For the last two weeks, snow has been falling off and on in Nome and we have a nice 4-5 inch layer of snow on the ground. David got the 26 year-old snow-blower fixed up and running just in time for the increasing snow. I am always amazed at what David does in ministry with his engineering mind & background. Nome is so beautiful, but slippery. I am working on picking out some snowshoes to order so that I can get out in the deep snow and really get some good outdoor exercise with the dogs.
In the meantime, I am working on a lifelong journey of trying to get in good physical shape. I have been going to the Nome Rec Center with David (when I can motivate him to get out of bed before 6:00 am) and Fawn (my favorite neighbor). They are good accountability partners - we are all in the Step by Step Program together - being intentional about exercise, working toward good health by trying to get in at least 10,000 steps each day. I have also been going to the local pool in an attempt to get in shape. I like to go to water aerobics on Saturdays - perhaps in the new year I will go on Mondays & Wednesdays as well. Being in relatively good shape helps when one all of a sudden finds themselves slipping on the ice. This happened to me last week, in fact. Luckily, every time I find myself falling, I have slipped in the most graceful ways. Amazing!
Our dogs seem to be enjoying the snow and stay out longer than I would expect. Gracie wears her coat because her hair is really too short to adequately keep her warm. Sere loves rolling around in the snow. The kids in the neighborhood continue to want to play with Sere & Gracie in the yard when they can. Sere & Gracie have been good evangelists - attracting kids to church. There is something to be said for using all of the resources you have for ministry. Sere & Gracie have been blessings to us in so many ways. They brought David & I together and now they are attracting kids to church. The Spirit moves and it's amazing to see this wonder!
Monday, November 3, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
The Spirit is Moving
Again, it has been a long time since my last post. I have been enjoying my time as Co-Pastor of Nome Community United Methodist Church with my husband, David. We continue to work out how best we can be a clergy team serving in the same church and at the same United Methodist related agency. We do enjoy working together and combining our gifts and talents.
We feel that the Holy Spirit is definitely moving in Nome. Over that last three weeks, God has lead 25-30 different kids in Kindergarten through Sixth Grade to Nome CUMC for Tuesday School. God has also led several adults in the church to be involved as teachers, song leaders, planners, cooks, craft leaders, etc. It has been an amazing experience thus far. We are singing Jesus Loves Me in English & Inupiaq. Our dogs, Sere & Gracie, are great ministers as well. They attract the curious kids from the church's playground and allow the kids to pet them, give them treats, and brush them. The girls really like the attention and are such great sports.
Prayers for the ministry here are much appreciated. Let me know if you would like to receive our quarterly newsletter by posting a comment.
We feel that the Holy Spirit is definitely moving in Nome. Over that last three weeks, God has lead 25-30 different kids in Kindergarten through Sixth Grade to Nome CUMC for Tuesday School. God has also led several adults in the church to be involved as teachers, song leaders, planners, cooks, craft leaders, etc. It has been an amazing experience thus far. We are singing Jesus Loves Me in English & Inupiaq. Our dogs, Sere & Gracie, are great ministers as well. They attract the curious kids from the church's playground and allow the kids to pet them, give them treats, and brush them. The girls really like the attention and are such great sports.
Prayers for the ministry here are much appreciated. Let me know if you would like to receive our quarterly newsletter by posting a comment.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
The Nome Journey has Begun
I have recently realized that it has been a couple months since I wrote on my blog meaning that I have not written since I arrived in Nome to be Co-Pastor with my husband.
Today is a beautiful day in Nome, much like the day that David & I arrived in Nome. On Thursday, July 3, David & I landed in Nome and as we landed, the pilot told us that it was sunny and 80 degrees in Nome. I thought he was joking since I never experienced that type of warmth when I lived in Nome before. How wonderful it was to know that it was really this warm! I felt as if we were truly being welcomed! After that warm spell, we quickly dropped to 40 & 50 degree ranges and actually had to turn on the heat in the parsonage! Now 7 weeks later, we are enjoying some great weather again!
This journey to Nome to serve as Co-Pastor with David for the next four years has been a wonderful experience as well as an adjustment. On our first trip to the grocery store, we experienced "sticker shock" when we saw the prices of milk and other foods. Wow! Things were pricier now then when I lived here before, but not this much! $6 for a half gallon of milk?? Needless to say, we got ONLY what we needed and found our moods drop slightly. This meant no junk food! This is good for our budget and our waistlines! Now we are used to the prices, though one of our strategies is to buy items mostly when they are on sale. In addition, we ordered food in bulk from a barge company with some of our friends. We had to order a minimum of 25 cases which is why we went in together with another couple. This order should arrive sometime in September. Another thing we are doing is ordering organic vegetables from a company based in Washington State - several people in Nome do this and it is pretty reasonable. We pick up our order every other Wednesday so it is like Christmas when a new box arrives of 14 different fruits and vegetables. We are learning to prepare veggies such as kale and beets. Not only is this saving us a little money, but it is expanding our horizons as well.
