Covered Dish

Our Staff-Parish Relations Committee hosted a covered dish meal to welcome me and my family into the church this evening.

As advertised, the cooking and baking was excellent! The food, desserts, and drinks covered six (maybe seven) long tables. I ate my fill of casseroles, chicken, and vegetables. And, of course, I saved room for a couple chocolatey desserts.

Most importantly, the church family was wonderfully welcoming. Everyone did a great job of introducing themselves and how they are related. Our boys really enjoyed themselves, too! Connor and Tyler ate decently well, and then started playing with a two girls about Connor's age. By the end of the evening, Connor was in the hallway directing traffic as people were exiting. Connor would say things like, "You can't go in this door! There's a monster!"

Back in Yadkin County, Mary Allen and I loved watching the church folks look after our boys and care for them. We are fully confident that Connor and Tyler both will be well-loved and nurtured in Morganton, too!

It's all FREE!

Over the past two days, our family has been all over Morganton. Getting settled in the community takes some intentionality. It's good for us to go out, explore the roads, track down places, and discover what's great about our new town. Thankfully, we had two fun opportunities for the whole family... and it's all FREE!

1. Last night we ventured to downtown Morganton for a free concert. This is reminiscent of "Concerts on the Green in Davidson," only not as family-oriented. Nonetheless, Connor and Tyler had a blast, mostly because we went with another family from Salem UMC. Morganton hosts this series of concerts on the town square, right in the middle of downtown where the old county courthouse now hosts a museum of local heritage. Hearing some live music was fun. And so was eating a homemade apple pie from a local apple orchard! But even more exciting: seeing so many people of different ages, shapes, and colors hanging around downtown Morganton. The place was hopping!
2. This morning we went to Lowe's (the home improvement store, not the grocery store) for their "Build and Grow" program. We've always wanted to take Connor to this, but were concerned he was too young. This morning Connor was able to hammer most of the nails on his treasure chest! Tyler was mostly interested in sipping water and eating goldfish crackers, but he hammered a few nails, too. Hopefully we can make more visits to Lowe's on Saturday mornings for more projects in the future. What a blessing: the man in charge of "Build and Grow" is none other than Cary, our faithful and hard-working Salem UMC member who has been fixing our parsonage.

Take a Hike

On my first Sunday at Salem UMC, I shared my two main goals for these first few months:

1. To learn who the people are
2. To love the people for who they are

Today I went hiking in the Linville Gorge with Jim, one of our faithful leaders. Jim is an official volunteer with the Forest Service, and he regularly goes on hikes to clear and maintain trails. Under his close watch, I helped him clear part of the Bynum Bluff trail. We walked down the steep mountain, took in the beautiful scenery near the river, and then walked back up the trail with loppers in hand cutting away at the branches encroaching on the trail.

All together, we spent about six hours together. It was great fun! Not only did we enjoy God's creation, we also got to know each other better. We talked about all sorts of things (family history, theology, church life, technology, sports, the Bible... you know, all the important stuff). I look forward to learning more about Jim -- and everyone else at Salem UMC!

I may not be able to know everyone at Salem UMC via hiking trips, but today was terrific... and I count it a special blessing!

My First Sunday at Salem UMC

From my modest vantage point, today went quite well.

I arrived at the church early to get my bearings and calm my spirit before the day began. Around 8:30 am, I met with Kim, our talented and dynamic Youth Minister. Kim walked me through the choreography (don't like that word, but it works) of the worship services. And then, at 9:00 am, we began the first service! We adapted the Celebration of Receiving a New Pastor from the Book of Worship. The liturgy was meaningful to me, and I hope it was for the people as well. After the service, the people were awfully kind and generous with their words. I was truly welcomed!

During the Sunday School hour, I toured around and visited the various classes. Then I watched as Connor and Tyler each went to their Sunday School class. At first, they both were hesitant to stay; that's to be expected. But eventually, both boys calmed down and apparently did well. Then, Mary Allen brought the boys into the Sanctuary for the 11:00 am worship service. She was accompanied by her sister (about to begin her first appointment at a terrific church in Chapel Hill, NC) and both parents. Again, the service went well, and the people were very responsive to me.

My sermon was based on Joshua 3:7-17. This may not be the most well-known Scripture passage, but I find it meaningful for this pastoral transition. Reflecting on the Joshua text (namely the detail about "dry ground"), I shared the story about my dress shoes & socks getting soaking wet while I was recently officiating a graveside funeral. I used duct tape to patch up the hole in the bottom of the soles. After the worship service, a kind gentleman gave me an envelope. He wrote on it, "new shoes." Inside the envelope was some cash!

