ARKANSAS—On June 11, 36 Philadelphia Church of God members, including club director Wik Heerma and assistant director Darren Verbout and his wife, attended the end-of-year Ladies’ Gala for the Arkansas Spokesman Club at the highest point in the state: Mount Magazine State Park. The spokesmen and their dates donned bright yellow for the event and sat at tables adorned with place settings with the club theme of “The Eternal Has Chosen Jerusalem.”

Club president Alan Bakers gave opening remarks, and members took a 15-minute refreshment break before launching into a topic session led by member Jesse Zoellner. After a meal, the second half of the club began with the toastmaster for the evening, Luke Chadwick, introducing five speeches with the topics of marriage and family, the animal kingdom, writing, remodeling and American Revolution history. Mr. Verbout said that the speeches were all action focused and had thoughtful titles. Baker said that the speeches, the topics and the answers were “worthy to meditate on.”

Awards were handed out, and Mr. Verbout thanked all those responsible for making it a successful club year, including the officers, technology specialists and spokesman’s wives.

Member Bertha Zoellner said, “I thought it was one of the greatest clubs I’ve been to. I’ve been to a lot of clubs in 63 years in God’s Church.”

In his closing lecture, Mr. Heerma gave three ways to excel as a teacher, highlighting Zechariah 8:23 and tying in the club theme. Luke Chadwick said that the gala and the year of Spokesman Club was “an energetic, exciting and spiritually uplifting experience.”