Preaching each week...3 1/2 years later

Dear Friends, (especially my Presbyterian brothers and sisters)

I tend to think that while it takes UM students longer to complete seminary, there are some advantages to serving as a student local pastor during seminary...

After 3 1/2 years at Apple River UMC I have been through the lectionary cycle as well as the liturgical calendar...I still struggle with some of the same preaching issues that you share...and yet God provides.

This is what I have learned...

Lent is much harder than Advent/Christmas. I think that its because it means much more to me than to the average parishoner...finding a way to make Lent meaningful is still a challenge.
(By the way, I really like to use some of the elements from Cloth From the Cradle for advent/Christmas - and this year I ordered the Iona Community Lent/Easter book...)

The lectionary is my friend - but so is preaching Lectio through a book during long stretches of ordinary time. 2 summers ago it was Genesis...complete with powerpoint pics of some of the great art of the world to emphasize some of the points... this year - inspired by our Acts reflections during Missional Church with Bonnie Sue - I preached through Acts. Get out those exegesis papers and notes from class and take them on a ride through a book of the Bible.

That being said, small group ministry is where it's at...because just a short while after the aforementioned Genesis series - I was leading an OT Disciple Bible Study short course - and more than one member of the class said "I have never heard this story in the Bible before" I wanted to die - I had preached what I thought was a pretty good sermon on that passage just 6 weeks earlier! argh!!!!

Be faithful in your preaching of God's Word, love them, be kind, challenge them, try to tell their stories - especially at funerals. Oh and - read for fun...and meet the other pastors in town...and in the town next door.

Scott, I don't know that I can expect to have friends like I have had friends in the past - and so I agree that is a great struggle. Personally I can't flip a switch and be pastor one minute and friend the next...have tried here - and it does not work. May be a female thing - we are a bit different about relationships...lol

I may be a bit cynical about traditional Sunday worship - perhaps because I am worn out by the ultra small church (40-50 in worship) and the lack of resources...I think the folks here are doing as well as they can...it is hard to be at peace with being good enough.

You are all missed very much - our numbers are dwindling as 5 more graduated in December. Honestly I am glad this is about over...my focus right now is on a call from my District Superintendant offering me a church somewhere in Iowa...

Blessings,
Deb

Greetings from the Land of Ice!

We are still buried under a bit of ice. We are all watching the powerlines in hopes that they will not fall down. Thankfully we have only had power flickers not an outage. God is good

When Jewett mentioned the theological attributes of a banana it made me realize how much I am missing having conversations and strectching my brain in the area of theological studies. I am learning a lot about about how theology is lived out in a small town but I don not feel as if I am being challenged as much as I was while we were all in class. Is any one else encountering this?

Finally, will any of you out there share how you manage to get your sermon done and delivered well each Sunday? I could use some help in that area.

I pray that all of you are enjoying the winter weather. Take care.

Let It Stop, Let It Stop, Let It Stop

Greetings all from the world's laziest blogger!

First, let me say something for those of you who may have been worried: Berthoud Pass (location of a recent avalanche) is nowhere near Berthoud, Colorado. Our house isn't buried in snow, we haven't been forced to resort to cannibalism, and, no, we are not investing in sled dogs.

That said...

We have had an unholy amount of snow. It started out the weekend before Christmas with a good 'ol two-and-a-half-foot dumping. It has been followed by two 8-10 inch snows the next two weekends and they are predicting another storm this weekend (they are spotty on the amounts...anything from 6 inches to another 3 feet). These snows have piled on top of one another, melted, re-frozen, melted, and refrozen again. The result, on the streets, is a skating rink. The result, in the alley that our garage opens up to, is an experience I can best describe as "Driving Through A Foot and A Half Of Mashed Potatoes." In a Honda Accord. Or a Toyota Tercel. Yeah.

Needless to say, we are getting a bit tired of it here (can I get an amen from my back!?), but the good news is that there haven't been an injuries or the like as a result....yet (can I get an amen from my back!?).

