Pearl News

Reminder: The Pearl Baptist Church will be hosting a candlelight service at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Everyone is invited to attend. Be sure and see the manger scene in front of the Pearl Church of Christ tabernacle while you’re there!

The Pearl Cottage Bookstore has reported that there are several items still for sale from the Self estate which benefit the scholarship fund. There are two sewing machines, a dining room table and eight chairs, a China cabinet, a cedar chest, several miscellaneous curio tables, miscellaneous chairs, old farm equipment, a garage full of tools and two tubs of double-knit quilt tops. There are also two refrigerators that can be taken as is for free. Call Linda Ray at 254-865-9282 or 254-206-1999 for more information.

I was recently perusing my copy of the Pleasure and Profit Club, which is a compilation of the minutes of this organization from 1931 until 2005. Linda Ray found the original minutes several years ago and painstakingly copied every entry. She published copies of the notes in book form as a tribute to the wonderful ladies who formed this club to quilt together and raise money for the benefit of the Pearl School, community interests and the Pearl Cemetery. Linda wanted to especially pay tribute to her mother Faye Gartman, who had served as president and vice president many times through the years, knowing that the Pleasure and Profit Club was a meaningful part of Faye’s life. The club had actually met for the first time in 1917, but minutes were not kept until years later. I was looking for a Christmas entry when I found one for Dec. 17, 1952. The ladies enjoyed a turkey and dressing feast complete with all the traditional trimmings. Listed was the cost of the turkey, $7.70, and $1.27 for bread and coffee. The ladies of the club brought the side dishes and desserts from home. I can only imagine how wonderful these homemade treats tasted! The entry noted these amounts paid from the treasury, which contained $47.48 to date. Don’t you know that the highlight of the week for these hard-working, dedicated ladies was the Pleasure and Profit Club meeting! However, the ladies did not meet just to gab; oh no, they accomplished difficult sewing tasks and made sure their time was useful to benefit the community. The pleasure of getting together, leaving their difficult work at home for a few hours, was just a beautiful side effect of the purpose of this sweet club. Funny, I miss those days, even though I was born a bit too late to have been a part of this precious group known as the Pleasure and Profit Club. However, you can read all about it if you purchase the book from the Pearl Cottage Bookstore. Contact Linda Ray for more information at 254-865-9282. By the way, there are other equally interesting books about Pearl at the book cottage. Go by and check them out in person the next time they’re open: Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. It’s the friendliest place in the county!

This week’s Bible verse: (Luke 2:10, 11) “Then the angels said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:14) Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.” Merry Christmas and blessed New Year to all from Pearl (and the Piney Woods)!

Be sure and like the Pearl Community Center, Texas, Facebook page and the Pearl Cottage Bookstore and Resale Shop Facebook page. Please send any Pearl news to betsyclark47@yahoo.com.