kingdom), Admission to The Holy Land Experience, Leu Gardens & House Museum, The Morse Museum of American Art, Downtown Disney & The Marketplace, Souvenir gift, Luggage handling in Orlando, All taxes and meal gratuities, Motorcoach transportation. Price $498 per person (double occupancy). We will depart on a White Star Tours motorcoach for Orlando on Monday at 8:00 a.m. More details TBA.

October 4: Thursday) Prime Time Luncheon, 12:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall

November 1: (Thursday) Prime Time Luncheon, 12:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall

November 13: (Tuesday) Prime Time Outing to Dinner! Join us for a night out at an area restaurant! Good food, good company, good time! We will take the church buses for this outing. Details TBA.

December 6: (Thursday) Prime Time Luncheon, 12:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall

December 20: (Thursday) Prime Time Christmas Party, 6:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Join us for a delicious Christmas Dinner, a Holiday Program, and lot’s of Christmas Cheer!

For clarification, or if you need further information, please contact Rev. Roland E. Fall at the church office at 987-1852, ext 27, or via cell at 951-1614, or via email at refall2009@gmail.com.

This information will be posted on the church website at: www.perryumc.org , click on the word “SENIOR” on the left hand side of the screen.

Brochures for the Orlando Trip will be distributed at the March PT Luncheon.

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Next Prime Time

Noon Luncheon

Thursday, May 2

Join us for a delicious meal, warm friendly fellowship, and a good program!

Call the Church Office to make a reservation by the Tuesday before the Luncheon at 987-1852.

Our Next Outing!

The Social Circle-Willow Inn Restaurant Outing

Thursday, April 18,

Depart PUMC at 9:00 a.m.

Description: The Willow Inn Restaurant is renowned for its fine cuisine, so a great meal is a given! Then it’s on to the sights and sounds of Social Circle: antique shops, variety stores, and more! We’ll be gone most of the day, arriving back in Perry in the late afternoon or evening. Come along and “socialize” in Social Circle and the Blue Willow Inn Restaurant.

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Our Last Outing Was A Great Success!

Our Outing to The Smokin' Pig and The Macon Little Theater Musical Review “Some Enchanted Evening” Was A Fun-filled, Evening!

The Macon Little lived up to its reputation as being a theater known for their fine performances! The musicaal review came to to life on their stage!

The songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein were beautifully sung by a great variety of cast members. A delicious dinner, good music and the company of great friends. We had a wonderful night!

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About Our Prime Time

Luncheons

The Prime Time Luncheons are held the first Thursday of every month. We emjoy a catered luncheon and a program in the Fellowship Hall. Cost is $5.00.

We encourage all of our seniors to attend the lLuncheons and get involved in the PT activities! You are also invited to volunteer to plan and make table decorations, help decorate and set tables, and organize programs. Past Programs have included plays, musicals, historians, and health speakers.

Contact: Polly Mohr, 987-2829, for more information

For Prime Time Luncheon reservations call the church office, 987-1852. Make your reservations with the church office by 9:00 a.m. on the Tuesday before the luncheon. If you make a reservation and find that you cannot attend, please call the church office and cancel by 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday before the luncheon. If cancellation is not made by the deadline, the payment of $5 per person is due.

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Prime Time Christmas

Party A Time of

Christmas Cheer!

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Orlando Trip a Hugh Success!

Our trip to Orlando was a resounding success! We boarded the bus bright and early on monday morning, had prayer together, and off we went! We stopped for a breakfast break, an orange juice break at the GA-FLA line, and then for lunch in Ocala. When we arrived, we checked-in, freshened up, and went to dinner in Orlando at Ryan's Steak House... umm, umm good!

Monday we were on our way after a good breakfast at the motel: first to the Leu Gardens and House Museum, which was fantastic with beautiful subtropical plants, and then to the Morris Museum of American Art where we saw the largest collection of Louis Comfort Tiffany art. The lamps, the chapel, the variety of art were amazing! Later that evening we attended the Arabian Nights Dinner Show, enjoying a delicious dinner all the while watching an amazing play all performed on horse back! The whole event was exciting from start to finish!

