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.
Comments(18)
Walt Barry says
May 3, 2025 at 11:16 amI can recommend a primary physician….Ryan Wesley Nall, MD is with Shands at UF and approved by Blue Cross if that matters any more. He is youngish, a UCG member and has a very nice care manner about him.
My Gift Card to you from First Magnitude Brewery will be forthcoming. Welcome!
Dick Elkins says
May 3, 2025 at 11:21 amI recommend Wade Townson as a dentist. He is very good and very caring. Great staff as well.
Sally Chesrown says
May 3, 2025 at 12:10 pmWelcome, Donna!!
So very glad you and Warren have arrived safely.
Requested recommendations:
Dentist: Cathy Taylor 352-376-3400
Dog sitter: Jeanette England 843-263-2760
Enjoy UpperCrust – snuggled between
Northwest Seafood and Fresh Market :))
Mary Nutter says
May 3, 2025 at 1:07 pmDermatologist I recommend is Dr Canova
I go to Dr Rich he is a Gerontologist and is very thorough in his care!
Sally Kimberly says
May 3, 2025 at 1:10 pmI recommend David Thayler as a dentist. He is a member of our congregation and has a great staff!
Allan March says
May 3, 2025 at 1:34 pmFor dental care, I highly recommend Dr. Shane Goslinga, who practices with his brother Cody at Park Avenue Dental, 912 NW 56th Terrace, Suite B, 352-331-7573. I also recommend my hygienist, Kristie. Once established, the dental office is very responsive to routine as well as urgent needs.
If you prefer the UF Shands health care system, for primary care I recommend UCG member Dr. Danielle Nelson at 1707 N. Main Street, 32-265-9593.
If you prefer the HCA Florida North Florida Hospital system, I recommend HCA Florida Gainesville Primary Care, 6900 NW 9th Boulevard, 352-333-6680. The two senior physicians, Dr. Benchimol and Dr. Carmichael may no longer accept new patients but the other physicians in the practice are all well qualified. This group practice, supported by several well-trained physician assistants and nurse practitioners, is very responsive to urgent medical conditions.
Robin Nuzum says
May 3, 2025 at 2:22 pmWelcome welcome ! What a gorgeous writer you are ( writing teacher here and psychotherapist).. my dentist Meredith Goodrich ( in Thornebrook area ) is fantastic . Highly trained ( military ) and kind . Mary nutter mentioned a gerontologist dr Rich who I’ve heard superlative things about if he’s accepting new patients jump in . Dermatologist Also kind as they come Dr Christina Mitchell ! So grateful you and your husband are with us !
Heather Dewar says
May 3, 2025 at 3:02 pmBulbs like tulips, daffodils, peonies and any others that require a chilling period don’t grow here. Our soil does not get cold enough for long enough. Also we have a really impressive squirrel population, since our squirrels have babies year round, and feast on the plentiful acorns from our oak forests. Bulbs don’t stand a chance, unfortunately, but we do have beautiful spring flowering redbuds, dogwoods and more, and backyard orange, lemon and grapefruit trees as well as peaches and persimmons. It’s blueberry season right now and the local blueberries are delicious! If you can steal away to Santa Fe River Farm or another local u pick blueberry farm, you won’t regret it. Welcome!
Rhonda Riley says
May 3, 2025 at 5:06 pmAs far as gardening goes, Florida is its own planet, has its own rules. It can take a while to learn the language of the soil here. Summer is brutal on veggies and most flowers, kind to weeds and insect life.
The folks at Garden Gate nursery are helpful. Meanwhile, if it is veggies you are interested in there is nice Farmer’s market open on Saturday mornings 8:30 until about noonish with lots of good produce now. That will change by late June, early July when the heat cranks up.
I recommend Dr. Deena O’Toole for primary care. She is at Family Practice associates. She listens well, is thorough, and her staff is good at follow-ups, return calls, paperwork, etc.
Phoebe Papadi says
May 3, 2025 at 9:20 pmDonna,
What a grand way to introduce yourself. I’m already anxious to learn more about “why I do ministry from a parochial place,” and “worship is a filling station.” So I will soon sign up for a “wellness visit.”
You probably aren’t aware of it yet, but another thing you will welcome suggestions about is finding side roads in Gainesville to avoid the clotted arteries. As a back-roads-only-Interstate-avoider, I know lots of neighborhood short cuts.
Carol Barron says
May 4, 2025 at 8:12 amI would love to give you an in-depth UCG Campus Tour thru the eyes of maintenance and Capital Campaign goals.
Carol Barron says
May 4, 2025 at 8:12 amI would love to give you an in-depth UCG Campus Tour thru the eyes of maintenance and Capital Campaign goals.
Lisa Wolcott says
May 4, 2025 at 1:29 pmWelcome, Donna!
One of the more helpful tips for navigating around town we received when we moved here was ”APRL”. Avenue/Place/Road/Lane — In Gnv, those roads run East/West. If it’s a Street, it’s North/South.
I second David Thayler for dentist.
Domenic and I would love to meet you, and a fun thing to do would be to take you and your husband to see the bats across from Lake Alice.
Favorite hikes: Sweetwater Wetlands Park where you can sometimes see a Sandhill Crane family; San Felasco; LaChua Trail
Welcome to Gainesville!
If you google it,
Ron Nutter says
May 4, 2025 at 4:19 pmMary and I would be pleased with a wellness visit. Time and place can be arrangede to fit your schedule. Thank you.
margaret johnston says
May 4, 2025 at 8:56 pmWelcome! As one of the diaspora/”not seen lately”, I’ll let you know that change usually calls me to it. I will be making a shift in my schedule to be able to come and see what tidings this one brings. I normally work Sundays however, I control the schedule. My boss is pretty understanding (it’s me).
Lois McNamara says
May 4, 2025 at 10:34 pmPeople can grow tulips here and I have for most years since a 2001 visit to the Netherlands. But the bulbs have to obtained by October and chilled for two to three months in a refrigerator that contains no fresh produce because fruits and veggies give off a gas that inhibits blooming. I plant them in late December (usually the week after Christmas) and they bloom in February. That said, they don’t grow as tall or as vigorously as up north and they must be early or midseason bulbs. And as someone else mentioned, squirrels may dig up the bulbs and deer think they are candy. There are many other bulbs that grow here. The lilies in the bouquet you received grew from bulbs. While here, you will discover other wonderful flowers that don’t grow up north. Wait till you see a blood lily, a pine cone ginger or a frangipani in bloom! There are quite a few master gardeners in our UCG congregation, including Janet March, Carolyn Von Zabern, Joan Rothrock and myself. Several other members are lapsed MGs who have chosen to direct their volunteering elsewhere now.
Vicki Davis says
May 5, 2025 at 10:49 amWelcome Donna and Warren! I would love to show you the satellite town of Micanopy; Old Florida at it’s best!
Maureen Cox says
May 5, 2025 at 11:53 amMy daughter, Madeline, is just starting a dog walk, dog sitting and house-sitting business. Her email is madelinecxx@icloud.com. She grew up in the church and is now a student at Santa Fe College studying psychology. She wants to be an art therapist. I will think about where I want us to go for our wellness visit and get back to you soon.