...Three to get ready, and Four to GO!

It's been a bit hectic and stressful trying to get final details arranged for everything, but I think we're ready to hit the road.

Ty's ankle is improving, but not good enough for baseball, so he's going along camping in northern Minnesota (Grand Marais) with his grandparents and Sam.  Karin will join them for a while, then join me in Scotland.  I'll be heading to Scotland on Wednesday night.  We've got a house-sitter to watch over things (including the cats), so everything should be secure.

I've been working on trying to fit everything into my one waterproof (for Iona) bag.  I'm under the weight limit, but it's going to be a challenge to fit it all into the bag.

I'm excited, and I'm anxious.  It's an adventure, and I'm ready to go....

I'm not sure when I will next have Internet access to update this blog, but I'll do it when I can!

Wie geht es Ihnen?

One of the things that I had hoped to do before our trip was to learn some conversational German.  I worked at it some, but the last month before the sabbatical were very full, and my study of German was put aside.  I'm now trying to cram a bit -- it will be interesting to see how much I will actually be able to learn before we get to Frankfurt, and whether or not I will be able to get us around the airport, hotel, restaurant, and train station before we meet up with the Schuenemann family.

We had great excitement last night, as Sam's Little League team was in the semi-final round of the tournament, and Sam, with the bases loaded in the bottom of the last inning, hit a ball over the centerfielder's head for a 2-run, game-winning single!  He was so excited!  Then he was sad, because we planned to have him go camping today with his cousins (Karin would join him next week) and that would mean missing the championship game.  He chose to be at the championship game and wait to go camping until next week.  We'll see how his big game goes!

Tyler comes home tonight from the mission trip with the YACS to Minneapolis.  It sounds like he's had a good week.  We've heard little from him, so I assume that's good news.  It will be good to see him.

Less Than A Week Away...

It's been a good, relaxing week.  Reading.  Playing tennis.  Watching Little League baseball.  Checking a few items off the "honey do" list.  I got three new books to read for Father's Day, so in addition to the ministry related books, I've now got some good sports-related books to read.

In less than a week, I'll be boarding a plane for Scotland.  I'm excited and nervous.  I'm especially hoping that Andy Murray, the Scottish tennis star, makes it to the finals at Wimbledon.  I imagine that there will be a lot of interest in Scotland if he can make it that far!

The latest issue of the "Quiet Waters Compass" (the publication of Quiet Waters Ministries, located in Denver, where Karin and I will be going for two weeks) has a good article on "Midlife Transition: Embracing Your 'Second Adulthood.'"  It puts a finger on some things that are going on inside me as I move through my late forties.  The author shares the questions she has participants at "Midlife Momentum retreats" work through, and they are questions I'm looking at myself.  In light of Ephesians 2:10 -- "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." -- consider these questions:

1.  How has God been at work in my life, preparing me for this next season?

2.  What are the good works that God has in store for me?

3.  What do I need to do to fully walk in them?

Those questions will help focus my spiritual reading and prayer and journaling for the weeks ahead.

Scotland Rain Test

The information I've received from Iona says to have a water-proof jacket, water-proof over-trousers, water-proof shoes, and a water-proof bag.  With this evening's thunderstorm, I thought it was the perfect time to test my jacket and over-trousers.

They passed the test -- I was dry!!!

Week Two Update

I'm into the second week of the sabbatical, and I'm enjoying a relaxed pace.  I've been doing some reading, some watching of baseball and Wimbledon.  I've also been getting ready for traveling to Europe next week (getting electrical adapter plugs, for example).

But we're also a bit concerned, as Tyler is getting his ankle checked out at a hospital in Minneapolis this morning.  He was hit by a baseball last week, and was dealing with bad bruising and swelling.  The initial diagnosis was a bad bone bruise.  But it's gotten worse, and is causing him a lot of pain, so we're getting it checked out again.  We're hoping for good news.  It's not easy having family spread all over...

Afternoon Update:  The x-rays on Tyler showed no break or fracture, just a bad bruise.  Ice and heat and rest and it will heal...

And Then There Were Three...

We sent off our third of four children today.  Tyler left this morning with the YACS (our church youth group) for a week-long mission trip to Minneapolis.  I've gone with the YACS on two similar trips, and was disappointed that I don't get to go along this year.  But Tyler left, and so it's just Karin and Sam and I.  (And the two cats.)