Wednessday was Walt Disney World day! We joined Mickey mouse and crew for a wonderful, and fun time at Epcot, where we saw the world in one day! Great restaurants, musical performances, and rides were all part of the experience. When we arrived back at our rooms, we were tired yet satisfied that we had seen so much and done so much all in one place!

Thursday we visited the Holy Land Experience and, as the name suggests, it was quite and experience! The performaces were dynamic, contemporary, well done, and filled with music and stage lighting. we were all moved by the sincerity of the cast and crew and for the way in which they handled so carefully yet boldly the story of Jesus Christ, and the difference God's transforming love made in the world then and does now! Other venues, such as the Scriptorium, the model of Jerusalem, the dancing fountain, village scenes were also well presented and enjoyed by our group. And the restaurants were delicious and ressonably priced. It was an inspiring day!

On Friday morning we were homeward bound, stopping for lunch and a quick bus repair, and arriving home in the early evening. As we gather our luggage, and said good-byes, we were thinking about doing this again on another trip next year in 2013. Won't you join us on the next journey? I hope so!

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Have You Ever Played a

"Hog Fiddle"?

At our August Prime Time Luncheon we enjoyed a wonderful time, including a delicious dinner of grilled chicken, with a broccoli salad mix, and tangy, tasty corn dish. And desert! Very good fare!

Then we enjoyed the "hog fiddles." What is a "hog fiddle?" It's a dulcimer! I'd never heard that name for a dulcimer before, but in some locales, that's what it's called! It's a surprising name to me in that the dulcimer is light and delicate instrument and deoesn't fit the picture of a hog at all. Thanks to The Sonic Sounds and the macon Dulcimer Club, we enjoyed a wonderful program of beautiful dulcimer music!

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Preperation For

Orlando Trip Underway

It not too late to register for the Orlando Trip on September 24 - 28. It going to be a great trip! We will take in a number of venues, including The Holy Land Experience, Walt Disney World, Leu Gardens and House Museum, Morse Museum of American Art, The Arabian Nights Dinner Show, and more!

The Package Price of $498 per person (double occupancy) includes all of the above, and transportation, lodging, 4 breakfasts, 2 full course dinners, and all taxes and gratuities. It's a strong value package.

Registrations are done at the church office (across from the church sanctuary) M-F, 8:30 - 4:30. A $25 deposit is to be made at the time of registration. Full Payment for the trip is needed by August 3.

Join us if you can for this fun trip! Brochures about the trip are also available at the church office with more detailed information about each activity. Feel free to stop by the church office any time and pick up a brochure.

All aboard!!!

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High Museum of Art Outing A Great Success!

The High Museum of Art in Atlanta continues to be a place of extraordinary art. Our Prime Time group left Perry at 8am and traveled to the "High" on Thursday, May 31, and had intellectually and artistic stimulating experience!

Our first artistic encounter in the Museum was the new show, "The Art of Golf." Here we saw the most famous paintings in the world related to golf. They were quite amazing and helped us ll to understand more clearly the origins of the game of golf and how the early game was played. Furthermore, we saw "snapshots" of the the golf couses of the time. They were much more "rough" than todays manicured courses!

Then it was on the High's standing collection which is great! The collection is filled with artistic pieces from all gendres. We wandered the vast open halls in the modern museum, enjoying each others company and pointing out details which were special to each of us! Additionally, they also had a complete modern gallery with rotating shows that made us think and ponder the nature of art! Wow, some of those pieces were really different, but the consensus of the group was they also told a story as well. Interesting to see art of various ages and to compare and contrast them. We enjoyed discussing among us the various forms of art we encountered throughout the museum.

On the way home we stopped at Buckner's Family Restaurant where they served the food "family style." The food was delicious and the atmosphere fun! We arrived back home about 6pm, tired but satisfied that we had done the "High" and had a good days outing!

