I don't think most pastors are this well-loved.
In fact... I know they are not. Oh, it's not that we don't know that in any church (especially those which practice congregational polity) things can change at any moment (any church conference)... but in too many churches the tensions between pastor and church, or church leadership, are just below the surface. Or they are the tempest ever roiling the surface. In many cases, this tension exists in a kind of quiet animosity between pastor and church. In our neck of the woods it's a polite, southern, "Oh... everything's just... 'fine'!" animosity, that shows itself with rolled eyes and with sighs (yes, sighs, too deep for groanings!)
So, things could change. We know. But at the moment, we are cared for and cared about, respected... and deeply loved.
Today's pot-luck (Amy's favorite dining experience) was just one more evidence of this love-fest, now nigh-unto 9 years old. (OK... everyone doesn't love us. We're also honest about that, too!) But the sentiment is communicated across a broad swath of this church. And it is reciprocated. With very little reservation.
So, we prepare to leave (we'll be in this office this week), and know that we go with your blessing. You should know that as we go, you will be in our hearts. We are not escaping you, but, honestly, escaping for you. Hoping that this little experiment in "absence makes the heart grow fonder" will make our mutual affection deeper, more honest, more understood. And that when we return, there will be a little more spring in our step. (You know, love has a way of taking a little of it out of you!)
Thanks for the sendoff. For the gifts. For the thoughts. The prayers.
Thanks for the love.
It's what will bring us back.
I promise.
r
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
When We're Not Preaching...
OK... so water skiing is one of our favorite family things to do... and here's a little sample...Amy on her onside turn...
The Deans... showing off as a family!
Dad has taught both of the boys to love "footing," and here's Jackson on some really nice water...
Even the old man, making a few turns...
And last, but not least, Bennett, getting in on the action. 9 years old... one of his very first footing runs after learning to do a deepwater start.
And... anyone who's still reading is a guinea pig. I've jsut been trying to learn how to upload pictures, so, hang in there. (Hopefully there will be something actually worth reading just around the corner!)
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Time Flies When You're Having Fun
I had prepared Bennett for what they were going to do and say. “Ooh. Look at you!” Hug. “I can’t believe how big you are!” Pinched cheek. “Wow. How old are you now? I remember when you were just a baby. I used to hold you in my arms!” Tussled hair.
I love to be right. And I was. After almost nine years, the “XYZ Club” at Mountain Brook Baptist Church could hardly believe their eyes. Bennett had not yet celebrated his second birthday when we left our Birmingham home and headed for PRBC. We accepted Dottie’s invitation to join her (Dottie and I worked together, daily, for four years), and the senior adult group she still leads, for dinner in Belmont. It was a great meal, a wonderful reunion, and an amazing reminder of how time flies. When you’re having fun, of course!
And we are. If you consider packing and unpacking… Meeting hundreds of new people… Rebuilding “systems” of all kinds in a new environment…Hiring and rehiring staff, until you finally get it right… Meeting with a Vision team for twelve months… Meeting with a Building Committee for a year… Meeting with a Capital Campaign Committee for another year… And another Building Committee for yet another year… And planning programs… And writing sermons… And conducting more than a dozen funerals a year… And raising an annual budget… And overseeing the creation of three new endowments… And making outreach calls… And pastoral care visits… And marrying, and baptizing, and dedicating… And thinking and dreaming and planning and executing and implementing and evaluating… And cooking family night dinners for three summers… And renovating and building and hauling and cleaning and dumping… And teaching and mentoring and learning and colleague-ing and partnering and sharing… And hosting meals of every imaginable kind… And dropping in, and dropping out, dead tired… And raising two boys… And honoring two fathers and mothers… And trying to remember that you’re still married, and have a life outside of Park Road Baptist Church… You know, if you call all of that “fun,” (and we do)… then we’re having a ball.
But when we consider the above paragraph, in honest terms of what it has actually taken to do all of that, sometimes (on a bad day), it makes us tired. And the word “sabbatical” sounds even better than it should. Please understand: We know we don’t work any harder than most of you. We know we don’t put in more hours in the office than some of you are also spending away from your kids (and a good bit less than a few of you [take the hint!]). We know there aren’t any more headaches in our job than in many of yours. So… we know we don’t deserve a sabbatical any more than many of you. Which just makes us all the more grateful that we have been granted one. (If we can put in a good word with your boss, or your industry, for the same, please let us know. We really believe sabbatical is as old as the first Sabbath (which is pretty old), and that everyone needs one. Let us know what we can do to help you get your own. We’ll be glad to put in our four cents. [You know, two, each.])
