July 17, 2019

Vacation

So, after almost three years here at Saint John's, I'm finally taking a vacation. There are several reasons why I haven't done so until now, probably none of them are very good.

First, I'm more of a “short few days away from the office” kind of guy than a “long two or three weeks away from the office” kind of guy. I've really always been this way, never really liking being away for a long period of time. Well, let me rephrase that: I've never liked coming back to the office after being away for a long period of time. So I avoid it when I can.

Another reason is that Joelene hasn't always had the time available from her job to take a vacation. She's used days here and there, just as I've used time here and there. But now she does have the time so we can both take vacation at the same time.

And a third reason is geography. “Way out here in western Maryland” it can be difficult to find supply clergy to fill in. We don't have any retired priests within the congregation able to do so, and retired priests in general are in short-supply out this way.

So there are some reasons why it has taken me so long to get away.

That said, Joelene and I are heading to Washington (the big one in the upper left corner) this Saturday. We will spend time visiting family and friends in Seattle, Wenatchee, Richland, and Spokane. And then we come home on a red-eye flight that gets us into Baltimore at 6 am.

While I'm away, you can contact Deacon Sue or Melonie if you have a pastoral emergency. Dusty and Sherrie, with their pastoral care team and Stephens Ministers are also available if needed. And for my part, you all will continue to be in my prayers.

I'm looking forward to being out west once again; but I'm also looking forward to a safe return home. Have a good couple of weeks.

Blessings,

July 10, 2019

Three Priests and a Truck

Well, it was more like, “Two pastors, a priest, and a truck,” but that's too long for a tag line.

Monday I put out a request to the congregation asking if anyone was available to help a parishioner make a short move on Tuesday. I knew this was extremely short notice, but you never know what will happen when you ask. Unfortunately nobody was able to help.

So yesterday morning, on even shorter notice, I put out a text request to a local clergy group I'm part of. Texts flew back and forth, a phone call was made, and we were able to pull together a total of three clergy guys and a truck. We made two trips, and probably another few trips will be required to finish it. At 5 pm on Tuesday I still wasn't sure if we were going to get this done.

Spending my day moving a parishioner wasn't on my list of things to do when I got into the office yesterday. Spending my day moving a parishioner today is probably not on my list of things to do, but we'll see how it turns out.

Sometimes we are hit with the unexpected. Sometimes we are asked to do things not on our schedule. Sometimes we are asked to provide neighborly assistance when we have other things on our schedule.

And all the time it's those little things that are big to somebody else where God steps in and is present.

“The Lord be with you,” we say. Let us also remember that, for the Lord to be with you, I need to be with you. For the Lord to be with me, you need to be with me.

We are all in this together, and, hopefully, none of us will have to face any unexpected surprises on our own.

Blessings,