Our game plan did indeed involve baseball in the form of a tour of the Louisville Slugger Factory and Museum. It was really neat to see how they select and harvest the trees and make the bats. I had no idea of the differences between the bats made for amateurs and those made for the pros. The latter can choose from about a thousand different designs for their bats, not counting the cupping, finishing and labeling of the bats. Since 2006, MLB players have used pink bats at games played on Mother’s Day with the profits from sales of the bats going to breast cancer research. There is talk about (probably blue) bats to raise monies for prostate cancer research but MLB and the Louisville Slugger folks have yet to come to a consensus about that. It occurs to me that a little well-placed pressure from the public might encourage them to put that into practice. Each of us received a mini Louisville Slugger at the end of the tour.
Following our visit to the Louisville Slugger Factory and Museum, we got a bite to eat and then hit the road for Lexington, where we worshiped, ate and visited with the good people at the Lutheran Episcopal Ministry Center (LEMC). Barry Neese, the pastor, and I became acquainted while mucking out houses and uprooting dead trees at the regional campus ministry gathering in New Orleans in 2006. As it turns out, Barry was serving in ministry in Logan, Utah, when Perry was in Price. Small world, eh? We enjoyed Holden Evening Prayer and dinner with the students. With so many engineering majors, we felt very much at home! Each week, a congregation in the community (Lutheran or Episcopal) provides food for the community meal. It’s very cool to emerge from worship and find the food ready to go! We very much appreciated the hospitality offered by Pastor Barry and the students at LEMC. Finally, we began a new photographic tradition: Taking pictures of T. Barry with the human Barrys we meet. Barry Neese is the first. (We’ll have to pick up pix with our local Barrys when we return home.)
Back at the SA headquarters, we were joined for the night by a group of 45 from John Carroll University who are participating in a program called, “Students Today, Leaders Forever.” Begun a few years back at the University of Minnesota, JCU has just joined the program. They travel by bus from city to city, doing team building within their group and community service in each community they visit. Naturally, Barry made the rounds visiting all of the young people in the group and welcoming them to their home for the night!
Day Three: The Thrift Store and More
We spent the majority of our time today helping out at the Salvation Army Thrift Store. SA, as many know, pioneered non-profit thrift stores. The one in Louisville serves as a clearing house for a wide geographic area. Jessie, Laura and I were assigned the task of tidying up the clothing racks: sorting clothing by item and color, hanging them in a tidy manner and removing empty hangers. Brian and Perry replaced damaged ceiling tiles, a process that required Brian to climb up on a high ladder; we suggested that spending time in the air would be good training for our young, aspiring pilot!
This evening, we attended worship on the “backside” of Churchill Downs, which is the only race track chaplaincy erved by a Lutheran pastor. Two worship services take place simultaneously: one in English and one in Spanish. Following worship, the two groups commingle over dinner, which is provided by one of 46 area congregation. It’s a very interesting and intensive ministry. We’re hoping to visit him at Churchill Downs and to learn more about the people he serves.
This evening, we attended worship on the “backside” of Churchill Downs, which is the only race track chaplaincy erved by a Lutheran pastor. Two worship services take place simultaneously: one in English and one in Spanish. Following worship, the two groups commingle over dinner, which is provided by one of 46 area congregation. It’s a very interesting and intensive ministry. We’re hoping to visit him at Churchill Downs and to learn more about the people he serves.
Before heading back to the SA, we stopped at Graeters, the local premium ice cream shop. I may pay for the indulgence but it sure was yummy! This morning (Tuesday), we're off to sort toys!
Peace, Shalom, Salaam,
Sue
No comments:
Post a Comment