OH NO...now what has she gotten me into?

We have about 3 weeks left in Foley Alabama.   And although the weather hasn't consistently been warm and wonderful we are enjoying our time here. 

We spent 2 weeks in St. Louis over  Christmas, surprising some family who did not know we were coming in.   This is our 5th holiday season on the road and the first time since leaving that we went back to celebrate Christmas and New Years.   We enjoyed spending Christmas eve with Ron’s family….just like ole times!   We stayed with my sister and as an added bonus my 2 nephews and their families came in….it was a full house but great to all be together again.

Once back to the coach we have been catching up on the daily, mundane tasks of unpacking, re-stocking the fridge, laundry etc.

As most of you know, one of the most interesting events we have enjoyed in our travels is attending different Catholic Churches for Sunday mass.   Here in the Gulf Shores area we have mostly frequented Our Lady of the Gulf.   They recently introduced a new pastor from Montgomery who seems to have a good sense of humor...even adding some to his sermon, but is very conservative.  They don’t have ushers, a choir and just recently substituted plastic flowers around the altar for live plants.    They do have an organist and God bless him, he tries…..

One week we attended the Mission - Our Lady of Bon Secour.   Bon Secour is a settlement located on the Bon Secour River, 7 miles southwest of Foley.   The church served its congregation for many years until it was damaged by a storm in 1917.   After that it was dismantled and carried across the river, piece by piece, and reassembled at its present location.

Our Lady of Bon Secour.

The church is so small only one side at a time could go up for communion.

Cute, little altar.

Yesterday we attended Worship @ the Water.   The service takes place every Sunday at 11:00 am at the Flora –Bama Lounge.    If you look past the flip flops and beer banners you may find the officiating Reverend Jeremy Mount  dressed in t-shirt, jeans and sandals, complete with a full arm of tattooed bible verses.  The Flora Bama is a popular honky tonk bar on the border of Florida and Alabama.  They host several events such as the Mullet Toss and the Frank Brown Songwriters Festival  along with nightly music venues, average food and lots and lots of bar drinks. Since 2011, a local United Methodist church has organized the Worship @ the Water service.   The weekly attendance is over 500 with as many as 2,400 attending on Easter.   Last month Rev. Jeremy Mount, an award winning pastor and U.S. Army chaplain announced he would be leaving the United Methodist Church to be ordained with Christian Church, a  non-denominational  organization based in Las Vegas.   His church wanted to move him, so he chose to leave the organization to continue his service at Flora-Bama. 

The members/congregation.  

 I would guess there are many churches who would love to get this many to show up every week!

 T-Shirt worn by many...."My Church is the Flora Bama"  They are sold in the gift shop with all proceeds going to the ministry.

Hymnal.    I like the subtle hint at the bottom .

If it weren't for the temporary cross on the stage and the podium you
wouldn't know you stumbled into a religious ceremony.

The "choir"   

The band/choir praying before they start.



This weeks service was not the norm.  The preaching was by two ministers from Central Christian in attendance to ordain Jeremy.   I would have liked to heard him.  The entire ceremony lasted about 1 1/2 hours.

Jeremy is third from left.  

 The ordination took all of 10 minutes....we sang I'll Fly Away, everyone picked up their chair to put away and that was the end.   

Ron is so good natured...he will do anything I want to do.   But many times I'm sure he thinks
"now what has she gotten us into?"

Take care....hope all is well!