So, now I am sitting in 311 in Bishop's Hall at Emory. I had several classes in here, several years ago. It's good to be back. I am in the middle of the Church Planting Conference (that's what we're doing y'all--planting a new church) sponsored by the UCC http://www.ucc.org/ http://www.secucc.org/ check those out--one of them is talking about you.



Anyhow, I am here and have been since Tuesday morning. Just today, I have heard from a black pastor in Chicago at the fastest growing UCC churhc, next from a gay man born and reared in South Georgia as a United Methodist, now serving the largest LGBT UCC in church in the nation (Cathedral of Hope Dallas TX) and now from Yvette Flunders, City of Refuge UCC, San Fran reaching out to people (all people) living on the margins in that city and starting small ministries all over the nation. WOW! I am overwhelmed and it is awesome (thank you erica)!

And then, this is just a portion of what this week has been. I can't talk about it all right now--it's just too much, but it is good to be with about 20 other pastor/planters who are attempting to do what we are attempting to do--reach out in love and kindness--forgive and be forgiven--give and receive grace--remember how much God loves us--how much God loves all people---serve and love others--I do believe that is what we want to be about and I thank God, I thank God for the opportunity to be in this with you. I love you and I thank God for you--and for this UCC church.

The Revival Week!

Well I didn't follow up very well with my revival blog. It was incredible to be at Johnson UMC for 5 days, with my mama (daddy was at the beach at conference...poor guy) with people from my home church that I love so much. Mama and I went on several walks, behind the house and out at the farm, we had a lovely luncheon with some folks from Johnson, we attended a lovely luncheon with my neighbor Miss Carolyn and several women that I grew up with (in their 80's) playing bridge for three hours that afternoon! There wasn't a single day that I didn't eat chicken salad and some sort of congealed salad (buttermilk, tomato aspic, cucumber, etc...) cheezies and coca cola. I loved that! Oh yes and, I did love being at church every night, singing hymns that mean so much, hugging and seeing people that I love so dearly, meeting new people praise the Lord and their coming to church---it was awesome! My friends and singing partners Laura and Rachel came Wednesday night and we sang for and with the crowd at Johnsons, we got home stayed up late and giggled--I felt like we were in highschool. It was good to be home, it was good to be at church, it was good to be gathered with God's people night after night.

I was able to tell them about y'all--about this church that is becoming. I'm not sure they quite get it--understand more like it. Seriously, what we are doing is not so easy to take in--not when we present it to folks who already have an idea of what church is, who God is, what God thinks about others--others that may not look and feel and seem and live exactly as they do...God is wide--wider than any of us give God credit for. God's love is deeper than any of us know---any of us. Everyday I struggle to figure out what God is doing in us, through us and some days it is clearer than others---when I think about you--picture you, our work together, our worship together, conversations, emails, singing...it is clearer. I thank God for you and can't wait to be with you on Sunday!