During the sermon, I said:

"Many of you have lovingly said that I have some big shoes to fill. I don't believe that God is calling me simply to fill Preacher Don's shoes. In fact, I believe that when Don retired, he took his shoes with him. I also believe that God gave me my own shoes."

I'm so thankful for the warm welcome we have received so far, and for Salem UMC already helping me fit into my shoes.

Arrival in Morganton

It's official: we're here!

The official moving day was this past Tuesday, June 30th. But we arrived a few days early to get the boys' rooms settled. The Parsonage Committee Chair, the Trustees Chair, and several other people have worked hard to get the parsonage ready and comfortable for us. And we are thankful for all the work they have already done and will continue to do.

Mary Allen's father, a recently retired United Methodist minister, has been with us for a full week. He's helped pack, unpack, and get settled. Since he has some newfound time on his hands, it looks like he will be able to stay through the beginning of next week, too. We always enjoy our time with him...

Over the past few days, I have truly enjoyed meeting some of the people from Salem UMC. From the Deeper Water Bible Study to the Choir rehearsal, from the UMW picnic to the youth returning from a mission trip, everyone has been joyful and spirited. In just a few days, on our first Sunday together, their reality of a new pastor will really begin to take hold.

Last Sunday

Today was my last Sunday at the Prospect-Mount Pleasant Charge. Over all, this was an excellent day: saying "farewell," genuine emotions, and a few surprises!

Since my family and I are technically in between parsonages, we are spending a few nights with my mother-in-law in Statesville. So my morning began with an hour-long drive to Boonville. After greeting several church members, I consulted with "Jared the Intern" regarding how the morning would flow. The worship service at Mount Pleasant was spirited, for sure. A talented woman played the piano and sang "His Eye Is on The Sparrow," and it was lovely. And the choir invited the entire congregation to sing, "God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again." When the worship service was over, the time had come for hugs, tears, and well-wishes. It was a tender moment...

And then, for the last time, I grabbed my saddlebag and hopped on my horse.

We arrived at Prospect with just enough time to spare. Again, the worship service was spirited. Mary Allen sang "Great is Thy Faithfulness" (one of our all-time favorite hymns) with two other women; they sounded wonderful! Then came the first of two surprises... A young couple in the church is experiencing some frustrating times, and another member suggested that we pray for them at the chancel. So, we did! I invited the congregation to come forward and lay hands on the couple. Everyone was focused on this sensational couple, asking God for guidance, provision, and mercy. Indeed this was a meaningful time of worship.

After the worship service, the time had come once again for hugs, tears, and well-wishes. Another tender moment... But then came the second surprise of the morning: a wedding!

That's right: my last pastoral experience in East Bend was officiating an impromptu wedding. The starry-eyed couple is Jim and Nancy, two people who have fallen in love after losing their first spouses. Jim and Nancy originally planned to get married in August. But it seems they couldn't wait any longer! I was delighted to be there with them.

This morning we were sure to use the "Farewell To the Pastor" liturgy from the United Methodist Book of Worship. I found the words striking; the emphasis is based on confession and forgiveness. This seems fitting. And so, following the liturgy, we closed both worship services with the great hymn, "Grace Greater Than Our Sin."

In closing, I will likely spend the rest of my time in ministry reflecting on this year in Yadkin County. What have I learned? Was I faithful and fruitful? How will this experience shape my future ministry? I'm curious to find out...

NOTE:
This blog will undergo a transformation later this week. Stay tuned to this web address for new posts from my new appointment at Salem UMC in Morganton, NC. "Around the Bend" is now complete. "PostMark: Morganton" will soon begin.

Moving Day

Tomorrow, June 26th, we will move out of the East Bend parsonage and into the Morganton parsonage.


Packing up a house takes loads of work over several weeks. Much emotional energy is needed, too. Every time we pack up something belonging to our boys, we cannot help but think of when it was created, who gave it, and so forth.


We've had wonderful help packing along the way. Our parents have kept the boys while we packed. Mary Allen's father, a newly retired United Methodist pastor, made a special trip from Mississippi to help us do the final packing, eventual unloading, and re-construction of the swing set. Mary Allen's sister, "Jared the Intern" and Kate also helped along the way.


I am truly amazed that our time has come to move away. All of this will soon come to an end: the smiling faces of these church folks, our view of Pilot Mountain, the endless drives through winding country roads, and the smell of roadkill skunk. I suspect that Mary Allen and I will continue to process our Yadkin County experience over the next several weeks, months, and even years. Trying to process our time here -- while remaining true to each other and attentive to our sons -- is almost as exhausting as packing up a house!


Nonetheless, we are ready to go. Our toes are curled over the top, and we are ready to dive into the next chapter of our adventure.


Morganton: here we come! But finally, our last Sunday at both Mount Pleasant and Prospect comes in just a couple days...