New Church Life Mar/Apr 2015 | Page 85

  them up” and keeping them connected and engaged. • We need to think marketing – get rid of the name “General Church,” which doesn’t mean anything, and come up with a better symbol. retreat banquet The Rev. George D. McCurdy gave an informal and humorous talk at the Retreat banquet, appropriately titled: A Magnificent Room Called Remembrance. He said the reason why he agreed to be the banquet speaker “comes from my deep appreciation for what happens here in Boynton Beach.” “It is a week of gathering to be with friends,” he said, “to nourish our souls and our hearts in friendship.” He likened it to Charter Day in Bryn Athyn “without the crowds.” He said it is also time to awaken memories of past Retreats and Eldergarten in Boynton Beach. And he expressed his appreciation and amazement at “the energy, vitality and inspiration” – not only with the speakers but also the attendees. He noted that as he was preparing this talk he and his wife, Lois, were enjoying a visit in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He looked out the window of their room at the second-tallest building in the state – a beautiful casino/hotel that had opened in April 2012 at a cost of $2.6 billion. In September 2014 it was forced to close. The contrast hit him: Human efforts have no guarantees of longevity but as humans “we are built to last.” Our souls are formed at conception and will en