We worshiped at Pella I this morning, as Ty and the YACS were commissioned.  Pastor Scott did a good job, and it was a good day of worship and rest.  But it was also a hard day, since it was Father's Day, and for the first time, I couldn't call my Dad on Father's Day.  I miss him.

Listening to Books

Just got back from throwing batting practice to the freshman team.  The infield was soft, so I threw in the shed, and it was HOT!  But it was fun to throw.

On the trip to Indiana I got to listen to two more audio books: "Team of Rivals" by Doris Kearns Goodwin and "Night" by Elie Wiesel.  Both were excellent books.  "Team of Rivals" details the administration of President Lincoln and how he drew together his rivals for the presidency to become his cabinet.  Lincoln's wisdom and leadership intelligence were outstanding.  It was fascinating to look behind the scenes during the Civil War to see the heart and head of one of the greatest presidents our nation has had.

"Night" was heart-wrenching.  It's the "autobiographical fictional" account of a teenage Jew (Wiesel?) experiencing the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps.  It is a powerful, gripping account of the horrors of evil and raises the question of God's presence (or absence) in the middle of the atrocities.  Haunting.

Together with the earlier read (listening) of "The River of Doubt" about Teddy Roosevelt's expedition in South America, these books have provided a rich experience while driving across the upper Midwest.

Family Time

The VP3 training ended yesterday at noon, so I headed north to see my Mom in Milwaukee.  It's great to visit.  She's doing well, and I got to see my favorite niece, Janine, too.  Today I'll be driving home, but I'm going to stop at Governor Dodge State Park in Wisconsin to visit my brother and sister-in-law.  But I'm planning to be home because I'm going to be pitching batting practice for the freshman baseball team on Friday morning.  That should be fun!

Last night I got my Mom on Skype to talk with Karin and the boys and then with Emily and Dan.  She thought it was great to be able to talk with them via the computer -- and even to see Emily and Dan.  I looks like Dan is settling in.  He starts work today.

Indiana, Part 2

The training event here in Dyer, Indiana, has been very good.  I'm excited about taking a group through the second year of VantagePoint3.  Hopefully, those who have been through year one will sign up!  (You know who you are!)

I had a great dinner with Scott and Rachel Renaud last night.  They're doing well and looking forward to moving to Pella in July.

The training will be done about noon today, which gives me the opportunity to head north to Milwaukee to see my Mom and take her out for dinner tonight.  Tomorrow I hope to see my brother and sister-in-law who are camping near Dodgeville, WI, on my way home.

It will be good to be home, especially to give Karin a hand.  Dan is almost to Medora, ND, as I write this, where he'll be working for the summer.  Karin had to coordinate getting him on the bus, Tyler to baseball practice, and Sam to tennis lessons yesterday morning.  She is terrific -- but I wish I could be there to lend a hand.

Indiana...

It's been a long day -- up early to drive to Dyer, Indiana for the VantagePoint3 training class, which started at 1:00pm.  I made the drive uneventfully and made it in plenty of time.  The class went until 7:30pm tonight, so it's been a long one.

The training is good, and it looks like the 2nd year of VP3 will be worthwhile.  But it's been a hard day today.  I've been away while Dan has made the decision to go to Medora, North Dakota, to work for the summer.  Emily helped to get him two jobs and a place to stay, so he should be able to make some money for college in the fall.  Dan will be getting on the bus for North Dakota tomorrow, so I won't see him again until mid-August, when he and Emily come back home.  *sigh*

Hopefully I'll get a good night's sleep tonight...

Sabbatical Send-Off

After I led worship and preached for the last time before the sabbatical, Pella I joined in a "Sabbatical Send-Off Pot-Providence."  It was such a joy to share the excitement and hopes and prayers for the sabbatical.  As always at Pella I, the food was plenteous and delicious, and there were two beautifully decorated cakes.

I was grateful for the gathering, the encouragement, and the assurances of prayers during the sabbatical.  It was a lot of fun -- a great start to the time away.

