Back in the Pulpit Again

Well, I'm back in the pulpit again/oh, I'm back in the pulpit
again!

Until my arrival at Cupar Old Parish Church in November
I had not participated in leading congregational worship in
any way since August, 2003. Since coming here I've partici-
pated in Sunday services and preached four times. Because
the minister was on holiday just after Christmas, I planned
and led the entire January 4th service. It was also the first
time I preached back to back Sundays since 2003. I really
enjoyed preaching and leading the congregation in worship-
ping God.

In mid November-when I preached for the first time in five
years- I felt so out of shape. It took some time to craft the
message and my delivery was extremely rusty. Although
the feedback was charitable, I really lost my confidence. I
knew it was there, it just took a while to reappear. Last
Sunday was my fourth time preaching here and I sensed
that it was starting to come back to me. The last two times
I have started to feel my confidence and form returning. I
am scheduled to be preaching every two weeks, either at
the morning service or at the bi-weekly evening service.

I have missed being a pastor and preacher. Now I am soak-
ing it all up, as much as I can get. I had to put that on hold
for four years while I was at the University of St. Andrews.
Yet I firmly believe that God called me to be at the univer-
sity and to work on a thesis. And so, I am realizing that I
have an exciting time to do what I really feel called to do:
to be a pastor and to continue working on my thesis. For
me nothing could be better.

As always, I ask for your prayers on my behalf.

Blessings to you and yours,

2008-Surprised by God

It is the downward side of New Year's Day as I write this. It
has been a quiet day for me to reflect on the past year and
look forward to the New Year. The best way for me to de-
scribe 2008 is to share that I was totally surprised by God.

I ended 2007 and began 2008 with Steve and Ellen Wilcox
in my hometown of Longview, WA. They are great friends
who have blessed me in so many ways throughout my years
of ministry. It was good to be home as I prepared for the
next era of my life. I vowed to continure to yield my life to
God's direction as I soaked up being back in my hometown.

I submitted my thesis to the University of St. Andrews in
mid-January, but did not have my panel review until May.
Although I was disappointed that my thesis was not accepted
at that time, I have realized how much I welcome the extra
time to continue to work on it. After more than four years of
intensive labor on it, I'm still not tired of it. I've enjoyed be-
ing able to continue working on it. I just wish that my panel
had been earlier than May. I had considerable down time be-
tween my submission in January and my review in May.
That period was pretty unproductive. Oh well, it still
worked out well for me.

Then God surprised me with the opportunity to do volunteer
work at a Christian retreat centre on Holy Island/Lindisfarne.
I prepared rooms for guests, cleaned toilets, washed dishes,
led noon and evening prayer, and helped out in any way I
could. The main thing was that I was able to do low-key pas-
toral ministry. I was able to hear what the Spirit was doing
in the USA, Canada, Norway, Germany, New Zealand, Aus-
tralia, Ireland, and the United Kingdom, especially England.
I had initially offered to be there four to six weeks, but thank-
fully I was there sixteen weeks. It is one of the highlights of
a lifetime in ministry.

Then I was surprised by God again when I was invited to be
the residential chaplain at St. Deiniol's Library in Wales for
the month of October. That was completely unexpected. The
meal conversations, celebrating the eucharist on week day
mornings, and meeting people from all over the English-speak-
ing world was so enriching. I will never forget my time there.

Then I continue to be surprised by God as a result of his lead-
ing me here to the Old Parish Church in Cupar, Scotland. I have
been sent here for twelve months to become familiar with the
Church of Scotland. It is part of the process of transferring my
ordination from the Presbyterian Church (USA) to the Church
of Scotland. I've been here two months and I have felt wel-
comed by the town of 8500 as well as by the church. I'm meet-
ing lots of people, learning my way around the town, and feel-
ing at home in my accommodation. Ziggy the cat has made
sure that I have been instructed to cater to his every need.

I have truly been surprised by God, and truly blessed.

Blessings to you and yours,