Indiana and Illinois Ministry

This spring, God blessed me with two new kids from Indiana. Here I am with nine-year-olds, Christian and Jessica, looking at some really neat tactile representations of the American Flag produced by National Braille Press. We met and spent time together just before my concert at Oak Grove General Baptist Church, Oakland City, IN, Sunday, April 10. Proceeds from this concert helped benefit a special “Road To Orlando Fund,” allowing area blind youth to attend this summer’s National Federation of the Blind Convention. My thanks to teacher Jeanne Lee, and the families of these beautiful kids, for the joy of meeting and staying in touch with them!

Sunday morning found me presenting The Message In Music at Trinity United Methodist Church, also in Oakland City. It was great to meet and share in Worship with Pastor Larry Stoops and his congregation!

My friend, Carolyn who often drives for me, came over to Indiana from Springfield, IL. Here we are by the beautiful stained glass window at Trinity UMC.

Saturday, April 9, after visiting with Mark, Grandpa Ed, and the guys on Princeton Radio Station WRAY Country Gold, Carolyn and I enjoyed an afternoon in New Harmony, IN. We visited the Roofless Church, a must-see if you’re ever in New Harmony, then walked back to the river.

Of course, I had to climb down the rocky bank to a spot where I could dangle my bare feet in the water. Carolyn snapped this picture on my ascent back to level ground. She didn’t worry…much!

During this Southern Indiana weekend, I was blessed to work once again with Rev. Tarrell Thompson, a long-time friend of my ministry and me personally. Here I am with this “adopted dad” of mine after a presentation for the residents of Transcendent Healthcare of Owensville and a visit with Tarrell’s wife, my dear “Mama Lena.”

I spent time sharing music, reading and fun with the students of Home For Your Heart School Evansville, and then Carolyn and I drove over into Illinois.

Palm Sunday was spent in Rantoul, IL with worship and concert ministry at Bethany Park Christian Church, Disciples of Christ. It is always a joy for me to work with Rev. Linda Trowbridge, who now serves as pastor at this church. She took time to pose with me for a picture by the baby grand piano. I am honored to be her "kid sister in Christ"!

My thanks also to Rev. Ken Roedder, another long-time friend and “foster dad” shown here with me at Bethany Park. His generosity, hospitality, help with transportation, fellowship and ongoing support of my ministry mean more than words can express. In appreciation of Ken and his precious wife, Maxine, I was honored to also present a concert for the residents of Tuscola Healthcare Center in the Roedders' home community of Tuscola, IL.

Thank God, and thank you, for your prayers and support which help keep my ministry growing and going!

Stay tuned for more posts like this. Until next time, God bless you and keep His Song in your heart!

© 2011 by Laurel Jean Walden

Celebrating Ministry

Sunday, March 27, Grace United Methodist Church and Music By Laurel Jean were pleased to welcome Rev. Tarrell Thompson all the way from Owensville, Indiana to Grace’s Celebration Center in Charleston, SC for a presentation of “Who Cares…The Man Behind The Music.” I’m pictured here with Tarrell and our very dear friend, Anna Lee in front of Grace Church. Many were blessed as Tarrell shared his faith journey of sixty-four years in ministry, from his early days serving in a leper colony to his disaster relief efforts following Hurricane Katrina, and beyond! Rev. Tarrell is a long-time friend of Music By Laurel Jean and my outreach on behalf of the blindness community. Over the years of our working together, he has become an “adopted dad” to me.

The Amazing Grace Chancel Choir and musicians from the Grace Alive Praise Band joined me during worship. We really surprised Tarrell with new arrangements of my music inspired by his life and ministry, including the above-mentioned “Who Cares” from my Circuit Rider collection.

Members of Grace, officers of Dixie Land Guide Dog Users, and even one of the young people from my Chaplaincy for Blind Youth gathered at the West Ashley Crab Shack after church, to continue this surprise celebration in honor of Rev. Tarrell and his ministry. We presented him with this cake, a creation of Grace’s resident cake decorator Bart Knapp. The cross and flame pictured on the cake is an image of one of Rev. Tarrell’s many handcrafted crosses and flames which he has donated to religious institutions around the country.

My heartfelt thanks to the people of Grace Church, Dixie Land officers and other friends who helped to make this day so special!

During Rev. Tarrell’s visit to Charleston, Audrey and her guide dog Jesse joined Tarrell, Anna Lee and me for several sightseeing outings. Here we all are at the beautiful Angel Oak tree, one of the Lowcountry’s many natural wonders.

 

Of course, in spite of uncooperative weather, we had to visit the ocean. Anna Lee snapped this picture of Tarrell and me walking together on the beach. I always feel very close to Father God when I am at the ocean, on the edge of one of God’s most magnificent creations. What a blessing, what a gift, to be there with one of our Lord’s very special shepherds.

Stay tuned for more posts like this one. Until next time, God bless you and keep His Song in your heart!

© 2011 by Laurel Jean Walden

Sharing Vision with Area Scouts

Here, Lowcountry area Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts "try their hands" at decoding a braille message, as they work to earn their Merit Badges for Disabilities Awareness.

I was honored to join my own outreach with that of Dixie Land Guide Dog Users, whose "Paws To Educate" Initiative is made possible in part by the Charleston, South Carolina Association for the Blind.

 

In addition to Braille, we discussed long, white canes and guide dogs, how to be a sighted guide and a variety of other topics related to the blindness community. Here I am demonstrating the Perkins Brailler.

My thanks to The Association, Dixie Land GDU, these enthusiastic young people, their leaders and parents, for the opportunity to be part of such an interactive discussion!

Thank God and thank you! Your ongoing prayers and support help keep my ministry, and outreach like this, growing and going!

Stay tuned for more posts like this. Until next time, God bless you and keep His Song in your heart!

© 2011 by Laurel Jean Walden

Focus On Sight

 

Miss Audrey, her new guide, Jesse and I pose for a picture with officers of the College of Charleston's chapter of the Delta Gamma Sorority. We were honored to address this group of young ladies at their Sunday evening Focus Meeting.

The group asked a lot of really great questions, including how they could better serve the blindness community.

Thank God and thank you, for your prayers and support which help make educational outreach like this possible. I would also like to thank Dixie Land Guide Dog Users and the Charleston, SC Association for the Blind, for including me as part of this event.

Stay tuned for more posts like this one! Until next time, God bless you and keep His Song in your heart!

© 2011 by Laurel Jean Walden