Minister’s Musings

In July I took the plunge quite literally. I signed up for Lutherhaven’s Wild Women weekend, primarily because I wanted to have a group with me when I rode the Hiawatha bike trail in Montana. I didn’t get off to a good start. Right after we unloaded the bicycles, I took a step backwards into a ditch pulling the bike on top of me. And then at the first (and longest) tunnel I was trying to figure out how to turn the light on, I knocked my brand new water bottle out of it’s holder and watched it float down the side canal. The camp counselor retrieved it, but no drinking from that bottle until it went through the dish washer!

The Hiawatha proved to be as spectacular as the KSPS Northwest Profiles promised. The ride goes gently downhill and so there is lots of time for enjoying the beauty of God’s creation.

The next day was set aside for white water rafting. I don’t like the feeling of falling and people on the bus talking about the big rapids and falling out of the boat on the hour-long trip to the river didn’t help. But again, I had the group with me and they encouraged me. Jane, mother of 8, let me hold her arm when we went over the rapids and by the third rapid I was having a good time. Who knows, I may try this again!

St. Peter’s involvement in the Hillyard Festival is a highlight of the summer for me. There’s a lot of coordination getting all the ingredients for the breakfast and I want to thank everyone who contributed! Jeannie Smith cleaned the kitchen and Art Jones made sure the floors were mopped and ready. Thanks also to the kitchen crew and to those who drove in the parade, letting people know about St. Peter.

The second annual worship in the park was a wonderful experience with many people participating. This year we were joined by Zion Christian Center, Crestline Nazarine Church and Hillyard Baptist Church. In this worship service we not only give people a chance to worship, but this worship service is a strong witness that despite our differences, we really are one in Christ. Pastor John MacPherson from Zion told me that to him the most amazing thing was that there were 7 pastors involved and the worship service still ended in less than an hour!

The camping trip to Grand Coulee Dam with the Young Disciples was truly an amazing experience. If you don’t know them very well, I will tell you that we have awesome young people in our congregation.

I also got the chance to read. Yes, some were murder mysteries. But I’m also fully reading a book from seminary by Catherine Mowry LaCugna (of blessed memory) entitled God For Us: The Trinity and Christian Life. For many of us, including me much of the time, the doctrine of the Holy Trinity is not the center of the way I live my life. In fact, much of the time, I don’t give it much thought. But LaCugna wants to bring that doctrine to the center of our understanding as Christians and show us that it can guide us in our lives as Christians. It’s been a busy summer (see above) and I’m not far along, but already this book is rewarding me with beautiful insights.

For me, summer is my sabbath time. During the school year, there often is very little time for either rest or delving deeply into what I believe. Thus, summer is a time for renewal that allows those creative forces God has placed in me to come forth in many ways.

I hope your summer was sabbath for you as well. If you’d like to share your summer experiences, drop them in the basket in Gail’s window or send them to thevisitorarticles@yahoo.com.

I’m always sorry to see summer end, but always look forward to the experiences awaiting me in the coming year. There are some wonderful events coming up - check out the newsletter for more info. God is truly leading us on a journey that we can’t see the end of and only know the One who is leading us will keep us safe.

In Christ,