New Life Ministries ladies celebrate holidays

New Life Ministries on South Seventh Street celebrated the holidays with its annual Ladies Christmas Party.

Each person brought several gifts to use as prizes for the games. The day included Christmas carols, Happy Birthday Jesus Bingo, passing gifts to the right left story game, and lots of food including Christmas cookies and chocolate treats for dessert. One of Santa's elves even made an appearance — Debbie Buxton in a green suit and cap with her elf ears.

Alice Spinks helped get this party started and has been coming to the event for several years.

"I knew Pastor Mark and Doris Granger, and I knew all these ladies here," she said. "I went to church with all of them at one time. This is my third year coming to the Ladies Christmas Party. They were doing things for the men, and I mentioned to Doris Granger that we should have something for the women, and she said, 'Well, you can go ahead and do it Alice.'"

About a year later, Spinks was sitting in one of the services and felt like the Lord was saying, "Alice, you need to step up and do this."

"I went to Doris, and she gave me the green light," Spinks said. "She is so easy to work with. They had done it before, and it started up again. I'm really pleased with the turnout. Each year has been special. They haven't been the same, but they have been special. This year was fun and fellowship, and of course food always goes with that.

"We have prayer time and praise reports for ourselves and our loved ones, things in our life that we are thankful for. It was a special time for us women to be together. We do things together as God leads us, but this has been for the last three years. We will see what else God has for us after this."

Doris Granger said, "It's open to everyone in the church, and it's fun to get the ladies together, let your hair down and have fun."