Wilderness Wanderings with Good Company

Three weeks ago, my colleague, friend and founding pastor of the church I serve, left for a new call in St. Paul. As the congregation and I have transitioned into this new space and time together, I have discovered that though I may be the sole ordained guy around, that I am in good company in this venture.

I have said to our leadership team a few times, "Here's where I think we need to go, but I've never done this before." And their response is typically, "Neither have we!" There is great comfort in being able to wander in this wilderness together. In my sermon on Sunday, I said that anytime we find ourselves wandering in the wilderness, we better be looking for God. Moses and the Israelites stumbled on God, Elijah found God in the still small voice on the mountain. John the Baptist cried out for the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord, and Jesus feeds more than 5000 in the wilderness on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

It's comforting to know that we are not alone. There's good company in the wilderness. I just find that I'm required to rely on God more when I trip into the wilderness. As I have met with so many now from People of Hope, I am most often uplifted by their faith that we are going to continue to be a strong community of faith and that we are all in this together. I am humbled by their faith and confidence in my leadership, even when I am half some of their ages.

The more I meet with people, the more I realize too that God knows what he is doing in bringing the church made of all kinds of people together and shaping them into the body of Christ. Over and over, I have seen this body broken open and shared with each other and the community. Over and over I am amazed at the vision that God has placed in this community of believers, seekers, cynics, questioners, lovers of God, and bystanders. It's good company for this leg of the wilderness wandering.

Welcome to the big bright world Eliana Audrey

With the wonder of today's technology, we can introduce the world to Ellie. It's like the scene in the Lion King when Rafiki runs to the top of the mountain and presents Simba to the animal kingom, only I don't have to face the hyenas!

Our new family is doing really well, Erica and my eyes could stand to see a little more of the inside of our eyelids, but we're figuring it out every hour.

Pictures of Eliana

When Love Comes to Town After Party

In the Christian tradition, Good Friday is usually reserved for a solemn remembrance of Jesus' death on a gruesome cross. Christian denominations with roots in the 16th and 17th century are well accustomed to feeling empty on this somber occasion. As gruesome a death as Jesus had, it does not compare to the abundant life and love that comes through the cross to Easter, and Jesus' resurrection.

People of Hope and Living Stone Church brought these traditions of somber reflection and God's ultimate act of love together on Friday night in "When Love Comes to Town: An Easter Experience".

If you saw the show, Let me know what you thought by contacting me. If you didn't see the show, but are interested in knowing more, contact me.

Here's a sample of last week's event.

Peace be yours in the Risen Christ!

I can hardly wait any longer!

So it has been 39 wonderful weeks of development and growth for this image we see above and the time for her to come into the world is approaching...but not yet. I can hardly wait to greet this daughter of mine and give her the love that I have been feeling since we first new she was coming. It is not only my wife and I that wait, but family and a whole community of people that anticipate with joy her coming. What a thrill it will be!

When Love Comes to Town