OHIO—More than 60 members from Philadelphia Church of God congregations in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky combined for the region’s annual Midwest family winter weekend on January 16 and 17, attending services, sampling pies, racing cars, and dancing in squares.

For Sabbath services, Regional Director Cal Culpepper gave a Bible study, highlighting the 2016 PCG Ministerial Conference.

After dinner, 16 judges critiqued 43 pie entries from members in a bakeoff, dividing them into three separate categories.

In the crème category, member Dianna Williams took first place, and teen Kansas Krieger took second place. In the fruit category, member Charles Collert won first place, and member Kelly Ann Havens took second. In the other category, member Gail Spotts was awarded first place, and teen Griffin Sander won second.

After the bakeoff and registration of 64 pine cars, volunteers made room for a western-style square dance. Decorations, like the covered wagon hors d’oeuvre bar fit the theme, and many traded dresses and suits for jeans, boots and cowboy hats. Professional square dance caller Tom Davis taught participants of all ages to promenadeand do-si-do around the floor with their partners.

“[The] instructions were very clear and easy to follow, and I enjoyed the instructor’s jokes,” teen Claire Olsen said. “I didn’t expect square dancing to be that much fun!”

The next morning, members gathered again for a pine car derby. After a series of three- and four-car heats, member Joel Sander took first place in the adult category. In the teen category, his son, Griffin, won first place, and in the children’s category, 6-year-old Rohan Flory won first place. Teen Eva Hochstetler was awarded first place for the most creative car.

After a potluck lunch and leftover pie, members went their separate ways.

“It’s unique that we got to get together on the weekend of January 16,” deacon Kelly Havens said. “This weekend was about family, and Mr. Armstrong’s legacy centers around family.”