We arrived Wednesday about 5 p.m. with four beautiful days of driving behind us from Connecticut. It was an amazingly peaceful trip, almost no traffic. No surprises. About six hours a day of driving with at least half of them on the beautiful back roads that start in Virginia with the Blue Ridge Parkway and continue between Savannah and Jacksonville. The last hour or so reminded us of dinner everywhere.
I arrived at the office Thursday morning where the staff had prepared a delightful breakfast. The danish, blueberries and watermelon are excellent here. Then meeting, meeting, meeting and greeting. I didn’t even have time to admire the gorgeous flower bouquet on my table, the new chairs and carpet in the office, or open the gift card shower/ basket. I stayed up late doing that. Why? It took over an hour! I am overwhelmed with gratitude and will do my best to thank all of you who made breads, offered Kayaks, competed for the best pizza in town, helped our first shop at Publix – and the winner and real champion was the Membership Committee’s gardening cards and 8 (count them) gift cards to Upper Crust. Thank you. If I fail to say thank you personally, that’s because I am overwhelmed. Wow. Talia agreed: she was also overwhelmed with her gift basket. I think you all have a gift of gifting.
I arrived at the office Thursday morning where the staff had prepared a delightful breakfast. The danish, blueberries and watermelon are excellent here. Then meeting, meeting, meeting and greeting. I didn’t even have time to admire the gorgeous flower bouquet on my table, the new chairs and carpet in the office, or open the gift card shower/ basket. I stayed up late doing that. Why? It took over an hour! I am overwhelmed with gratitude and will do my best to thank all of you who made breads, offered Kayaks, competed for the best pizza in town, helped our first shop at Publix – and the winner and real champion was the Membership Committee’s gardening cards and 8 (count them) gift cards to Upper Crust. Thank you. If I fail to say thank you personally, that’s because I am overwhelmed. Wow. Talia agreed: she was also overwhelmed with her gift basket. I think you all have a gift of gifting.
P.S. we are living in a beautiful fully furnished house on an abandoned golf course on SW 35th Way. I love living on a way instead of a street or a road. Sybil, our dog, LOVES it. It is even mowed.
Back to business:
I’ll see you Sunday mornings at 9 a.m. during May. Just for fun. Agenda free.
Also, I use John McKnight’s “Community Entry System” when starting a new post. I have used it regularly since doing interim work and find its concentric circles enlightening. First, you visit the inner circle, the intermediate circles, the outer circles and the disappeared/desaparacidos internally, then start on the community leaders, especially the electeds and the police and the fire fighters — then repeat and recycle.
It makes my personal mission statement about “spiritual nature for public capacity” sing. It also reminds me of why I do public ministry from a parochial place, also in concentric circles. It reminds me of Liturgia, the work of the people and how pastors exist to support people in their public contributions as well as their private peace and personal growth.
These early meetings are called wellness visits. You are not sick or disabled or a problem parishioner. That’s not why I am calling. Interims are not repair shops or fix it people. We are here for your wellness! Your well-being. Sometimes we improve a tad on this or that. We never fix. The human condition is permanent. We understand and help others understand. We coax meaning. We don’t enforce it.
Thank God it’s Monday! Or so we say on Sunday. The old metaphor of worship being a filling station may or may not apply or have sacred elegance. Then again, who likes to be empty?
If you wanted to help our settling in, here’s how.
- Let me know if you know a good dog sitter.
- A good dentist, primary doctor, or dermatologist?
- Any advice whatsoever on matters gardening, like can you tulips in north central Florida?
- Is there a local gardening club?
- Does anybody like to watch sports, like university baseball, softball or tennis for starters? I know the basketball season is over and know how it ended!
One more note on Wellness Visits.
You can help me a lot by requesting one. I’ll have slots open to hand out on Sunday. Just choose one. When I call you for your wellness visit, which is what I call the Community Entry System or one on one or visit with your primary affiliation/group at church, why don’t we go on your favorite walk or hike or to your favorite place in town, coffee shop, park, whatever? Why don’t you show me a place or people you love? And note: I am also old fashioned enough to love to make home visits, if you want one. When we visit, do tell me about someone “we don’t see much anymore,” so I can call on them too.
Adelante. I’ll meet you on the Resolana, the sunny side of the street.