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August 10th, 2005 Greetings from the beautiful city of Grant's Pass, Oregon. Ronda, the girls and I are on our way to Oak Harbor, Washington for a family reunion to celebrate my grandparent's 65th wedding anniversary. There's lots of stuff going on around the campus. The Vaughn Building is being remodeled before the school year gets under way and the storage bins behind the Sanctuary are being moved to make room for new modular building classrooms. Pastor Ron is working on the Golf-a-thon to raise the money to pay for all of this (remember, there is a meeting this Sunday afternoon so work your lunch plans around it). Lucy and Sito Rael will be ministering next weekend and on Tuesday and Wednesday, so you don't want to miss any of the services. Who can you bring with you? You've still got a few days to pray about that. We miss all of you, and we're looking forward to returning home in a week or so. July 11th, 2005 Were you here? Did you see Phil Driscoll yesterday morning? What a day! Both services were outstanding...it's always good to have Phil and his team home, even if it's just for one morning. And as for last week's Independence Day Celebration, what can I say other than everyone involved did a wonderful job celebrating the heritage of our country and the freedom we've been blessed with. Kudos to Ronda who puts these things together. She really is the best. Summer is well under way, and I hope you are enjoying the change. Our youth ministry is busy with activities and beach trips. Take advantage of all that's available for our Junior and Senior High students. Email Steve is you want more information. Encounter has really been having some great times with God the last several weeks. The worship and Praise has been fantastic, and the ministry very personal. And Ronda gave a great message last night. I hope you're not missing out . . . It's vacation time for some of us, so I hope you'll understand if the updates are a little inconsistent. See you at church! June 15th, 2005 Just a short note today - the new summer and fall college schedules are available here with descriptions of the classes available here. Father's Day is coming this Sunday. What better place to remember dad than church? Bring dad to church and you'll hear a very encouraging and uplifting message on how great dads are. June 6th, 2005 I hope you were able to be here yesterday, because we had 3 really good services. In the morning services, Steve Brock was great (you need to get a tape of each service if you missed out) and the Encounter Anniversary Celebration last night was so much fun. We just about filled the Youth Center, playing pool, ping-pong, fooseball and air hockey. The food was good and the fellowship was great. From the toddlers to us old folks, a wonderful time was had by all. It's not a bad way to prepare for your birthday...happy birthday to me! This is the last week of school here at Bethel, with Graduations Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings. You can check the calendar for more info. Congratulations to the classes of '05! We've got some special guest news to let you know about. Phil Driscoll will be with us in our morning service on Sunday, July 10th. Mark your calendars now so you don't forget. Lucy and Cito Rael will be with us on August 21st, 23rd & 24th. Joe Jordan will be with us on Wednesday, September 21st. And our Independence Day Celebration will be on Sunday, July 3rd. So much happening all the time. We'll do our best to keep up. May 31st, 2005 Does anyone else find it hard to believe that summer's almost here? We're already past Memorial Day and there doesn't seem to be any sign of slowing down . . . What a great weekend we had! The picnic was terrific, and everyone had a wonderful time. I took a few pictures, and you can see them here if you're interested. By the way, I have these in high resolution if you'd like a copy for yourself. OK, I have to admit it - I avoided the dunk tank this year. I don't think I was missed because everyone there was having fun without me. Besides, it was cool and windy, and no one really wants me to be that uncomfortable, do they? Yeah, right. We've got some special guest news for next time, so check back in a couple of days to see what it is, OK? May 24th, 2005 Wow, it's been way too long since our last update...with our family's trip to Florida, Mothers' Day, and Pastor's vacation I just haven't taken the time to check in. I know, there's no excuse. Will you forgive me? Thanks, This Sunday is our annual all-church picnic. We'll meet right after 2nd service in the quad. Our wonderful youth group will provide lunch (for a small donation) or you can bring your own lunch - but why? We'll have all sorts of games and activities for all ages, and we always have a great time. I hope to see you there (unless I'm in the dunk tank again, then I'd appreciate it if you'd go somewhere else). I'll have pictures up early next week. Steve Brock will be with us next Sunday morning. We always have a great time with Steve and he always has something wonderful for us. You don't want to miss it. Also, next Sunday night (June 