The 1st Day

April 1st was more than foolish around here.
...It was a very good version of "busy".

The Senior Pastor here at St. Paul retired, effective March 31 - which means that we've got one pastor for the time-being... me.

Yikes!

Here's what the 1st held for me...

• Yesterday began with faculty devotions (my 1st time leading).
• We continued with all-school chapel (which I led and I've done before, no problem).
• Check-a 'da e-mail...
• Prepare and send the monthly newsletter via PDF e-mail link.
• Meet with someone about some brochures (more on that later)
• Prepare (for printing) our Confirmation Class' Seder Meal programs
• Go home (late) for lunch... whoops.
• Prepare (for printing) Maundy Thursday's service
• Edit Good Friday Services (finished today)
• Write the sermon for last night's service
• Eat soup
• Arrange some brochure distribution
• Lead a church service
• Play with the kids while Meghan has choir practice
• Get home and get Ben to bed in time for CSI

Actually, I'm not overly scared or worried (yet.) There have been countless offers to assist, we've got the Sunday preaching substitutes lined up through May if we need it, I've got most of Holy Week taken care of already bulliten-wise, and the wheels haven't fallen off... (yet.)

Even though I'm not going to be the Senior Pastor here, and I'm looking for that - believe me, it was a little bit daunting last night as I robed up for our last mid-week service prior to Palm Sunday bringing on the busiest week of the church-year. I looked into the vestry mirror as I put the stole over my shoulders and the full weight of the yoke... it kinda 'got' me.

I realize also that this isn't going to last forever. We've got a call extended and pending acceptance to aother great pastor who, I know, is prayerfully and carefully considering things. But even more than that, I was moved again as I turned around and greeted the people at the beginning of last night's service - all their faces showing trust and appreciation that the work of the Lord would continue here, and so many of those faces ready and willing to help out along the way.

Our little evangelism group was able to put its first little notch in its belt last night too!
We've organized to have plastic bags with a couple pieces of information and invitation hung on the doors of houses in our surrounding neighborhood. We needed to assemble the bags last night at the soup supper before church and then ask that people take the bags out to hang them before Saturday. I was gladdened and amazed at the willingness of some of the people - who'd really just shown up for soup - to help both in stuffing the bags as well as signing up for distribution. Its a nice first step to get a little word out to almost 500 households within a half-mile (or so) of our church... God be praised!

Yesterday was 'good'; and there was evening and there was morning - the first day.

...today marks the second day, and after this I think I'll stop counting.


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