Pietisten Annual Meeting, March 7, Landmark Center, Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Floundering still.

by Phil Johnson

Though improvement has been desired, degeneration has continued. This in spite of a great deal of encouragement and support. A fine crowd of about 50 folks gathered for Pietisten’s Annual Meeting at the Landmark Center in Saint Paul.

Reports, greetings, and conviviality made up the meeting. Elder Lindahl asked God’s blessing upon the food and the gathering. We were moved by Elder’s prayer (page 6).

Art Mampel provided fine poetry, reciting it as only he can; David Hawkinson led a text study in Mark (see “The Making of a Reader” this issue); and Bob Dvorak at the piano, Phil Swanson on the bass, David Hawkinson on the violin, and Glen Wiberg, the auto-harp led the singing.

Meanwhile, many readers responded to our request last issue for a financial boost such that we were in pretty good shape at the moment. We thank you all and hope to do right by you. Our frailties are more than financial.

Nonetheless we enjoyed ourselves at the Annual Meeting as we listened to reports and sang with vigor.

Awards:

Hosts award: Max Carlson and Sharon Carlson of Pietisten and the Schubert Club
Founders Award: David Hawkinson and Peter Sandstrom
Distinguished Service Award: Sandy Johnson
Navigation Award: Tom Tredway
Poetry Award: Art Mampel
Translation Award: Tommy Carlson
Columnist Award: Glen Wiberg
Volunteers of the Year Award: David and Marion Swanson and Duane and Ruth Johnson
Reliability Award: Elder Lindahl
Roving Reporter Award: Robert Bach
Online Editor Award: Karl Nelson
Ground of Being Award: Art Anderson

The full agenda and reports are posted on the website pietisen.org. If you do not have access we will mail or email it upon request.