That's right - I've been in Fresno for four years now.
On Friday, July 25th, I got up early in San Jose, drove south through Gilroy (which was in full garlic mode, as it was Garlic Festival Weekend), and headed across the mountains to the Central Valley with my stereo blaring Rich Mullins' Here in America and Derek Webb's She Must & Shall Go Free. (That 2nd album makes for real interesting listening when you're on the way to pastor a new church... well, new to you.)
That was the day the moving van arrived - we won't talk about how totally messed over we were by our moving company - and it was also the last day of Vacation Bible School. My first official act as pastor was to attend the closing night carnival.
Shari & Braeden (Collin wasn't around yet!) didn't arrive for two more weeks... giving me time to (sort of) get everything moved in, buy a new TV, eat out a lot of meals with folks from the church (while only getting food poisoning once), and generally start to set a routine. (The picture is from the day they flew into Oakland... we took Braeden to Alameda to the beach to let him play in the water.)
Four years down the road, I can't tell you how much I appreciate the folks here at NewLife Community Church... as we've struggled with Braeden's Kawasaki syndrome, Collin's birth & feeding issues, Shari's emotional struggles and the craziness that comes when you lead a church into faith-testing decisions (hiring a 2nd staff member, starting a building campaign, beginning a new innovative worship service), these folks have been with us all the way.
Thank you... it's really been a gift from God for us to be here. We hope you feel the same.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Four Years Ago Today
That's right - I've been in Fresno for four years now.
On Friday, July 25th, I got up early in San Jose, drove south through Gilroy (which was in full garlic mode, as it was Garlic Festival Weekend), and headed across the mountains to the Central Valley with my stereo blaring Rich Mullins' Here in America and Derek Webb's She Must & Shall Go Free. (That 2nd album makes for real interesting listening when you're on the way to pastor a new church... well, new to you.)
That was the day the moving van arrived - we won't talk about how totally messed over we were by our moving company - and it was also the last day of Vacation Bible School. My first official act as pastor was to attend the closing night carnival.
Shari & Braeden (Collin wasn't around yet!) didn't arrive for two more weeks... giving me time to (sort of) get everything moved in, buy a new TV, eat out a lot of meals with folks from the church (while only getting food poisoning once), and generally start to set a routine. (The picture is from the day they flew into Oakland... we took Braeden to Alameda to the beach to let him play in the water.)
Four years down the road, I can't tell you how much I appreciate the folks here at NewLife Community Church... as we've struggled with Braeden's Kawasaki syndrome, Collin's birth & feeding issues, Shari's emotional struggles and the craziness that comes when you lead a church into faith-testing decisions (hiring a 2nd staff member, starting a building campaign, beginning a new innovative worship service), these folks have been with us all the way.
Thank you... it's really been a gift from God for us to be here. We hope you feel the same.
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