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A Great Day Was Enjoyed By All At Our February Prime Time Luncheon

The as our Prime Timers gathered, the room was buzzing with discussion about the activities and outings that were being announced to the group that day. We will be taking a number of trips and dinner outings, as well as, the "big trip" to Orlando, Florida. A full slate of activites is planned for that trip, including Disney World! See the full year's agenda on this page at the left. Scroll down to the section entitled: " An Exciting Year Planned for Prime Time 2012!"

When the clock struck twelve, the group was ready to enjoy the delicious lunch prepared by Marguerite Messer. Her meals are always extraordinary culinary delights, and she did not dissapoint this time either! We had the blessings and enjoyed all the activities of the luncheon table.

Then, we were blessed with the voice, music, and testimony of Pam from the group Countenance. Wow, she wowed the group! Her music was powerful and supurb, and her testimony was genuine and sincere. We were moved by her passion for Christ and compassion for others. Thank you, Pam, for such a warm, caring, and uplifting presentation!

What would we do without the door prizes? We'd miss them, that's for sure. But Charlee Duke keeps us well supplied with door prizes, so I think we are covered there! Thanks, Charlee, for your consistent good effort in finding unique and delightful door prizes. It's fun to have a winning ticket and usually almost everyone wins at least once during the year!

During this time we also shared the information about our trips and activities upcoming in 2012. The most immediate trip is to "The Fish and Pig Restaurant" on Valentines Day, (Feb 14), departing the church at 5:00 p.m. Join us for a great seafood dinner (or barbecue) and fabulous fellowship!

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Prime Time Christmas

Party a Great Time!

We all had a great time at the Primetime Christmas Party... lot's of fun... great music with the Cleghorns... and a wonderful, delcious dinner!

We gathered in the Fellowship Hall on Thursday, December 15 at 6:00 p.m. for a most festive and delightful Christmas celebration! After a delicious dinner catered by the Swanson House Restaurant, we enjoyed a wonderful musical Christmas program by The Cleghorns, a very talented musical family. We had a great time listening and tapping our feet to the joyful Christmas tunes! Many thanks to all who attended and participated in this PT celebration! Again, Merry Christmas!

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Many Thanks to Governor and Mrs. Sonny Perdue for Addressing Our Prime Time Gathering

Many thanks to Governor Sonny Perdue and Mrs Mary Perdue for sharing their thoughts about their time as Governor and First Lady of Georgia. Their work has helprd to make our state of Georgia a stronger and more compassionate place. Mary spoke about her work with the foster care program of Georgia, and how it was transformed so that children's needs could be more readily assessed and then long term approaches to each child's needs could be tailor designed. The result is that the number of children in foster care has been reduced from twenty thousand children to eight thousand children. By changing the approach to helping these children, bringing all agencies together to determine the best route for each child, the care system has grown to empasize how to provide long term, loving care for each child. When possible, families were reunited and helped, and adoptions have become more available when appropriate. The results of these efforts have been tremendously successful. Thank you, Sonny and Mary, for joining us and helping us understand the challenges you have faced and the work you have done!

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Prime Time Goings On

Here's What We've Done Recently!

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New Harmonies:

Celebrating American

Roots Music

Sept 8 - Oct 20, 2012

At The Perry Arts Center

1121 Macon Rd, Perry Ga

Perry has been selected as one of thirteen sites to host the Smithsonian exhibit entitled New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music. This is a "big event" for Perry and will bring thousands of people to our city from across Middle Georgia to view the exhibit. The New Harmonies experience also includes numerous performance experience and teaching seminars that will hightlight roots music in our area.

Sheila Jones and Ellie Loudermilk, coordinators for this event, shared an informative presentation with our Prime Time group during our January luncheon. They brought our group "up to speed" on this dynamic event that will take place in Perry in 2012. They also shared with us, that in addition to the exhibit and the events taking place at the Perry Arts Center, New Harmonies peformances will be recognized throughout Middle Georgia. A printed calendar will be available for the perfromances from May through October, and an Online Calendar will be available to post performances from February to October. The Calendar is a part of the New Harmonies webiste, so check it out.