One more story related to the snow. Julie and I decided to fly out on Christmas Day down to CA to see her folks. We got to the airport, made in through security in time, and were bumped from our overbooked flight. Flights out were still full of people who were trying to get out after the storm...so....we spent 9 hours in Denver International Airport on Christmas Day. Christmas Dinnner was a spinach salad and a BBQ chicken pizza. Ho Ho Freaking Ho. I could launch into a soliloquy about how unethical it is to overbook flights on Christmas Day, but...we better keep the seminary blog a solid "PG." Once we got there, things were great. Christmas Day itself? Not so much.

All in all, things are well here. I remember Bill once telling me that there will come a time when you run out of ideas for preaching. I'm getting there quicker than I thought I would. The result has been (in my opinion) an over-reliance on personal stories. I have been trying to read more to "refill the tank"...but I am having a hard time placing that on the priority chain over everything else. There are days I feel tired...but the good news is that Sundays (and most days) are still extremely energizing and help me to get perspective on what God is doing here.

Aside from the tired/spent feeling that I have been told comes with the first year...oh yeah, and the unholy, unrelenting, back-devouring, soul-sucking snow...things are going well. Julie and I are quickly discovering that our greatest challenge here may be finding true friends. We love the people here...and they have welcomed us with open arms...but I can't really go anywhere in this town without being "THE PASTOR." And while people in the church are more than friendly with me...there is still a distance (that I might argue needs to be there to some degree) and a hesitation on my part and theirs not to get too personal. I have had good interaction with the very-busy Methodist pastor, but her attempts to do ecumenical activities have been coldly received by the other congregations in town. And so...really...there are times (esp. when I'm tired) when I really miss having "compadres" to really talk to. But this, of course, is the "downside" of a small church in a small community. We keep praying for those friendships to develop...but we still enjoy and revel in small town life, the support and love of a small church, and the miracle of God doing big things even in small places. Still, (of course) prayers are always appreciated.

A few random comments in closing:

The last five movies I have seen (in chronological order):
1) Casino Royale
2) The Good Shepherd
3) Casino Royale
4) Casino Royale
5) Casino Royale
That should answer the "Did you like the new Bond movie?" e-mails I've been getting. I simply can't get enough of it...when it comes out on DVD, Julie's going to have to dangle cookies in front of my face to get me off the couch.

I have yet to use any of you in sermon illustrations...although I was tempted to use the "Zod Hand" in a Christian Ed class where we were discussing providence.

Thanks for the e-mails and calls...I'm sorry that I am often sluggish in returning them. I have heard a rumor that John Armstrong is now in South Dakota. Can we get that substantiated? Julie and I are headed to the Black Hills this summer...I want to know if I should pack my clubs.

As always...the door is open for any who wish to visit. Know that you all are missed.

Yo Adrian!!!!!

Greetings brothers and sisters,

Looking to the lectionary for Jan 21st, I've been thinking on the theme of "uncommon vessels." I came accross this tidbit that is very interesting. If not a sermon illustration... it is at least a very interesting look at The Theology of Rocky. It is an interview with Sly about the Christian themes that run throughout Rocky. He relates his own Christian trials and his own Christian growth... and this turns out to be a great testimony from a very unlikely vessel. If you like... check it out: http://forerunner.com/rockybalboa.html

You can also listen to the entire recorded phone interview there as well if you like.

Also.. a small spoiler... he hints at a Rambo conversion to Christianity!!!!! Oh my.

God's blessings,

Spencer

Seeking Communication

Greetings Everyone!

I hope that 2007 has found you healthy and content. While we have nowhere near the snow the Phillips' have, we are still enjoying our winter season. If for no other reason than I actually get to see the farmers in the daytime, during the week and thankfully in worship on Sunday.

I had a parishioner come to me asking me to do research about the rapture. They gave me some information they were looking for and said, "I know that you are busy, but sometime could you look some stuff up for me . . . " It was a God moment in that I had walked into the building with the intention of finding something to study and challenge me in my walk with God. So anyway, I did a very small amount of research in some of the books on my shelves and found out a lot that I was not even aware of. So I am coming to all of you in hopes that you have some spare time to talk about what God has taught you about the second coming, the tribulation, the rapture and all the apocalyptic language that permeates the Bible.

Thanks in advance for your replies to one no longer walking the halls of academia. lol

Working on stuff.

