We’re having an old fashioned “pounding” for George & Val to celebrate their new home! It’s an old southern custom for welcoming new pastors and staff (and missionaries) to churches by helping them get established. Guests on that day bring non-perishables to stock the pantry and home of the family. The name pounding likely came from staple items which were sold by the pound in the local General Stores: sugar, flour, cornmeal, lard, coffee, dried beans, canned goods, etc., even nails. Nowadays paper goods and cleaning items are included. According to Myrtie Exley of Effingham County, Georgia, Methodists have held on to the tradition of pounding longer than other denominations.
George & Val are very grateful for the idea; especially because they believe that the house is, in some way, our house, too, in that a number of us prayed for this, helped them furnish it with donated items, and assisted in other ways too. They plan to move into their new home the last week of April. Then, however, they must travel to Thailand for two weeks of SIL meetings, including the SIL International Conference, which is very important for the future of SIL. They say they’ll be ready to host us for a come n’ go Open House:
Saturday, May 21
4:00 to 6:00pm
327 London Lane
Duncanville, 75116
Directions: go north on Duncanville Rd. past I-20, left on Red Bird Lane for one block, left on Scio Dr., then right on London Lane.