Reality Is Beginning To Set In...

Well, reality is starting to set in. I think that I am truly beginning to wrap my mind around the idea that we will be moving, and for the first time, I am starting to understand how hard this is going to be. Today after church we had a graduation/going away dinner for Karen and I. It was such a wonderful heartwarming experience, but it was also much harder than I thought it would be to begin the process of saying goodbye to everyone.

Karen and I were talking this afternoon that we have lived in this general area since 1988. Our kids have grown up here, and although we relocated a few miles away when I entered ministry, in reality, we were still very close to the place we started. This afternoon we traveled down to Corydon IN (where we are moving to) and drove around and spent a little time getting familiar with the area. Even though we are excited about the possibilities and are looking forward to our new ministry, for the first time, I understand how difficult it will be to leave the old ministry.

I guess that the reality is that we have grown to love these people and they have grown to love us, and even though we all knew that this day would come, it seems to have hit everyone rather hard and perhaps a little unexpectedly, if that makes sense at all.

As we begin the preparations to move, I know that I am going to be asking God for a little extra help and assurance for both Karen and I, as well as for our congregations. The next 30 days will be difficult.

Blessings:)

The House Didn't Fall On Me...

These past few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity. I didn’t think that it was possible to be busier than I was in Seminary. It certainly is a good thing that I am finished with school or I really would be in trouble. Throughout the past four years, I always thought that it felt like I was living two different lives, my life over at seminary and then my life at home serving my churches. But even with the completion of school, I can’t seem to get past that sensation.

In the past few days I have continued to lead a dual existence, I have been both busy working to prepare my churches here for my departure and also beginning to work with my new churches to prepare for my arrival. It seems that there are so many details to take care of, what color to paint my office, what movers to select, finding out what day we will be moving, and of course packing up all of this stuff.

Then again, we can’t forget that there is still the regular work of the church to do such as Wednesday night community dinner, sermons to prepare, bulletins to finish etc.

So, for the time being, I will continue to lead this dual existence, knowing that God is in this process, and even though I don’t know the outcome of the events that lie before me, I can rest assured in the knowledge that God is surely present here in Crothersville as well as already firmly in place in Corydon preparing for our ministry there.

Blessings

Gone but not forgotten...

I thought I would let you know that I will be gone for a couple of days. I am leaving this afternoon to go to the Lake Placid Conference Center in Hartford City, IN to attend my first Residency in Ministry (RIM) Retreat. I will be participating in this program for the next 3 years as I work toward ordination. It should be an interesting retreat, but I am a little concerned to find out that we will be working on the demolition of some blighted houses in the area. Hmmmm, Jim and hard manual labor? Those two don't go together very well. I hope I survive:)

I will let you know when I return on Wednesday, or if I don't return then you will know that I either had a heart attack in the heat, or the house collapsed on top of me:)

Blessings:)

Big Announcement!

Yesterday was another one of those mixed emotion days. First of all let me share with you the news about our future. It seems to me like every aspect of our future has been so uncertain for such a long time that it feels a little strange to at least have some glimpse into where we will be going and what we might be doing.

Thursday evening we met with our new District Superintendent who took us to meet the Pastor Parish Committee of our new churches. It has now officially been announced that I will be receiving a new appointment. Effective July 1st, we will be moving to Corydon, IN to begin serving the 2 point charge of Oak Grove United Methodist and Fountain United Methodist Church. I must say that we were greeted so warmly and hospitably by everyone that we met, and I would especially like to mention that the outgoing pastor, who will be moving up near Connersville, IN, (much closer to her children) was so very warm and kind to us. I am very much looking forward to beginning life as a full time pastor.

Yesterday was also my graduation party. What a wonderful time we had! It was so good to see so many people come out to offer their support and congratulations, and I can honestly say that this journey through seminary was the most difficult and intense thing that I have ever done. As I look back on my life, I have always considered Chiropractic College and getting my pilot's licenses as my 2 most difficult accomplishments, but I now believe that seminary far surpasses either of those efforts, and in addition, I can honestly say that this is the accomplishment that I am most proud of. However, with that being said, I did not do this alone. It took a major effort from my churches, my family, and my friends to get me over the finish line, and I am so blessed by everyone who has had a part in this accomplishment.

My mentor Ron once told me that one day when I am kneeling before the Bishop preparing to be ordained, I will come to the realization that I could not have possibly gotten there on my own. Well, I don’t have to wait that long. I know now that God has been with me every step of the way, sometimes pushing me, sometimes pulling me and often times carrying me. I have always heard it said that the work of the Holy Spirit is best seen looking back through the rearview mirror. As I pause now in this time of transition, the only thing in the rearview mirror that I can see is the work of God at every juncture, turn, crossroads and even in what I at the time considered roadblocks. God is indeed good all the time!

