Coming back from ole' Jordan

I made it upstate later than I had hoped, but not as late as expected. After a tasty dinner, Pastor Kate Day and I drove to pick up her son who is acting in a production of a children's play at the local college..... and they we went for ice cream....mmmmmmmm!

The next day dawned early (every day dawns too early for me, but Nature is a more powerful force than I will EVER be). We left with enough time to spare... and I had to borrow vestments, but it worked out fine in the end. The wonderful people of Christ Episcopal Church in Jordan welcomed me warmly.

During preaching I used - with additions and subtractions - the outline of "He Touched Me" posted last week. Having a background in prayer and massage it seemed the natural thing to do. For a small Church of this size, innviting the parishioners to be evangelists without speaking, of giving a gentle touch or meaningful hello to whomever they came in contact with that week made perfect sense to them. During the peace everyone made a point of shaking my hand and looking me in the eye with love. THANK GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ALIVE AND WELL AND INSPIRES US STILL!!!! That's just about what I was saying. God was in this place and it is holy ground indeed.

I am hoping that her Bishop assigns Pastor Kate a deacon in training to help the congregation do what they do best - evangelize and live out their faith.

The Q and A about deacons followed during the coffee hour and with Pastor Kate's help, I believe some misunderstandings were laid to rest. We were home by noon. My stomach had been a bit off for most of the morning, do I declined some noodles for lunch. After de-briefing, Peter and Kate were off to a recital and I settled down for a mid-day nap which, after a phone call or two, ended up to be a mid afternoon nap.

I left at about 8 and kept strickly to the speed limit... taking into consideration my prior infraction near Damascus and the number of dear which grazed precariously close to the 2 lane highway.

A look at my care in the daylight testified that it made the journey to Jordan and back. The front end is thick with the remains of the less than fortunate bugs that were on a collision course with the hood of my car.... and lost. Luckily, the local carwash has a Tuesday special..... so that's where we'll be headed, first thing.

I have brought home a program and fond memories of my maiden voyage.... and the wonderful news that I will be back there (tentatively) the first weekend in November for a retreat: Friday eve, all day Saturday and preaching on Sunday about prayer: its many forms and ways we can incorporate it in our daily lives.

Picking up Em tomorrow..... it gives her one more day at the 'spa' and one more evening that I can take up as much room on the bed as I want!