As I write this, I am sitting in gate D5 of the Portland Airport, waiting for my flight to Salt Lake City. From there, I'll catch a flight to Oklahoma City and I'll be home.
The presbytery meeting went great. I passed my interview on the floor of presbytery with just a little stress, and the call from the congregation of Grace OPC in Wasilla was approved. I called Robyn to let her know she can keep packing boxes - we officially have the "green light" now!
I was even honored with an award while I was there! The hotel had put up a sign saying, "The Ramada Inn Welcomes the Presbyterian of the Northwest." Since it should have read "the Presbytery of the Northwest" instead of the "Presbyterian of the Northwest", one of the ministers joked that at the end of the meeting one elder would be designated with the honor, "The Presbyterian of the Northwest." That became something of a running joke during the proceedings.
Close to the end of the meeting, I was put on a committee. Since it is unusual for this to happen, that same minister declared I must be the winner of "the Presbyterian of the Northwest" award! He then gave me the sign on the hotel wall that started the whole joke. So, I've got something else to hang up in my study in Alaska!
The committee I was placed on is a committee to study the possibility of dividing the presbytery to foster closer working relations between the elders of the different regions. Every state of the presbytery had a member represented on the committee except Alaska. Since I am the only minister from Alaska in the presbytery, it was moved that I, too, should be on the committee. After this was approved, I told the elders there that I will let my presbytery back home know that although I've only been to one Northwest Presbytery meeting so far, I am already at work creating division there!
It was a blessing to see old friends and acquaintances, and meet some new people. But, I'm glad to be getting back home! I miss my wife and kids.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Trip to Portland
Tomorrow morning I am catching an early-morning flight to Portland, Oregon. I am going there to attend the meeting of the Presbytery of the Northwest of the OPC (my denomination, the Orthodox Presbyterian Church). According to our church's rules, I cannot begin serving as the pastor of Grace OPC in Wasilla until the presbytery has both approved the terms of the call and has examined me on the floor of presbytery.
Since I am already ordained as minister, the exam will not (I hope!) be as intense as the theological exams for those seeking ordination. I survived that ordeal 3 1/2 years ago, and I am glad that is over. But, the presbytery will want to know where I stand on certain issues, and if I still "sincerely receive and adopt" the Westminster Standards, which are the theological standards of our church (and I do).
The presbytery will also want to know about my calling and preparation for ministry, and perhaps something about my service here in Norman.
I am a little nervous about the whole process, but am fairly confident it will go well. I also have to preach before presbytery, which is always a bit nerve-wracking. But, by God's grace, that will go well, too.
God has opened this door for me to serve in Wasilla, and I know he will grant success in all of the necessary steps I must take before actually moving my family there, if it is his will. So, I am not overly anxious. I read this the other day from Isaiah - "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you" (Is. 26:3). My prayer is that my mind will be stayed on him in the days ahead. Also, I pray that I will preach from my heart, and answer all the questions I am asked to the best of my ability and with utmost honesty.
Since I am already ordained as minister, the exam will not (I hope!) be as intense as the theological exams for those seeking ordination. I survived that ordeal 3 1/2 years ago, and I am glad that is over. But, the presbytery will want to know where I stand on certain issues, and if I still "sincerely receive and adopt" the Westminster Standards, which are the theological standards of our church (and I do).
The presbytery will also want to know about my calling and preparation for ministry, and perhaps something about my service here in Norman.
I am a little nervous about the whole process, but am fairly confident it will go well. I also have to preach before presbytery, which is always a bit nerve-wracking. But, by God's grace, that will go well, too.
God has opened this door for me to serve in Wasilla, and I know he will grant success in all of the necessary steps I must take before actually moving my family there, if it is his will. So, I am not overly anxious. I read this the other day from Isaiah - "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you" (Is. 26:3). My prayer is that my mind will be stayed on him in the days ahead. Also, I pray that I will preach from my heart, and answer all the questions I am asked to the best of my ability and with utmost honesty.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Getting older
Certain milestones in our lives rudely remind us that, despite what we like to think, we are, in fact, getting old. The "...0th" birthdays certainly do that: 20th, 30th, 40th, 50th, etc. So do high-school reunion announcements.
This June will be my 20th - 20th!!- high school reunion. I graduated from high school in 1987 and - math doesn't lie - this being 2007, it has been 20 years since I was a high school senior. Two decades! A full 25 percent of the alloted 80-year life span for man (see Psalm 90:10)! Enough time for a child to be born, graduate from high school, and be almost finished with college!
A lot has changed since 1987. Back then, there was no internet, no cell phones, no laptops, no I-pods, no e-mail, etc. Gas was under a dollar per gallon. And "regular" meant "leaded", which was what I bought for my vehicle, a blue 1974 Ford F-150.
But much was the same. Drugs were a huge problem, like now. Kids were mostly interested in the opposite sex, which I suspect is the same today. Families then, like today, were often in shambles. Unless my memory really goes south someday, I don't think I'll be prone to sugar-coat my high-school days as the golden era of morality and virtue. It certainly wasn't.