5th) is Encounter's 2nd Anniversary Celebration. We're having a dessert potluck after the service in the Youth Center (I'm bringing pizza and chicken). Would you come celebrate with us? If you haven't been to Encounter yet this is the perfect time to check us out. April 11th, 2005 OK, so it's been a while since the last update. Easter weekend was wonderful, but it has taken a while to recover from it... Speaking of Easter, our production of The Victor was a tremendous success with at least 291 people accepting Jesus or rededicating their lives to Him! Everyone who was involved deserves a great big THANK YOU. You all did a great job. Julia Thronson's father took some really good pictures - click here to see them. We're having a Men's Breakfast this Saturday at 8:00 AM in the sanctuary. Give Jerry a call at the church for more info. This Sunday we have Keith Hershey in our morning services and Fishes and Loaves in our Encounter service. Special Guest info is here. March 17th, 2005 Happy St. Patrick's Day (and happy birthday to my brother, Jim)! Want to know more about the man we're celebrating today? Click here. Guess what ... it doesn't have anything to do with green beer. The Easter Program is next weekend. Rehearsals are going really well, and the program is going to be great. This is something that your friends and neighbors will really enjoy. Who are you bringing with you? Some upcoming Special Guest information - Keith Hershey will be our special guest on Sunday morning, April 17th, and Fishes and Loaves (a Christian Improv Comedy troupe) will be with us that evening in the Encounter service. You don't want to miss out! Until next time, God Bless! March 3rd, 2005 March already...this year is really going by fast! If you've been looking around the campus lately, I'm sure that you've noticed the change in room numbers on every door. You can check your bulletin for the updated numbers, but it's going to take all of us a while to get used to the change. School registration for the 2005/2006 school year has started, and we're adding the 11th and 12th grades to our high school, which means we'll have our first graduating class since 2001! We've been waiting for this for a long time. Easter rehearsals are going well. The production is going to be great, and lives are going to be changed. Pick up some flyers at the church and use them to invite your friends and neighbors - this is the easiest time to bring them to church. This Saturday, Bethel's Men of Integrity are meeting for breakfast at Denny's on Van Buren and Lincoln at 8:00 AM. Finally, Sunday, March 13 marks the 34th anniversary of Pastors Ron and Annie coming to Bethel. Why don't you wish them a happy anniversary and let them know how much you appreciate all they've done. February 14th, 2005 Wow, what a weekend! If you were fortunate enough to have been at the Sweethearts' Banquets last Friday night, you know what a wonderful time it was. Everyone had a great time (and a great dinner). The room was beautiful, the games were a scream, Gary and Davey's performance was hilarious, and Polly's song was sweet and romantic. Ronda and I are so blessed to have such a great church family, full of folks who love each other and aren't afraid to have a really good time! We've started a new Adult Sunday School class called Marriage Connections (I bet you can guess the subject matter...). The first class was really good and the rest are going to be even better. Marriage Connections meets in room 17 at 10:30 AM every Sunday. Make an effort to drop by and see what's happening. Easter rehearsals start this Saturday! Until next time, God Bless... February 3rd, 2005 It's been a little while since I've updated the site because Ronda and I have taken a short time off in preparation for a very busy schedule the next few months. Everything is going great, even though our girls and I got rained on like crazy last Friday at Disneyland . . . The next college semester has just started, but all of the classes are still open for registration. Maybe God is leading you to further your education . . . Next Friday night is our Sweethearts' Banquet. We're having a nice catered dinner, some fun games and prizes, a special comedy routine that will have everyone screaming and a short but meaninful talk about love and relationships by an entertaining speaker. Tickets are still available, but we're running out...get yours as soon as you can. On Sunday, February 13th, Ronda and I are starting a new Sunday School class called Marriage Connections about, you guessed it, marriage. Any married or seriously dating couple really could benefit from the class and what we'll learn from each other. We'll meet at 10:30 AM in room 17 each Sunday during the Sunday School hour. We'd love to see you there. Easter Production rehearsals will start on Saturday, February 19th. Can you be a part of this important event? There's still time for you to participate. Until next time, God Bless January 17th, 2005 It seem like just a few days ago we were basking in the glory of the story of Jesus' birth as presented by our Music & Drama department (sounds pretty poetic, huh?). Well, we were . . . and it's time to start getting ready for our Easter Production. Easter Sunday is early, on March 27th this year, and rehearsals start on Saturday, February 19th. If you're interested in participating again or for the first time, either fill out the form that you'll find in your bulletin, or you can email Teri and get all the info you need. Either way, you can take part in one of the most powerful experiences of your life. If you can't be in the cast or crew, make your plans now to be at one or more of the performances, and bring a family or two from your neighborhood. 