Merry Christmas All! I am currently working on stuff for church. Just wanted to share this link in case any of you need it or would like to include it in your church newsletters. It is to the PCUSA financial aid options for college and seminary students. We have some students in college and heading that way this next year. This time of year they are getting busy filling out forms in triplicate trying to find money to pay for their education.

I hope that your work on stuff is going along as well as mine. Enjoy the holidays!

Correction

Sorry, that's www.thebricktestament.com

The Severance Lounge

The Bible in Legos

Thought you might want to check out this website .... It's the entire Bible story in legos. Parental supervision suggested! A new way to present the scripture in worship?
Have fun.
www.bricktestament.com

Found This On the Laptop

No better way to celebrate Advent than remembering a holy pilgrimage last Holy Week.

The Problem

...and breathe. I actually took some time this morning to stop and "self-assess" what's going on. Thought that I'd share the results.

Nothing quite like having a Thanksgiving Week on the 26th, Hanging of the Greens service on the 3rd, and a Cantata on the 10th (a.k.a. 3 weeks sermon-less) to think, naively, that you will catch up.

I suddenly realized last night that I have fallen into that old familiar trap of "I'll catch up when......." That it's sort of like Reading Week, except that I have spent my "off time" doing more work instead of going to Cubs games, playing Halo, and the like. But then I stopped. I was just as busy last year with everything going on, and I took Reading Week to spend time with Julie, to rest and vegitate a bit on the 'ol couch, to take time to spend with friends. And then the real question: "Why haven't I done this over the past few weeks?" And that, well, that got me going.

And it all started flowing...you know how it works. REST? HOW COULD I REST WHEN I HAVE..... budget meetings and new members classes and session and deacons and lunch meeetings and annual meeting and visitation and...yeah.
Never had that problem at Seminary. Greek a week or so on the horizon or...time with friends? But then I remembered something that I told my Uncle this past Thanksgiving when he asked me if I was getting any real relaxation time (his Father was a minister): "I got plenty of rest at UDTS...It's easy to say, well, a Preaching Paper isn't that big of a deal in the large scheme of things. You can't say that with funeral preparations."
And no, you can't. But what I am realizing, here, is that you have to take a step back from that position, too. It's a bigger deal than a Preaching Paper...but it really isn't (in spite of what some may have you think) the biggest thing.

And so I have come to (capital t cpaital p) The Problem: I am constantly overrating myself and my ministry.

Now...don't worry. I'm not going down the "I'm worthless" road here...quite the opposite...but what I have been noticing over the past few weeks (especially over "stewardship season") is that fewer and fewer people have done the "drop-in" visit recently. And I have noticed a marked increase in comments such as, "I know your'e busy...and I don't want to burden you with unimportant things." Julie felt guilty asking me to decorate the tree this weekend! What I have realized is that my unitentional perpetual air of self-importance and busyness creates a wall of distance that really only "digs me in further." I am saying, non-verbally, "Leave me alone...I am about the WORK OF GOD. Leave your petty lives out of this." And so, really, the problem is that I really think it all rides on me.

Which brought me, this morning, to what Lyle once said in class: "The furtherance of the Gospel does not depend on me." I'm now expanding that.
The furtherance of the Gospel does not depend on this Sunday...or any Sunday. It does not depend on the 2007 budget or who is nominated to the next class of elders. It does not, in spite of what some people tell me, depend on my reponses to somebody asking me questions and trying to figure out if I'm a "liberal" or "conservative." It does not, in spite of what I feel sometimes, hinge on a single funeral. It does not depend on my ability to be insightful and/or humorous at Bible Studies. It does not depend on my ability to bring in new families. It sure...sure as anything...doesn't ride on a sermon. It does not, in spite of what I have heard, even rely on this Church.

I think that I'm slowly living out that what I have known all along. All it does rely on is a manger and a cross. It depends on a self-giving God that breathes heaven's purposes and glory into everyday life. And that divinity, just below the surface, pops out in those things that I so often ignore or minimize. Hugs. Lazy talks over coffee where you talk about the Broncos for fifteen minutes to get the courage up to get to what you really need to talk about. Prayer. Fifteen minutes talking about grandchildren at the care facility. Walks. Silence. Above all else...having and giving time to God and neighbor.

