Two Weeks

Updated sign outside The Federated Church in

Weatherford, Oklahoma

When this post goes online, it will be the exact two week anniversary of our arrival in Weatherford, Oklahoma. Thanks be to God.

I sit here in the living room of the parsonage, listening to Elton John's Tumbleweed Connection, Elton and Bernie Taupin's au mage to the American West, while I contemplate the blessings we have received since coming to this community in Western Oklahoma.

In a way, I first came to this community when I found the Federated Church online at the Presbyterian Church (USA) Church Leadership Connection (CLC) Website. For those who don't speak Presbese, CLC is the Presbyterian Church "Help Wanted/Pastors Available" website.

When I saw that the congregation was a federation of three different congregations, the United Church of Christ, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and the Presbyterian Church (USA) under one roof, I was interested, and amazed.

I saw this and thought this was very interesting, sure; but more than that I thought that these people must be very interesting, very adaptable, and very in tune to the Holy Spirit for this to not only work but to thrive. I won't tell you I was right, that's giving myself credit I don't deserve. These people deserve all of the credit for being their own trinity: three denominations, one congregation. It's three faith traditions, but only one faith. These people are Christians first and foremost, disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Arriving, Marie and I were overcome with wonder! The city isn't huge, but a University, on the Interstate, about an hour from the state capital makes a city of 10,000 more like a community of 25,000. The services, the people, the vibe of this town are a welcome change for us.

There is new hope here. I have a sense of hope and joy I haven't had in a long, long time. This is a hope and joy in doing what I have been called to do in a place I have been called to do it.

Tonight I've been reading some of my old blog posts. Many of these posts have an element of David's Psalms of Lament. (Others would say they are the rants of a man with depression... be that as it may, let's stay theological here.) I share my woes, I shake a fist at God and man, and I give thanks and praise God. Because God is God and I am not.

I feel like a Heisman winner right now. I want to thank God, because no one can do what God has done or what God will do. To God alone goes the glory. We also thank Jody and Suzy and the Search and Call Committee of the Federated Church who brought us here in the first place. I not only thank the congregation for voting to call us, but I thank the three who voted against us for taking the pressure off of me "to please everybody."

Being a perfectionist and a middle child, I want to please everybody. Not a good thing to do for theological and pastoral reasons. Since I haven't pleased everybody from the start, that actually takes a lot of pressure off of me! It doesn't stop hard work, it just kills my perfectionistic streak. Let's face it my perfectionist streak needs to be killed everyday.

Well, we're half unpacked. I need to go to the ETC Shop and Craig's List to look for book cases. Lots of book cases. Murphy's asleep on the floor. And Joe Jackson's playing right now. It's a good night and time to say good night.

God bless you all. God bless Weatherford. God bless The Federated Church. God bless you my wonderful wife Marie. God please bless me too. Amen!