Anyway, real quick, here's how it went this morning...
- I think I am going to actually like the drive down and back. It's a good four lane highway and the drive is about 39 minutes- not too long and I can listen to NPR. But, ask me again in a year.
- The only Sunday School class- of any age- was a Bible class where I was told, "We're gonna look at Job today!" From what I could gather, they were only going to study Job just this week. I think there was someone prepared to teach children and youth, but there were no students today. My family is still worshipping with my former congregation since my kids had already begun preparations for the Christmas pageant before I was knew I was going to serve this congregation. We'll reevaluate in the new year.
- I think I was grabbed and hugged by every church member I came across! I think some of the session members had let it slip that I had been extended more than one offer to serve as an interim, because a couple of folks said, "I'm so glad you chose us!" I've decided not to feel strange about that. It seems that they could use some esteem building.
- Each year in Advent, the congregation invites the young men of a boys' home that our Presbytery supports to come to worship and then lavishly gives each of them gifts. I mean it- presents and cards with cash! One of the staff members of the boys' home, whom I had never met, led the service. I suspected that he wasn't Presbyterian when I saw that his gospel reading for the first Sunday of Advent was Luke 2 and his 30 minute sermon was entitled "Noses Pushed Against the Glass of the Bethlehem Nursery." He is the newest staff member and is a Southern Baptist pastor. It wasn't a bad sermon, but I think folks will be happy with my 12-15 minute sermons!
I'm in a very good place right now- peaceful, grateful and really, really excited about this new ministry!
10 comments:
i'm sorry you're feeling physically icky.
i'm glad you're feeling so spiritually and emotionally well.
i'm really glad you're looking forward to this ministry.
i'm super glad you experienced being appreciated today.
feel better, iris.
oh bummer on not feeling well... i hope the follow up goes good.
rock on! so happy for you that you spiritually are in a well place, a better place, and it's a little quirky too - but quirk is good. all good...
Oh, gosh, I hope you'll bounce back from your icky feelings. So glad they welcomed you enthusiastically! And love that sermon title...
the icky-ness can be post-adrenalin letdown... but what a good day to remember!
so glad everything went so well at church. Feel better soon!
I'm so glad that you received such a warm welcome!
My commute since January has been 40 miles. Sometimes I don't like it, but most times it's a nice down time between office & home, and I arrive home refreshed. It's also a good time for prayer (with eyes open, of course), reflection, thinking through sermons, etc.
and I hope you feel better soon!
Iris, this sounds so good... I drove an hour each way for a full time interim, for 20 months. I loved it. I listened to NPR, I prayed, I sang... it was a very good time for me.
Please take care of yourself! Blessings on this exciting time...
The day looks are good as it could be, I hope you feel better by now.
Ah . . . NPR for the 40 mile commute . . . sounds like my gig! Hopefully, this will be a wonderful, wonderful experience for you. Enjoy your new church family.
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