“On the Road from Dallas Center”
It is now mid-June and I’m delighted to be settling in to Sun Valley Presbyterian Church! Your welcome has been so warm and full of excitement! Kathi and I thank you for your greetings and your willingness to keep telling us your names. It will take a little time for us to get to know you, but I think our journey together is off to a wonderful start.
Speaking of journeys, a favorite old bible story of mine is the story of the Apostle Paul traveling from Jerusalem to Damascus. As a persecutor of folk whom we now know of as the early Christians, Saul had arrest warrants in his back pocket for those Christian rebels in Damascus. Along the way, Saul is overcome by the presence of Jesus and commanded to stop his persecuting ways. Becoming Paul, he also becomes one of the most outspoken believers of Jesus, as we know from his letters included in the bible. Paul’s experience has encouraged me and many others to find a deeper sense of spirituality in our own lives.
Few people live up to the dramatic rabble rousing of the Apostle. Yet, many of us are on our own journeys, one way or another. More literally, the family and I had quite a journey with a U-haul truck a few Sundays back. After several delays, one being a flat tire on the truck, we were very glad to arrive at the church to a large welcoming committee. Overcome with excitement, the truck was unloaded quickly and before we knew it, dinner was ordered.
As we make this transition from Dallas Center to Beloit, our journeying will continue for a while. Our middle son, Jeff, will attend DC-G High School next year so he can finish his senior year where he is. Kathi and Anna will also stay in Dallas Center to sell the house and help with other transition issues. They will journey here as often as they can throughout the coming year. And, when next school year is over, Anna and Kathi will move to Beloit to join me while Matt and Jeff are at college elsewhere.
Meanwhile, I will be with you journeying together on another level. I hope to journey to your homes this fall as I begin a fresh round of pastoral visits. We hope to begin a confirmation journey with several youth who are ready to join the church. We hope to offer a new member class soon as several friends of the church express interest in becoming members. And, I hope we will deepen our spirituality as together we worship and serve God. That will be lots of journeying for us!
Throughout our journeying, there is one constant, that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. That became Paul’s mantra as he journeyed throughout Palestine and beyond. That is also our confession in Beloit, in Dallas Center, and in many other places throughout the world. Pray for us as we journey. I will be praying for you, too!
Peace, Pastor Dave
