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Ida Green's 90th Birthday Celebration -
November 29, 2008
Over 100 people turned out for Ida's
90th birthday party celebration--that's about 1.1 people for every year.
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Ida and The Three Pastors -- Ida with The Reverends
Richard Garland (retired pastor and member of NKUMC), Lori Eldredge
(current pastor) and Beverly Stenmark (former pastor at NKUMC) |
Pastor Lori prepares to offer the opening prayer
before dinner |
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The fellowship is filled with Ida fans |
Ida leads the way at the buffet table |
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Ida, at head of table. In front Sam and Viv Flade
who, along with Ida, are charter members of our church |
Robin Marek signs a message of love for Ida's
birthday book |
Ida
Green, 4 score and 10 years young
--Faith treasure that grows richer each day
By Larry Price
Published November 25,
2008
Ida
Green, a charter member of our church, was born on December 20, 1918, but
on Saturday November 29, we celebrated her birthday a little early with a pot
luck supper at church.
A diminutive lady with a big heart, Ida has lived through many changes during
her lifetime, including 16 U. S. Presidents—from Woodrow Wilson to George Bush
(Obama will be the 17th). She was born as the first World War ended and married
as a second one was concluding. She served in the Army Air Corps in World War II
and married her late beloved husband, Ken Green, who also served his country, in
the Navy.
At left, Ida with her late husband Ken
in 2005 in front of the church they both helped establish and loved
When she was born in 1918, the average
annual salary of workers was $1,144. There was no minimum wage, but your dollar
probably stretched farther in those days. The average cost of a house was
$4,821, an automobile cost $500 and a gallon of gasoline was 8 cents. A postage
stamp cost 3 cents, a gallon of milk 55 cents and a loaf of bread 10 cents.
Since Ida’s birth, the population of America has increased from 106 million to
nearly 306 million. And, oh yes, the national debt has grown too—all the way to
$10.6 trillion and still growing every day, leaving each of us with a bill of
about $35,000 to pay it off.
Top movies from 1918 included Mickey,
starring Mabel Normand, and Charlie Chaplin in A Dog’s Life. Irving
Berlin’s Yip Yip Yaphank was among the popular songs. It was also the
first year that America adopted daylight savings time.
Yes, Ida Green has lived through many
changes in her lifetime, but there has always been one constant in her life, her
service to her faith. She and
husband Ken were among a small group of families
which started the North Kingstown United Methodist Church over 40 years ago.
Every Sunday there’s a hot cup of coffee awaiting worshippers. She’s been
preparing the coffee for the post worship fellowship for many years and it would
be difficult to estimate how many cups she’s brewed, and how many smiles she’s
offered to church visitors and members.
It’s fitting that we celebrate Ida’s 90th
birthday because it’s not something she would expect or seek. She’s one of the
those wonderful people who serve with no expectation of thanks or appreciation.
They are the lifeblood of a church, the foundation that supports a house of
worship; and, in Ida’s case, a connection to where we came from and a role model
to where we should be going. Her quiet service speaks loudly and eloquently to a
faith journey to which we all should aspire.
Ida Green is a 90-year faith treasure that
grows richer as a blessing to our church every day. Happy birthday, Ida!
MORE PHOTOS BELOW - SCROLL DOWN
Related story: Ida
and Ken celebrated 60 years of marriage in 2005
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Ida blows out the candles on her cake |
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Kim Page says a few words about why Ida Green is
special to our church |
Happy Birthday, Ida
from all your friends at NKUMC
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