'Till next time . . . God Bless! January 10th, 2005 Wow...what a weekend! All three services Sunday with Mike Warnke were wonderful. Each of the three messages - Don't give up on your dream; Keep following that star; and Always speak the language of God - were very powerful. If you missed any of the services, get the tapes! We've got a couple of new things to let you know about. We're having our 2005 Sweethearts' Banquet on Friday, February 11th. We'll have more info available shortly... Also, Ronda and I will be starting an adult Sunday School class about marriage and family on Sunday, February 13th. If you're not involved in a Sunday School class and you'd be interested, we'd love to see you there. Until next time...God Bless! January 3rd, 2005 2005!!! And I just got used to writing 2004 on my checks . . . I trust your holidays were joyful and full of good memories. Our family sure had a great time celebrating the birth of Jesus and the turn of the year. Actually, it was the quietest New Year's Eve I think I've ever spent. One of the kids wasn't feeling well, so the two of us had dinner at home and watched TV. Wow, how did I survive? The new year is starting with a bang . . . Mike Warnke will be with us next weekend in our Sunday morning and Sunday Night Encounter services. Not only do you want to be here, you need to bring a friend. We have our Sweethearts' Banquet coming up in February, our Easter Production in March, our Memorial Day Picnic in May, Graduations in June, Independence Day Program in July and so on. We've got a lot to look forward to, and plenty of places to get involved. You're probably expecting some cute rhyming slogan for the new year. Well, not from me. 'till next time, God Bless! December 20th, 2004 Wow, Christmas is just around the corner - are you ready? I'm sorry it's been so long since the last update. We've all been so busy getting ready for the Christmas Production . . . And speaking of our Christmas production, The Song was a smashing success. Each of the four performances were wonderful. Everyone did such a great job and worked so hard. I hope you were able to see it at least once. We have one special holiday service this Sunday (Dec. 26th) at 10:30 AM, then a church worker's fellowship immediately following for anyone who helps in any area of the church. It will be a nice opportunity to decompress after Christmas. We're back to normal on January 2nd, and Mike Warnke will be with us on Sunday, January 9th. Until next time . . . November 29th, 2004 Well, did you have a nice Thanksgiving? Our family sure did. It's always good to get together with loved ones and reflect on all that we have to be thankful for . . . thankful to God for His gifts and blessings. The Dedication Celebration for our new Children's and Youth Center Building is this Sunday at 10:30 AM. Breakfast is being served all morning starting at 8:15 AM, and it's free! Lucy and Sito Rael will be our special guests in all 3 of our Sunday Services (9:00 AM, 11:30 AM, & 6:00 PM), so you don't want to miss anything. Our Christmas production, The Song, will be the following weekend with four performances for your convenience. This is the best opportunity you'll have this year to bring a friend, relative or neighbor to church. Don't let it pass you by . . . November 17th, 2004 Rehearsals for our upcoming Christmas Production are under way and things are already looking really good. There's still a chance for anyone else who'd like to be involved to participate - just contact Teri at the church office and she'll take care of the details for you. The new college course schedule is available for the approaching semester. I can highly recommend the Systematic Theology 1 class . . . the professor is very good and quite entertaining. There are many different classes so finding one that you'd enjoy and benefit from isn't even a challenge. Lastly, the latest pictures are up of the new Children and Youth Center Building. The countdown has begun . . . only two and a half weeks until the dedication celebration on Sunday, December 5th during the Sunday School hour (at 10:30 AM). We'll have tours of the new building, balloons for the kids, and free food! Everyone is invited to the celebration, from preschoolers through 110. Who could you invite and bring with you? November 8th, 2004 I've got a weekend wrap-up and a couple of big announcements for you today. The Men's Breakfast and Car Show sponsored by our Men of Integrity last Saturday was just plain great! When you take really good food (and a lot of it) and add a bunch of incredible cars, how can you go wrong? Jerry Thronson