connectional

I have a lot of gifts and pretty fair skill set.  I'm a steady alto if I take a few breaths in between.  I'm a writer, or like to call myself one because I do it faithfully even if it's nothing but a whinefest.  My friend Chuck once referred to me as a very "consistent" blogger.  I've been reading his during our respective Lenten journeys and I can so relate.  Caring for someone who is disabled and caught up in the giant medical industry is a lesson in what the hell do I do next?  The answer is rest so that you can be of more service.  I never did that when I was on the home stretch with my parents because I was still a full time employee of said medical revolving door.  That gave me an inside track that most folks don't have.

With the political climate in our world being what it is, I feel very vulnerable.  Our government is being run by rich people who don't know us from Adam except from some voter app.  I didn't choose that and a lot of others didn't either.  The decline in civility and world peace during the past two years is still not enough to wake up the eyes of the cult.  If they come to my house the dogs will bite their asses!

The Wesleyan tradition is that pastors come and pastors go, often on a circuit.  Appointments are made by the Bishop of the conference area with lay input.  It's like playing a game of chess or something where you have to consider what the needs of a particular congregation are and find the right person. I would never begin to remember the names of all of them over my 63 years there.  There are a couple I choose to forget.  When I was a high school student we got our first kinda' sorta' youth minister/associate.  His name is Larry Tubb and he had us teenagers from the get go.  He actually kept me in those pews until I graduated from high school.  We had a little coffee house in the old library.  Melted candles on bottles and the whole deal.

I was a delegate to annual conference ONE time and one time only.  Some of you may remember the story of Gary Shorb coming at the end of opening service to pitch his hospital system to the delegates.  I was not amused because I worked there and had to report the next morning.  It was late and I was in Jackson. 

Donna Locke drove me there that night.  She's got the sweetest soul and the look on her face as I sat next to her on All Saint's day has given me faith through the years.  Her husband Mark is the one who put together passion play that moved my faith from head to heart.  Willis G was a part of that era.  

There are certain ones who have held me up during the past five years.  Dell King is one.  Ed White is another.  I am pleased to now know Dakota Simpson and Will Clark and I look forward to the next one in line.

Peace and Grace ^j^