237 miles. That was what it took today to get to Olathe (I received a personal tour of the new performing arts center at MidAmerica Nazarene University by Dr. Dennis Crocker and his wife Jeanie ... why, you might ask? Dennis was the choral director at Broadway for the last year and a half I was there, and we have a special friendship...I may have mentioned him earlier in the week) and we had lunch and then I began the trip I make on this special day each year as d.s. It was the official move in day, though some of the pastors I saw today had moved in earlier in the week. I started at Smithville, and visited Court Fischer for a few moments (he was in my district before, as a student); went to Liberty to meet/visit Scott Beard (the new associate at Liberty) and his wife Anne; drove to Excelsior Springs and had quite the time finding Jonathan and Linda Cooney's new house---the street is so new that the GPS which I used today for the first time (yes I have had it nearly two years) that it wasn't identified, but did finally find them---they had just arrived after a somewhat harrowing trip from Springfield, along with the the United Truck. Then to Braymer to see Barron and Kim Willer---they were not at the parsonage but were over at the church with their two boys (Tyler 22 months and Brandon, soon to be Dante one year) eating supper, provided, of course as lunch had been, by the church. The Willers are in the process of adopting both boys after having been foster parents for them. Barron (and Brandon/Dante whom I had the pleasure of carrying) took me over to the parsonage. When I had seen it two months ago, I really doubted how it could be gotten ready for this new parsonage family, but by golly, those Braymer folks did wonders with it---a GREAT old house, with wonderful wood and interesting light fixtures---and brand new carpet and a dishwasher. The back yard was cleaned up, the big front porch was ready for visitors who happened by, and I was impressed and proud. Then on to Wellington, to visit Jill Daniel, and then to Napolean to see Jamie Gehrke. Wow. My overwhelming sense today was how proud I am of the churches for the way that today and earlier in the week, they welcomed pastors and families. Meals, people ready to help unload, babysitting, clean refurbished parsonages, and on and on. At Braymer, Barron said, "they even fed the movers from the moving company." At Wellington, Jill said, "when we turned the last corner and were close to the house, we saw 15 cars, a circle of lawn chairs, and a grill going in the front yard, and it took only 30 minutes to unload the truck." Jamie said it rained and so even more folks (farmers who couldn't get in the field) came to help unload and the parsonage floors had been "redone." Radical hospitality, as Jill said, abounds. I am so very optimistic about these appointments, and so grateful for the good church folks whose hopes have been renewed, as evidenced in the work that has been put making houses homes for their pastors. This bodes very well, very well indeed. Thank you, Heartland North District!
No comments:
Post a Comment