and Barry Mylar really pulled one out of their hats, putting this together in only 6 weeks. Check out the pictures here. Pastor Ron has confirmed that the Dedication Celebration for our new Children's and Youth Center will be held on Sunday, December 5th at 10:30 AM. We're going to have a great time, with tours of the new facilities, balloons for all the kids and food for everybody You can see the latest pictures here. On December 5th, in addition to the Dedication Celebration, we'll have as our special guests in our 9:00 AM, 11:30 AM and 6:00 PM services Lucy and Cito Rael. Don't miss out on this special, one-day opportunity. Until the next update . . . November 3rd, 2004 It's been a couple of weeks since the last update. Sorry. Our network cables were cut (again) during construction last week and it's hard to update a site when you can't get on the 'net. The Men's Breakfast and Car Show is this Saturday. We're gonna have a great time, and I hope to meet a bunch of new people. Looks like the weather is going to be just great. Construction on the new Children's and Youth Center is racing along. You can see the latest pictures here along with the entire construction history. Pastor Ron says that we're still on schedule for a Dec. 5th dedication. We had a great service at Encounter last Sunday, rededicating our lives to God's purposes and wrapping up with a bonfire and s'mores. Have you had an Encounter yet? Until next time . . . October 20th, 2004 Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain, OK, you get the idea. After a great weekend with the Salem family, the weather has really slowed things down for many of us. The Ladies' Breakfast and Fashion Show was a runway success (sorry about the pun) according to everyone I talked to. Congratulations to everyone who worked so hard to make the day so wonderful. Sunday morning, we had two great services with the Salem family. God's anointing was obvious and the message was exactly what we needed. I hope you were among those in attendance... We were able to get the color coat on the new Children's and Youth Center in between the showers this week, and we have the outside doors and windows installed. We're looking at Sunday, December 5th as our dedication date... Until next time, October 11th, 2004 What a week! Lots of things are happening with even more just around the corner. Last Saturday, Pastor Harold took a busload of kids to SeaWorld for day of fun and excitement. They left Bethel around 8 AM and returned around 8 PM - talk about a full day! They all stayed in one large group, took in the shows and the new rides, and experienced the wonder of God's water creations. From what I heard, everyone had a great time (and my girls were worn out when they got home). The kids are already excited about their next trip . . . the question is, is Pastor Harold ready? Scott Heiser had a booth set up outside the foyer yesterday registering people to vote, and it'll be there again next Sunday. It looked to me like a bunch of folks took advantage of the opportunity. Are you registered? We've got the Ladies Breakfast and Fashion Show this Saturday, the Salem Family in our Sunday morning services this Sunday, the Harvest Carnival on Saturday, October 30th, the Men's Breakfast and Car Show on Saturday, November 6th, and our Christmas Production is just around the corner. Never a dull moment... October 5th, 2004 There are a couple more web updates to let you know about. Our Men of Integrity are hosting a Men's Breakfast and Car & Bike Show on Saturday, November 6th. You can click here for more information. Also, we're having a Harvest Carnival on Saturday, October 30th from 12 noon to 3 pm for all kids from preschool through high school. You can check the church events calendar for more information. The new Children's and Youth Center is moving right along. Pastor Ron says we're about 6 weeks from moving in. This is so exciting! You can check out the latest pictures here. There's so much going on, it's hard to keep up. Check back often to stay informed... September 28th, 2004 I've got a few web site updates to let you know about. The Special Guest page has been updated. You can check there to see what guests are scheduled to be with us in our various services, and what guests have recently been here. Isn't that a creative concept? Also, the Home Bible Study page has been updated, listing the many home (and not exactly home) groups that are meeting each month. Some meet every week, some every other week, and some once a month, but all of them are wonderful places to learn about God's Word in an intimate, informal setting while making some really good friends. Our Children and Youth ministries, along with our school will be holding the 2004 Harvest Carnival on Saturday, October 30th from 12:00 noon 'till 3:00 PM. More info to follow... September 21st, 2004 Well, we're back. Hawaii was absolutely wonderful. Ronda, the girls and I have a little more color on our skin, and we're still trying to get back to California time (everything is 3 hours early to us) but it's really good to be home. It's amazing how much things can change in a week. The new Children's and Youth