And so, bottom line, I need to realize that parish ministry is no more or no less important than seminary. The key is to take the time to find where God is moving and working and not get hung up on "my stuff." I stopped this morning...and thought. What do I treasure and draw upon from my time at seminary? The simple stuff. The unplanned stuff. The things I took the time to hear and experience. Lunches. Friends. Dicussions. Challenges. Relationships. Growth. The times I truly stopped...in and out of the classroom...

And stopped taking myself and my schedule so darn seriously.

The Severance Lounge

The last week ... 1 and 1/2 papers to go. (I'm not counting days, I'm counting pages.) I now have some idea how you who have graduated felt last spring. Although, graduating for me doesn't mean moving or taking a new church ... But it is truly a bittersweet time. This has been an amazing place to get to know myself as a new creation in Christ, and to begin to understand community. Thank you to all of you who have contributed to my learning in so many ways. Thank you for loving me in the spirit of Christ. How much more we grow when faith is lived out all around us!

I have to admit I am truly excited about being able to give fulltime ministry the time it deserves. Sometimes the back and forth from home to Dubuque gave me an escape ... both ways actually, and life in the church provided a dynamic illustration of all that we've been learning. But more often than not it was very difficult to be so divided. I've never been a good multi-tasker! And so soon, I will join you who are now serving in that place where you've been called. It is my great and humble privilege to do so. And it has been my great privilege to travel this road with you all. For those who are diligently working on those final papers, write on!
Blessings,
Cindy

Moments of Joy

This past week I had the opportunity to attend a workshop concerning Alzheimer's and Dementia. I have worked with adults and their families in the past living with these diseases and found this workshop amazing. I received practical tips to use myself but also a chance to learn some to offer families seeking advice. Most importantly I was able to attend with 5 other people and learn from them in the break time and car ride real issues to pray about. I was given a glimpse into the life they are living and a chance to see how I as the pastor can be more than the person who preaches on Sunday.

On another note: not only did I listen to the leader for 2.5 hours before I looked at my watch but I did not want to go home. Yes, I admit that there were times that I was analyzing her delivery more than her message in order to find a way to mimic her. But overall the message was uplifting and encouraging and very educational.

I recommend her book and seeing her any time that she is in your area. Here is a link to her website. I hope that you find it helpful.

Also, in case you are looking to check in with what we are up to, an easy way to do that is to check out our church website which my handsome husband has dedicated many hours to updating.

I pray for a happy and fun Thanksgiving holiday for all of you. I'll also pray for rest to come to you and yours in some format.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

Even at the risk of over-posting...As I have been preparing for an upcoming New Members Class, I have been going through my class notes. The following is the result:

Top 10 margin notes from my UDTS class notes:

10) From Pastoral Care: "What if, when we are baptizing the horse, a wolf attacks? Can we baptize it, too?"

9) From Presbyterian History and Confessions: "Leave me alone. My brain is now in the OFF position."

8) From Doctrine: "Gladiatorial?"

7) From Redeeming the Routines: "Conclusion: I am a bloated sack of Pop-Tarts."

6) From Doctrine: "Did he just call Tillich a Nazi?"

5) From Theology of Old and New Testament: "Moessner says: We need to stop thinking that we are better than the ancients. Scott says: Oh yeah? I've got a Honda Accord."

4) From Greek: "If I ever meet the Dative in an alley, I'm going to kill it. No mercy."

3) From Doctrine: "Meritorious?"

2) From Church History: "Ad Fonzie: To Arnold's! To find Chachi!"

1) From Greek 2: "Times I looked at the clock: 11:15, 11:23, 11:31, 11:33, 11:38, 11:42, 11:43, 11:44, 11:45, 11;46, 11:47, 11:49, 11:50, 11:50, 11:50, 11:50," followed by a short break with the sentence, "Yes, Barb, I know I'm a terrible student," followed by, "11:51, 11:51, 11:52, 11:53, 11:53, 11;53, 11:55," followed by, "lost track."

Ah memories. God bless.

