On our way to Dallas

[JE Pettibone]

Played tourist today. Stayed off the interstates. Nice small RV park on H'way 19 near I I0 , onLy $ 20.00 with full hookups.

[JE Pettibone]

Stayed at a Walmart the outside Dothan Alabama. Free. Had to get fuel about 10 miles before arriving in wall mart lot paid $3.09. When we got to Walmart their price was 2.85. Our previous 14 year old coach had much better Dash air than this 2018. The new one has a feature called comfort drive which takes away a lot of the stress created by cross winds and passing trucks. Also we have cameras that provide a 360 degree view of the coach going down the road and 10 to 12 feet on each side. and help keep us between the lines and in our lane.

Unlike last year, in three days we have had only one resturant meal. Trudy loves the New Kitchen.

o night we are in another al Mart lot just out side Newton Mississippi. I wanted to stop by here to see what it looks like after I attended Clarke Memorial Junior College, in the earely 1960s. The Mississipi State convention closed the School some years ago.

[JE Pettibone]

Ed: Pulled out of Newton early yesterday morning, stayed on H'way 80 rather than I 20 in hopes of finding a church (eureka) about 30 miles past Forest at 8:55 we spotted a sign reading Friendship Baptist Church S.S. 9:00 AM and an inviting parking lot with plenty space for our coach, but only 2 cars. Then I noticed a man and woman plus a teen age boy emerging from one of the vehicles. So I pulled into the parking lot,noting all three where Black I wondered if we where welcome. As we approached the building another black man came out and the four of them greeted each other and then as if they hadn't seen us already, the three adults shouted WELCOME. As we got closer the men both said come on in. The entire property seemed to have been an abandoned commercial venture however inside was a spacious well appointed sanctuary, with a Jacuzzi/baptismal in one corner on the other end of the platform was an organ and a lage drum set along with some music racks there where speakers on the floor and suspended from the ceiling. I have to admit I wondered what we where in for. Turned out to be some very lively music involving instruments supporting congregational singing. I did not recognize even one song but they each presented solid theology.

Soon Sunday school began with just six of us but I could hear some others settling in behind us. The teacher was "filling in for the regular teacher". he knew the material and conducted the class very well and encouraged discussion. After the lesson book material had been covered the Pastor came in and did a synopsis of the lesson in a sermonic style with a lot of amen and praise The Lord and "may have an Amen". He closed with "and now the class is dismissed, we will start the worship service shortly" . (I had thought the service was over.) except I had noted a table set with elements for communion covered with a white sheet. At this time their seemed to be a good bit of movement but no one was leaving. Some folk setting near by welcomed us and asked where we where from and where we where going. When we said we are on the way to Dallas to attend the CBF Assembly, the wanted to know what CBF is and when we answered "Cooperative Baptist Fllowship" they wanted to know who runs that? That led to a brief period of mutual lack of understanding until some one changed the subject to an interest in our mode of travel.

It then was time for the worship service to start with the SS report which included an invitation for us to introduce ourselves and a formal recognition of us as visitors. Then what I will call a praise band presented a few musical numbers, followed by an announcement reminding the church of the upcoming ordination of one of their own to the Gospel Ministry, this as it turns out, is a very talented young woman who seems to be serving an apprenticeship at Friendship.
And the the pastor using a small tablet computer for his notes preached a meaningful message, again with many amens and calls for affirmation.
At the close he introduced us and encouraged the congregation to greet us. And yes we did partake of communion with them. during the short break between
SS and worship I had inquired of Terry , the substitute ss teacher, about the appropriateness of doing so. It was a great experience.

To night we are parked at the " Mississippi Petrified Forest " the only such forest east of the Mississippi River, approximately 35 miles north of Jackson. In the morning we will explore the Forest and gift shop . Learned today that petrified wood is the State Rock. we look forward also to visiting the gift shop. RV parking with full hookups going to stay two nights.

[Haruo]

[JE Pettibone]

[Haruo]

Very interesting. Is this (Angelo Riley, I think) the pastor and his wife?

[Haruo]

[Haruo]

Everything I see suggests you mean "New Friendship Baptist Church" in Walnut Grove, MS (about 19 miles from Forest). Am I right? That's the church I gather this Angelo Riley pastors.

[JE Pettibone]

[JE Pettibone]

Ed: Just lost a lengthy post about our experience Sunday Afternoon and Monday in the Mississippi Petrified Forest along with our visit Yesterday to the Civil Rights Museum in Jackson.

I am of the opinion that all who are interested in the cause of Social Justice need to make a pilgrimage to this Museum.

[Haruo]

[Haruo]

Interesting but trivial coincidence: the first woman ordained in PCUSA was named Margaret Towner.

