Faithful friends

The Christian Fellowship Group brings all denominations together

SUN CITY – Whether hosting one of their quarterly potluck meals or a more intimate dinner, members of the Christian Fellowship Group of Sun City gather around the table to enjoy more than just food; they assemble to celebrate a feast of friendship.

The group – established soon after Sun City’s construction –was spearheaded by member Joan Souchek. Today, it is a sprawling community of Christians in Sun City.

According to Carole Dryden, a leader of the social committee, the Fellowship hosts several types of events each year, the most recent of which was a quarterly potluck on March 29.

Christian Fellowship Group members meet and converse before dinner is served. (Victoria Diamond/Sun Day Photo)

Those who signed up for the event brought assigned dinner dishes and spend the night playing games like Pictionary. The event concluded with a group hymn.

“We get together to get acquainted. Our base core is that we all love the Lord and want to share that bond of fellowship,” Dryden, who has been a member along with her husband, Fred, since 2005, said.

Fred Folkerts, a leader for the group’s Supper Club, agrees. His favorite Fellowship moments include meeting new people and enjoying their company.
The group inspires these blossoming friendships and faith in everything from game nights to suppers to gatherings for single women.

Folkerts added that he and his wife, Nancy, feel that attending the small dinners and larger social outings has “helped in our own spiritual development.”

Dryden said belonging to the Fellowship has connected her and her husband with kindred spirits.

“A couple of our best friends are people we never knew until we got into the group. We’ve traveled with them, and they’re very special people in our lives,” she said.

The array of Christian denominations represented in the group is diverse.

According to Dryden, the members are from Baptist, Evangelical Free, Lutheran, and Catholic churches, to name a few, and the club always welcomes new members.

Dryden said one of the most enlightening aspects of belonging to the group has been the company of Christians from a variety of denominations.
“You see people from a lot of church backgrounds sharing that common bond. When you’re in church, you get used to the people around you and what’s being taught,” she said. “Sometimes we get isolated in our own little box and this gives us a better perspective.”

• To join, or for more info, contact Carole Dryden at csdryden@comcast.net or 847-659-1577.

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