Friday, July 25, 2014

Random Sabbatical update

Confession Time.  I didn't attend a worship service on Sunday.  Instead I was a regular dad taking their child to camp. On the way we stopped at Starbucks, of course, and met a few of the others heading to her camp.  It provided an opportunity to have a random conversation with a young adult who is struggling with the idea of church, worship and community.  God Bless those random opportunities.

I am still working on a "Made to Stick" book report.  Also, this week I finished "Great by Choice" and intend to create a book report on that as well.  Had a marvelous time in a cabin in the woods this past week.  Thank You to church members who provided that opportunity.  I joked on facebook that I was going back in time.  No cell service, no wifi, I didn't mention the no running water and the outhouse as well!

As the sabbatical already is coming to its closing weeks I am struck by what has or hasn't happened.  Visiting worship has been brilliant and at first I wasn't really sure where that would be on my priority list.  Turns out it has been (with the exception of this previous week) priority one.  Reading has gone fairly well.  Worship planning . . . not as well as I had hoped, yet I am at peace with that.  I am reminding myself of the importance and power to admit "I don't know" and to keep working for an answer.

I am looking foward to talking with the church about what it is for us to be "Wesleyan" after all we are called "Wesley United Methodist Church."  What is it about Wesley's teachings, discipleship and church practice that we want to emulate and grow with?  I have been reflecting on the basic movement of the first Methodists who were moved through small group study to care for the vulnerable and to share their understanding of grace for all.

Hopefully this week I will be able to drop in on a friend's church for worship on Sunday and then I'm off to a house on Puget Sound.  Hope Y'all are well!


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