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58 retirement. They were driving a beautiful, modern mobile home. It was really good to see them. This was the year (1986), it is to be noted, when a new concrete ramp for the disabled was built easing access for persons of Gus Rapp's ilk. A new vacuum cleaner was also purchased by the Women of the Church. Moreover, on March 30th, Miss Niccole Bodenshatz and Mr. F. Cliff Ling became members of the church. And the Johnston family, along with Alice Hondzinski, would reinstitute a monthly family dinner, usually immediately after church service, which practice continues today. On August 10th, there was the dedication of the parking lot honoring the deceased Mrs. Bessie I. Mounger, who had been sadly missed. The plaque may now be seen in the narthex of the church, and it reads: "This parking lot is dedicated in loving memory to Bessie Ingram Mounger, 1909 - 1971, Mistress of the Manse, 1968-1971." It was thereafter noted in a Session meeting that the Presbytery's records had the church membership at 83, whereas in reality there were only 65. It was also reported that the nominating committee had processed over 30 applications so far --and was still looking. Furthermore, Vonnie Bodenschatz and Ingrid Ling were appointed to be in charge of a church newsletter on October 3rd, while on November 6th Kathy Cox Wally was received into the church (having two children: Sara and Andrew), and, at a congregational meeting on November 23rd, the Reverend Mounger presented a petition entitled "A World-Wide Grass Roots Crusade for Peace." The Session had already endorsed this, and the congregation and Presbytery soon followed suit. Eventually, the World-Wide Grass Roots Peace Crusade would be incorporated as a Mississippi nonprofit corporation, and it would attain tax-free status with the IRS. On its Board of Directors would be its founder; his older son who was the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Valdosta, Georgia; John Hill, the Manager of NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility; William Oglesby of Channel 4 in New Orleans; Dr. Gus Rapp; Alice Hondzinski, Seeretary-Treasurer; Larry Roberts, Vice President; and Ed Ling, President. Dwyn and Ed would later lead seventeen Belhaven College
First Presbyterian Church History-of-the-First-Presbyterian-Church-62