Center is really looking like a building now. The electical, heating and air, and plumbing are being installed, the stucco will be going on soon, the roof tiles should be here this week, and the drywall is being delivered right now. The school year is well under way and our athltetics programs are getting started. I think it's wonderful that we are able to help so many young people grow and get their education in a way that honors God, His Son Jesus, and His Holy Spirit. There's something important going on at Encounter on Sunday nights. We're starting a series on "How to Think Like Jesus" that's really good (from what I've heard). Have you had an Encounter yet? Until next time . . . September 9th, 2004 Aloha! I'll be unable to update the Bethel News Page for the next week because my family will be "suffering" on the Big Island of Hawaii 'till next Friday. I'm celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary with the 3 most important people in my life - my wonderful wife and my two incredible daughters. We'll miss everyone, but we'll see you soon. Aloha! (it means hello and goodbye, right?) September 7th, 2004 Wow, where has the year gone? It's hard for me to accept that most of 2004 is already behind us and 2005 right around the corner. The new school year has started, and everything is going wonderfully at Bethel Christian School. Our Preschool and Elementary School are busy, busy, busy, and our Middle School and High School have officially re-opened. It's so exciting to have so many students on campus again! It's going to be a great year... The sanctuary and foyer have been re-carpeted, the preschool re-painted and the new Children's and Youth Center is roaring along. Never a dull moment around here. We had our first Sunday Night Encounter and it was great. Ronda and the band really know how to bring us into the powerful presence of God, and (if I may say so myself) the message was really good. Have you had an encounter yet? Well, that's all for now... August 24th, 2004 Hello there, have you recovered from the Lucy Rael meetings yet? I'm still working on it. They were great, weren't they? God moved in such a powerful way, I don't think that any of us who were there can ever be the same. There's a lot going on at the moment - the Children's and Youth Center is growing before our eyes; the carpet in the sanctuary is being replaced as we speak (well, read); and the preschool is getting new flooring and being prepped for paint. God is at work, and so are we! August 16th, 2004 Greetings to all of you wonderful Bethel people. There are a couple of things I want to mention... Our Saturday night service, Encounter, will be moving to Sunday nights starting in September. From what y'all have told us, Sunday nights will fit everyone's schedule better than Saturday nights did. Everything else will remain exactly as before, only the day will change. We would love to see you there on Sunday, September 5th at 6:00 PM in the Sanctuary to Encounter God with us. Yesterday's services with Lucy and Cito Rael were excellent! God moved in powerful ways, touching, ministering to and healing His people. We have services tonight (Monday), tomorrow night, Wednesday night and all day next Sunday. Trust me, you do need to be here. August 14th, 2004 I'm baaaack. Ronda, the girls and I have been gone about three weeks and it's good to be home. It's really amazing how much has changed in the short time we've been gone - the new building has made incredible progress (I'll have a bunch of new pictures up in a couple of days). All of a sudden it's looking like a real building and I can really see what it's going to be like. We were in Big Bear during our vacation. There's nothing like being in the mountains with all those trees, clean air and daytime temps in the mid 80's and nighttime temps in the mid 30's and 40's in August. Was it any warmer here in Riverside??? We've missed everyone and we're looking forward to seeing everyone at Encounter this weekend, and at all of the Lucy Rael meetings this week. It's good to be home... July 22nd, 2004 Well, I'm about to leave town on vacation (as soon as Pastor and Annie come back from their vacation), so Ronda, the girls and I won't be around for a little while. Riverside is nice, but Big Bear is going to be wonderful. We'll see you at Encounter on Saturday, August 14th. Things are really hoppin' around here. Phil Driscoll is going to be with us this Saturday (6 PM) and Sunday (9:00 and 11:30 AM) and I'm sure the services are going to be great. God always does wonderful things when Phil is with us and we are really looking forward to this weekend. As for progress on the new Children's and Youth Center, the brick pillars are going up as we speak, and framing starts on Monday. It was really interesting watching the guys pour the foundation last Thursday morning (even though it was at 3 stinking AM!). Check out the pictures to see how things are going. July 12th, 2004 I don't know what your schedule looks like this week, but if you're free from 3:30 AM 'till about 7AM this Thursday, July 15th, why don't you come down to the church and watch the foundation being poured for our new