Yes, there were Lion hunts!

Sandy Pennar Bonesteel, who was confirmed at the same service as Tom Obert, writes:


Thanks Tom!
It was fun to see the program of our confirmation. Don't really remember much of the service, just all the classes beforehand! I remember that it was cold, windy and icy that day, and we had to pose for pictures outside for my relatives. I recall black & white photos of me standing with Pat Collins, Betsy Thomas and Carol Navratil, on the steps, freezing! Don't know where Jane, Ellen and Marta were. I could only find ones of me but can picture the other gals clearly.

I went thru boxes and boxes and no luck finding them. None of the boys either. I also don't remember any "formal" photos! In color! Can't compete with the Lutherans! I remember that my gramma made my dress and we girls all had to wear white dresses, black flats (of course!), and little "doilies" on our head. Not quite as fancy as the Catholic's First Communion! We were 13 and at that awkward age and I felt stupid with the doilie, held in place with bobby pins.

I remember Rev. Henry Hoover quite fondly.

I think I was about 10 when he came to Emmanuel Episcopal. He was a lot of fun and was a big hit with the kids. I remember the lion hunts, stomping through quicksand, crawling through tall grass, etc. He'd always have funny sermons that weren't over our heads. It seemed they were more for us than the adults. Everyone loved him. He had quite a library and he let me borrow books regularly as he knew I loved to read. My favorites were Dr. Doolittle, and The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe, which I also remember from vacation Bible school as we would sit in the grass and read parts of it, and try to act some of it out. Always wondered how that had a place in Bible school!

Well, if my religious studies were lacking, I also attended the Vacation Bible Schools at Zion Lutheran and First Methodist, with neighbor kids. Mom was always glad to get us out of the house. Rev. Hoover eventually moved to another parish, and Rev. Beresford came from Canada to take his place.

Years later, when I was working as a pediatric nurse at North Memorial Hospital, I was taking someone down to Xray or something, and there was Rev. Hoover on the elevator! I was 23 and had recently come back from maternity leave after Krista was born. I was very surprised to see him, and my folks were delighted to hear that I had run into him. We decided that we would like to have Rev. Hoover do Krista's baptism, so my folks and all the relatives came from Alex to his church in Roseville (St. Christopher's Episcopal Church).

That was quite memorable and quite an honor. I did a google search on him, and he is still there! His name was on a summer 2010 newsletter. He is Rector Emeritus now. Wonder if he is still doing lion hunts....