A Response and Two Trivial Comments

Greetings all.

First...in response to Cheyanna's comment. Am I the only person who found "Napoleon Dynamite" overly strange and only slightly amusing? I've heard the old "watch it 85 times, then you'll get it" argument...but I think that you could come up with memorable lines and life-application-type humor if you watched any movie 85 times. (Well, maybe not "Platoon"). Anyway...God bless whoever it is that's reaching out to the kids with a theology book about a cult classic movie...I'm just not on board.

Second...I woke up to 2 inches of snow this morning. It's October. October. I wore shorts last week. Welcome to Colorado. (By the way, if you have the urge to ski, the door's open).

Third...I was driving home from work last Thursday when (as is standard procedure on this particular radio station at the end of the work day) the song "Bang on 'De Drum All Day" came on the air. I made the mistake of actually listening to a pop song...and heard the following:

CHORUS
I don't want to work
I wan' bang on 'de drum all day
I don't want to play
I just want to bang on 'de drum all day

Ever since I was a tiny boy
I don't want no candy
I don't need no toy
I took a stick and an old coffee can
I pound on that thing 'till I got
Blisters on my hand because
CHORUS


When I get older they think I'm a fool
The teacher told me I should stay after school
She caught me pounding on the desk with my hands
But my licks was so hot I made the teacher wanna dance
And that's why
CHORUS

Every day when I get home from work
I feel frustratedThe boss is a jerk
And I get my sticks and go out to the shed
And I pound on the drum like it was the boss's head because
CHORUS

OK...let's get the obvious out of the way first. Given the choice between work and playing...er...banging on 'de drum, well...the choice is obvious. I'm with him...pro-drum. When we get to the play versus bang-on-'de-drum argument, though, I take issue. Now...don't get me wrong, I love 'de drumming. Played 'de big bass drum in high school...loved it. But I can't say that I'd choose banging on 'de drum (all day nonetheless) over a good game of Pachisi. For that matter, if "all day" is involved, I think that I may choose work, too.

The verses strengthen my resolve to abandon 'de drum and get back to work. Evidently blisters are involved, a loss of candy is involved, and a total disregard for education. This is a life-path I just can't go down. And so...as inviting as it may sound at first...I have decided that I, ultimately, do not wan' bang on 'de drum all day. Thanks for asking, though.

That said...time to get back to work. God be with you all.

Taming a liger.

Matt and I found this book titled:

Taming a liger: Unexpected Spiritual Lessons From Napoleon Dynamite
by Jeff Dunn & Adam Palmer.

So far it is quite good. If you are looking for humor read the section in the back with Napoleon's recipes. The explanation that Tots and nachos are veggies produced much laughter.

If you are looking for something for the junior and senior high members of your congregation this just might be a good filler. Just tonight at youth group they were quoting this movie.

Happy reading!

The Oral Community

Greetings to you my fellow missionaries to oral communities. I thought I would take a moment to let you all know that we have arrived safely to our new home and church family. We have been here 10 days and are loving it.

During one of my visits to this church one of the elders said, "We are an oral church. There was one pastor who tried to get us to write stuff down, but that does not work. We are an oral church." They warned me in advance. We have had many class discussions on it and still I am struggling to remember the difference. This is an amazing chance to grow out of my habits and comfort zone.

For those of you I have not told we were called to United Church a PCUSA church in Woodhull and small town in Illinois. This is a unique congregation in that the UMC and PCUSA churches united as one body in the 1960's. They use the UMC hymnal, partner with the Lutheran Churches in the area for youth group and mission projects and are for the most part farmers. In many ways seminary prepared me for this community.

There will be an ordination/installation service here on October 22 at 3 p.m. Everyone is welcome to come down and worship with us. If you need more details please email me at closeyATwincoDOTnet.

The following are a few things I have learned since arriving here:
1. There are certain waves to be used depending on whether you are walking or
driving. But regardless of your ability it is vitally important that you wave to
everyone.

2. Pastors are overwieght because everyone likes to give you baked goods.

3. I look too young to be a pastor. (For those of you that are younger than me
start spending some time in the sun to get some wrinkles!)

