MCJ Party Gras 2018

What's up MCJ, hope all is well. New Orleans is gearing up for Mardi Gras 2018 in a couple weeks and as usual it'll be madness in the Crescent City! If you can't make it or if you've never experienced actual Mardi Gras, guess what? We're throwing a party for about 300 of our closest family and friends and you're invited! Mark your calendars for August 31st - Sept. 3, 2018 and we guarantee the most fun filled (but legal) time you've ever had and best of all you get to bring the whole family!

Our New Orleans MCJ Planning Committee is busy working and we thought we'd give you a little sneak peek to let you know what's in store. If you haven't done so already, please send your dues.

Ernest Collins

1508 DeBattista Place

New Orleans, LA 70131

(504) 717-9824

ecollinsemg@gmail.com

Here's the highlights so far:

Friday August 31st 6:00 until - Meet & Greet

Located at the Courtyard by Marriott, Official MCJ 2018 Headquarters. You can't miss us, we've already booked over half the rooms in the entire hotel so when you walk through the front door we'll be straight ahead and loud! The large meeting room to the right of the lobby is ours all weekend and will be decked out for a party with all the trimmings. Make sure your first stop is at our MCJ Check In desk to get your bag/wristband and it's on. Delicious things to eat will be a recurring theme all weekend so I'll just say get your workout on all summer cause when you get to New Orleans the diet is blown up! The rear exit of the meeting room adjoins a nice patio area so our party space will be jumping well into the night.

Saturday September 1st 8:00 - 10:00 am. Breakfast & Family Meeting 10:30 am.

In the same meeting room (Party Central) we'll be served an exquisite breakfast that the hotel will prepare to our specifications. It's one of our trio of family sponsored catered meals so you know it'll be on point. We'll eat in shifts since the room is not that big but we'll have plenty so just consult your check-in goodie bags to make sure which breakfast group you're in. Immediately following breakfast is our family meeting, please, please be available because we have many very important items to discuss. We expect the meeting will start by 10:30, just as soon as we can clear away the breakfast items and get the room ready following breakfast.

Saturday September 1st 1:00 - 6:00 pm. New Orleans Tour

We're arranging (2) tour buses and we'll have a caravan of private vehicles to embark on a tour around the city with several points of interest. It'll include the French Market, shopping, eating, seeing and learning about one of America's oldest, culturally diverse and exciting cities. We'll make sure we can transport every person who wishes to go on the tour and we'll have accommodations for the elderly. The only cost will be a nominal fee to cover the buses and whatever you want to spend to eat and shop. Once we get back from the tour, you're on your own for the evening but we'll have suggestions for where we can hang out and have fun together for the evening.

Sunday September 2nd 8:00 am. Sunday Morning Worship & Family Reunion Banquet 1:00 pm.

As always, we want to be the family that prays together so we're pleased that our very own family members Rev. Larry Steib & First Lady Dee Dee Steib will host us at their church for 8:00 am service. Transportation will be available. You'll be able to grab a little down time after church but I recommend you don't eat because the meal of meals will be served at our banquet beginning at 1:00. Transportation to the banquet will be provided but we need your help in letting us know if you need transportation. The banquet hall is approximately 2 miles from the hotel. The theme for the banquet is an All White Affair so get your white outfits ready to strut your stuff. We have an amazing banquet program planned so please make sure your travel arrangements allow you to attend at least until 5:00 pm in the evening.

That's it for now, more to come.

Peace,

MCJ 2018 Planning Committee