The sad aspect of these past few days is realizing that there are a number of people at seminary that I will likely never see again. I know that we say that we will keep in touch, but as my children reminded me that this is my fourth graduation and so with that experience, I think that I can speak with a little historical perspective. As we move on, even with the greatest of intentions, most often we get so busy that it becomes difficult to maintain the old relationships. The feelings are always there, the relationships are still intact, however, they aren’t the close daily and weekly relationships that they once were and I find that sad.

I am also starting to reflect on my time with Crothersville and Cana and I also know that these relationships will change as well. I know that I will always love these people and I know that they love me as well, but moving forward in ministry is what the United Methodist Church does. Someone new will come in with strengths that I didn’t have and allow the churches to grow in ways that I simply wasn’t capable of doing. God has given each person a set of gifts and it is up to us to use those gifts to build each other up and to help build God’s kingdom.

These past 4 1/2 years serving Crothersville and Cana UMC's has been such a blessing to me and I am so grateful for every moment. The next few weeks will be spent reflecting upon what we have been able to do together and also to prepare for the ministry that will lie ahead both for the churches and also for me. This truly is a day of new beginnings.

Blessings

Waiting for Normal to Return...

I just have a few minutes this morning to hit the highlights of the past few days before heading off to church. On Friday, Karen, Ben, Crystal, Andrew and Mary headed off to that distant land of Ohio for one last time. We truly had a wonderful trip over, and once we got to the hotel we had an awesome time relaxing in the pool and hot tub prior to the Baccalaureate Service. Terri was able to join us a little bit latter, just in time for a late evening trip to White Castles.

The graduation on Saturday was a very memorable experience and then after lunch at Damon’s with the whole crew, which happens to also be the very first place that Karen and I ate on our first trip to Ohio all of those many years ago, we journeyed back home to Indiana.

Today will be a big day as well. After the worship services this morning, where we will finally get to make the big announcement about our future, which seems like it has been in limbo forever, we will then prepare for my graduation party this afternoon.

But then there won’t be any rest for the weary, because Monday, I have to go up somewhere in Northern Indiana for the 3 day Residence in Ministry retreat, (RIM) which I will be participating in over the next 3 years up until Ordination.

Well, I am just about out of time here this morning. I could have filled an entire post on any one of these topics, but for now I thought I would just bring you up to date. Next time I will fill you all in on the Big Announcement!

Blessings

Heading Back to Ohio!

I'm heading to Ohio for Graduation, See you all when we return!
Blessings!

You Are Never Going To Believe What I Did :(

Ohhhh Nooooo You are not going to believe this! I am so upset with myself right now! Do you know what grade I got in my Foucault class that I have been ranting about for the past 4 months?

Wait a minute, before I tell you my grade let me first share with you the comments that I received on my final paper and effort in class:

“Your paper is so very well conceived, and demonstrates a clear understanding not only of the kinds of questions that Foucault wanted people in contemporary societies to be asking about our "normal" social arrangements, but also of what kinds of things Foucault thought was at stake in insisting on asking these difficult and unpopular questions. Especially considering that this was your final semester of seminary and you have no doubt been struggling against "senioritis," you have done a really fine job all semester long.”

Ok, here is the bad news. I got an “A” for the course :(

Isn’t that awful? I am so angry with myself.

Now admittedly, you might be asking yourself, why would I possibly be angry and upset about an “A” But, if you remember our previous conversations, I took this class pass/fail because I was actually concerned that I might not even be able to pass and I didn't want this grade dragging down my grade point average. So now I realize that I have worked about 2 grade levels higher and harder than I needed to all semester long, and for a classic under-achiever/procrastinator like me, only now, in the end, when it is too late, I realize I could have gotten by doing so much less :)

Oh Ok, I guess I did learn a tremendous amount about philosophy and ethics, and yes I have grown to have a great deal of respect for Michel Foucault when four months ago I had never even heard of him before, and oh ok, I guess I do have to admit that despite my ranting and raving, I really did enjoyed the class, and yes, I guess that there could be something said for doing your best all the time and in all circumstances, and now that you mention it, I wouldn’t have wanted to give any less in that class than my best effort, and yes, I know, grades really don’t matter, and oh yeah, I do remember that in Chiropractic College I would have given anything for an A even if it didn’t count. Ok, Ok You made your point, I'll quit complaining!

But couldn’t she have just given me a “B” it would have saved me all of this anguish:)

Blessings to you and only 3 more days to graduation! Whoo hoooo