We have four more Sundays, and ours begins. As most of you now know, we’ll be out of the pulpit (and the office and email-shot and phone range, etc…), for twelve Sundays. Brian Haymes and Maria Hanlin will be filling the pulpit for eleven of these Sundays (see their bio’s, enclosed), Christine Kellett will preach the twelfth. Anne Hunter Eidson and Michael Kellett will handle any and all pastoral care needs. Tom Applegate and Anne Neal will hold down the fort in the office. Greg Blum and Crystal Smyth (our Deaconate leadership) are on standby, as needed. Carol Cramer and Matt Kinney will continue to support you and us as our Sabbatical Planning Committee.
I tried the line out on Amy once when we were dating. I’d just gone off to college, and one (OK, maybe it was more like fifteen) of those freshman cuties had caught my eye. The brass and rock powerhouse called “Chicago” had just released another hit, and it seemed to fit: “Everybody needs a little time away… Even lovers need a holiday.” Let me just say that I’m hoping the line is better received by you than it was by Pastor #1! We are looking forward to being away. For what it will do for our renewal. And for the fresh look and outlook it will give to you as well. It is hard to believe it’s been nearly nine years, and we’re looking for a little “second wind” that the next nine will be just as full, just as fulfilling, and, yes, just as fun.
I love to be right. And I was. After almost nine years, the “XYZ Club” at Mountain Brook Baptist Church could hardly believe their eyes. Bennett had not yet celebrated his second birthday when we left our Birmingham home and headed for PRBC. We accepted Dottie’s invitation to join her (Dottie and I worked together, daily, for four years), and the senior adult group she still leads, for dinner in Belmont. It was a great meal, a wonderful reunion, and an amazing reminder of how time flies. When you’re having fun, of course!
And we are. If you consider packing and unpacking… Meeting hundreds of new people… Rebuilding “systems” of all kinds in a new environment…Hiring and rehiring staff, until you finally get it right… Meeting with a Vision team for twelve months… Meeting with a Building Committee for a year… Meeting with a Capital Campaign Committee for another year… And another Building Committee for yet another year… And planning programs… And writing sermons… And conducting more than a dozen funerals a year… And raising an annual budget… And overseeing the creation of three new endowments… And making outreach calls… And pastoral care visits… And marrying, and baptizing, and dedicating… And thinking and dreaming and planning and executing and implementing and evaluating… And cooking family night dinners for three summers… And renovating and building and hauling and cleaning and dumping… And teaching and mentoring and learning and colleague-ing and partnering and sharing… And hosting meals of every imaginable kind… And dropping in, and dropping out, dead tired… And raising two boys… And honoring two fathers and mothers… And trying to remember that you’re still married, and have a life outside of Park Road Baptist Church… You know, if you call all of that “fun,” (and we do)… then we’re having a ball.
But when we consider the above paragraph, in honest terms of what it has actually taken to do all of that, sometimes (on a bad day), it makes us tired. And the word “sabbatical” sounds even better than it should. Please understand: We know we don’t work any harder than most of you. We know we don’t put in more hours in the office than some of you are also spending away from your kids (and a good bit less than a few of you [take the hint!]). We know there aren’t any more headaches in our job than in many of yours. So… we know we don’t deserve a sabbatical any more than many of you. Which just makes us all the more grateful that we have been granted one. (If we can put in a good word with your boss, or your industry, for the same, please let us know. We really believe sabbatical is as old as the first Sabbath (which is pretty old), and that everyone needs one. Let us know what we can do to help you get your own. We’ll be glad to put in our four cents. [You know, two, each.])
We have four more Sundays, and ours begins. As most of you now know, we’ll be out of the pulpit (and the office and email-shot and phone range, etc…), for twelve Sundays. Brian Haymes and Maria Hanlin will be filling the pulpit for eleven of these Sundays (see their bio’s, enclosed), Christine Kellett will preach the twelfth. Anne Hunter Eidson and Michael Kellett will handle any and all pastoral care needs. Tom Applegate and Anne Neal will hold down the fort in the office. Greg Blum and Crystal Smyth (our Deaconate leadership) are on standby, as needed. Carol Cramer and Matt Kinney will continue to support you and us as our Sabbatical Planning Committee.
I tried the line out on Amy once when we were dating. I’d just gone off to college, and one (OK, maybe it was more like fifteen) of those freshman cuties had caught my eye. The brass and rock powerhouse called “Chicago” had just released another hit, and it seemed to fit: “Everybody needs a little time away… Even lovers need a holiday.” Let me just say that I’m hoping the line is better received by you than it was by Pastor #1! We are looking forward to being away. For what it will do for our renewal. And for the fresh look and outlook it will give to you as well. It is hard to believe it’s been nearly nine years, and we’re looking for a little “second wind” that the next nine will be just as full, just as fulfilling, and, yes, just as fun.
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