The Disciples Women of Central Christian Church toured the historic Raphael House in Ennis, Texas for a July outing. 

The landmark home on Ennis Ave. is a short drive south on I 45 and makes an excellent day trip from Dallas for shopping and touring.

The stunning neo-classical style house, both home and shop to interior designer, Harriett Adams, is on the National Registry of Historic Places. 

“The house is a great source of both pride and amusement to me,” Harriet said.  “Of course, it has it ghosts,” she laughs as she recalls some of the odd things that happened when she moved in over 20 years ago.  “But my ghosts are friendly,” she quipped. “And a house without a ghost isn’t a home,” she added.

“A house is also not a home without a dog,” discloses a wall hanging in the sun-filled breakfast room. And that is evident by the friendly, well-behaved canines lolling about the house and yard.

The entire first floor and porches of the house are filled with unique vintage and antique treasures for purchase. The sun-filled morning room sparkled with gorgeous rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings by jewelry designer, Theresa Giron.  Theresa is available for consultation on converting dated pieces, lying dormant in your jewelry box, to a new contemporary look. She also repairs broken jewelry.

A special buffet of sandwiches, fruits and salads was served to the group from the oversized kitchen island and lunch was enjoyed in the shaded, charming garden. Ice cream sundaes and cookies were the perfect dessert on a summer day.   

The Raphael House is located at 500 Ennis Avenue and the phone number is 972- 878-2400.  Call to see what is happening on a particular day and enjoy this enchanting day trip from Dallas.

The Disciples Women meet throughout the year, with monthly meetings in the fall, winter and spring. The organization combines charitable outreach service to the community, education to equip women to be the best they can be and emotional growth through social fellowship.

Contact the church office at 214- 526-7291 for more information.

It was 1984 when President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the third Sunday in July as a day to commemorate the frozen treat that is enjoyed by over 90 percent of the nation’s population. 

America leads the world when it comes to enjoying ice cream.  Quaint ice cream parlors portray “Americana” as much as Norman Rockwell paintings and apple pie.  However, many scholars trace the first ice cream parlor back to France during the 17th century when the Café Procope introduced gelato to the French public.

America’s popular soda fountain was introduced in 1903.  It was during that era that drugstores began to attract noontime customers by serving sandwiches along with ice cream sodas, milk shakes and malts.

A 1915 issue of Soda Fountain magazine claimed the soda fountain to be an ally of temperance, having more influence on abstinence from alcohol than “all the sermons ever preached on the subject.”

Members and guests of Central Christian Church gathered in fellowship hall following morning worship to celebrate National Ice Cream Day by enjoying a variety of ice cream sodas. 

“Soda Jerks” Erik Stolpe and Frank Whitington concocted fountain favorites like Brown Cow, Egg Creams and Strawberry sodas. (recipes follow.)

Want still more ice cream trivia?  A recent survey reveals that favorite ice cream flavors are “an age thing.” Mint Chocolate Chip topped the list for 14 to 17- year old’s, while young adults, age 18 to 24, preferred Cookies and Cream. The 25 to 34-year old group said their favorite is Cookie Dough but good ole’ Chocolate tops the list for 35 and up. And “genderly” speaking, women like Ben and Jerry’s and men prefer Breyer’s.  I would vote for Cherry Garcia—the edible tribute to the Grateful Dead.

If the enthusiasm shown by the kids at Central is any indication of popularity of ice cream trends, there is sure nothing wrong with a good old- fashioned ice cream soda. Whatever your favorite flavor, enjoy ice cream!

Recipes

BLACK COW

2 scoops vanilla ice cream
10 oz. root beer
1 Tbsp. chocolate syrup
1 1/2 oz. whipped cream
Maraschino cherries

Scoop the ice cream into a large glass and pour the root beer over,

then add the chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and cherry.

BRONX EGG CREAM

2 Tbsps. chocolate syrup*
5 oz. milk
3 oz. seltzer water

Mix together the syrup and milk, then add in the seltzer

while you’re still stirring until completely mixed.

For authentic egg cream use Fox's U Bet or Bosco brand syrup. U Bet can be purchased on-line and Central Market has Bosco.