4. The use of the word AWESOME indicates that I am a young whipper snapper.

LOL LOL LOL
I love it here! Thanks be to God!

Dr. Colyer

I know that this is probably old news - especially to the people who are still at UDTS, but I talked to Elmer the other day via e-mail, and he sent me this update on his "condition." I didn't know anything about this, and I hadn't seen anything regarding it on the blog. So I asked him if I could post it here so that the whole community could lift up him and his family. Obviously, he said that I could post it anywhere I wanted, or I wouldn't be doing this.

So - here is his update and Credo, unedited. Let's keep the Colyers in our prayers.


Update on Elmer Colyer’s condition September 18, 2006
I have Splenic Marginal Zone Lymphoma (SMZL), a fairly indolent form of lymphoma that responds well to treatment, but is finally medically incurably. At the end of April I was experiencing some abnormalities in my resting heart-rate, etc., which I discovered because of closely monitoring my health in relation to my training for bicycle racing. When the abnormalities did not go away, I saw my Dr. and discovered that my hemoglobin and hematocrit were low (12.4 and 37). This led to a flurry of tests and initial probably diagnosis of SMZL on June 16.
The medium life-expectancy for people with SMZL is 10 years. Most people with SMZL live 8-15 years. However, in around 25% of the cases SMZL transforms into really nasty aggressive form with a 1-4 year life-expectancy (14 month average according to one study). My blood work revealed some evidence of that my SMZL is transforming into the aggressive kind.
So I had my spleen removed in July for both diagnostic and therapeutic reasons. The biopsies of the spleen indicate no evidence of transformation into the nasty aggressive form. The latest blood tests indicated that my A LDH@ levels have dropped back within the normal range. So now the three prognostic indicators the help predict whether the SMZL will transform into the aggressive kind are all negative. This is really the best prognosis we could hope for, save for a miraculous healing of an incurable lymphoma.
Now we will wait until mid-October to allow my body and the SMZL to respond to the splenectomy. At that time, we will do another battery of tests to determine what the SMZL is doing. If it is in remission, we will A watch and wait.@ If not, we will decide the most prudent course of action at that.
The most likely course will be that I will have 1-4 or more really good years, basically normal and by appearances cancer-free. This will be followed by a relapse. The SMZL reappears in the lymph nodes or elsewhere. We would then use other treatment (chemo, anti-body or others) and then I would have 1-4 or more reasonable good years, followed by another relapse. In the end, you just kind of waste away under SMZL. You get weaker and weaker, end up in bed sleeping a lot, etc. and finally die from various complications. There are a number of new treatments on the horizon, but no magic bullets at this point.
Everything above is based on the best information available. Yet there is only a small amount of research on this rare form of lymphoma. There are massive individual variations in how different people respond to SMZL and to treatment. Thus while it gives us some idea what we "might" "likely" expect, we really do not know how things will unfold. My SMZL could transform into the nasty aggressive form next year or next week. I am in extremely good health and will continue to approach my SMZL aggressively. So I am still very optimistic.
In short, I plan to be around a lot longer than 8-15 years! But I will also live my life in light of the fact that I may only have 8-15 years or even less. I am not afraid of SMZL or of death. I am not angry or depressed. I am grateful to be alive, grateful for whatever years I have left. I will continue to live carpe diem. I love what I am doing as a professor and pastor.
I owe my lymphoma a debt of gratitude for giving me a clarity and passion around who I am, what I am about, what I value and what I don’t, and how I want to continue to live, a depth of clarity and passion greater than I have ever known in all my years of "redeeming my routines" (a course I teach here at UDTS) and reflecting on these kinds of questions many, many times. Frankly, there are not many things in my life that I want to change. God has richly blessed me. Over the past months I have been often simply overwhelmed by a sense of God’s presence in my life, surrounding and supporting me in the midst of all the tests, changes in diagnosis and the uncertainty of it all. I find it much easier now to live in the moment, embrace the simple joys of life, and live one day at a time.
So I greatly desire your prayers because I am ever so conscious that we really only live by the Grace of the Triune God, by the Triune God of grace, who alone is the Great Physician. Please pray specifically for my healing , for Natalee and my sons, and most of all, for God= s presence, grace and blessings through it all and whatever lies ahead.
Rev. Dr. Elmer M. Colyer
Blessings, Professor of Historical Theology
Stanley Professor of Wesley Studies
University of Dubuque Theological Seminary
El 2000 University Avenue, Dubuque, IA 52001
563-589-3389
Credo: What I Affirm in the Face of Disease
June 16, 2006
The Lord of my life is Jesus Christ, not lymphoma!!
Therefore by the grace of my Lord Jesus Christ the love of God the Father and the Communion of the Holy Spirit:
1. I affirm and live out of my new life in Christ, in light of and toward my eternal life with and in the communion of the Triune God, and I affirm the goodness of my mundane life in this world despite the ambiguity, brokenness, and disease of this fallen and tragic creation.
2. I will continue to live as a servant of Triune God, in communion with God, out of love for God, and as a servant of, in communion with and out of love for, my family, friends, sisters and brothers in Christ, all people and all of creation.
3. I will live carpe diem in faith, hope, love and joy day by day whatever the future may hold.
4. I will continue to fulfill my vocation and discharge the duties entrusted to me faithfully and with excellence until Christ calls me home.
5. I will never give in, give up or give myself over to lymphoma and the complications that develop from it in my life.
6. I will not give in to self-pity, resentment, anger, apathy, and the rest, though I will be honest and open about my thoughts and feelings whatever may come.
7. I will joyfully receive and embrace the love and support of family, friends, Christian brothers and sisters and all others who offer themselves to me.
8. I will face my disease in a wise and prudent manner, accepting the best help medical science has to offer, but also alternative forms of health care compatible with my faith, and direct healing from God through the Body of Christ.
9. I will trust the Triune God to work for my good in the midst of this situation whatever may come, and I will be open to God= s presence and blessings in whatever form they may take.
10. I will entrust myself, my life, my health, my future, my death, my all to the Love of God the Father, the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Communion of the Holy Spirit Who loves me, created me, reconciled me, redeemed me and Who is and ever will be with me whatever the future holds.
Here I take my stand on the Grace of the Triune God, on the Triune God of grace.