In 20 years, God has been very good to me. Far better than anything I deserve. He's given me a beautiful wife, four healthy children, and has never let me go hungry or unsheltered even once. Since high school, by the grace of God, I went from something resembling an atheist to an agnostic to a believer in Jesus Christ. And, as shocking to myself at times as it was to my high-school friends with whom I have recently been in contact, I am a minister of the gospel.
At the same time, I have not been spared disappointment and difficulty. My sister Meredith's death in 1996 has been the saddest experience for me in the last 20 years.
Time goes by so quickly. I thought of this verse from the hymn, "Our God, Our Help in Ages Past":
If time is a stream, then a lot of water passes by in 20 years. How can I be faithful with whatever precious days or months or years God may be pleased to give me from now?
This June will be my 20th - 20th!!- high school reunion. I graduated from high school in 1987 and - math doesn't lie - this being 2007, it has been 20 years since I was a high school senior. Two decades! A full 25 percent of the alloted 80-year life span for man (see Psalm 90:10)! Enough time for a child to be born, graduate from high school, and be almost finished with college!
A lot has changed since 1987. Back then, there was no internet, no cell phones, no laptops, no I-pods, no e-mail, etc. Gas was under a dollar per gallon. And "regular" meant "leaded", which was what I bought for my vehicle, a blue 1974 Ford F-150.
But much was the same. Drugs were a huge problem, like now. Kids were mostly interested in the opposite sex, which I suspect is the same today. Families then, like today, were often in shambles. Unless my memory really goes south someday, I don't think I'll be prone to sugar-coat my high-school days as the golden era of morality and virtue. It certainly wasn't.
In 20 years, God has been very good to me. Far better than anything I deserve. He's given me a beautiful wife, four healthy children, and has never let me go hungry or unsheltered even once. Since high school, by the grace of God, I went from something resembling an atheist to an agnostic to a believer in Jesus Christ. And, as shocking to myself at times as it was to my high-school friends with whom I have recently been in contact, I am a minister of the gospel.
At the same time, I have not been spared disappointment and difficulty. My sister Meredith's death in 1996 has been the saddest experience for me in the last 20 years.
Time goes by so quickly. I thought of this verse from the hymn, "Our God, Our Help in Ages Past":
Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
bears all its sons away;
they fly forgotten, as a dream
dies at the op'ning day.
bears all its sons away;
they fly forgotten, as a dream
dies at the op'ning day.
If time is a stream, then a lot of water passes by in 20 years. How can I be faithful with whatever precious days or months or years God may be pleased to give me from now?
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Alaska-bound
If you are reading this, you probably already know that we are bound for Alaska. I accepted a call to serve at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Wasilla, Alaska, and Lord willing, we will be arrive there by early June.
We are very excited about this opportunity of service God has provided for us, and we can't wait to get up there. The moving truck will be here on May 15th. We've already boxed up many of our worldly possessions, doing a little packing here and there.
Our plan is to drive to Alaska via Chicago and Montana so that we can visit our families on the way up. We're figuring the trip will be about 5,000 miles long. We actually drove that far a couple of years ago when we drove to Seattle and back, so we are not daunted.
I am hoping to use this blog as a means of regular family and church updates, including our trip up to Alaska. Now that we have a digital camera, I can also include pictures from time to time.
Stayed tuned for more on our big move....
We are very excited about this opportunity of service God has provided for us, and we can't wait to get up there. The moving truck will be here on May 15th. We've already boxed up many of our worldly possessions, doing a little packing here and there.
Our plan is to drive to Alaska via Chicago and Montana so that we can visit our families on the way up. We're figuring the trip will be about 5,000 miles long. We actually drove that far a couple of years ago when we drove to Seattle and back, so we are not daunted.
I am hoping to use this blog as a means of regular family and church updates, including our trip up to Alaska. Now that we have a digital camera, I can also include pictures from time to time.
Stayed tuned for more on our big move....
Monday, April 16, 2007
No more
Every so often sheer evil erupts so shockingly we are forced to look at it square in the face, as harrowing as that is. That happened today when a gunman at Virginia Tech shot dead 32 people and injured who knows how many others. I've read it was the single most deadly shooting spree in American history. I can't think of another word to describe it besides "evil".
How does a Christian respond to such evil? Now is not the time to score theological points, i.e., here is proof positive that humans are sinners in need of a Savior. It is a true enough teaching, but this is not the time to declare it.
Rather, Christians must simply weep and grieve with the students and families who are suffering now. Jesus didn't speak of the sin that is the ultimate cause of human death when he went to the grave of Lazarus. Rather, he wept (John 11:35). I trust that the Christian communities connected with the school are doing just that, and will be doing much more of that in the days and weeks ahead.
At the same time, our response must be one of faith. There is no pat answer to the question, "Why would God allow this to happen?" In fact, we don't have the answer to that question. But we do know that God is sovereign, and that he is good, and that somehow he will bring good from this wicked crime. God cannot be the "God of all comfort" (2 Cor. 1:3) if he is anything less than all-powerful and all-good, at the same time. We must believe this.
