The annual Midwest Family Picnic was held at the stunning Warren County Armco Park in Lebanon, Ohio. Over 80 brethren from five congregations gathered at the park. Regional Director Cal Culpepper and Preaching Elder Victor Vejil were also in attendance.

All year, the members in each congregation look forward to the family picnic. The highlights include testing unique homemade ice cream flavors, avenging previous euchre defeats, and fellowshipping with folks we rarely see.

Cincinnati Deacon Steve Witt oversaw the food for the activity, which included your typical picnic fare, along with more unique items, such as a quinoa salad. Indianapolis members, John and Kathy Baas, hosted the children’s games. A coed softball game was a highlight of the afternoon.

Armco Park softball is a time for fathers to ignore the aches and twinges of adulthood, strap on a batting glove, and preserve their reputation as Superman in the eyes of their progeny. The game maintained a nail-biting score for a couple hours. Softball organizer Ryan Adams ended the game as soon as his team secured a lead.

Armco Park is veined with winding roads shaded by corridors of imposing trees. One almost expects to find the Pemberley Estate around every bended path. It’s perfectly millennial. Mr. Culpepper said, “Today was a good day.”

The picnic was a spiritually refreshing afternoon leaving us inspired for the time in the near future when activities like this will occur often, and universally!