[JE Pettibone]

That is indeed odd. Does the bulletin give an address, phone number, email, or other contact info?[/quote]

Ed: Yes, however like many small churches without office staff that information is for the Pastors home.

[JE Pettibone]

Ed: Again today we are just taking it easy. Yesterday we crossed most of Louisiana on I-20 and then headed north to Hope Arkansas to see Bill Clinton's birth place. Our GPS took us up a miserable two lane road US 321 and we could make no time. After too many miles of that I turned left (west) a some what better road (SR 2) surface but even more narrow with steep ditches on each side. Thankfully there was very little traffic and only 2 large trucks in 30 miles. At Highway 49 we again turned north to H'way 30 on to Hope. We pulled into a Waffle House for lunch. They could not tell us how find the Clinton birth place. as we left their drive we saw a sign for our target, went through the downtown area saw the FBC a huge building. Saw another sign for the birthplace, soon found our selves out in the country drove down about 4 miles looking for a place to turnaround, eventually found two large farm yards with a shared private drive between them 90 feet up that drive is another leading off to the left I pulled past that drive and backed our coach into it and then turned right and pulled out to the road, and drove back into Hope. Seeing no more signs, we agreed to give it up. We took 30 to I-55 and headed south to I 20 w through Shreveport and into Texas about 20 miles to Miss Ellie's RV Park. And arrived around 7:30 with enough sun light to get set up. Being with in line of sight of I-20 I was a bit dubious, how ever our unit is well insulated and while we can slightly hear traffic It in no way disturbed our sleep and this morning we signed in for another night.

Also this morning we made reservation at a another park down the road next to a Discount mall. My watch stopped a few days ago and I hope it only needs a battery but I wouldn't mind getting a new watch. I bought this one in New Orleans where we were attending a AAR-SBL national meeting in about 1996.

The next day we will head to the park outside Dallas where we will be staying and commuting with a rental car during the CBF Assembly.

[Haruo]

Boy, they sure don't leave much of an electronic trail! I can find reference to Calvin Smith as pastor of New Friendship Baptist Church (or Missionary Baptist Church) in Forest from 2012 and 2015. Nothing more recent, and no address or phone number.

[JE Pettibone]

[JE Pettibone]

Ed: Last weeks CBF meeting as usual had too many choices as to work shop offerings forcing one to make choices between topics of equal interest .

We attended the Leadership Institute on Wednesday with about 300 in attendance. The NBC (New Baptist Covenant luncheon) on Thursday had about the same number but something of a different crowd. Of course there where a number of other paid special interest luncheons going on at the same time

We saw a number of old friends. John Pierce, Molly Marshall, Ann and David Wilson, Emanuel McCall, Charles Quals, Hal Bass and Floridians Brian and Joyce friends from our days in Tampa. We had Breakfast on Wednesday morning with Molly and about 75 other friends of Central Seminary.

We went to a local Bar-B-Cue place in the "West End" of Dallas with Brian and Joyce on Thursday evening. Trudy became ill, and we did not stay for the evening program. It wasn't the food, we learned Friday morning when I took her to an urgent care center in Terrell, they diagnosed a urinary tract infection and call in a prescription to CVS. She is now feeling much better.

Sunday we missed a turn off of the interstate for a cowboy church I had hoped to visit. We went on up to Oklahoma City to a Freightliner Dealer that supposedly had 24 hour 7 days a week service only to find their Motorhome techs had the day off. We stayed in a nice park about three miles down the street. On Monday morning we went back to Freightliner only to learn that the recall that we had received does not apply to our model Newmar New Aire. Being well to the north of OK City we came on up I-35 to 70 and are now in Russell Kansas at the Tripple J RV Park, catching up on laundry and reorganizing some of the storage spaces. Sill about 900 miles to Gillette. The Newmar Rally is next week and then we have a break for two weeks prior to the FMCA (Family Motor Coach Association) rally. During that 2 weeks we are going play tourist.

[JE Pettibone]

Ed: We where in Oklahoma last Sunday at a Freightliner Dealer to get attention to a recall notice regarding a potential valve stem problem. Being fathers day and since we where on the North side we figured David would be having a big day with his kids we did not call, thinking we would do that the next day while the coach was in the shop. The service department had given their RV techs the day off and we had to go back on Monday morning, We fond a rather nice RV park (Council Road) about three miles west. When we got back to the service center on Monday is when the Techs informed the service manager that Newmar & Freightliner have concluded that our model which is new for 2018 should not be on the recall list. After a call to Newmar they finally declared we where good to go and we got back on the road.

It is amazing how the Coach Manufacturer and the parts and accessory providers work together on problems. One day I somehow shut off the GPS, and Camera function. Unfortunately we in a remote area w/o wifi. It is hard to believe how dependent I had become on the cameras while driving. When we again had wifi my first call was to Newmar's service they established a three way connection with the GPS manufacture and they walked me through the reset process. US 281 was hit and miss. A LOT of Miss, at one place for almost four miles there was no paved surface.

