Celebrating Father’s Day with men of the Ship

BY RAVEN JOY SHONEL, Staff Writer

ST. PETERBURG –Styrofoam plates buckled under the weight of ribs, sausage, chicken, baked beans, yellow rice and corn on the cob at the annual Father’s Day Dinner held at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church Saturday, June 17.

This year instead of a more formal celebration, the Women’s Ministry decided to go casual and do a cowboy theme. With checkered tablecloths and sunflower centerpieces, the ladies showed the fathers a rootin’ tootin’ good time, even though not one of them dressed up.

“We wanted to do something different. Usually, we give them prime rib but we’ve done that for eight or nine years now, so we thought we’d change it up a little,” said Women’s Ministry President Cynthia Pierce.

Before dinner was served, a few of the ladies told loving stories of their fathers. Valerie Williams said although she only spent the last two years of her father’s life with him, she enjoyed those years more with him than any other time in her life.

Pierce said she had a loving father who would give she and her siblings piggy back rides and tell them ghost stories that terrified them so much they would be afraid to go to bed.

Church Secretary Shelia Perry’s father did his best to raise his children after their mother died. Even though he didn’t know how to wash clothes, cook or do their hair, he tried his hardest. Eventually, family members had to step in, but he was always there for support.

The fathers of the Ship enjoyed their time fellowshipping and eating. Many were seen going back to the trough a few times.