Disciples Women of Central Christian Church shared a wonderful afternoon with residents of Juliette Fowler Communities. Coordinated by Becky Riggins, birthday cake, ice cream, punch, music and fellowship took place in the beautifully remodeled Pearl Nordan activities center.

It was a party for everyone, but Hazel, who turned 95 this month was the "birthday girl."

The celebrations are a tradition of both Fowler and Disciples of Christ churches throughout the city.  Central’s Disciples Women make a point each year to honor those residents celebrating a birthday in July by providing cake, ice cream and a gift, in short—a birthday party!

The celebration is just one of the Disciples Women’s community projects. This year marks the 145^th anniversary of Disciples Women’s Ministry.  Over the years, the women of Central have generously given their time and money to non-profits such as Juliette Fowler Communities, Austin Street Center, Genesis Women’s Shelter, North Dallas Shared Ministries, Maple Lawn Elementary School and more.  Winter months finds them participating in coat, blanket and glove drives, and at each meeting they collect canned goods and toiletries for North Dallas Shared Ministries.

The organization is always open to ways that they can reach out to the community and help those in need. If you know of a charitable program that could benefit by the Disciples Women, please call the church at 214-526-7291 and ask for Shelia.

Monday was the first day of Westside Player’s Drama Camp. 

“Summer Showtunes” is the theme and campers will learn and perform song and dance acts from a variety of Broadway musicals. 

At the end of the day, the kids were eager to show off what they had already learned in only one day at camp by performing a song/dance routine from “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.”

These talented kids love to perform, and the drama camp is a way for them to refine and improve the talents that come naturally to them.

Performing is nothing new to return camper, Tinashe McGowan. Tinashe is an accomplished pianist who has studied at the famed Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan and performed locally in plays and recitals.

“I have been looking forward to meeting new people at camp this year and having fun doing what we love to do,” Tinashe said.

It looked like the instructors, Lois Leftwich and Tim Caffee, are having fun, too. Wind down time before going home included a game of “Big Booty” and snacks.

The grand finale of the camp is the on-stage performance when the kids get to share with family, friends and the general public what they learned during the two-week session. And it is amazing!

Each time the curtain goes up on the fully-operable stage at Central, we are reminded of the late Ed Delatte, founder of Westside Players, founder and artistic director of the NorthPark-based Dallas Repertory Theater and Associate Professor of Theatre in the Department of Dance and Drama at the University of North Texas. Ed was a local pioneer in the belief that theater and the arts both express and form our feelings, beliefs and ideas. 

The end-of-camp performance will be at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 20 at 4711 Westside Drive.  There is no cost and it is great family entertainment.  Refreshments will be available. For more information call 214-526-7291. 

Red, white and blue colored the streets of the Park Cities Thursday morning as parade participants and onlookers were decked out in the patriotic colors of the flag.   It wasn’t just people sporting stars and stripes but dogs, ponies and horses got in on the act, too.

Central Community Dog Park was again present with a float, reminiscent of a park shaded by umbrellas and enclosed by a picket fence, inviting everyone to “Bring Your Dog to Church.” And not candy, but nearly 1000 dog biscuits were tossed from the float into the crowd.

Central Christian Church opened a community dog park on the church grounds well over a decade ago. The off-leash park sits on one-acre and is shaded by mature Live Oaks, cooled by electric fans and has plenty of seating for dog owners to sit and relax while their dog roams, sniffs and fetches.   It’s like a “play date for Fido” as many of the regulars gather at the same time each day so that people and dogs can visit with one another.  

The park is equipped with waste stations, running water, a dog bath and a “library” where you may exchange books and magazines or browse the latest issue of AKC’s "Family Dog Magazine."

Two years ago, Elder Tyson Woods began holding worship services at 9 a.m. on the first and third Sunday of the month.  The informal service includes casual dress, sing-a-longs, coffee and donuts as well as a brief lesson about God’s love for all creatures great and small.

The dog park is one of the many ways the church reaches out to the community to invite and serve everyone. It is home to a wellness center, day program for adults with disabilities, co-working space and more.

Monday begins a two-week drama and theater camp for kids that will end with an on-stage performance of show tunes. There is still space available. Visit the website.