Yesterday we got to I-90 and again headed west. at US 16 we came over Mt. Rushmore, NEVER again. Got into Gillette Wyoming and the Rally site just before dark and there where almost 300 Newmars here, but they led us to our spot and we where set up in less than 20 minutes, water, electric & sewer. They said we could register this morning. We did, hard to believe how welcoming and accommodation for they have been. Also yesterday we spent about 2 hours at OLD TOWN South Dakota just off I-90. I would call it a must do for any one new to the area.

There is a worship service Scheduled for 2:00 PM, in the Wyoming Building, but we might get drowned getting there. Presently there is a Heavy downpour. But the sky is looking better. They called off the 1:00 PM horse race.

[JE Pettibone]

The worship service this afternoon drew around 248 according to an announcement made at a meeting of people like ourselves are first time attendees at a Newmar Rally. The Service was led by what I believe was an Independent pastor and a small band. BOTH the Music and the Preaching was well done. That said the pastor did make a point of saying he is not a fan of KJV onlyism. His sermon started with what he understands salvation to be and went to discuss how saved people live, emphasizing serving others, rather than a laundry list of thou shall nots.

All in all it was a very good service and was well received based on the only comments I heard. The one point about the congregation that impressed me was that there was almost an equal number of men and women, when is the last time you have seen that. Trudy thought that was because while there are numbers of singles who live the RV life most RVers are couples. However in my experience in many churches women out number men significantly. The pastor and his team each wore western garb including Cowboy and Cowgirl hats, also on the background drapes where 5 drawings of cowboy roping and riding. If this is an example of a cowboy church I would like to find one in or around Clermont Florida.

[JE Pettibone]

Ed: We Have stayed in Gillette as this is the busiest week of the year for RV parks to say nothing of traffic in general. As of tomorrow we will have to leave this Park so they can finish cleaning up and mowing in preparation for the FMAC (Family Motor Coach Association) rally starting on the 15th. We will be coming back for that one as both Trudy and I are serving as volunteers. She will be working the Ice cream felstival one afternoon and I will bw driving a tram from the Wyoming Building to and from the several RV parks scattered around this immense complex.

In the meantime we are going to tour the area up into Montana and North Dakota, back through South Dakota and to here at the Gillette Wyoming Cam-Plex Multi Events Center.'

There where nearly 500 coaches here for the Newmar Rally and they are expecting around 4 times as many for the FMAC. Newmar - was limited to Motor homes by the one manufacturer. While FMAC is now open to to Motor Homes, 5th wheels, Tag-alongs and larger Travel trailers by any manufacturer.

[JE Pettibone]

Ed: Lots of interesting scenery. And I have a question for Bruce; Going from Wyoming into Montana on interstate 90 the landscape on both sides of the highway as far as one can see. changes immediately from rock and scrubby brush to fields of lush, emerald green grass covering rolling hills, my question, is this a natural phenomenon or a man made welcome by the Montana tourism bureau. Later that day we stopped at a Museum dedicated to Custer and the Battle of Little Big Horn. Just before getting to Billings we started North and back East toward Miles city stopped at the Wagon Wheel RV Park near Forsyth. The next day we went on up to Bellfeild North Dakota and turned back south on US 18. Around 8:15 PM we where about to run out of sunlight when we came across a Luteran Church with a small but level parking lot at Amidon. We stayed overnight and Came on down to Spearfish South Dakota. In a few days we will head back to Gillette Wy., which should be an easy 1 day drive. As volunteers we have a priority for the staging area

[Haruo]

I envy you your time in Spearfish! On your way through Crow country did you see the Baptist churches?

[JE Pettibone]

[Haruo]

[JE Pettibone]

Ed: We are back in Gillette Wyoming for the Family Motor Coach Association Rally which is much larger than the Newmar Rally 2 weeks ago. In the interim we toured up into Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. I finally got up nerve to play passenger and let Trudy have some experience behind the wheel on highway US 18 S in both North and South Dakota. On our tour we spent one night in the parking lot of a Lutheran Church in North Dakota.

Saturday night we spent in the Wal-Mart Parking lot here in Gillette. Yesterday we came into the CAM-Plex a day early because we are Volunteers. I am working a table to assist folk in finding their way around this place. Having been hear 12 days in the past month, it is beginning to feel like home. Thursday evening Trudy will be working an Ice cream social for around 3400 people. Since yesterday I have met people from seven states. The oldest driver that I have Met is 95. The RVs already here would range in value from around $28,000 to $756,000 each. They are expecting about 28000 more by the start of the official program on Wednesday,, There will be devotionals on both Thursday and Friday.