SETTLING IN

Settling in is how I would describe life lately.

Riverton became home 25 days ago. Since then I was officially installed and now I’m about the business of getting to know how things function around town and church. I’ve been to some meetings, prayer group, adult studies, mid-week Lenten services, Sunday services, visited in the hospital, attended Rotary for the first time anf joined a community choir. In May we will be performing John Rutter’s “Requiem”. It is beautiful but hard.

Next Sunday is Palm/ Passion Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week.

While all this is unfolding Cindy is up to her eyeballs handling things in Las Cruces. She is training people to take over her position at our last church. She was the bookkeeper/ assistant treasurer. She is also closing out her position at the University. While doing that she is handling all the details that have to do with selling our home, finding a new insurance company, doing our Federal and State taxes on and on.

The new house passed inspection and was reappraised so now we have to wait.

At the end of April and first week of May all this comes to an end. We close on both houses, Cindy moves up here and we begin the process of getting to know each other and live together again. That should be interesting.

EXHAUSTION

What a weekend it has been.

It unfolded like this:

-Cindy flew up from Las Cruces arriving Thursday evening

-Laura / Lily & Ben in one car and BJ in another drove in from separate directions arriving Friday afternoon.

-Then began Elmo on Sesame Street, naps, bottles, sippy cups, cheerios, dancing, a 2 yr. old’s sticky fingers and strong personality, a 8 month old's issues and smiles from both of them, baby talking and catching up, eating in & out, looking at houses and so on. There are few thiongs better than being smiled at by a 2 year old who can now say "grandpa". We really love our family and was happy

-We heard about a second look at our home in Las Cruces. It soon followed by an offer, counter offer and acceptance. Wow! We were not expecting that. It had been on the market about 6 weeks. We close at the end of April.

-Our house looking took on some urgency now so Laura, Cindy & I started. We worked with a local realtor (Judy B) who has been just terrific. We looked at homes that Cindy had seen on-line. Meanwhile a new home came on the market and that is when things really got busy.

-The reason everyone was here was I was being installed as the new pastor of St. John Lutheran Church.  The Bishop (big mucky muck) flew in from Denver and officiated at a special worship service installing me on Sunday afternoon. He gave me his official okey dokey and I was in. It was followed by a nice reception in the fellowship hall of the church. The whole event was very special.

-Meanwhile all this house stuff was unfolding.

-On Monday BJ left to go work his territory in northwest Colorado. Laura & the kids met us at Subway for lunch and then they were off.

-Cindy & I met with a banker to get pre-approved for a mortgage and with someone else there to open a checking and savings account. Then it was on the the realtor to draw up an offer for a great looking house. From there it was on to a few local home owner insurance companies to get quotes.

-Exhaustion settled in very quickly.

Cindy leaves to fly back and I’ll be on my own for 6 weeks.

MARCH 4 - 1ST SUNDAY

Several years ago, someone made a church banner that displayed this caption:  "The sign of God is that we are led where we did not intend to go."  I've been thinking about those words a lot lately.

God has led me to Riverton, WY and St. John LC. Today begins our honeymoon period together. As we begin our time together we will be evaluating each other. The church newsletter contains a bit of my history so the people at St. John know more about me than I about them but that will change. As we visit with one another, interact at with one another, and so on more and more information will be exchanged and impressions will be made.

All of this leads us to where we begin to trust one another. And so the intricate dance begins.

This morning I arrived at 8:30am with the realization that I wasn't totally sure how worship was experienced in this place - especially worship with music provided by a Praise Team.

Well after leading worship for 30+ years it shouldn't be too different. It wasn't. The Praise Team did a great job. The music was lively and spiritual. The Team also gave more traditional hymns a more lively feel. It was great.

I really had nothing to be nervous about. Everyone was supportive and I'm sure forgiving.

Then it was time to eat. We ARE LUTHERANS you see. Any excuse to eat we take. The food was delicious especially the raspberry cheesecake. YUM!

As the children were coming forward I had to share something Krissy L the mother of Matthew said in worship at my last church. Krissy is mom to 4 year old Matthew. I had been Matthew's pastor all his life. So when he was at worship and saw one of my replacements he said in his usual candid way in a voice many could hear - "Who is that guy? Where is pastor?" I laughed outload when I heard that.

I'm sure in time I will get to know the people of St. John but right now I miss the familiar.

At the end of the day I made a hospital visit.

It was a good start.

DAY 1 & 2

Well I am here.
It is 28 degrees and sunny. It is a nice day really.

I drove up here from Denver on Wednesday. When I got to the border of Wyoming there was a strong wind advisory for the interstate. In fact high profile light vehicles were prohibited from continuing. WOW! My friends have all kidded me about how a chain hanging from a stick was a Wyoming wind guage but this was my first experience with it. There were a few times that my bug and I were pushed around by gusts. Anyway the drive between Casper and Riverton was really the most "dangerous". There wind was blowing snow unto the highway which meant there were patches of slippery slush which kept the windshield wipers busy when approuching cars and trucks zoomed by. I got into town about 3pm.

I met up with Larry B (Call Committee Chair) with his chocolate lab named Hershey and Karyn I (Congregational President) at my rental. They helped my unload my very full car both at home and at church.

The church is very nice. This is the sanctuary before Christmas.

I can't tell you much right now about the history of St. John LC but I'll find out and let you know.

After all that I went shopping at Walmart for groceries, etc., went back home, unpacked and started the long process of figuring out what is what.

Day 2
I know this is exciting stuff.
My first day at the office consisted of unpacking and talking some things over with Karyn and one of my secretarys. My 2 secretarys work part time on alternate days. I am by myself in the office in the mornings.

Thursday evening I went out to dinner with Jim & Melissa C. We had a nice dinner out and a nice visit. It will be fun getting to know folks here. After dinner we came back to church for a rehearsal of the Praise Band. That was fun. The band consists of a drummer, 2 guitarists, keyboard and 6 singers or so. I joined in for some of it. The songs are contemporary Christian songs I have never heard of.

By the end of Day 2 I was tired.