DECATUR - Men in white tuxedo shirts and black bow ties escorted the mothers and daughters to their seats.

Four generation of women took their seats: Charla Bond, 30, with 8-month-old daughter, Zuri; her mother, Audrey Bond, 57; and grandmothers, Louella Hines, 84, and Lillie Bond, 76. All were attending a Mother-Daughter Banquet on May 3, sponsored by the Community Church of God.

"I am just so more appreciative of what mothers do now that I have been a mother for the past eight months," said Charla Bond, who was all decked out in a pink dress and hair bow.

Mother and daughter banquets continue to be a tradition for some churches.

Hillside Bethel Tabernacle today is having its Mother and Daughter Brunch, which has been going on for 20 years.

Before last year, Stacey Horath, daughter-in-law and assistant to the church's pastor, the Rev. Don Horath, had catered the brunch and done everything herself for at least five years.

"The men did it last year and prepared all the food from prep work to finish. It was such a huge success that they wanted to do it again this year," she said.

Moundford Free Methodist Church also had a mother and daughter banquet Friday. The theme for the day was "A Mother's Heart is full of Love."

The Friendship Co., a ministry at Moundford, has been bringing women together in fellowship for years, said Michelle Gentzyel, who has been organizing the mother and daughter event for 10 years.

She said the ministry held an auction in March to raise money for the banquet.

"We have the meal, a speaker, comedian or some group to come and sing. And there is always a message delivered about Jesus," Gentzyel said.

While putting the event together can get chaotic, she said, "It's nice to see all the moms and daughters together, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

Delores Trowbridge, a member of Moundford since 1983, has attended the mother-daughter banquet for 15 years. She usually brings her mother, three daughters, two granddaughters and three great-granddaughters. But her mother passed away last year.

"It's nice to get them all together, and I enjoy the banquet," Trowbridge said. She especially enjoys taking pictures with her family.

"It pays to be a Christian and keep in touch with your relatives and friends," she said.

The Community Church of God banquet was a challenge for Loretta McKinley, who organized the event for the first time. Proceeds from the banquet were donated to the church's youth department. The church plans to send at least 10 youth to a national convention in December.

Several other mothers and daughters from area churches attended the event, which took place at Greater Northside Baptist Church in Decatur.

The men of Community Church of God served the meal while women enjoyed a fashion show and listened to guest speaker Shelith Hansbro, community outreach and special assistant to the director of the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Quoting the scripture, Hansbro touched on the virtues of motherhood.

"Psalms 127:3 talks about the fruit of our womb and children are a reward from God. He wants us to teach them," Hansbro said. "We get so busy at work, at church and in the community doing all these things we're suppose to, but are we really rearing our children?"

She encouraged women to read the Bible with their children and pray with them.

After having four sons and two daughters, Louella Hines, 84, laughed when remembering those early days of motherhood.

"I think the hardest part of being a mom was checking on my children," she said. "Making sure they came straight home from school and didn't go anywhere else ¦ besides trying to get them up in the morning."

Sheila Smith can be reached at sheilas@herald-review.com or 421-7963.