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Shows, Shows, Shows

in Branson, Mo!

September 12-18,

(Monday – Sunday)

Wow! what a wonderful week we had in Branson, Mo! We saw wonderful shows, enjoyed delicious meals together, had fun riding the bus, and made some new friends as well! It was a great time with smooth sailing all the way!

We departed Perry bright and early on Monday morning at 7am. Everyone joined in to help get all the luggage loaded, each other on board, and all things set, and then we were off. Later Monday afternoon we arrived in Memphis for the night and dined a Corky's Bar-B-Q, one of the premier "Memphis Bar-B-Q" restaurants... ummm good!

Our group expediciously departed Memphis on Tuesday morning, crossing the Big Muddy (Mississippi River) into Arkansas for the trip to Branson. We also saw the Memphis Pyramid as we left the city and then discussed at length the crops growing along the Mississippi river, including a large number of rice paddies. Later that afternoon we arrived in Branson and made our way to the Carriage Inn, our home away from home! We unloaded, freshened up, and then dined at Uptown Cafe and then took in our first show, Baldknobbers Hillbilly Jamboree! Great music, funny skits, good fun! This was a fantastic start for our week of shows!

On Wednesday morning we arrived for the 10am show "Red, Hot & Blue Show" at the Americanna Theatre. Again, great singing, and this time incredible dancing, sets, lighting, and costumes. After the show and lunch we made our way to the Branson Belle, the steamboat Showboat. When we entered the Belle, we were guided to the Ballroom and were stunned to see a hugh room with about 500 people (including us!) being served a delicious dinner. And that was followed by a great and entertaining show with an amazing violinist. Also, the show featured a supurb band, 5 great singers, and a entertaining and funny magician. We had a blast! That night a number in our group enjoyed the Doug Gabriel Show, a show of music and entertainment. I was also great!

Thursday moring saw up early and headed out to the George Dyer performance. Frankly, it was stunning. He has a beautiful voice and very friendly and inviting manner. One of our group was a "star" on his segment that included audiance participation! After lunch at Branson Landing, most of our group headed to the Shoji Tobushi Show. Wow, can he play that fiddle! And he had extraordinary singers and performers. In one scene, the dancers flew off the stage (by wires) that seemed incrediably real! Later that night, after dinner at the Golden Corral, it was on to another show, this time the Hughes Brothers. They are fun loving group of brothers who have a great harmony. But there's more! They also had their spouses and 23 children performing with them. It was amazing to see how talented the children were, and how disciplined they were in the show parts. They were very inspiring.

Friday was our last day in Branson, but we went out with a bang! We saw the Brett Family, went to lunch again at the Uptown Cafe, purused the Branson Craft Mall, enjoyed a delicious dinner at McFarlain's restaurant, and then went to see and hear The Twelve Irish Tenors! Wow, what a great day!

Saturday morning, a bit tired but excited and amazed at all we had seen and heard, we departed Branson for Memphis. We crossed the Big Muddy again, enjoyed a nights lodging, and prepared fo the last leg of the trip, back home to Perry.

Sunday morning, after departure, we worshiped as we traveled on the bus. We felt blessed to have had such an experience, and also were thankful for the group of friends that we had become over the week. It was a delight to have each person who made the trip with us. And we made some wonderful new friends who enjoy traveling and we will do it all again on another trip soon, we hope.

When we arrived in Perry, it was good to be home, as the old saying goes, "There's no place like home!" Good-byes, see you next time, and hugs were plentiful as we unloaded and finished our journey. A wonderful trip with a wonderful group!

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Our Prime Time Group Enjoyed Southern Cooking at The Swanson House on Carroll Street in Downtown Perry!

The Swanson House Restaurant has earned a reputation in Perry as a great place to eat! And they lived up to their reputation! Delicious Southern cooking is their forte and we enjoyed a great dinner on this outing with our Prime Time friends! Yes, it was umm, umm good!

