Claimed, gathered and sent

This is the YouTube of the sermon I'm preaching live tomorrow at St. Timothy Lutheran Church's Drive-In Worship. Join us if you're in the area. The gospel text is Matthew 16:13-20. Here is the YouTube of the sermon.

Here is a link to an interesting post I just read. The author is the pastor of a rural Lutheran congregation.  http://trustngrace.wordpress.com

It's been a while since I have posted anything. Much of what has been happening lately is very exciting, but the details are unsharable. I am a pastoral candidate for a church in New York State which is thrilling. I cannot tell you where and I don't know when everything will come together. I feel like I'm on a bullet train that has definitely left the station. The next step in the process will be meeting with the church council. Reading this piece by Henri Nouwen reminded me of the importance of writing. I do have something worth sharing and this is a time of my life unlike any other. There will never be another "first call" for me. Nouwen's piece is entitled Making Our Lives Available to Others . Click on the title and you'll be able to read it. May each of us make our lives available in a multitude of ways this week. Peace! Google Image

is where will you live when you graduate from seminary? Where will you be ordained? Will you be in New England, New York (insert area)? The answer is, I really don't know right now. On the evening of Feb. 22, Ash Wednesday, the senior class of LTSG will be given regional assignments, from which there will be a synod assignment, followed by a church to pastor. Here's a link to a map of the regions. Of course, we keep wondering. In less than a week, I'll know the region. In the meantime, a song and a promise to God from many years ago keeps running through my head. As we seniors wait and wonder where God and the bishops will place us I hope the response of my heart is: I’ll go where You want me to go, dear Lord, O’er mountain, or plain, or sea; I’ll say what You want me to say, dear Lord, I’ll be what You want me to be. Timeless Truths  Google Images

As I said in my previous post, I really dislike saying good-bye, but I do love "hellos." I cannot help myself being the extrovert I am. The hellos to Petersburg, WV began Tues. as we arrived in town. We had dinner with my supervisor and his wife, which was a wonderful time of food and fellowship. Wed. our things arrived. We got to say hello to the stuff that had been in storage. Then the unpacking started as we tried/try to figure out where everything should live in the parsonage, our home for a year. One of the highlights of unpacking for me was being reunited with our 12 cup coffee maker. I was so excited that the next morning, the first thing I did was brew a pot of coffee. As it was brewing I had the realization that I had no cream/half and half/powdered creamer of any type or variety. For Ray and me coffee cannot be enjoyed without cream...so the adventure began. Since we only knew a few places in town, like 7-11 and Sheetz, I wondered about the best place to buy c...

Today was my first full day in Accident and Friendsville, MD. I am here for 2 weeks (3 Sundays) for Jan. term for my cultural immersion experience. These 2 towns are in Garrett County, MD, the westernmost county in MD, which borders West Virginia. It too is part of Appalachia. When another seminarian and myself arrived yesterday, it was not a scene like that above that greeted us. I felt like I was back in Upstate NY with the snow. Just add more mountains to it and horseshoe turns around mountains. The pastor I am shadowing pastors 3 small churches--2 in Accident and 1 in Friendsville. People are very friendly and warm here. A classmate, Gary, preceeded us last week and had wonderful things to share. I second his opinions. Please pray as we are here in various parishes for God's leading and our open ears to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit for further clarification of call.

When I left for Christmas vacation, I was suffering from fried brain syndrome, as were my fellow seminarians. The time away was filled with renewed mental and physical resources, renewed relationships, and renewed commitment. We spent Christmas with my daughter and granddaughter (at left). Grace has grown so much in such a short time. A particular highlight for us was seeing Grace in the Christmas pageant at church. She was an angel. There was also a toddler who was one of the shepherds. As he followed the other shepherds up the aisle, he was sucking his thumb and clutching his blanket. He was too cute. Shortly after arriving in Rochester, I talked with a pastor friend (he married us just over 5 years ago) and he asked me to preach for him. The congregation is small, but delightful. I had a wonderful time. Since Amity has been with Ray (Sept.), she has not wagged her tail much at all and has sometimes looked rather melancholy. This has changed dramatically and it seems the impetus for ...