You Can't Run, You Can't Hide

I forgot to share with you all the funniest thing that has happened to me so far here in Berthoud. I came in on September 1st, my first day, and (of course) there was a lot of unopened mail addressed to "pastor" waiting for me. Volunteers here at the church had graciously divided it into three files: Important, Bills, and Junk. I made it through the first two piles before noon...the last pile I saved for the end of the day. I opened up the file and there, on top, was a letter to "PASTOR" from Rev. Jeffrey Bullock, PhD.

I opened the letter to discover that I am now a "Colleague in Ministry" and can "help UDTS reduce student debt" by "asking my congregation to give directly out of its Mission budget." We've got about 86 cents, if he wants it...and I'm absolutely sure that it will go to "reduce student debt."

I thought about sending a check out of my own pocket and specifying that it go "to fix up the old Losey place so that a family won't sink into oblivion" or for the "Phillips Memorial Waste Water Treatment Facility," but have thought the better of it.

Best to save my personal contributions to buy a brick in the "Angels in the Outfield" wing of the Dr. Anthony "Tony" Danza Center for the Performing Arts and Wrestling. That, brothers and sisters, is a piece of history.

Tennessee

I realized the other day that I haven't actually written a post on here for at least a month. You might not even remember me...if you don't then don't read this, I guess. :)

