McCORDSVILLE — Across the wide, white table they reach their hands and swipe in circles, mixing up little rectangle tiles. Then they’ll each draw 14, line them up on blue racks, and start a new round of Rummikub.
It’s Game Day at McCordsville United Methodist Church. Players are trying to string together numbered tiles in numeric order, or in a group of three or four tiles bearing the same numeral in different colors. The goal is to be the first to use up all of one’s tiles.
On a large round table in the church fellowship hall, the group of good-natured competitors is serving up fun with a generous side of laughter.
“Wait … you’re trying to go out!” one says to a person looking to play her last tile and win the game.
“That’s sort of the nature of the game,” chuckles another.
The monthly gatherings began about three years ago.
“Dee (Breedlove) said, ‘I go to Florida. I play these games. We need to have a game day,’” Marge Phillips said.
About 14 showed up, and the gatherings continued. Women and men, some couples and some single, have come over the years. Karen Lee, a retired Harris Elementary teacher, said the group has filled as many as four tables in the fellowship hall with different types of games.
“We play euchre, we play whatever people want to play,” Phillips said. “It’s just open to anybody. One time we had it, and we had some from the community who came in and played, which we welcome.”
“Anybody can come play,” added Debbie Heck.
“It’s just a good social hour,” Myrna Dowell said.
Linda Palmer is new at the church and new to Game Day. “I came to see what it was all about,” she says, and the woman next to her declares Palmer “fits right in.”
Plays in the game, and a funny story now and then, pass around the round white table, dotted with a soft drink can here and there.
Some of the game players were at the church earlier in the day to help serve more than 100 visitors to the church’s weekly food pantry hours. After a post-pantry meeting, they grabbed lunch together and came back to the church to play games.
Those playing said coming together in friendly competition is another opportunity to get to know others better.
“Most of us live alone,” Phillips said, “and it’s just good fellowship.”
NEXT GAME DAY
Game Day runs from 1-4 p.m. one Wednesday a month at McCordsville United Methodist Church, 6247 W. Broadway, McCordsville. The next date is March 13. Learn more at www.mccordsvilleumc.org.
