Starting with Grace: Church rings in 2014 with family event

By Bob Campbell

Southeast Missourian

One of the area's alternative New Year's Eve parties was at Grace United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau, where the second annual event was expected to draw more people interested in their faith and one another than other New Year's Eve indulgences.

Co-sponsor Cheryl Mothes and her husband Rick Hetzel planned the 7 p.m.-to-midnight event in part so families with children could have a wholesome outing with free child care.

"We will have music and a message by our associate pastor, Justin Pobst, at 11 p.m., and at midnight we'll go out on the lawn, ring the church bell 12 times and have a prayer," Mothes said.

She said they had 75 people last year, and this year's total was about 100.

Mothes said that nonmembers were welcome at the 521 Caruthers Ave. church.

Nursery coordinator Angela Dunavan was managing the nap room for sleepy kids.

Pobst said he'd preach about "looking back at 2013 and challenging everybody to make 2014 the best year yet."

"The No. 1 thing is to grow in faith and be able to say, 'I really strengthened my relationship with Christ,'" he said. "I'll suggest practical ways to get plugged into a church and dig into the Word every day."

Southeast Missouri State freshman Connor McDowell of Jackson was about to sing and play guitar with the praise team. "We're preparing for the upcoming year and coming together as a church and community," said McDowell, a music education major planning to be a voice teacher.

"We need to show even though there are hard times and troubles will come, we can depend on God."

Another praise teamer, Jackson High senior Shannon Davis, said it was "a good way to start the year because it's a good environment and couples can bring their kids.

Davis said songs such as "10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord" and "Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies)" "all have a deeper meaning if you listen to what they're trying to say.

"You can easily apply Justin's messages because they're based on what's in the Bible," she said.

Grace UMC members Carmen Shadron and her husband Andy, of Cape Girardeau, brought their children, 11-year-old Nathan and 6-year-old Reagan, for the second time, having been surprised that their daughter made it to midnight last year.

Asked what the alternative was, Shadron said, "We would have stayed home.

Attendees dance during the Grace Party Tuesday, Dec. 31, at Grace United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau. The family friendly New Years Eve party included food, games, dancing and a movie finishing with a "Ring in the New Year," service at 11:30 p.m. (Adam Vogler)

"The kids were looking forward to coming back. It gives them a chance to meet new friends and interact with others in a safe environment. We have the Wii video games, the Dance-Off and Ping-Pong tables. It's a fun place to go hang out with other people."

Along with snacks and drinks including Wassail punch, the event featured karaoke singing, board and card games and 9 p.m. movies, "The Croods" for kids and "The Ultimate Life"

for adults and youth.

Grace members for 40 years, Robert and Debbie Blasiney also would have otherwise stayed home.

"We're not big in the bar scene," said Robert Blasiney.

"We see a lot of these people on Sundays but don't get to know them that well."

"There are others from the community that we're meeting for the first time," his wife added.

Adelaide Parsons, Barbara Hammond and Brenda Shadron were helping children make plaster "stepping stones" of an angel, a man and various designs.

Brenda's granddaughter Reagan had cast one with the initial "R."

Cheerfully performing the rather unglamorous job behind the snack bar, Barb Kinsey said she did it again "because it was so much fun last year.

"Feed them, and they will come," she said, laughing.