Ghost Ranch was such an amazing time and as much as I wanted to stay out west, but one of the goals of the sabbatical was to reconnect with my past so I headed back to the midwest to where I had my first call in Council Bluffs, IA. This was a formative call as my position thrust me into realities I never thought would be part of ministry, namely working with a congregation that was working hard to be the church in a rapidly changing community with needs greater then the church could offer. After a year of being there I had found documentation of when the church had been in talks to merge with their sister downtown congregation. to make a long story short, things fell into place and they merged with that congregation in 2005 and I left for New Jersey. but the people in that congregation were some who I will never forget. Led by my organist/ music director Alice Gerard who unfortunately died soon after I got to San Jose, the people at first took me under their wings and taught me what was important in ministry and probably most importantly showed me that it was ok to relax and have fun in ministry.
While the plan was to meet up with my good friend Lowell, who had served as the head of staff at the congregation we merged with, our lunch became a homecoming of sorts as a whole group of former members were eating at the same restaurant. it was really great to see them and I was amazed with how much they looked the same after 20 years! It was fun to catch up and laugh and talk with them and Lowell again. From there I went on a search for the first house I lived in. Of course I got lost finding it, transposing number is a thing, but when I did I was amazed that I did not recognize our house, but absolutely recognized every other house on the block. Probably because I paid more attention to those houses then my own or that the trees that were so huge now that it hid the house. Either way that street was and will always hold good memories of a time before my medical stuff and being able to head out an play without any worry or expectation.
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AuthorThis is my accounts as I travel across the country for my sabbatical Archives
September 2024
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