Under Orders: I'm Moving Out Again

Tomorrow I leave St. Deiniol's Library in Wales and a host
of new friends from England, Australia, and the USA. I grew
fond of the Library and its small staff. My daily routine of
celebrating the Eucharist, working more on my thesis, and
being involved in sparkling conversations over great food
have been a joy for me these past five weeks. I will greatly
miss all of this. I am a wee bit sad.

On November 1 I begin a twelve month familiarsation place-
ment at a Church of Scotland congregation in the small town
of Cupar, Scotland. Finally! I can settle down for a year. I'll
write more about it as I settle into pastoral ministry there.
I sense that I am in transition from an old era of the past
five months to a new era in my life and ministry. I am grate-
ful to the Father for God's guidance, provision, and protection.
I pray that for you as well.

Blessings, and all the best,

You ok, Luv?

Ever since I came south to England from Scotland I have
noticed that English people whom I knew would greet me
with a "You ok?" This question perplexed me because I
began to worry that I must look pretty bad to elicit such
a question. But I gradually understood that it is an English
way of greeting someone, much like our 'how ya doin'?' Now
I don't give it any thought when an Enlish person asks me if
I'm ok. I now interpret it as a nice greeting to which no reply
is expected or wanted by the person asking.


When I first arrived here at St. Deiniol's Library in Wales
I headed to the dining room for a snack. I spied a nice slice
of chocolate cake that I thought had my name on it, waiting
for me to choose it. An attractive middle-aged dining room
attendant asked me: "You ok, Luv?" She called me "Luv!"
She called me 'luv" at dinner, too! I noticed that I had a
spring in my step and a swagger in my walk for the next
few days. I thought that I was quite the man! A couple of
days later after she returned from being off a couple of days
I noticed that she addressed every man as "luv." I immedi-
ately crashed and burned.

But my downcast spirits were lifted when I found a good
supply of regular Dr Pepper and Dr Pepper No Sugar at a
small store near the library. Imagine that! Dr P in a small
village in Wales. Do wonders never cease? Since then I have
cleaned out the remaining supply of Dr P and Dr P No Sugar
that other customers had not bought. Imagine that! Welsh
people drinking Dr P! I don't know when they will get in more,
but I was so surprised to see Dr Pepper here in such a small
town in Wales.


Blessings and all the best to you and yours,

St. Deiniol's Library and the Joy It Gives Me

I've been here at St. Deiniol's Library in northern Wales
for eleven days now. I am the volunteer chaplain for the
month of October. My duties include celebrating the eu-
charist two or three times a week and being present as a
staff person three or four evenings a week. I am provi-
ded with a spacious room and two home-cooked meals a
day in return for my service here. I have really enjoyed
being here. I have especially enjoyed meeting people com-
ing from all over Britain and North America to do research,
write, or relax. It is a wonderful place to be. It took me
over a week, but I now feel quite at home here in this
great residential library.

There are three things here that have given me a lot of
joy: serving communion in the mornings, doing some
needed writing in a beautiful library setting, and en-
gaging in long chats with interesting people over home-
cooked meals. I truly have been blessed.

Blessings to you and yours,