A Great Day I Will Always Remember

June 3rd 2014, was one of the most inspiring days of my life. Oddly enough it started around 1:30 in the morning.

That is the time in the middle of the night that my Son George woke screaming. Apparently he was cutting a big ol' tooth. When George cuts teeth he gets a bit of a fever and has trouble sleeping, but who could blame him. He got so upset that he threw up a little. After about 15 minutes of my wife and I tending to him, I heard 10 words that were music to my ears. &Go back to bed sweetheart. You have a big day.& 

At that moment, I didn't realize just how true that was. I don't think I will forget that day for a very long time. Here's what else happened.

Breakfast

I had been invited to breakfast with  group of people concerned about Social Justice

issues. A breakfast at which Bishop Sally Dyck would be at. You see, she is kinda my church hero right now. Perhaps another post might explain why in more detail but I will just say that she is one of the three methodist bishops who was recently arrested while marching for immigration reform. She was also the speaker for our annual conference(NTC) opening worship and ordination service. So I arrive at Cafe Brazil a little before 7 AM and I end up getting a seat like two seats away from her and we begin to talk while the rest of the group begins to arrive. Not only were the conversations amazing so was the food. I had an omlet with chorizo and bacon. After breakfast It was then on two day of annual conference.

Debt Reduction

As we entered the sanctuary after lunch to begin the afternoon session, everyone is handed a piece of paper with some proposed legislation. This is not such an abnormal thing at annual conference, but what this particular piece of legislation was about had particular significnace to me. Last year at annual conference complaints were raised during the budget discussion about the need for more funding for new churches and to financially assist candidates for ministry. The bishop, formed a task force to explore the issue further. The piece of legislation in my hand was being put forward by that task force.

The task force had surveyed recent seminary graduates to discover how long the average stuent was in seminary and how much debt they had after graduating. The average debt of the persons they surveyed was $25,000. That particular piece of information was directly integrated into their purposal. They wanted to identify 100 perspective clergy with the potential to serve the church for 20 years and provide those individuals with assistance. Certified candidaes for ordination that fit the age critera would recieve after graduation, $5,000 per year of debt reduction for up to 5 years. Therefore helping candidates for ministry to be free from the average amount of student loan debt.

In case I hadn't already told you, I am in seminary right now. I meet that criteria, and I desporately don't want to be in student loan debt. This measure paired with other financial aid is going to be signficant in helping me in my financial goals for my family.

The piece of legislation passed. Soon there will be an optional conference wide capital campaign to fund that and other aspects of the legislation.

Appointment

Later that evening at closing worship for our annual conference, the appointment for the next year get officially set. Some of you may be wondering what an appointment is. In the United Methodist Church, pastors are get qualified to serve churches then get sent at the bishop's discretion to serve in one year periods with to a specific area, that is called an appointment.

I am in the midst of a very long process toward ordination, and have recently completed a piece of training called licensing school. After completing licensing school my name was put into the hat making me eligable for an appointment for the first time.

That afternoon I got to see my name go accross the screen and be printed in the appointment list for the very first time. What this means is that I will be able to preside over the sacrament of Baptism and Communion, as well as perform weddings, within the ministry context of Lake Cities United Methodist Church. It also means that I am sure to remain at my position at least until July 2015 (post coming soon on why I like the appointment system).

Dinner

After worship I got to have dinner with my old friend Ken Hildebrand and his family. Ken was the first pastor that I worked for full time and I am still harvesting wisdom of how to do ministry from lessons he taught me. I ate so much at La Hacienda Ranch that that gravity pulled me from cloud nine down to cloud eight.  

After dinner I headed home to my wonderful wife. It was a blissful end to an amazing day. A day I will always remember.