And we know that Christ came into the world to conquer evil. He did this by suffering evil himself, even to the point of death on the cross. By his death, he defeated death forever. And our hope, our hope that is as certain as the empty grave, is that Christ will bring us into a new world in which there is no longer any evil. "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away" (Rev. 21:4). Then, there will be no more Columbines, no more Virginia Techs, no more suicide bombings, no more death. "Amen, Come, Lord Jesus!" (Rev. 21:21).
How does a Christian respond to such evil? Now is not the time to score theological points, i.e., here is proof positive that humans are sinners in need of a Savior. It is a true enough teaching, but this is not the time to declare it.
Rather, Christians must simply weep and grieve with the students and families who are suffering now. Jesus didn't speak of the sin that is the ultimate cause of human death when he went to the grave of Lazarus. Rather, he wept (John 11:35). I trust that the Christian communities connected with the school are doing just that, and will be doing much more of that in the days and weeks ahead.
At the same time, our response must be one of faith. There is no pat answer to the question, "Why would God allow this to happen?" In fact, we don't have the answer to that question. But we do know that God is sovereign, and that he is good, and that somehow he will bring good from this wicked crime. God cannot be the "God of all comfort" (2 Cor. 1:3) if he is anything less than all-powerful and all-good, at the same time. We must believe this.
And we know that Christ came into the world to conquer evil. He did this by suffering evil himself, even to the point of death on the cross. By his death, he defeated death forever. And our hope, our hope that is as certain as the empty grave, is that Christ will bring us into a new world in which there is no longer any evil. "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away" (Rev. 21:4). Then, there will be no more Columbines, no more Virginia Techs, no more suicide bombings, no more death. "Amen, Come, Lord Jesus!" (Rev. 21:21).
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Momentous day at church
Today was a memorable day at church for two reasons, one good, the other not so good.
What was good about the day was our new little girl, Moriah Brook, received Christian baptism. This is the first of our four children that I baptized myself, and it was a great privilege to do so. To look down at the face of my own daughter, and proclaim the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit over her, was something very few fathers are able to do, so it was a great blessing. Moriah was wearing a long white dress that Robyn's grandmother wore at her baptism. When the water in my cupped hand poured over her head and face, she didn't even wake up and cry!
What made the day not-so-good, but infinitely more interesting for our other children, was that a large gray rat was discovered in the back part of the church. There was some dispute as to exactly what kind of rodent it was. Some said it was a gerbil. I suspect this may have been wishful thinking, an attempt to make the creature more loveable in our eyes. But after looking at it, I was persuaded that it was nothing more than a lousy rat. In any case, Jordan Doerfel was correct when she said it was a "rous" - "a rodent of unusual size."
My first instinct was to kill it with a broom. But Maggie, our four-year-old daughter, become nearly hysterical at the thought. So I had to go with plan "B" - sweeping it outside. I finally succeeded, and eventually corralled it into a garbage container lying on its side. When someone asked, "Now what do we do with it?", the smart-aleck in me was tempted to say, "Let's make it a member and we'll never see it again." But the joke may not have been so appreciated.
So with the vermin safely in the garbage can, we later drove to a nearby field and let it go free. Thanks to my bleating-heart daughter, the rat got an undeserved pardon.
When Meredith prayed at bedtime tonight, she said, "Heavenly Father, we thank you that Moriah got to be baptized. And, we thank you that we got to see a rat today." At least she remembered the more important event!
What was good about the day was our new little girl, Moriah Brook, received Christian baptism. This is the first of our four children that I baptized myself, and it was a great privilege to do so. To look down at the face of my own daughter, and proclaim the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit over her, was something very few fathers are able to do, so it was a great blessing. Moriah was wearing a long white dress that Robyn's grandmother wore at her baptism. When the water in my cupped hand poured over her head and face, she didn't even wake up and cry!
What made the day not-so-good, but infinitely more interesting for our other children, was that a large gray rat was discovered in the back part of the church. There was some dispute as to exactly what kind of rodent it was. Some said it was a gerbil. I suspect this may have been wishful thinking, an attempt to make the creature more loveable in our eyes. But after looking at it, I was persuaded that it was nothing more than a lousy rat. In any case, Jordan Doerfel was correct when she said it was a "rous" - "a rodent of unusual size."
My first instinct was to kill it with a broom. But Maggie, our four-year-old daughter, become nearly hysterical at the thought. So I had to go with plan "B" - sweeping it outside. I finally succeeded, and eventually corralled it into a garbage container lying on its side. When someone asked, "Now what do we do with it?", the smart-aleck in me was tempted to say, "Let's make it a member and we'll never see it again." But the joke may not have been so appreciated.
So with the vermin safely in the garbage can, we later drove to a nearby field and let it go free. Thanks to my bleating-heart daughter, the rat got an undeserved pardon.
When Meredith prayed at bedtime tonight, she said, "Heavenly Father, we thank you that Moriah got to be baptized. And, we thank you that we got to see a rat today." At least she remembered the more important event!
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