On the ministry front, David & I are getting a sense of working together. For the first three Sunday we were here, we did what we call tag-team sermons. We divided up the thought blocks of our sermon and took turns speaking. It was kind of neat. Now we are dividing up the Sundays and at the moment preaching alternating weeks. We enjoy pastoring together, even amidst the growing edges. We have also visited people in our church together and visited the local nursing home today once last week and once this week already. David led worship at the nursing home today. We have met with the committee that is in charge of supervising us to begin working on a vision for the church. We have asked the committee to name some of their expectations of us and in turn have shared what we feel needs the most attention immediately. We would ask for your prayers as we seek to re-establish a children's ministry in this church. We have been getting to know the children who come to our playground. Our dogs have been great helpers in this endeavor. Part of the fencing around our yard where the dogs play shares a boundary with the church's playground. Many of the children are curious and want to play with our dogs. I have invited children to come into the fenced yard and sit on the front steps of the parsonage with me as they play with the dogs. Some of these children came to our recent Vacation Bible School led by our Volunteers in Mission Team from Pennsylvania. We want to build on these relationships and have a program for kids once a week in the evening. Again, please keep us in your prayers as the church begins this program.
One of my favorite things about living in Nome before was berry picking! It is now the time of year when the blueberries are ripe and more are getting ripe by the day! Woo-hoo! I can even see blueberries when I sleep. About a week ago, I went out with some awesome and totally amazing women from the church and found some cranberries! All week, I have been feeling like I am truly in the Kingdom of God! I love picking berries and being out in the fresh air. Something about it just energizes me! I have told a few people that I do indeed feel like I am in the already, but not yet Kingdom of God. I am "already" there in the sense that I am experiencing God's provision of some great berries to pick and put away for the rest of the year. Even though fuel and food prices are escalating, God is still providing for our needs through the plentiful berries on the tundra - free of charge - all we need to do is pick them and put them in our freezer! The "not yet" part is the fact that a bear could be lurking about since berries are part of their diet as well. Since I am afraid of the bears, I cannot experience the full Kingdom of God. Do we live in a perfect world??
God is also providing through David's fishing pink and silver salmon. We were not even in Nome 24 hours when David went fishing with someone from church. He caught 8 pink salmon and the other man caught 7. This generous man gave us all of his as well. David bought a fishing license and is now going out fishing every chance he gets. Thursdays evenings and Sunday evenings have been his typical fishing nights. The time he goes all depends on when high tide hits.
Throughout this part of the journey, I am learning that God certainly does provide. In fact, this is a message that I preached a couple weeks ago when I preached on the Matthew passage where Jesus asks Peter to walk on water. When we get distracted by our doubts, it is hard to keep our eyes on Jesus, on God. One of the things that worries and distracts many is the rising cost of heating fuel. God will provide for our heating bill in one way or another - maybe that means that each of us has to give a little more in the offering plate and maybe there will be some United Methodist Churches outside of Nome who will want to partner with us and provide some financial support as well. God will provide. In the meantime, we need to be faithful to what God is calling us to do with the resources we have - we have a building that is conducive to having children's programs and a beautiful worship space. We need to teach the children about Jesus and show them that because God loves and cares for them, we love and care for them as well.
Well, this is certainly enough for now. I hope to post more soon. Thank you for being on this journey with me.
Today is a beautiful day in Nome, much like the day that David & I arrived in Nome. On Thursday, July 3, David & I landed in Nome and as we landed, the pilot told us that it was sunny and 80 degrees in Nome. I thought he was joking since I never experienced that type of warmth when I lived in Nome before. How wonderful it was to know that it was really this warm! I felt as if we were truly being welcomed! After that warm spell, we quickly dropped to 40 & 50 degree ranges and actually had to turn on the heat in the parsonage! Now 7 weeks later, we are enjoying some great weather again!
This journey to Nome to serve as Co-Pastor with David for the next four years has been a wonderful experience as well as an adjustment. On our first trip to the grocery store, we experienced "sticker shock" when we saw the prices of milk and other foods. Wow! Things were pricier now then when I lived here before, but not this much! $6 for a half gallon of milk?? Needless to say, we got ONLY what we needed and found our moods drop slightly. This meant no junk food! This is good for our budget and our waistlines! Now we are used to the prices, though one of our strategies is to buy items mostly when they are on sale. In addition, we ordered food in bulk from a barge company with some of our friends. We had to order a minimum of 25 cases which is why we went in together with another couple. This order should arrive sometime in September. Another thing we are doing is ordering organic vegetables from a company based in Washington State - several people in Nome do this and it is pretty reasonable. We pick up our order every other Wednesday so it is like Christmas when a new box arrives of 14 different fruits and vegetables. We are learning to prepare veggies such as kale and beets. Not only is this saving us a little money, but it is expanding our horizons as well.
