Sardis Baptist Church enjoyed having "The Pearly Gates" in concert Sunday morning during the worship service. After prayer and congregational singing, prayer requests and praises were given. The children who finished the young Christians program were honored with certificates and pendants by their director, Joyce Fry. All of them said a Bible verse. Participating were Avery Hall, Anthony Echols, Jazmine Fry, Meredith Gunter, Maddie Gunter, Jessica Courtright, and Kaitlyn Land. Rev. Jim Newsome gave the children's message at the altar and then the little children departed for the annex with Tina Boatwright for children's church. Rev. Newsome welcomed the "Pearly Gates" who were a husband and wife team who rendered several songs and testimonies during the service. It was a great service which everyone enjoyed very much with many applauses and amens. Pastor Newsome then gave the benediction. ƒSunday evening another great service was held at Sardis. Peggie Walker came by letter to be a member of the church. After the congregation sang "Blest Be the Tie," Pastor Newsome asked Peggie's family to come and stand with her as the members came and spoke words of love and happiness to her. ƒ Tina Boatwright, director of the G.A.'s, announced that rice bowls for World Hunger are due this Sunday at Sardis. Amanda Land announced that the shoe boxes are due in November and the Acteens have set a goal of 30 boxes for Sardis. ƒThe Pearly Gates were also in concert Saturday at the Rayle Ramble along with other singers for the enjoyment of the crowd. The Ramble was a whopping success and everyone had a good time. As the singing and other activities continued, bingo was enjoyed by many in the City Hall building with many nice prizes donated by Wilkes County businesses. ƒI (Bonnie Boatwright) was surprised when a man confronted me at the Rayle Ramble and asked if I remembered him. I told him that he did look familiar, but I just couldn't place him. He was a classmate (Richard Hubert Spivey) from grade school whom I had not seen in 54 years. He came to Crawford when

the schools were consolidated when we

were in the fourth grade and quit school

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in the tenth grade to join the army. He

knew I lived in Rayle and saw the Rayle Ramble advertisement and since he and his lovely wife Earline attend many such affairs they decided to come to the Rayle Ramble. When he got here he inquired about me and was told that I would surely be here to play bingo. Wow! What a surprise. It just made my day and as I said, the Rayle Ramble is full of surprises. I always see many people whom I don't see much and that is a big part of the enjoyment. ƒIt was good to see Josephine Orr of "Whispering Pines" in Athens with her daughter, Kate Orr Messer of Roswell, at the Ramble for a little while. Everyone was glad to see them. ƒLamar Berry had surgery Friday morning at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. He came through the surgery well and stayed in intensive care for 24 hours before being put in a room. He will be on a feeding tube for five days and in the hospital seven days. Sunday, the nurses had him up and walking. Kay Berry, Brooke Berry, Chuck and Julie Berry, Ruby Arnold, and Kim Berry were with him on the day of the surgery. Trey Berry went Sunday to be with them. Kay and Brooke Berry stayed with him several days before coming home. Kay returned to the hospital to be with him the remainder of the week. While in Augusta Kay and Brooke spent time with Connie Boatwright Gamble and Rachel Gamble. Our prayers are for Lamar to have a quick and complete recovery. ƒShane Echols will have back surgery Wednesday in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Please remember him in prayer. ƒDoris Walker returned home from MCG Thursday and is feeling much better. Our prayers are with her for her well-being. ƒOur prayers are also for Manuel Wheatley who has health problems concerning his heart and carotid artery. Please remember him in your prayers. ƒThere are many others who need continuing prayer: Denise Adams Blasachke, Brenda Bruce, Ann Williamson, Ann Crittenden, Robert and Edythe Harper, George Casey, Kris Berry, Avola Callaway, Dorothy Callaway, Sallie Mae Arnold, Priscilla Maxwell, Linda Stevens, Nancy Moon, Cindy McCarty, J.W. and Bonnie Boatwright, and many others. ƒThe Philomath Church Preservation Association will have a low country boil on Saturday, November 8, at the Buckman barn in Philomath. Appetizers will be served at 6:30 p.m. and dinner complete with dessert and drink at 7 p.m. Advance sales only: $25 per person. This will support the restoration of the old Presbyterian Church in Philomath. For tickets or information contact Johnny and Sue Ellen Buckman at 706-274-3228; Sonny and Linda Bryan at 706-274-3582; or Lawrence and Annette Nash at 706-274-3745. ƒBonnie Boatwright joined her two sisters, Martha and Frankie, for lunch at Applebees Tuesday. We were delighted to see and chat with about nine members of the 1953 Class of Oglethorpe County whom we all knew (except one lady whose name we did not get) who were also having lunch there. They were T.Y. Harris, Jack Howard, George Smith, Alma Peterman Amason, Patsy Sanders Winn, Carolyn Howard Paradise, Lily Ruth McFarland McWhorter, and Mickey Reynolds Day. ƒRev. and Mrs. Jim Newsome have returned home after a two-week visit in Vero Beach, Florida. While there they went to their doctors and had tests and got Karan's mother moved and several things accomplished. We are glad they are back safely in our neck of the woods. ƒBuck and Linda Echols had as guests Sunday, Greg and Angela Armour and Hunter, Samantha Callaway, Scott and Sissy Smith, Abby and J.T., Richard and Lou Heard, Mattie and Hank. ƒClyde and Sandy Whittington and Avery Hall went to Crawford Sunday afternoon to help Bryce Frankel celebrate his second birthday at a party at the home of his parents and brothers, Neil and Kim Frankel, Zachery and Kyle. Bryce's birthday was Tuesday, October 28. ƒBryce Frankel spent Tuesday night; Kyle Frankel spent Wednesday night; and Zachery Frankel spent Saturday night with their grandparents, Clyde and Sandy Whittington. ƒAn old-time weiner roast with all the trimmings and fun was held at the home of Johnny and Kathryn Shedd Saturday night. Joining them were Tim and Gail Stewart, Alyssa Stewart, Paul Wright and Ava, Lyn Shedd, Ricky Shedd, Garrett Paul and friend Melissa, Chad and Angie Williams, Ashtyn, Darrell and Laura Shedd. ƒKaitlyn and Bryson Porter spent Friday and Saturday with their grandmother, Rosemary Gresham, and their daddy, Demetrice Porter, in Washington while Brooke Berry was at the hospital with her daddy, Lamar Berry, who had surgery Friday. Kaitlyn and Bryson spent Saturday night and Sunday with Kim Berry and Aaliya. Ruby Arnold visited them Sunday and also visited Sallie Mae Arnold who is not feeling well. ƒDonnie Berry, Sybil Vaughn and Betty Berry enjoyed going to the ham and egg supper Saturday evening at Burt's United Methodist Church. ƒTroy and Shirley Chafin had as guests Sunday evening for supper, Mack Chafin, Ronnie and Racquel Chafin, Sheila Arnold, Blake Arnold, Mandy and Walker Young. Tommy Fong spent the weekend with the Chafins.