The Senior High of Westminster (SHOW) met President Jimmy Carter on a road trip to Plains, Georgia this past weekend. Our group attended the Sunday school class the former president teaches there occasionally. He and wife Rosalynn kindly posed for pictures afterward. Youth Director Barbara Adamcik arranged the overnight trip to hear the Nobel prize winner’s message of peace from the man himself.
President Jimmy Carter (left) and wife Rosalynn (right) with Westminster SHOW youth.
Maranatha Baptist Church expects plenty of guests on Sundays when the 39th president leads class. Of course, the youth learned you can’t just waltz in and meet a former president without an up close and personal screening by the Secret Service.
Carter is as sharp as ever at age 87, able to relate world politics to the parables of Jesus while conducting an interactive discussion. He was warm and insightful while discussing religious clashes and how Christianity does not have a monopoly on democracy. He and Rosalynn stayed for the worship service after class.
The youth also toured the Carter Library in Atlanta on Saturday on the way to learn about his presidency and following work to encourage peace and democracy.
Smiling peanuts were common in Plains, the hometown of Pres. Carter.
Pres. Carter's Nobel Peace Prize at the Carter Library in Atlanta, GA
SHOW youth outside the Carter presidential library and museum
The Williams family went along to meet the Carters
I love teaching 3rd and 4th grade Sunday school. I find it is an age where children are beginning to have the ability to discuss topics and form their own opinions. I love watching children discover what the world looks like through their eyes.
Hello, my name is Debbie Babelay. This year I have the wonderful opportunity of teaching the 2-3 year olds in our Sunday School program. They are all precious to me. We have fun learning about God’s love and how each of us is a special child of God. I look forward to their smiling faces each Sunday morning. This is my 3rd year teaching in the Sunday School program. I have also worked with vacation bible school.
I have known Westminster my entire life! I grew up in the church since birth. My faith is rooted in so many wonderful experiences at Westminster such as going on trips with Choristers, Montreat, and a Mission experience to Mexico. I went to college in Alabama at Birmingham-Southern. After college, I lived in Birmingham where I worked in sales. I met and married my husband Wiley there. Jim Carter (former Westminster minister) married us at Independent Presbyterian in Birmingham. Wiley’s career has taken us to New Mexico and Arkansas, and now back to Knoxville. We have been here since 2011. We have 3 children, Ella (11), Grant (7), and Walker (5). I work as the Assistant Director of the preschool at Central Baptist which allows me to have a similar schedule to my children. My favorite job is being their Mom!
Bio: Junior at the University of Tennessee 
I am a senior at UTK majoring in Global Studies with a focus in Economics. I am currently in the process of apply to graduate school for CSP. I love to be outdoors and travel. I also work as an Resident Assistant at Volunteer Hall on campus and enjoy babysitting and baking.
My name is Malena D’Alessandro and I’m a junior studying marketing at the University of Tennessee. I’m originally from south east Michigan where I attended high school at Oxford High School. I am currently part of Spring Sports Ambassadors, Volunteer Team and Best Buddies at UT.