On the ministry front, David & I are getting a sense of working together. For the first three Sunday we were here, we did what we call tag-team sermons. We divided up the thought blocks of our sermon and took turns speaking. It was kind of neat. Now we are dividing up the Sundays and at the moment preaching alternating weeks. We enjoy pastoring together, even amidst the growing edges. We have also visited people in our church together and visited the local nursing home today once last week and once this week already. David led worship at the nursing home today. We have met with the committee that is in charge of supervising us to begin working on a vision for the church. We have asked the committee to name some of their expectations of us and in turn have shared what we feel needs the most attention immediately. We would ask for your prayers as we seek to re-establish a children's ministry in this church. We have been getting to know the children who come to our playground. Our dogs have been great helpers in this endeavor. Part of the fencing around our yard where the dogs play shares a boundary with the church's playground. Many of the children are curious and want to play with our dogs. I have invited children to come into the fenced yard and sit on the front steps of the parsonage with me as they play with the dogs. Some of these children came to our recent Vacation Bible School led by our Volunteers in Mission Team from Pennsylvania. We want to build on these relationships and have a program for kids once a week in the evening. Again, please keep us in your prayers as the church begins this program.
One of my favorite things about living in Nome before was berry picking! It is now the time of year when the blueberries are ripe and more are getting ripe by the day! Woo-hoo! I can even see blueberries when I sleep. About a week ago, I went out with some awesome and totally amazing women from the church and found some cranberries! All week, I have been feeling like I am truly in the Kingdom of God! I love picking berries and being out in the fresh air. Something about it just energizes me! I have told a few people that I do indeed feel like I am in the already, but not yet Kingdom of God. I am "already" there in the sense that I am experiencing God's provision of some great berries to pick and put away for the rest of the year. Even though fuel and food prices are escalating, God is still providing for our needs through the plentiful berries on the tundra - free of charge - all we need to do is pick them and put them in our freezer! The "not yet" part is the fact that a bear could be lurking about since berries are part of their diet as well. Since I am afraid of the bears, I cannot experience the full Kingdom of God. Do we live in a perfect world??
God is also providing through David's fishing pink and silver salmon. We were not even in Nome 24 hours when David went fishing with someone from church. He caught 8 pink salmon and the other man caught 7. This generous man gave us all of his as well. David bought a fishing license and is now going out fishing every chance he gets. Thursdays evenings and Sunday evenings have been his typical fishing nights. The time he goes all depends on when high tide hits.
Throughout this part of the journey, I am learning that God certainly does provide. In fact, this is a message that I preached a couple weeks ago when I preached on the Matthew passage where Jesus asks Peter to walk on water. When we get distracted by our doubts, it is hard to keep our eyes on Jesus, on God. One of the things that worries and distracts many is the rising cost of heating fuel. God will provide for our heating bill in one way or another - maybe that means that each of us has to give a little more in the offering plate and maybe there will be some United Methodist Churches outside of Nome who will want to partner with us and provide some financial support as well. God will provide. In the meantime, we need to be faithful to what God is calling us to do with the resources we have - we have a building that is conducive to having children's programs and a beautiful worship space. We need to teach the children about Jesus and show them that because God loves and cares for them, we love and care for them as well.
Well, this is certainly enough for now. I hope to post more soon. Thank you for being on this journey with me.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Beignets....Mmmm
David & I decided to make a trip to Louisiana before going north to Alaska. We have enjoyed visiting friends and meeting new friends along the way. What joy and blessing - following God's path for each of us has been an adventure and blessing and we are confident that the journey will be just that - an adventure and blessing.
Last night after visiting several people, David & I went to Morning Call to experience some delicious beignets with our cafe au lait. My cafe au lait was frozen while David's was nice and hot. The waiters and waitresses were amazing with their systematic approach to creating the perfect cafe au lait. They took two pitchers from the counter - one containing coffee and the other milk. When we received our beignets, I took one onto my plate and sprinkled a thin layer of powdered sugar over the top. David then took the shaker and showed me how beignets should really look - completely covered with a thick layer of powdered sugar. Mmm. I was on vacation so I decided I needed to live a little and experience the culture in its true form and have all the sugar expected of a beignet. Oh what a hubby I have - always looking out for me and making sure that I have a good time.
