How many ballots does it take to NOT elect a young adult clergy person as a delegate to General Conference in Iowa? 12. I shouldn’t start that way. That’s the tired exhaustion of a very long day. I should start with the absolute excitement that our conference, today, on our 12th and final ballot, elected three…
traveling light?
My family just got back a few days ago from a trip to the Lake of the Ozarks. It was a Christmas/Anniversary/Birthday gift to our parents from all the kids. We rented a huge house on the water and had four glorious days to spend with one another. Packing for such an adventure was a…
Social media, Artwork, and Annual Conference #iacartwork
First off, from our conference artist, Ted Lyndon Hatten: My goal is always the same – dialogue. I think HyVee Hall works against that aim. It is not a space that lends itself to conversation. So, I’ve secured a room on the lower level and will be converting it into a gallery with dialogue-provoking images…
Ode to the Book of Discipline…
Oh Book of Discipline, how do I love thee… Let me count the ways. I love that when I am confused about how to proceed regarding a new parsonage purchase, you contain orderly directions. I love that when I wrote my papers for ordination nearly every question could be found within your beautiful pages. I…
confrontation and follow through
I am notorious for finding myself in situations where my vehicle is hit by another vehicle. Four years ago, I was stopped at a light, and the car that came up behind me failed/forgot to stop. Bumper damage. A month or so ago, I was parked and dropping my car off at a hotel when a…
“Show Me” faith
A father was trying to teach his three sons to do their fair share of the house cleaning. The first place that he started was the bathroom. Dad crammed the three boys into the room and proceeded to clean the toilet in front of them. Alright, I’ve showed them, the father thought. Next time, they…
disappointing numbers
The numbers game is something that we play a lot in the church. We want to know how many baptisms and members and monies and ministries were at play in a given year. We want to see upward trending statistics. We believe success lies in digits… which supposedly translate into actual lives being transformed… although…
Wedding Season =)
I have to admit it… I love weddings. This is my fourth season in ministry and after today, I will have 14 weddings under my belt! As the pastor of a small town church, we don’t have a lot of couples in the church who are getting married, but I often am called for ceremonies at…