Goshen Baptist Church honored two members, Murray T. Norman and Mary Bradberry, with a church dinner following the morning worship service on December 14, 2008. The honorees were reaching their 80th birthdays during the month of December. Murray on December 10th and Mary on December 31st.

The church bulletin was designed by Dot Johnson to have pictures of the honorees on its front and to be entitled with their names. During the service Rev. Bobby Adams invited Andy Norman, M.D., oldest son of Murray, to share some of his recent global health mission experiences with the congregation. The sermon of the day honored senior citizens who dedicate their lives to serving God. Rev. Adams presented the two special honorees with certificates of appreciation from Goshen Church after which he invited members of the congregation to pay personal verbal tributes to them.

Sandra Bell expressed her deep appreciation and love for Mary whom she felt had been sent her way by God himself. Elizabeth Cunningham, Anne Remsen and Wylie Dallas expressed their special feelings for Mary, who is a quiet praise worthy, true friend with a heart of gold and a deep love for her fellowmen. Mary responded that the Goshen Church members are her family and they shared her reserved table with her at the dinner, showering her with gifts and cards.

Murray's family members were in attendance in full force with twentyeight in number of his immediate family plus his siblings, Mary N. Myers, Ellye Ruth N. Beggs and Billy Norman, and nieces, nephews, cousins and some dear extra special friends. The only family members missing were grandson, Jim Bob Norman, who is in Middle America with New Song Mission Nicaragua and granddaughter, Sara Beth Norman Glorioso, with her husband, Brian and greatgrandchildren, Micah, Zion and Issac, who are in East Asia with our Southern Baptist IMB. They sent greetings to their granddaddy.

Speaking on Murray's behalf were his wife, Mickey, true friends, Annette T. Neal and Judith C. Wells, along with son, Andy, who described his daddy as being a man of few words but of sterling character and example. He credited his daddy as being responsible for his (Andy) being a missionary. The other children sanctioned Andy's description of their daddy. Murray's family overfilled his reserved table which he lovingly shared with two great-grandsons, Jacob Smith and Parker Martin. Murray received many gifts and cards from his biological family, his church family and friends.

The birthday cake to be shared by Murray and Mary was decorated with M & M's in the digital form of 80 and had the number 80 in candles. Hannah Thompson, Murray's granddaughter, decorated the cake.

The Norman family honored Murray at his home on Saturday evening, December 13. The children planned the meal and delegated the cooking and serving responsibilities to different family members. All twenty-eight members of the family were in attendance and spent the night with him at home or at Jack Paradise's house across the highway. He was served his favorite cake, chocolate, baked and iced by Mickey and decorated by Hannah. His own assignment was to freeze the ice cream as he is a reowned specialist at this task.

Attending were Dr. Andy and Judy Norman; Amy and Parker Martin of Nashville, Tenn.; "Cat" Norman of Atlanta; Dan and Teresa Norman of Boone, N.C.; Ashley, Jeff and Jacob Smith of Abingdon, Va.; Lydia and Ben Norman and Tiffany Sparks of Raleigh, N.C.; VeVe, Ray, Matt, Heather, Hannah and Rebekah Thompson of Apopka, Fla.; Dr. John and Angie, Toombs, Carolina and Harrison Norman of Dalton, Ga.; two unborn great-grandchildren; three Norman dogs, Sugar Bear, Zeus and Sophia and one Thompson dog, Ginger. Special friends, Jim and Annette Neal and Judith and Joe Racy Wells and cousins, Patsy Boyd McNorrill of Harlem and Darlene Adams Long of Augusta, attended the Goshen Church dinner along with many local extended family members.

Nephew, Jack Paradise, joined the family group on Saturday night.

Murray and Mickey had been honored earlier to commemorate Murray's 80th year, with a Star Princess cruise to Alaska along with friends, Maggie Bishop and Bob Gillman of Deep Gap, N.C.