Our Prime Time Group eats out periodically at restaurants all across Middle Georgia. Stay tuned for another dining adventure in the future!

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St Augustine Trip A Great Success!

On Monday, May 9, our Prime Time group boarded the "big bus" (luxury charter bus!) and headed to the sunny Atlantic shore of Florida to the oldest city in North America, St Augustine! And we had a blast! We saw the sights of St. Augustine, taking the Trolly at will to any one of twenty-three stops, including the Lightner Museum, the Old Fort, and the Old Town area of St. Augustine. In addition to that, we enjoyed two of the primier restaurants of St. Augustine: The Raintree Restaurant and The Santa Maria Restauant: both were great meals and intersting places to experience. The bus ride to and from St. Augustine was also a lot of fun with good converstations, and interesting sights to see as we drove. Join us for the next trip and be a part of the fun!

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The Atlanta Passion Play A Great Prelude to Holy Week and Easter

Our Prime Time Group traveled to Atlanta to experience the Atlanta Passion Play on Saturday, April 16. And what a moving experience it was! The music, costuming, scenery, and performers were absolutely extraordinary! Beginning with a scene describing the Creation of humanity in the Garden of Eden, the story of God's love for humanity was portrayed. The primary focus, of course, was the passion of Jesus Christ, but that was placed in the context of his mission and ministry, adding depth to the meaning of the performance. All the scenes were biblically accurate and lifted up the love of God given to all humanity through Jesus Christ. The Passion Paly certainly set a beautiful and also somber tone for Easter.

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Benson’s Restaurant Excursion a Great Time!

Benson’s Restaurant is new to the Houston Lake Road and Highway 96 intersection, opening its doors about two years ago. The report of their culinary delights was good, so we headed there on Thursday, February 17, at 6:00 p.m. hoping for a good dinner. We were not disappointed! We all met at Bensons and enjoyed dinner as a group in the reserved dining room. Everyonel ordered from the menu and had a delightful meal. Some knew what they were ordering, others of us were surprised at the presentation, but, surprised in a good way! Benson’s Restaurant is on our "try again" list, so next time we go, join the fun! The restaurant is located in the Northwest quadrant of the Houston Lake Road and Highway 96 intersection, at 1289 Houston Lake Road.

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Prime Time Christmas Celebration at the Fish and Pig Restaurant

On Thursday, December 9th, we loaded up the church buses and several cars and took off for the Fish and Pig Restaurant for our annual Christmas celebration gathering and meal. What a great time we had! Located on Lake Tobesofkee, the Fish and Pig offers not only wonderful food, but a beautiful view of the lake! We gathered in an interestingly decorated dining room, with a warm, glowing fireplace, and the friendly and efficient Fish and Pig staff. They took our orders, and then salad and soon dinner was served. And the meals were delicious as was often exclaimed at our table and throughout the room. Good conversation, good friends, and good food make a good combination! We enjoyed all three in abundance! We’re already looking forward to next year’s Christmas celebration!

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The New Year, 2011, Off to a Good Start

Our first Prime Time dinner was on Thursday, January 6, and was great success. As usual, Marguerite Messer prepared a delicious noon dinner that was served by the men of the Prime Time group. Thanks for a delicious meal and great service!
Polly Mohr, Director of Prime Time, introduced our program: “Hospice and Palliative Care Available through Evercare.” This informative and interesting presentation sparked a vigorous discussion about this type of care and help offered in the community. Tammie Greene and her staff did a good job handling a sensitive issue that has been of great help to so many people but is sometimes misunderstood. They worked hard to reveal how caring and loving this care is brought to those who receive it, and did much to alleviate anxiety that sometimes surrounds this topic. The group responded with gratitude and appreciation for such a caring ministry in our area.
Make plans to join us in February! See you then!

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Prime Time Travelers return enlightened by Explorations in Antiquity Center
You can see photo albums of the exhibits and explanations of what we looked at on this wonderful trip! Thanks to Polly for organinizing our journey back to the time of Jesus. [Photo albums and details]