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Approximately sixty women were treated to a candlelight dinner, at Marco Presbyterian Church’s third annual Daughter Dinner. Soft romantic music, tables festooned with linen, lace, candles, and shell centerpieces, punch, a backdrop of shells projected on the front screen, and the new senior pastor decked out in a tuxedo greeted the women as they arrived.

The shell centerpieces were made by the Helping Hands Ministry. Helping Hands is part of the church’s midweek time of food, fun, fellowship and feeding from God’s Word.

“This is our third year,” stated organizer Bonnie Seigfried. “The men prepare the meal and serve it and clean up. The first year the pastors’ wives organized it, no theme. Year two — ‘Brides in God’s Kingdom’. Year three — ‘She Sees Seashells at the Seashore.’ Our goal is to celebrate that as women in God’s church we are faithful, enjoy fellowship and are growing in our church family by honoring women in the church at this event. We are all daughters and so the name for the event is the Daughter Dinner. This is inclusive of all those wanting to attend. Many years ago all of us probably attended Mother-Daughter Banquets. We have updated our event.”

“Our theme this year,” continued Seigfried, “Is a comparison of the beautiful seashells, we are all so familiar with, and we as Christians. We are all broken like shells, but in God’s eyes as we seek His guidance and accept His gift of salvation and love, we are perfect.”

The meal consisted of a first course of mixed greens with cranberries and mandarin oranges, followed by ham, scalloped potatoes and green beans carefully presented on white china, followed by coffee and cheesecake for dessert. Each table had a basket of homemade bread made by one of the church’s deacons.

Upon completion of the meal the women were treated to poetic tributes, inspirational readings and soprano Linda Sandlin at the piano singing her own version of “The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music” with an emphasis on the beach, shells and God’s love. “I go to the beach when my heart is lonely…” sang Sandlin.

During one of the inspiration renditions the word laughter was read. The men were busy cleaning up in the nearby, but shuttered kitchen. At that point the women all heard the men laugh heartily in the kitchen. This brought chuckles from all the women.

“It was great to serve the women that faithfully serve us in countless unseen ways. I was glad to begin training my son to be like Jesus who said He came to serve, not be served,” smiled Assistant Pastor the Rev. Jonathan M. Loerop, with his eighteen-month-old son Nathan on his hip.

The Marco Presbyterian Church is located at 875 West Elkcam Circle, Marco Island.

Information, contact the church office at 394-8186 or go to the church Web site marcochurch.com.