Ladies Tea Luncheon
Artist Pat Dalzell Adds a Voice of Assent

What's Happening?
- features
- events
- news
- art exhibits

Ministry
- children
- youth
- discipleship / ace
- communities
- missions
- worship & arts
- get connected

Resources
- theology online
- classes
- booklist
- messages & bulletins
- church calendar

The Church
- about grace
- first visit?
- service times
- staff
- contact us / map

As an artist whose exhibits have been seen around the world, Pat Dalzell has been to some impressive places: the Senate of the United States, the Helsinki Commission in Europe, St. Petersburg, Tel Aviv, and the Ladies Tea Luncheon.

Ladies Tea Luncheon, you say? Perhaps with a princess in London? Or maybe with the wife of a first lady?

No, Pat says: last year’s Ladies Tea Luncheon at Grace Centre. She’s not kidding. Scheduled on the same day of the artist reception for her impressive work, “Voices of Ascent,” which chronicled the immigration of Russian Jews to Israel, was the Ladies Tea Luncheon. Invited to attend by Melanie Wilkins, whose family was hosting Pat, she agreed to come. Along with three others, the women collaborated together to design and create a table they called “Victorian Garden,” which won an honorable mention award. She says she would have gladly been involved if for no other reason than the fun of creating. As a world-class photographer, she knows a little bit about that.

But the actual event – a time of worship, fellowship, discussion, and teaching – impressed her deeply. Pat writes of the event: “On Saturday, September 26, 2004, I was blessed for two hours during the afternoon by a time of fun, fellowship, and the powerful witness of Becky Morgan. Her talk, ‘The Holy Land of the Broken Heart’ would have been alone reason for me to bring my exhibit to Grace Centre. After hearing the story of her childhood, meeting her husband Chip and learning of family, I was greatly encouraged by a search for Christ. Her walk through trials impressed me by the strength and beauty she had drawn from her Lord.

“As a fellow artist, Becky affirmed for me that we are engaged by beauty everyday. In art, beauty has a unique and powerful place: we read; we take in flowers and trees; we listen to music, and we appreciate painting and photography. God created us to be like Him, to be creative.” Although Pat will not be able to make this year’s event – living on the eastern side of Virginia makes for a long commute – she encourages other ladies to attend. “[Having my work exhibited at Grace] was for me simply a means to a greater end. I was truly blessed.”

This year’s event will be held Saturday, September 17, from 2 - 4 p.m. in the Grace auditorium. In addition to tea, lunch will be served at tables designed and created by women who would like to host and invite others. Cynthia Fore will be this year’s speaker and address the issue of self esteem. Hostess packages are available; table choices may be reserved. Individual tickets for $10. Packages and tickets are available at the Information Center. For more information contact Jan Cutshall (891-2006, ext. 115 or jcutshall@graceinfo.org).