Carol Rollison (Brinkmann)

Thanks again to the reunion committee for a wonderful day at the reunion.  So many people and so many smiles.  Blessed day for sure.

Tina Hawkinson (Thompson)

We had a wonderful time at the FCYF reunion yesterday, 24 Jan. 2015!  Thanks to all on the committee (and other volunteers, as well) for the efforts and preparation devoted to this reunion.  Great to see long-time friends, reminisce, sing, and eat together at such a a happy occasion.  Can hardly wait five years for the next one!

Gladys Johnson (Hermanson)

Yes, I agree with the comments from others who have expressed their comments about this special event on January 24, 2015!  Of course, there is always a great deal of preparation and background work for events as this past one. SO, I want to say THANKS to ALL of those who devoted their time and effort in creating such a delightful and fun time for this special FEFC "get-together."  I know when I speak for myself that I really enjoyed seeing and visiting with friends I hadn't seen in a long, long time!  And by the way,the fahitas were excellent and the desserts were were simply 'OUT OF THIS WORLD"!!  Again, thanks for a wonderful and blessed time!  

Gladys Hermanson

Don Hermanson

Rats! I just began a long message and suddenly lost it!!!!!!!

OK, here we go again!

Sorry I missed the FCYF reunion on January 25th! I had a previously scheduled wedding at my church in Galveston on that day. Some of you know that, although my townhouse is in central Houston on West Alabama Street (a couple blocks east of Kirby Drive), my church job is at First Evangelical Lutheran in Galveston, where I am Organist-Choirmaster (since January of 1990!!!). 

This last Sunday (Feb 1st), our guest preacher and presider was The Rev. Michael Rinehart, the bishop of our synod. During his visit, he took some photos of the church and yours truly! You can access as follows:

>  go to www.gulfcoastsynod.org

>  choose about us, click on Staff

>  click on The Rev. Michael Rinehart, Bishop

>  click on Blog

>  scroll down to First Galveston for his write-up and photos about his visit to the church.

I am at the new console of the front chancel organ. We just completed a total restoration of this organ in December of 2014. It was done by the A. E. Schlueter Pipe Organ Company of Lithonia. This organ was originally installed in the "old" church in 1926, and moved to the "new" present church when it was built in 1958-59. The back rear gallery organ was built by the Freiburger Orgelbau company of (you guessed it) Freiburg, Germany, and installed in 1973. This new front console is movable and equipped with the latest digital technology (I even have a touchscreen to control things!). It will eventually be able to also play the back organ! The pipes for this organ are in chambers above the left and right sides of the chancel area (visible in one of the photos of me at the console...pipes behind the grill cloth).

I hope all of you are well! Missed seeing you! Come and visit me when in Houston or Galveston!

Don Hermanson

Chris Thompson

Hi Don, It was nice to see your post. I just signed up for the FCYF site today, and yours is the first I've read from those days. I'll look up the pictures.

I went to a school where students could major in pipe organ, and the organist and choir director at the church where I met my wife was an organ prof at another school there (Chicago), some Conservatory. But in Montana, civilization of that sort hardly exists! Nice to hear of your accomplishments!

Chris Thompson

Don Hermanson

Hi Chris Thompson!

How is the first cousin of my only first cousins (Terry and Debbie) doing these days?

Great to hear from you! From your message, it appears that you live in Montana/Big Sky Country these days. How long have you lived up there? I don't think I have seen you since I was playing the piano one Saturday in December years ago at the old Marshall Field's department store (long gone) here in Houston, and you came by with a couple of your kids. I hate to say it, but it was December 6th of 1986, about 28 years ago (I just looked it up in one of my old datebooks! I guess everybody is all grown up by now! Where do they all live? 

Hope you are well,

Don Hermanson

hermansond@comcast.net

Tina Hawkinson (Thompson)

Chris Thompson - was that Oberlin Conservatory, by any chance?  Maybe Oberlin is elsewhere, but I do know that they concentrate in the musical arts there.

Say "hi" to your wife Mary Ellen for me, too.  Saw your brother Mark at the FCYF reunion.  He and my husband Wayne and Carlton Sundbeck all went to Travis High at the same time.

Monette

Carol Rollison (Brinkmann)

I just wanted to wish all of the FCYF'ers a Blessed and Happy Easter!!!!!!!!!  He is Risen!!  He is Risen!!  Indeed!!

Tina Hawkinson (Thompson)

Learned today of the death and homegoing of Mrs. Marge Remstam, Rainey and Diane Wellers' mother.  Mrs. Remstam gave much of her time and talents cooking for FCYF retreats, youth camps, and so forth.  We worshiped with Marge and Karl Remstam at the Evangelical Free Church in Houston when the church was located in the Spring Branch area.  Thank you, Mrs. Remstam, for giving so much of yourself to the young people of the Evangelical Free Churches in Texas.  My sympathies to Rainey and Diane.

Tina Hawkinson (Thompson)

Wishing Don Hermanson a very happy 65th birthday on 13 Aug. 2016.  Don is one of my life-long friends.  We have literally known one another since the day we were born, although I am 5 months younger than he is!  We are looking forward to going to worship at First Lutheran Church in Galveston on Aug. 14th and being able to hear accomplished organist Don Hermanson play the magnificent organ there.  If you are ever in the Houston-Galveston area, treat yourself to some excellent sacred music played by Don on the church organ at First Lutheran.  Don played the organ for us when we were married.  It is always a thrill to hear him play.