Umm...So It's Been a While

Okay, okay, I know...It's been over a month and I haven't updated. I have learned one very important lesson in the last several weeks: that lesson is that I will be extremely busy for the rest of my adult life.

That being said, I will waste no more time telling you what's going on...

Bessemer: Things are going wonderfully there. Even though I don't officially start until Sunday, I am already busy at work. Besides preaching, we have at least four new adult members of the church coming in, and possibly more. We have two youngsters to baptize as well, which is really good. We will be doing all this with the Rev. Ray Brugler on Oct. 7, World Communion Sunday, and I am looking forward to it. I feel like I'm getting the hang of things, but sometimes it seems overwhelming to have to keep track of the spiritual lives of 40-50 people. I'm ready for the challenge though.

Preaching: I've been doing a summer series on Galatians. On June 10, I preached on Galatians 1, talking about the importance of the testimony of the Apostles who wrote Scripture and that is what makes it valid: that the Apostles are giving their eyewitness testimony to Christ. On June 17 and June 24, I discussed justification, which is when God declares us not guilty and therefore righteous because of the work of Christ on the cross and in His resurrection. As one dear member told me the other day, it is defined as: "just-if-i'd never sinned." Pretty cool. This week, I will be talking about passages from Galatians 4-5, where Paul talks about freedom in Christ - which since its the 4th of July, that fits nicely...

Italy: was spectacular. The food was the only slightly disappointing part, but over all, it was a wonderful experience. I wanted to come home because I was so tired in the end, but the memories are amazing. And Grandma, Pap and I had a fun time, although Gram and I wanted to lock Pap up somewhere on a few occasions...

The Homestead: or so we call it now, is coming along well. The inside is done with the exception of fixing a hole in the plaster in the kitchen, adding the brick paneling, and hooking up the washer, dishwasher and dryer. Otherwise, it's all set to go - I even painted the outside, and must say it is amazing what a coat of paint and a paint sprayer can do. And now I must go, because my new roommate and his girlfriend are coming to move him in upstairs. Yes, my buddy John Wells is moving in the upstairs of the "Bachelor Pad" (as it is also called). All I can say is that it's going to be a blast.

Well, I've got to run. God bless you all wherever you are today and whatever you are doing. And church at Bessemer for the summer: 9:30AM for worship, 10:45AM for Sunday School (which I am leading the class on the Basics of Christian Beliefs), so you can check that out too. Well, peace to you and see you later.