A spontaneous groan “no-o-o-o” erupted during St. Bede’s church service when Prof. Virginia Gravina announced she would be flying home April 27. The OSU-Tulsa project, on which she has been part of a team, has concluded.

The willowy and amiable agricultural engineer from Uruguay endeared herself to St. Bede’s members by joining into almost all activities during her stay in this vicinity. As her parting gift to the church, Virginia bought several flats of assorted flowers, then, with help of Alan Oliver, spent much of one Saturday on hands and knees, setting them out.

“Virginia is a hands-on engineer” explains her co-worker, Diane Montgomery-Brown, “She teaches by actually doing and showing what she tells her students.”

Among the many who eagerly awaited Virginia’s return home are her 15 year-old twin daughters. .

What seemed a minor miracle on Maundy Thursday to some early birds occurred at the recent Agape dinner. Arriving 20 minutes before the set time, they found the door locked, the hall unlighted, and no signs of preparation. By two minutes till 5:00 thoughts had wandered from: 1. the supper must have been cancelled and we didn’t hear about it; 2. maybe it was changed to another time; 3. did we “get our wires crossed?”

At 5:01 the parish hall doors burst open with Ken and Libbye Brooks carrying armloads of food fast following from other directions, also with food, were Shane and Sandy Charlson of Mannford, Doug and Patti Laird of Tulsa, Dr. Peter C. and Susan Rollins, and Bill and Rose Brookman of Ridgemont. Bearing a large jar of nuts was the Rev. Canon John C. Powers of Tulsa.

While attendees munched on nuts, the later arrivals spread their bounty on the counter, tooth-picked cheese cubes, raw veggies and dips and fruit compotes with whip. In scant minutes the fare changed from nuts to a delicious meal and some of us learned what an agape dinner is!

Parish Hall now has its new look, with most of the labor and decorations donated, including the funds for the necessary materials. The addition of 48 padded chairs and a new hot water tank enclosure completed the project. Giving it a big splash of color and absorbing any unwanted sound is a wall hanging heirloom quilted “Star of Texas” made by Ken Brooks’ great-grandmother. Hanging on an adjacent wall is a photograph transferred onto canvas
of an evening water scene taken in England by Diane Montgomery-Brown’s, brother-n-law, who died Christmas Day. New prayer books and hymnals for church services also have been donated.

The Alleluia Fund, a diocesan offering to help grow the Episcopal Church, in Oklahoma, was announced this past week by Bishop Konieczny. Its focus will be: to plant new churches, to strengthen existing ones, to enhance spiritual growth for every baptized person; and to respond to the hungry, homeless, displaced and disenfranchised.

Since May 25 is the birthday of St. Bede, for whom the church is named, Libbye Brooks announced in an April 26 vestry meeting that a potluck dinner in the Parish Hall is planned May 24 (Sunday).

By Margaret Speegle
Recording Secretary