Children's and Youth Center building. OK, OK, I know it's a little early, but how often will you have this opportunity? If you just can't make it, I will be there shooting some video that we will probably show sometime in the near future, but it just won't be the same... July 7th, 2004 Hey there! Things are really moving on our new Children's and Youth Center building. We got our final building permits approved, the trenching for the foundation is well under way, and the plumbing and electical work has started. We are scheduled to pour the footings and then the foundation next week. This is really cool! I'll have some new pictures up as the work progresses. Next Wednesday evening, July 14th, our special guest will be Joe Jordan. In addition to valuable, relevant teaching, Joe's meetings have been known to feature signs and wonders, miracles, a strong anointing of Joy and being "drunk" in the spirit. If that sounds interesting, be here at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, July 14th. You won't be dissappointed. Lastly, remember that Phil Driscoll will be with us on Saturday and Sunday, July 24th and 25th. July 5th, 2004 Our Independence Day services were wonderful. It's always a good thing to remember the country that God has blessed us with, the people who have made it their home, and those who have fought to protect it. Thanks to Ronda and all of you who participated in this outstanding program (by the way, videos of the services are available in VHS or DVD. If you're interested, give the church office a call...) Also, Pastor and Annie will be on vacation for the next couple of weeks or so, so let's keep them in prayer as they get some well-deserved R & R (I think that means golf and shopping). June 15th, 2004 Greetings. I've was without a connection to the internet for about a week. It's amazing how I've come to depend on something that didn't even exist a few years ago. I mean, this was a major source of trama (no laughing - after all, Jesus said, "weep with those who weep.") It looks like the grading is completed for our new Children's and Youth Center building. That means the next step is digging the trenches for the foundation, then actual construction will begin. Isn't this exciting? June 10th, 2004 I'm not sure when this update will be posted because we've been without internet access for the last couple of days (it's hard to update a web site you can't get to...). During the construction work on our new Children's and Youth Center that's going on each day, our DSL line was accidentally cut. Ooops! Hopefully it won't be down too long. Tomorrow is the last day of school here at Bethel. We're looking forward to a good year in '04-'05 with the grand re-opening of our Middle School and High School. Registration is under way as we speak (or . . . read). Every one of our young people at Bethel deserve the atmosphere and education that our school offers. Pray and ask God if your child would benefit from going to school at Bethel. June 8th, 2004 We just found out that Phil Driscoll will be our guest on Saturday, July 24th and Sunday, July 25th. We've got plenty of time to tell the people we know about Phil and what a great time we're going to have with him. By the way, come to all the services 'cause they're all going to be different and they're all going to be wonderful. June 5th, 2004 Can you believe it? Today is the first
anniversary of our Encounter
service. That's right, we started on this Saturday one year
ago. And what a great year it's been - great friends, great
times and truly great worship. I've never felt closer
to God and His people than I do at Encounter. June 3rd, 2004 We've added a Photo Album page with quite a few pictures of our Church Picnic, construction of our new Children's and Youth Center, and the Groundbreaking Ceremony from a couple of weeks ago. Click Here to check them out. June 1st, 2004 Hey, Celebrate Recovery is having a special event on Friday, June 11th. Their special guest during the 7:00 PM Big Meeting will be Bryan Duncan. This is something you don't want to miss . . . May 30th, 2004 Today we enjoyed our Memorial Day Family Picnic after church. You can see pictures here. Our youth group sponsored the event by organizing and setting everything up, cooking and serving lunch and tearing down and cleaning up. Great job, everyone! Thanks to all of the adult Sunday School classes who helped with the various inflatable activities, especially the dunk tank (where I spent entirely too much time). It sure looked like everyone had a great time. After all, what's more fun than spending time with your church family and friends? May 23rd, 2004 Today we broke ground on our new Children's and Youth Center. Finally! This new building will house our Children's Church and Sunday School, and our Youth Ministry activities. For the first time in its history, Bethel's kids will have their own facilities! Also, our new building will have a full-function kitchen, dressing areas for productions and school activities, and plenty of room for banquets, special meetings and wedding receptions. Keep checking the web site for updates, and you can see pictures of the latest progress. |