Fourth Annual

Old City Flower Festival

January 2015

hosted by

Vineville United Methodist

Church

 

 

The Altar Display

This was the arrangement as you entered
the Family Life Center

 

 

 

I have enjoyed all seven of the Old City Flower Festivals, however I did not make a file of photographs from the First one held in 2012 hosted by Saint Joseph's Catholic Church or the Second one held in 2013 hosted by Christ Episcopal Church.  

Seventh Annual

Old City Flower Festival

Macon, Georgia

20-21-22 January 2018

 

The First Old City Flower Festival was held in January of 2012 during the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity."  The founders determined that a Flower Festival would be but one way to unite the Old City Churches in Macon with a Common Cause in addition to Prayer.  Celebrate the Beauty that Flowers Engender during the month of January to support the Week of Prayer.  The first festival was held at Saint Joseph's Roman Catholic Church.  This year the Festival was held at Saint Paul's Episcopal Church on College Street.  The theme for the Festival was "Consider the Lilies of the Field."  Matthew Chapter 6 or Luke Chapter 12.

 

 

The Host Church

This is a picture of the partial display placed by the Altar Guild
of Christ Episcopal Church.  I did not get to this display until it was
almost taken apart.  I can assure you that it was a large display under
the Stained Glass Window at the end of the Church.

 



Because I did not have a fully charged battery in my Camera on Monday, January 22 I was not able to take pictures of two displays, one which was placed by Saint Joseph's Catholic Church in the Chapel.  By the time I had charged the battery several other displays had already been removed. My mistake and problem. 

 

There were a total of fifteen Congregations that participated in this event!  The Church was lovely with all of these floral displays. 

 

The eighth Old City Flower Festival will be hosted by "Centenary United Methodist Church" also on College Street.

 

Alan Thiese, U. S. Navy

Service in USS John Paul Jones (DDG-32)

16 December 1975 to 22 July 1977

 

 

Prior to the 2017 USS John Paul Jones Reunion held in the Norfolk, Virginia area I conducted research to learn more about this great ship.  I found out that there were many ships that bore this name and as I knew we currently have a John Paul Jones in our Navy.

 

                                                     

USS PAUL JONES (DD-10)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NOP

CLASS - BAINBRIDGE As Built.
Displacement 420 Tons, Dimensions, 250' (oa) x 23' 7" x 9' 3" (Max)
Armament 2 x 3"/50, 5 x 6pdr, 2 x 18" tt..
Machinery, 8,000 IHP; 2 Vertical, Inverted, Triple Expansion Engines, 2 screws
Speed, 29 Knots, Crew 75.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Union Iron, San Francisco on April 20 1899.
Launched June 14 1900.
Commissioned July 19 1902 and placed in reserve until December 22 1903.
Decommissioned July 29 1919.
Stricken September 15 1919.
Fate Sold January 3 1920 to Joseph G. Hitner, Philadelphia and broken up for scrap.

 

 

 

 





 

 

 

USS PAUL JONES (DD-230 / AG-120)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NUQN

CLASS - CLEMSON As Built.
Displacement 1,215 Tons, Dimensions, 314' 5" (oa) x 31' 8" x 9' 10" (Max)
Armament 4 x 4"/50, 1 x 3"/23AA, 12 x 21" tt..
Machinery, 26,000 SHP; Parsons Design Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 35 Knots, Crew 114
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Cramp, Philadelphia on December 23 1919.
Launched September 28 1920 and Commissioned April 19 1921.
Reclassified Auxiliary AG-120 June 30 1945.
Decommissioned November 5 1945.
Stricken November 28 1945.
Fate Sold October 5 1947 to Northern Metal, Norfolk and broken up for scrap.

USS JOHN PAUL JONES (DD-932 / DDG-32)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NDRV

Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign (circa 1968) - BLUE BOLT

CLASS - FORREST SHERMAN As Built.
Displacement 4619 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 418' 6"(oa) x 44' 11" x 15' (Max)
Armament 3 x 5"/54 DP (3x1), 4 x 3"/50 (2x2), 2 Hedghog ASW Mortars,
4 x 21" tt.(4x1) 6 x 12.75" Mk 32 ASW TT (2x3).
Machinery, 70,000 SHP; Geared Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 33 Knots, Range 4500 NM@ 20 Knots, Crew 324.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Bath Iron Works, Bath ME January 18 1954.
Launched May 7 1955 and commissioned April 5 1956.
Decommissioned December 20 1965 and recommissioned September 23 1967.
Reclassified as Guided Missile Destroyer DDG-32 March 15 1967.
Decommissioned December 15 1982.
Stricken in 1986.
Fate December 18 1982 towed to NISMF Bremerton, arrived December 22 1982. Towed to Mare Island 1984, April 30 1986 stricken & towed to SBRF. Withdrawn from SBRF December 7 2000 to Pt. Mugu, CA for prep as target ship. Towed to target area by T-ATF 171 January 27 2001. January 31 2001 sunk in MISSILEEX at 32deg. 60' N x 121deg 36' W in 1988 fathoms



USS JOHN PAUL JONES (DDG-53)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NNJP

CLASS - BURKE Flight I As Built.
Displacement 8373 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 504' 7" (oa) x 66' 11" x 20' (Max)
Armament 1 x 5"/54 RF, 2 Phalanx 20mm Guns, 90 VLS Cells,
8 Harpoon Missiles, 6 x 12.75" TT.
Machinery, 100,000 SHP; 4 GE LM-2500 Gas Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 30+ Knots, Range 4400 NM@ 20 Knots, Crew 370.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Bath Iron Works, Bath ME on August 8 1990.
Launched October 26 1991 and commissioned December 18 1993.
Active unit of the US. Navy.
Homeported at San Diego. Moving to Hawaii in Summer 2014.