Anyway, a lot has happened since the last time I was on this. So here is my feeble attempt at an update:
I took a call to Madisonville Presbyterian Church, and we moved down here at the end of July after my family and I partook of the Johnsons' goodness and stayed at their place for about a month.
We drove down here in two days, stopping just outside of Cincinnatti. We got here to the church - to find no one here. I could have sworn the PNC said they'd have somebody there all day...so I go check the doors - which are unlocked. I go in and call someone, and after a few minutes Linda Trout shows up to escort us to the place where we are to be staying. Now, I hadn't candidated yet, so I wasn't "supposed" to even be here. So we drove 15 minutes up the mountain to a cabin to stay in.
Ahh, the cabin. It's a two bedroom little place, infested with bugs, and the nearest tree is at least a football field away. Well, maybe a little less than that. No phone. No computer. No cell phone reception. No nothing. For a month.
After a couple of weeks, I meet with COM, who approves me to work in the field until October when I can preach before Presbytery and get approved. Then I candidate - the vote is a lot to three. Turns out three people don't want a full time pastor. Oh well. So I accept - which is a good thing.
Then we go looking for houses. We find one - and go to see a banker to get the mortgage. No problem - except the banker wants the money that the church is putting up written down as a gift. Well - the church is charging us 4% interest on $46,000 - it's not a gift! Two weeks of this goes by, with the church treasurer and the banker arguing and both of them assuring me that they'll "work this out" and we'll be in the house before we knew it. Finally, after two weeks, we went to a local bank that makes its own decisions about loans (and whose CEO is a lifelong presbyterian, and whose loan officer happens to be someone's first cousin...) - and we close the next Saturday. Ugh.
So now we're in our house - I don't have any nice pictures; my camera won't download photos on to our home computer 'cause it's too old and I haven't put the software on my work computer... It's nice; one floor, three bedrooms and an office for Jennifer to do homeschool with Robbie. Fenced in back yard, air conditioning (which is VERY nice in the South!), 3 years old. If you're interested, I can tell you more about it some other time.
I've been at work for a month two days ago. At least officially. Unofficially, I came in the Monday before that to find a woman sitting waiting. She hid from me at first. Eventually I got her to talk to me - she's terrified that her son is being maltreated at school. He's autistic, and her ex-boyfriend (and father of the boy) is apparently just being horrible to him. So I spend several hours talking with her, finally walking down to the elementary school to check on her son. I got a card from her a day or so ago - need to call her and check up to see what's going on with her.
Other than that it's been pretty standard new pastor stuff. Although a lot of the hospitality we expected is coming in different ways. They "pounded" us last night - we won't have to buy laundry detergent for at least a year! They're still getting used to a full-time pastor, and I guess I'm still getting used to a full-time congregation. It's a learning curve. But it finally did work out. We're in our house, and now all I need to worry about is whether or not Presbytery votes me in...and creating a youth group, and new members' class, and bible studies, and a host of other stuff.


I miss all of you. It's strange, sitting in the office all day long planning out classes and things. I keep looking up, expecting Jewett to meow like a cat, or Scott to curse like a pirate, or Ron Church to tell me that he can't tell me that story without more beer, or Kim Wilson scratching...something. But...it's just someone coming in asking for money. Keep in touch. I'll work at doing a better job of it on my end.

Rodents and Me ... flying, crawling, crying and running

It has been quite a week ... Sunday as I began to preach at the second of my churches, a woman in the front row suddenly was struck with a look of tremendous terror. I thought maybe my illustration of the dying child had hit too close to home, but then I saw more people with the look. And something really odd happened: they began to move closer to the pulpit. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something brown crawling slowly across the other side of the room. It was a mouse, and it was dying. In fact, I think it was dead. I only got through 45 seconds of my sermon, and I killed something! The kids all rushed to the front of the church to see the dead/dying mouse, and they all giggled. Then the patriarch of the church walked up to the little brown church mouse, stepped on its head, picked it up by the tail and threw it out the emergency exit. The kids groaned and the patriarch sat down like nothing ever happened. This is the small church.

This morning, I was awakened by a fluttering on the floor in my room at the Mainstay. By the dim light of the street lamps out my window, I saw a reflection in the mirrored closet door. The reflection was flopping. The reflection was wide. The reflection was screeching. The reflection was that of a bat. And after much chasing, running, ducking, hiding (along with the help of the night staff), the reflection was released into the still-dark sky. This is my life.

Early Wednesday morning , a father in title only allegedly killed his son outside of Galena and ran. He allegedly left his son in the truck he had just wrapped around a telephone pole trying evade police. His eight-year-old son allegedly was bleeding not from injuries sustained from the accident, but because he had been stabbed by his father. His father left him there and ran. He is still running. Marilyn, Deb and I spent that day (and they spend part of the next as well) as the presence of Christ for the kids the eight-year-old went to school with in Scales Mound. This is our world.