I thought I might not get a chance to write this this year … what with other things taking up space and my trying to frantically get out of here on Mondays by dark … I’m like Mr. Magoo after dark and, if it’s raining after dark, I am a menace on the road.
As most of you know, I am your religion editor and am only here in the office on Mondays from noon until I finish — the hour differs with the time of year. Any other time you hear from me I am usually sitting in front of my trusty little iMac at home. I have reached the point where it is really almost time to retire. I hope that will be within the next few years. I will be 73 in April. I am old.
I have been in this position since 1999 (before that I did graphics — those wild car ads — for six years) and I have seen the church people come and go as the years went by. I have “trained” many of you in the “ways of the news release” and you have been worthy students. Sometimes my old teaching mode kicks in and I wish I could hold a short class on writing news releases for the paper. I was a school teacher for several years and also taught dog obedience classes for Fayetteville, Tyrone, Peachtree City and Newnan. Once a teacher, always a teacher, I say, and the urge stays with you ‘til you die.
I don’t write this stuff — you do. I usually rewrite everything to some extent, but it’s from the information and/or photos you submit every week that everything on these pages is taken. See how important you are? See why I want to thank you all the time?
Well, enough about me. Let’s get down to thanking you. I will only mention a few, I know. But the thanks extends too all who send me their church news.
I don’t know what I would do without my weekly banter with David Beecher at Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church. Would you believe we have never met? He knows my mother because she is a member there but David and I have never set eyes on each other. We joke and carry on like we’re old friends and his news releases rarely have to be edited. I think I even complimented him one time on his correct use of apostrophes and quotes. (I will also be an English major until I die.)
Although I lost Freddy Burdeshaw this year (he changed churches), he was another good one.
Cindy who sends stuff from Prince of Peace Lutheran and Heritage Christian is also another good writer. Elaine from Hopewell Methodist, Jill from Brooks Methodist, David Epps from Christ the King Charismatic Episcopal, and what would the religion section be without my wonderful columnists — David Chancey of McDonough Road Baptist, Paul Massey of Church of the Holy Cross Charismatic Episcopal, and Justin Kollmeyer of Prince of Peace Lutheran.
You guys and all the others who contribute are what makes our religion section so great.
Thank you one and all from the bottom of my heart!
If your church is not represented within our section, please send me your news. It’s free, you know. We can’t really make firm promises, but I’ll do my best to get your announcement in at least once before it occurs.
If you have any questions, drop me an email — JodieK444@aol.com — I love to correspond with my “people.”
