This is definitely the hardest newsletter I’ve written over the last five years, but I’ll try to keep it light! When we came here to Maineville, I didn’t intend to make a monthly article for the Newsletter a continuing thing. That first month, I remember thinking it would be a nice way to introduce us to the congregation. After all, the only people who really knew anything about us were those on the PPRC, and that was from the brief meeting when Pastor Steve was being interviewed. So I wrote that first letter to the congregation in July, 2018, and, somehow, it felt right to share my thoughts every month since then.
          Now, we’ve come to the point of retiring, and I would like to make this last newsletter a tribute to our time here and the love we have for this church. The hard part is that words will never be able to express my feelings! You have been much more than a church where we serve...you are our friends and our family. The bonds we have made here cannot be broken by time or distance!
          Looking back, there are many moments that I will never forget…that first dinner meeting with Doug and Janet, my strong feeling that we needed to move to Maineville to truly serve the congregation, the hard work put in by so many to get the parsonage ready for us, the kindness of the first people we met before we even moved in (Larry and Sharon, Tim and Joan, DeWayne, and Hilda, just to name a few), and the warm welcome extended by all of you on our first Sunday morning. And that was just the beginning!
          Since then, I have added so many other memories...the evening we performed our old “Sanctuary” music, Birthday and WOW Group Luncheons, Myrna’s Magic Pie Crust class, Trunk or Treat, Turkey Dinners, the Valentine Appreciation Dinner (capped off with “Songs of the Century"), Hanging of the Greens, Christmas Eve services, Easter Egg Hunts, Easter Week services, Spring Work Days, and visiting our shut-ins. My one regret is that some of our annual events were brought to a halt or limited by the Covid restrictions that were put in place during our stay in Maineville.
          Probably my most cherished memories center around the ladies of the church, and I guess that's to be expected. I love the fact that our Ladies' Bible Study and Coffee Fellowship has provided a time for us to know and care about each other while learning more about God’s Word. We have shared many things of the heart at these gatherings that brought us closer together. It also makes me happy to see others step up to keep it going. (Thank you, Jody!) And, of course, I have thoroughly enjoyed sharing the idea of Ladies’ Teas with my friends. Our Christmas and Spring Teas have been a joy to me, and I can never thank Helen and Janet enough for being with me from the beginning! I couldn’t have pulled them off without their support! This year, Denise and Jody also joined in the setup and take down, and I appreciate them so much! Hopefully, they loved it as much as I did!
          Being in the ministry with my husband has brought times of extreme joy as we’ve been involved in your good times and extreme sadness as we've shared your grief in the bad times. The good times of weddings, births, baptisms, graduations, new members, and sometimes just every day happenings that bring laughter are the best parts of what we experience. I pray that we have been some comfort to you in the bad times of illness, trials, and loss of loved ones you may have had during our time here.
          In closing, know that our hearts will remain with you in the days to come, even when we are not physically present. I will always remember my friends and family at Maineville Lighthouse Church and hope to continue to see you often!

                                        Blessings,

                                            Dona

                     “I love the house where you live, O LORD, the place                                                 where your glory dwells.” Psalm 26:8