EDMOND—Philadelphia Church of God singles and Herbert W. Armstrong College students from Edmond and worldwide went on “opposite” dates both in person and online from November 10–12 during turnabout weekend.

Turnabout weekend in the pcg is a tradition that normally occurs twice a year, in the spring and the fall continuing a tradition at Ambassador College under the late Herbert W. Armstrong as a way to increase the singles’ appreciation for their dating counterparts.

One group of Armstrong students reminisced on their younger days with a Sunday evening full of typical childhood favorites, including chicken nuggets, Kool-Aid, dodgeball and an obstacle course called “The Floor Is Lava.”

“We played tag on this improvised obstacle course for about an hour,” Armstrong senior Jack Wood said, adding that the childlike play helped participants let go of their inhibitions. “There were falls, screams and more laughs than I’ve had in a long time.”

North Carolina single Rishanna Cheek said she hosted her first video chat date. Cheek coordinated with her date’s mother, a chef, to cook the exact same chicken alfredo meal in Nevada that she cooked at home in North Carolina. She also mailed her date, Najam Brown, a gift package that included chocolate, a necktie and other items.

Another group of college students re-enacted a challenge from the cooking show Chopped. Each of the three teams was told to incorporate several “mystery ingredients” as they planned, prepared and plated a meal within 75 minutes to the sounds of intense theme music. Ladies presented their dates with “Turnabout 2017” inscribed wooden spoons as souvenirs.

Freshman Parker Campbell said that he and his date and a few others ended up in the living room of Pastor Joel Hilliker, behind a microphone. “We sang karaoke for over an hour …,” he said, “with songs ranging from ‘Taylor the Latte Boy,’ by Kristin Chenoweth, to ‘Don’t Stop Believing,’ by Journey. There was not a dull moment in the night.”

For dinner on the Sabbath, Canada single Danielle Nance said she took her date to Saskatoon Station Place, a unique restaurant with two Pullman cars built into the building. The next day, her group solved puzzles and found keys to escape a locked theme room, and played arcade games.

North Carolina Single Kristen Parker mailed a set of painting materials to her online date. Following the instructions of a YouTube tutorial, the pair painted a cabin in the snow on their respective canvases.

Many singles said that their best dates involved a normal sit-down meal and deep conversation. Colombia single Maria Gutmann said, “The most memorable part was a Skype group date when we were discussing a very specific question: Do you have any spiritual grandparents in the Church? What are some of the things you’ve done with them?”

On Turnabout weekend, members of the Sparks, Nevada, congregation attended Sabbath services with brethren in northern California. This convenient scheduling allowed Nevada single Jan Farber to plan dinner dates on Friday and Saturday for two California men. She and Rick Moutz met at a Mexican restaurant on Saturday night and “enjoyed abundant spiritual conversation and much laughter,” she recalled. “The waitress also joined in the fun by adding to the laughter and taking pictures. Time passed so quickly, we didn’t realize the restaurant had closed long before we left.”

Philippines single Maria Elena Paradillo took a unique approach to turnabout, sharing her first date of the weekend with her 80-year-old father. She said the experience helped her keep the right focus on serving throughout the weekend. “An hour lunch and conversation seemed very short for both of us,” she said.

“Turnabout can set a new spark to the dating experience,” Herbert W. Armstrong College senior Josué Michels said. “It gives the ladies a splendid opportunity to express their creative side. If men would do all the planning without a women’s input, dates might soon get very monotone and boring. I believe turnabout twice a year gives it a perfect balance and enhances the dating life.”

California single Sheryl Gordon, who hosted four online dates and treated a local single to a picnic and a tour of the Getty Center art museum and gardens in Los Angeles, said, “We have a unique opportunity as singles to make a huge impact on strengthening the Family of God. And never before has this been more important than it is now.”