PAGE B.D TH APE N.... .--- .- . .


Norris Notes


By Lillian Norris


THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2009


Pastor Desi Nixon and his family

celebrated 10 Years of Services


 To be such a short
 month, February has
 been a long month for
 me, so much has hap-
 pened in my life. As
 many of you already
 know, my sister,
 Martha Gibson, Crys-
 tal River, has been
 very.ill for a number
 of years. I spent a
 week down there ear-
 h lier in the month
 ,when she was in the
 nursing home, then in
 the hospital. After
. coming bacikome
for a few days I re-
ceived a call that she
had died on Thursday
morning, her service
was on the following
Saturday.. She was
my only sybling, all
parents and grand-
parents deceased, as
many of.you know,
hits pretty hard,
makes ius thankful for
our immediate fami-
ly, and for memories,
and friends. Martha
leaves a husband and
 three sons, who are
 very special to me.
 A week after I re-
 turned home friends,
 Dr. Harold and Jean
 Coe called to say the
 Gaither Gospel Group
' would be in Orlando
 on Saturday night in
 concert, they had a
 ticket for me to attend
 with. them. len took
 me to Gainesville on
 Friday, Harold and
 Jean picked me up
 there and we went to
 the concert on Satur-
 day night, it was su-
 per; we attended
 church on Sunday.
 nrotrning an
 inspiring service at
 First Presbyterian


Church, Orlando;
Jean and I went to an-
other gospel concert
on Sunday evening
and took some of
Jean's friends, to a
Baptist Church in Or-
lando; on Wednesday
I was invited to at-
tend a Bible Study
consisting of four
couples, meting in a
home, another mean-
ingful evening. On
Thursday the COes.
had their children
and their families for
dinner so we could
visit with each other.
Harold and Jean
brought me back to
Jasper on Saturday
and they visited with
the Jasper Coes in the
afternoon, they had to
get back to Orlando
to be there for Church
functions on Sunday
morning. It was a
great week.
 One night while in
 Orlando we were
 watching television,
 suddenly there was
 Art Smith on the
 screen (hope some of
 you got to see it},
 what a nice surprise,
 of course I reacted
 with enthusiasm, it
 was showing where
 President Obama and
 his family had Valen-'
 tine breakfast at Art's
 restaurant in Chicago
 (we have learned
 since then that Art
*also has a restaurant
in Washington DC
where you can look
out the window and
see the White House
(or is the Capitol, I
must ask Addie). We
keep learning about
much of Art's accom-


plishments, we will
be keeping with him
as time goes by.
 Gretchen Goolsby
has now moved into
her new beauty shop
in Live Oak, located
in the building with
Stitchin' Sisters, most
of us will be follow-
ing her there and
wish her well.
 Congratulations to
 Dr. Bo and Charleen
 Bembry on the birth
 of their new grand-
 daughter, Virginia
 Grace Davis, born to
 Sarah (Bembry) Davis
 and Mike Davis of'
* Kannapolis, NC.'
 First United-
 Methodist Church
 will be starting
 Lenten services on
 Sunday evening. If
 you notice a sign in
 my yard, First Pres
 byterian Church, Or-
 lando is distributing
 these crosses to be
 used during the
 Lenten Season, they
 gavae me one to
* bring back to Jasper.
 We are glad to hear
 that Peggy Alderman
 is home recuperating
 and should be back at
 work soon, at First
 Baptist, also David
 McMillen. Jo Coe is
 home recuperating
 from a stroke, she has
 been back at Church
 playing the piano and
 singing in the choir.
 Here's -hoping to get
 back to doing a col-
 umn ever) week, I
 NEED YOUR HELP.-
 Call, email or write
 your news. nor-
 rislw@'windstream.ne
 t 792-2151 Lillian
 Norris.


SUWANNEE VALLEY


Oak.Grove Missionary Baptist Church's Pastor Desi Nixon and fafnily were honored with a
10th Anniversary celb on on February 21 Photo submitted


 Oak Groire Missionary Baptist
Church in Bellville, Florida, was de-.
lighted and excited about celebrating'
their Pastor's 10th Anniversary on Sat-
urday, February 21, 2009..
 The celebration was God ordered
through the vision and hard work of
Mother Vivianr Collier and the mem-,
bers of Oak-Grove. It was shared with
family and friends both far and near.
 Pastor Nixon and his family, were
honored in song .by Shiloh AME
Church Young Adult Choir, from
Mims, Florida, and Words and Gifts of
Love from family members, friends


and the various ministries at Oak
Grove.
"God has really blessed Oak Grove
with a good pastor" was among the
comments hear from the crowd of
more than 70 people.
 During Pastor Nixon's closing re-
marks, 'he thanked God for allowing
him to pastor a church that shows so
much love to him arid his family. The
celebration ended with a wonderful
meal and many hugs and kisses.
 The Oak Grove Church family is
looking forward to the next 10 years
with pastorNixon and his family.


Digital Photography workshops


 'The Florida Depart-
ment of Environmental
Protection's Stephen Fos-
ter Folk Culture Center
State Park will host a dig-
ital photography and
photo art workshop on
Monday, March 9 and
23, from 9 a.m until 11:30
*a,m.
.Taught by professional
photographer Don,
Williams, the workshops,
will teach participants
how to create a pbto-
graphic compositiognmd
the shooting effects of
color and black and
white. Participants will
learn techniques such as-
flash usage, depth of
field, linear perspective,
macro photography, ex-
posure priorities and set-
tings. Computer pro-
gramming combined
with hands-on outdoor
photography sessions


will enhance student
photography skills.
 Participants will need
to bring a camera either
film or digital. No com-
puters are needed for this
workshop. Workshop
fees are $25 per work-
shop, including .park ad-
mission. Limit eight stu-
dents per workshop.


 For additional infor-
mation or to register for
the workshops, please
call the Park Gift Shop at
397-1920 or. ,.visit
www.stephen fosterC-
'SO.org. To learn more
about the park,- visit
w w w F 10rida S -
tateParks.org/stephen-
foster.


Car donations needed
for Boys and Girls Club

 Boys and Girls Club throughout the country
are pleased to call their'clubs, "The Positive Place
for Kids." Helping to keep clubs a "positive place"
is the income from donated cars.
 Boys and Girls Clubs are accepting car dona-
tions. The money received from the sale of the
cars is a big influence in making a club positive.
 To donate.cars call 1-800-246-0493. No restric-
tions apply and the car will be picked up within
a few days.


Published twice monthly.
in Suwannee, Hamilton &
counties also online at


Lafayette


 www. suwanneedemocrat. corn


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