It was hard to remember to thank everyone who helped to make this sabbatical possible -- Bruce Bandstra, Kristi Roose, Ralph De Haan for all their planning and legwork, Shirley Schutte for all the travel planning, the Council for making the sabbatical available, Pastor Stephen Veldhuis for being "my right arm," Pastor Scott Elgersma our summer intern from Calvin Seminary, the Fellowship Committee for arranging the send-off, and on and on and on.  But mostly I give thanks to God for providing all the details, including the Lilly Endowment funding, to make this happen -- soli Deo gloria!

I shared one of the reasons for the sabbatical.  Pella I is over 140 years old, but in all those years only 2 pastors served for 10 years (Rev. C. De Leeuw 1910-19 and Rev. J. De Haan Sr. 1919-1929) -- no one served longer than that.  One important reason for this sabbatical is so that it might be possible, Lord willing, that I will be the first to serve Pella I for more than 10 years.

Today is bittersweet.  I'm excited about the sabbatical, I'm already feeling more relaxed and joyful, but I'm also sad that I won't be enjoying the Pella I congregation for the next 9 weeks.  Still, God has provided well through Pastor Steve, Pastor Scott, and the Council.  The congregation is in good hands.  I'm looking forward to seeing what God will do in and through Pella I this summer and, especially, beyond this summer.  God has great plans for us!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)

Almost There

The sabbatical officially begins on Monday, so I'm almost there.  I get to preach tomorrow morning -- finishing the series on the Sermon on the Mount -- and then we're having a Send-Off Pot Providence.  It sounds like the Fellowship Committee is planning some fun activities -- it should be a great time.

Our next door neighbor had to cut her European vacation short because she broke her leg in a mudslide while hiking in Tuscany.  I felt bad hearing her story and the events that she had to cancel in Europe because of her injury.  I pray for fast and full healing for her.  But it also reminds me how important health and safety are for enjoying this sabbatical.  Iona told me that if I want to go on the walking tour around the island, I will need good hiking boots with ankle support.  So prayers for health and safety and uneventful travel would be greatly appreciated.

After tomorrow's Send-Off, I'll be getting ready to leave early Monday morning for Dyer, Indiana, and training for leading the second year of VantagePoint3.  Then the sabbatical will be officially underway.

Leading Change - Day #3

I'm home from the Leading Change class at Luther Seminary.  The class ended at 3:30, and I had an uneventful ride home.  It's good to be home to see Karin and the boys.  Tomorrow I'll be leading a session at the Vermeer Teacher Workshop at PCHS on spiritual formation for teachers.

The Leading Change class was great.  Today we talked about types of change and about theoretical frameworks for understanding and working with change.  I gained some new ways of describing and talking about the process of change, and a better understanding of the way the world and the Church is changing right now.  As was noted in the class -- "Change is inevitable; growth is optional."  So I learned some things about how to handle change in ways that are fruitful and productive for the congregation.  It was an excellent class that will be very helpful for ministry.

It was also enjoyable to sit together with a group of Lutheran pastors for three days.  It was like sitting in on another family's reunion.  It was interesting to meet others who struggle with the same kinds of denominational and congregational and ministry issues.  The ELCA, like the CRC, is an ethnic denomination (Scandinavian) which is struggling with the reality of a low multi-ethnic constituency (I think one of them said about 3.5%), and with the trend in the USA toward a constantly growing multi-ethnic percentage in the population as a whole, both the CRC and ELCA are facing very serious viability issues now and for the next 25-50 years.  We share a lot of things in common, and it was good to talk with them about ministry and leadership.

It was also wonderful to celebrate the Lord's Supper with the Luther Seminary community.  The minister had a great sermon on Isaiah 6:1-8, and it was wonderful to be nourished together at the Lord's table.

Leading Change - Day #2

(Written Tuesday night, posted Wednesday morning)

Today we spent time talking about biblical and theological perspectives on change, the Holy Spirit and change, and change & conflict.  We saw how God has been working change from the Creation to the New Creation, and how the Holy Spirit is an agent of change to transform us and the world.  But we also saw that conflict is a “normal” part of change, and so congregations need to learn to see their congregations as safe places for conflict, to learn that it’s okay to disagree and remain brothers and sisters in Christ.  It was a full day.

We also enjoyed worship at chapel in the morning.  I was intrigued by the seven candles (representing the seven-fold Holy Spirit) over the communion table.  A picture is include with this post, as well as a picture of our class. 

