Staff Surprise Lunch for My Fifteenth...

If you happened by the church office today, midday, I missed you!  That is because the church staff surprised me at staff meeting this morning by telling me they were taking me to lunch to celebrate my 15th anniversary as pastor of Wekiva Presbyterian Church.  What a great treat!  We had a lovely lunch at Seasons 52 where it is "spring" and we found much to chat and laugh about over a delicious meal...

The staff had made reservations and the table the restaurant gave us put us right in the middle of the main room.  There were two other "groups" having lunch at each side of us, so it felt very much like a banquet.  (I overheard the fellow behind me talking "veterinarian speak" and think I saw a nurse I recognized at the other table across the way).  We, of course, talked about all things ecclesiastical...

I think the photos turned out great, don't you?  I am glad that I was dressed as I normally am during the week in Florida, that is, in a dress shirt with sweater vest.  In the office reception area as we were about to leave to go to lunch, I had someone give me a quick once over and not say, "Hello" or "How are  you?" or "Have nice lunch," but rather, ask very abruptly. "Are you cold...?"  An odd question.  (I am thinking a different word than odd but am restraining myself).  Florida is well known as the "little white sweater" state, as you can see, from Betsy in the photo above.  And Mimi never goes anywhere without a sweater either.  It is usually the case that the a.c. in a restaurant is cranked up, so guys have little recourse except sweater vests.  But I must  confess, it would have been kinder if the person had said, "You look nice!" rather than "Are you cold?"

As all who have been to Seasons 52 know, the desserts are as pretty to see as they are good to taste, and so here are a few photos of the concluding course of our lunch:

Thanks, Paul, Patty, Laura, Laurie, Vic, Heidi, and Betsy for helping me mark this milestone and for making the midday festive!