where is phil?

Yes, Yes, Yes, it's been six weeks since the last post. I win the award for slacker. My excuse? I was on vacation--then I came back and was busy getting caught up from vacation. Then I preached on the 16th, which, while it is something I look forward to now (as opposed to when I was preaching every sunday), it nonetheless throws a bit of a wrench in my normal weekly schedule of administrating, planning, counseling, communicating etc. etc. etc. So I preached, and then I had to take some time off to go to a close friends wedding in Ohio. (Hence, the reason why missed church this past sunday). I wish I could say I'm back now, but I'm not. While I'm in the office all week long--this saturday, I drive out to Maine for a quick overnight trip--back on sunday afternoon. So, I miss Terra Nova . . . again. And I really do miss it when I'm away. It used to be that when I would be away on vacation, or for some other purpose--I would miss the community that I was a part of--but not the actual worship service. But Terra Nova is such a hand in glove fit for me personally, as I engage in worship, that I really do hate to miss a sunday. I miss the community, and I miss worshiping as a community. I'm happy to say that after this sunday, I will not likely miss another sunday for the rest of the year.

So. . . Why am I driving to Maine overnight this weekend? My dad is retiring after 40 years of full time ministry as a pastor, and I just had to be there. It's hard for me to imagine who I would be without my dad's influence. Pastor's kids typically one of two responses to growing up in a pastors' home. They either run like hell from the church and want nothing to do with pastoral ministry, or they embrace the faith of their fathers and follow in his footsteps. I've chosen the latter. And I feel like I should honor his work by being there for his last sunday.

Anyway, even though Steve Mclain called me "vacation boy" at the office last night--I am not as it may seem, on perpetual vacation. I just happen to be missing four out of six sundays. I look forward to seeing everyone on July 9th.

[pt]