Tomorrow will be the last day of the class, and we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper in chapel.  The class will be done at 3:30, and I plan to head for home right after class.

And then I’m looking forward to leading one workshop session for our Christian school teachers at the Vermeer Workshop on Thursday.  I’ll be leading the session on spiritual formation for teachers, focusing on transformational reading of Scripture and on prayer.

Leading Change - Day #1

(Written Monday evening, posted on Tuesday morning)

The first day of sabbatical began with a migraine.  I guess I may really need a sabbatical!

The drive to St. Paul was uneventful.  On the way I started listening to The River of Doubt, a book about Theodore Roosevelt’s expedition to chart the River of Doubt, a tributary of the Amazon River in Brazil.  It’s a fascinating story, and I’m looking forward to finishing the book on the way home on Wednesday.  Teddy Roosevelt would be an interesting person to have as a dinner guest.

The Leading Change class is a good one so far.  There are 14 of us in the class, plus the two instructors.  One instructor and I are the only ones who are not Lutheran pastors.  Half of us are men, half are women.  The first day has been good for giving us handles for discussing change.  We talked about Newtonian and Quantum physics(!) as an analogy for understanding how people understand change, and we learned about our own personal change styles – and how different styles need to work together to bring about change in congregations.  We need those who will help us to hold to our traditions and handle the details, those who will be visionaries and agents of change, and those who hold the two together so a congregation can move forward into the future together.

It was a good day of learning – but my head hurts.  It will be good to get some sleep tonight.  It’s also good to see my in-laws.  All in all, it’s a good (early) start to the sabbatical.

Off to Luther...

Tomorrow morning (Monday) I will be heading to St. Paul, MN for the "Leading Change" class at Luther Seminary.  I'm excited to begin my sabbatical (even if it is technically a week early), and to take the class.  Here's the class description from the Luther website:

Congregational leaders often find themselves leading in the midst of change, yet are underequipped for leading through such times. While there is an abundance of materials available, few pastors and lay leaders have intentionally crafted their own framework for leading change, one that substantively draws from theological and theoretical resources and/or is sufficient for working with the complexities of change today.
Through presentations, discussions, and case studies, this class will help church leaders develop their own framework for leading change, using both theological and theoretical resources. Because change is always situated in the messiness of ministry, participants are invited to come with a ministry situation that can serve as a living case study. These case studies will not only ground the theology and theory, but will also challenge leaders to develop their learning in the complexity of real-life ministry settings.

Tomorrow's class begins at 1:00pm and goes until 5:00pm.  The three sessions tomorrow include welcome & introductions, the sharing of cases (I assume this is sharing the cases the students are bringing from their ministry settings), the course overview, "Change and Cosmology," and "Your Personal Change Style."

While the class looks inviting, and I'm excited for the sabbatical to start, I'm also feeling a little bit blue as I think about leaving the people of Pella I for a summer.  The student pastor from Calvin Seminary is here, and he's great (he preached a great sermon tonight) and has a great family, but it's hard to let go of Pella I and the people.  Maybe it's good that I'll be away for three days this week before the full sabbatical starts next week Monday -- it will help me to ease out of ministry and into sabbath.

Get Ready, Get Set,...

This morning I picked up the rental car for the two classes during the next two weeks, so the sabbatical is about to happen.

I'll be leaving Pella early Monday morning (June 8) for St. Paul, MN, for a class at Luther Seminary on "Leading Change."  The class starts at 1:00 Monday afternoon and goes until 3:30 on Wednesday afternoon.  Topics for some of the various sessions of the class include: "Biblical Perspectives on Change," "Theological Perspectives on Change," "Types of Change," and "Leading Adaptive Change."  The class members will also bring case studies from their congregations to share and discuss together.

While I'm there, I'll be staying with my in-laws, George & Ginny.  They run a pretty fair bed-and-breakfast!  ;-)

Tomorrow (June 7) I will be preaching in the morning, with our summer intern, Pastor Scott, preaching in the evening.  Monday night I will be missing our Council meeting.  I'm starting the process of letting go of ministry.  On the one hand, it feels good because I'm feeling less stressed.  On the other hand, it's hard to let go of ministry to people you love.  But I know Pastor Steve and Pastor Scott and the elders and deacons and others at Pella I will handle things just fine -- because they are capable and, most importantly, God is in control.