I have really enjoyed each of my visits to New Orleans area over the last couple years since I have been in relationship with David. What an adventure, what a joy! More adventure awaits in Louisiana in the years ahead.
Last night after visiting several people, David & I went to Morning Call to experience some delicious beignets with our cafe au lait. My cafe au lait was frozen while David's was nice and hot. The waiters and waitresses were amazing with their systematic approach to creating the perfect cafe au lait. They took two pitchers from the counter - one containing coffee and the other milk. When we received our beignets, I took one onto my plate and sprinkled a thin layer of powdered sugar over the top. David then took the shaker and showed me how beignets should really look - completely covered with a thick layer of powdered sugar. Mmm. I was on vacation so I decided I needed to live a little and experience the culture in its true form and have all the sugar expected of a beignet. Oh what a hubby I have - always looking out for me and making sure that I have a good time.
I have really enjoyed each of my visits to New Orleans area over the last couple years since I have been in relationship with David. What an adventure, what a joy! More adventure awaits in Louisiana in the years ahead.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
The Calm in the Middle of Busy-ness
Today is Sunday and I have turned in all of my assignments for the semester. Now I just have a couple of presentations this week and I am done! I am now at the end of my seminary career and am trying to tie up all of the loose ends. I am excited to see my family as they begin to arrive on Thursday for David's and my graduation. It will be a day of rejoicing that will go very fast, I am sure. Transitioning from one stage to another is easy sometimes, but other times, it is a little more difficult. Saint Paul has been a place of transition for me. It is here where I met and married my husband. It is here where I found my voice. It is here where I have developed many deep friendships that will last a lifetime. I am grateful to be part of such a connectional church as the United Methodist Church. There are always opportunities to see one another over the years - the International Clergywomen's Consultation, General Conference, Annual Conference, Ordination Activities, Intinating. These opportunities for me are glimpses of the full Kingdom of God. These are times of worship, reunion, prayer, laughter, and love. Oh the joy!
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Beautiful Sunday
What a beautiful day to admire God's creation in Rural Kansas! The grass is green, there are multiple leaves on the trees, the irises are gorgeous, the dogs are enjoying the sun warming their silky fur. Another slice of heaven right in our own backyard! And now it is night and time to get renewed through a good night's sleep for another great and busy week. What a Creator who thought of everything, even rest!
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Graduations Abound!
Early yesterday Morning, David & I traveled to Michigan to attend the graduation of my sister, Monique, from Michigan State University. She has now received her Master's Degree and is about to be off on several adventures of her own in the next several months. I have such pride in my "baby" sister who managed to graduate with her Master's Degree two weeks before David & I will graduate with ours. After the graduation we went out to dinner and then to bed only to get up early to head back to Kansas. Before we left we were able to help move some of the bigger items from Monique's apartment. Since April 22, I have had many early morning and late nights...I am exhausted, but must persevere to turn in my last assignments of my seminary career. I am looking forward to some Sabbath time with my hubby, dogs, and good friends the week after graduation. Graduations abound! Only 13 days until mine and David's!
Post-General Conference
Well, I did not have easy access to internet or time to blog as I had intended. Because I will be preparing a journal to turn in for a class, I will do some posting after the fact. I had a great time at General Conference catching up with friends and acquaintances and getting to know my classmates better. I saw many people who have been part of my journey as I have been in ministry through the United Methodist Church. I even met some new great people who are committed to the United Methodist Church and to justice for all of God's children. I bought a couple of clergy robes - one purple and one white. I also bought some books. I had a great roommate and some awesome suitemates at Texas Wesleyan University. We had some early mornings and some late nights. I enjoyed the city of Fort Worth and hope to return again someday, should I have an opportunity.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Heading to General Conference
It's the night before our journey to General Conference in Fort Worth, TX and I am curled up on my couch with my dog, Gracie, and my husband, David. Our other dog, Serendipity (aka Sere), is waiting for me to come to bed. We are enjoying some quality time together now that the bags are packed and all the copies of research are made.
I am looking forward to what I will encounter on my first journey to General Conference. I am looking forward to seeing parts United Methodist Polity in action that I have not yet experienced. I am looking forward to meeting up with some of my future Alaskan colleagues in ministry, as well as, meeting up with people I have met in various ways through the United Methodist Connection. This is going to be an awesome time of learning and I hope that you will journey with me as I look into some of the issues being addressed at this General Conference.
I am looking forward to what I will encounter on my first journey to General Conference. I am looking forward to seeing parts United Methodist Polity in action that I have not yet experienced. I am looking forward to meeting up with some of my future Alaskan colleagues in ministry, as well as, meeting up with people I have met in various ways through the United Methodist Connection. This is going to be an awesome time of learning and I hope that you will journey with me as I look into some of the issues being addressed at this General Conference.
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