A Church Happening: The Senior Appreciation Lunch
A Church Happening: The Senior Appreciation Lunch
— Barbara Hiura
— Barbara Hiura
The sounds of joyful chatter filled the Wesley Fellowship Hall when some 115 “seniors” gathered for an Appreciation Lunch dedicated to them by our Umbrella Ministry team on June 25. It’s all about relationships and this event captured that needed feeling of being together especially for this particular group of God’s people. For not all go to church every Sunday, so it was time to get down and do some very serious meet and greets. There was a lot of table-hopping and hob knobbing going on. They talked, they caught up, they checked-in with one another, they took photos together and of course, broke bread with one another. Boy, what an amazing party!
The meal of somen salad, sushi, gyoza capped off with strawberry shortcake was simply delicious and “hit-the spot” so to speak. It was served on a colorful Japanese motif plastic bento box. (it was so unique that many were cleaned and taken home rather than being thrown away). And, there were gifts on the table, like a Shiseido cosmetic bag and Keiro Kai chopsticks donated by Jim Nagareda (his mom owns the Shiseido store in J-Town). The hand-crafted notebook/journals were from Hands of Grace (Yumi Haraguchi and Mona Otomori). All were lovely gifts and an unexpected perk.
A photo area captured the memory and was well used. Hard copies were printed and given to couples and friends by the time the party ended. This too was an unexpected delight.
The luncheon was perfect because all the activities contributed to reconnections and relationship-building that took place across the room. It was spiritually uplifting and God smiled.
Thank you to all the hard-working volunteers who made this senior lunch happen. Appreciation and thank you to the Umbrella Ministry co-chairs, Kiyomi Yanai and Shelley Nakashima. Accolades and hats off go to their team of: Ken Yanai, Mika Visitacion, Mari Fujii, Mary Sasaki, Dale Sasaki, Hatty Lin, Jim Mar, Hector Acuna, Bev Acuna, Keith Nakashima and Lori Tabuchi.
The meal of somen salad, sushi, gyoza capped off with strawberry shortcake was simply delicious and “hit-the spot” so to speak. It was served on a colorful Japanese motif plastic bento box. (it was so unique that many were cleaned and taken home rather than being thrown away). And, there were gifts on the table, like a Shiseido cosmetic bag and Keiro Kai chopsticks donated by Jim Nagareda (his mom owns the Shiseido store in J-Town). The hand-crafted notebook/journals were from Hands of Grace (Yumi Haraguchi and Mona Otomori). All were lovely gifts and an unexpected perk.
A photo area captured the memory and was well used. Hard copies were printed and given to couples and friends by the time the party ended. This too was an unexpected delight.
The luncheon was perfect because all the activities contributed to reconnections and relationship-building that took place across the room. It was spiritually uplifting and God smiled.
Thank you to all the hard-working volunteers who made this senior lunch happen. Appreciation and thank you to the Umbrella Ministry co-chairs, Kiyomi Yanai and Shelley Nakashima. Accolades and hats off go to their team of: Ken Yanai, Mika Visitacion, Mari Fujii, Mary Sasaki, Dale Sasaki, Hatty Lin, Jim Mar, Hector Acuna, Bev Acuna, Keith Nakashima and Lori Tabuchi.
"I made them all," jokingly exclaimed Mari Fujii. Some 135 lunches were prepared with a lot of volunteer help.
Bev Acuna (left) and Kazuko Hughes help clean up.
Cooks, Dale Sasaki and Hector Acuna (looking on) prepared the noodles of the somen salad.
Our happy co-chairs of the Umbrella Ministry, Kiyomi Yanai (left) and Shelley Nakashima, welcome all the guests.
We are thankful to Hanna and Roy Takeuchi who brought Ed Taketa (left) to this outing which he thoroughly enjoyed.
A joyful coming together of three sisters: Hiroko Yamahata, Toshiko Bliven and Kathy Linderman.
Nichigobu gather of from left: Reiko Tsukamoto, Akiko Buchanan, Mieko Tsukamoto, Setsuko Lebu, Shizuko Adachi, and Kazuko Hughes.
Diane Okusako was glad to see Flo Oishi, Janice Noda and Leighton Horio.
Finally back on his feet and walking is Wayne Haraguchi following hip surgery repair and talking to Donna Toyohara.
The joy of the photo area with Gary and Patsy Utusmi (above) and Rod and Grace Wada, (below).
Loving the props, the gals take their shot, from left: Amy Shiozaki, Joanne Kumano, Terri Koike, Cynthia Fukuda. Bobbie Ueunten, and Barbara Mulford.
Sated and enjoying their table mates were clockwise from left: It’s and Liz Yokota, Jane and Warren Hayashi, Irene Nakamitsu, Janet Kaku, Rose Kitagawa, Ron Tanizawa, and Gene Kinoshita.
Rose Morita, Mary Peckham and Bill Sueoka were pleased.
Posted in Newsletter 2025-07-24