I post this today, 13 January 2018 to make the History of this great Warship and my time onboard as a Yeoman Chief a Matter of Record.  When I reported aboard DDG-32 she was about to enter the Long Beach Naval Shipyard in 1976.  I was able to obtain Navy Housing at San Pedro, California.  We enjoyed our time at San Pedro and following the overhaul the Ship was once again homeported in San Diego where we purchased a home in Chula Vista.  Our youngest Son was born at the Navy Hospital near Long Beach, California.  During our time at Long Beach the John Paul Jones was the host ship for a visiting Australian Navy DDG.  If I remember correctly it was the Australian Ship named Hobart (DDG-39).

 

26 October 2017 GOP Meeting

Macon-Bibb County

My Bride was not able to attend this event, however I did in preparation for the 2018 Election Cycle.

 

We heard from a representative of the "Jim Beck for Insurance Commissioner" campaign.  His literature states that he will "Work to Insure Georgia's Success."  The campaign representative reported to us that these are Jim's Day One Priorities:

1. Serve the taxpayers by opening regional offices to provide in-person meetings between investigators and the public
2. Defend the elderly and our veterans against fraud, by doubling the penalties on insurance companies who take advantage of them
3. Communicate by holding telephone town hall hearings on all proposed excessive rate increases.  There will be transparency and focus on what is right and fair for Georgia.

As the representative departed we were advised to:

 

Visit our website to learn more at:  www.jimbeckforgeorgia.com

 

The speaker for the evening, Lt. Governor Candidate Geoff Duncan talked to us about his goals and his back ground as he seeks the office of Lt. Governor for the State of Georgia. 

 

The emphasis of his campaign is:  Ethics Reform Now!!!

 

After playing baseball for Georgia Tech he was drafted by the Florida Marlins and went on to play professional baseball for six seasons.  A budding entrepreneur he took a business from his living room to a full scale operation in a 10,000 square foot operation.  His goal is to put:  "We the People" back in charge; to shake up the status quo with new solutions, not play politics as usual.  He stated that he is ready to win for Georgia's families and businesses.

 

He has pledged to become involved with the issues of Life/Families who live in Georgia once elected.  As a member of the Georgia assembly he has accomplished tasks by building relationships across the aisle.  He was very involved in passing an appropriate law regarding trucking firms.  The law now is that anyone who is engaged in trucking commerce now has the ability to recover the value of not only the truck but also the value of the cargo.  Until he was able to pass this law truck owners were only able to recover the value of the equipment and not the cargo it the truck was stolen.  Certainly the right move for Georgia and our Transportation infrastructure.

 

He is focused on what he calls the 4 "C":  Churches/Charities/Citizens/Corporations.

 

Once elected he will work hard to establish a new culture in our State Government:  Establish and reward Good Policy versus Politics. 

 

He closed his comments with this statement:  "Leadership does not equal Tax increases."

 

To learn more about Geoff please visit:  TEAM DUNCAN.ORG

Michael Williams

Candidate

for

Governor of Georgia

During the 24 August 2017 Meeting of the Bibb County Republicans we heard Michael Williams discuss with us why he is seeking the Office of Governor of Georgia.

The following is quoted from his literature:

"Take Georgia Back From The Establishment"

Georgia's had a Republican Governor for nearly 16 years and a Republican controlled House and Senate over a decade.  What do we have to show for it?

Every election, candidates run on conservative issues.  They claim to be "true" conservatives, while touting their "bold" agenda.  Yet they always fail to deliver.  They go right back to the same politics as usual we have come to expect from career politicians.  The reason is simple:  they are indebted to big corporate and special interest lobbyists who fund their campaigns.  By self-funding the majority of his campaign, Michael Williams will only be indebted to the people of Georgia!

We cannot elect the same establishment career politicians and expect a better result.  Georgia needs a fearless conservative businessman who has proven he will fight the establishment."

To read the full bio of Michael Williams, please visit:

williamsgeorgia.com/bio

From my point of view this quote from Michael is the only reason I need to vote for him:

"The most important job I've had is being a father.  As Governor, I will work every day to make sure all children in Georgia have the opportunities they deserve."

Please be aware that Michael is the father of four children so am confident that he knows of what he speaks and will carry out his pledge.

  

Herman West, Jr.

Second District Congress Person

Georgia Second District

On 27 July 2017 Herman West Jr. spoke to the Bibb County Republicans during a monthly meeting.

He indicated that he intends to run for the House of Representatives District Two seat currently held by Sanford Bishop.  His purpose in attending the meeting was to converse with the Voters of Bibb County.  He informed us that the 2018 Elections will be our defining moment.  He informed us that the Second District of Georgia is currently one of the poorest and he intends to work very hard to change that.  We in the Second District can no longer allow our representative to seduce the poor without results.  Far too many in the Second District depend on our Government to support them.  This has to change.

Candidate West is a Georgia native raised in Southwest Georgia.  He is will seek economic improvement for this District.  Far too many citizens in this District are unemployed.  Since 2010 two Hospitals in this District have closed.  Education in District Two must improve and when elected he will support the Family Farm.

Candidate West then discussed six areas that need Leadership:

1. We need to climb the ladder of prosperity
2. We need strong leadership
3. We need action, not just words
4. We must work together
5. We must emphasize Conservative Christian Values
6. Politics is Local

Candidate West has a five point plan:

1. We must be united
2. He asked that we stand with him
3. Make the Second District Great
4. Education must be the number one priority
5. We must seize the moment to establish a viable Health Care System

In conclusion we were reminded that "We All Must Be Engaged" and that "Together We Can Do It."