What a week...

This week has been full of activity and change. I left Utah on Tuesday to come to Colorado. While here I have had the chance to attend Bob Kaylor's Transitions Workshop (Wednesday), as well as Annual Conference. On Thursaday, Tracy and I successfully closed on our new home in the Rockrimmon are. On Friday, I collected the keys to the house and stepped inside to take a look around. And today, I was officially appointed to Wilson UMC by our Bishop! It is with great joy and excitement that I accept the challenge to be your shepherd and leader. I now depart for the airport to return home to pack the few remaining items before the packers come on Monday. We'll know on Monday just what day we will arrive in the Springs area (probably Wed or Thu). Thank you for your prayers and support over these last few weeks. We look forward to our joining you in worship on the 1st of July.

All signed!!!

This morning we (in all honesty, Tracy) signed all our closing paperwork for our home off of Saddlemountain Rd! Everything should be completed on Thursday, and we'll officially be home owners!!!

No more keys...

Yesterday's Church in the Park service was beautiful. The weather was perfect, the music and worship was passionate, and God poured out His power as I preached my last message in Brigham. Using two simple chairs, God provided me with a powerful visual aid in communicating some profound truths about His character and nature, how it is He has moved over time, and the type/kind of salvation He offers to everyone. I hope to preach it someday at Wilson. (BTW: I'm known to preach in attire like this occasionally!!!)

After last night's community dessert social for our family, I turned in my keys. It was rather surreal to be honest, standing there in my empty office with nothing but the clergy covenant and some notes for my successor on the desk. I don't know how many hours I have spent in that office, and at the church, but it feels like a lifetime's worth. So many sermons. So many sacred conversations. So many holy moments. So many lives changed by God's transforming grace. All of these met with the hollow closing of an empty room.

Now I know - correction: I know and believe - that God has more of the same in store for us at Wilson UMC, and it is with great joy that we continue to take the steps we do that will take us to Colorado Springs. But my heart is heavy this morning, aware that all is concluded here and that my work is done.  

AWESOME worship this morning!!!

This morning's worship was fantastic. Here is a video shot that I take each year and post to my FaceBook.

By the way, this week we are scheduled to close on our house! On the 14th it will be official, we will (again) be home owners. We couldn't be more excited. Please be in prayer for Tracy as she'll be doing a lot of packing without me (seeing as I'll be at Annual Conference).  

"Church in the Park" tomorrow

Well, tomorrow will be my last preaching opportunity in Utah. Our ministerial association (NUMA) is holding its 3rd annual Church in the Park. Last year (pictured here) saw around 700 people in attendance, and this year (if weather holds) is sure to see even more. It's not everyday that nine churches close their doors to worship together. And it's not every day that nine churches get to invite so many unconnected people (and feed them 600 burgers and 300 hot dogs!!!). I have been asking folks to pray for freedom...freedom from false and misleading notions of who God really is in Christ...freedom from false religion...and freedom from death and sin. May the Holy Spirit fall upon that place and transform lives!

Headed for the Philippines

My youngest daughter (who graduated from high school this week) departed this morning for a two week mission trip to the Philippines. After flying to Los Angeles she flies to Hong Kong, and then on to Manila. She's traveling with 40 other young people who will serve in many areas including construction, tutoring, sports ministry, and spending time with children in a children's home. They departed LA at 1330 this afternoon and will not arrive in Manila until 0615 tomorrow morning (if I've calculated my international travel times correctly).

Please pray that God move mightily in Katie's life, the lives of the other young people, and those with whom they'll encounter.

Katie is pictured here hugging her sister Kristen.

Small town life

Well, yesterday was certainly filled with emotion. We had a wonderful worship service where we commissioned our high school seniors to go out into the world, partook in Holy Communion, said our official goodbyes, and anounced who Aldersgate's incoming pastor will be!  I am happy to say that God was (as expected) just as faithful to Aldersgate as He was with Wilson. AUMC is getting a young energetic shepherd from outside the conference who asked to come to Utah. God is good, all the time.

We have but a few details to sort out in the week ahead. Form here, really, the task at hand is packing and preparing for our move. We already have many things boxed up, and walls are becoming increasingly bare by the day. It is possible that we may be loading our stuff on Friday, June 15th (or Monday the 18th). I would prefer Monday seeing as I'll be at Annual Conference that Friday.

An interesting experience this morning:
(Daniel pictured right, after friends called out his name as he teed up)
My boys had scheduled a tee time at the public golf course here in town (the only one by the way) this morning, and as we were loading the clubs into my car Daniel began to panic. It turns out he had lost his player pass which Tracy and I had purchased for him as a gift. It still had 8, 9-hole, punches on it and anxieties began to run high. The last time he had seen it was last Monday when the three of us had grabbed a fast front-nine.

When we arrived at the golf course, we were met with several of my boy's friends and the golf course manager, Chris Marx, a good friend of mine. Chris had not only instructed me some years back, he and I had also coached several boys basketball teams over the years.

I explained our situation, whereupon he smiled and reached into a drawer, producing Daniel's lost card. While he converted the remaining passes to their now digital system they use, other adults and friends arrived. It was about that time it hit me: I will miss small town life.

I will miss situations like this one where Chris and the staff recognized our name and knew who were were. I'll miss relationships (even at local establishments) where even if they had not found Daniel's pass, they would have honored it anyway. I will miss going to ordinary places like the golf course, the grocery store, or the post office (where I went next), and being known.  I will miss knowing my dentists well enough that we can call her at home when there is an emergency. I'll miss having not fly fished with my orthopedic surgeon. I will miss not knowing the "Rhino-Rooter" guy (John) who snakes our basement drain once a year (and always asks such great theological questions). I will even miss the 1 1/2 hour Walmart trips where current and past preschool students (and parents) stop to talk to Tracy. Small town life is rich with relationships.

I know that we will again build relationships and have friends in Colorado Springs. But we also know that it will be different...bigger...and somewhat less personal.

Prayer: Thank you God for our time here in Brigham and the relationships you have allowed us to enjoy. It has been a gift, and we are grateful.