Musings from Pastor Patricia

What a joy filled transitional summer I have had! Looking back to June to now so much has happened in my life. Beware, fellow followers of Jesus. When you say yes to God sometimes your life gets flipped upside down, but somehow you still land on your feet.

I’ve been your pastor now for about two months. Granted, for July and the first half of August, I was just preaching. Now I find myself so excited to get out of bed each day because I wonder “What adventure awaits me today?”

Starting in July, I felt like I was just barely keeping my head above water – preparing my sermon for each week. Now, I feel like I’m treading water pretty well – even in the deep end. You have all been so welcoming to me and it has not gone unnoticed. I love getting to know each of you – either in coffee hour on Sunday mornings, having lunch, eating at the community dinners on Wednesday nights or walking with a group of you on Wednesday or Friday mornings. For a small town, I don’t feel much like a stranger anymore. Thank you for that.

Please feel free to stop by my office on Thursday mornings. I’m trying to be there from 9:00 to noon. Then on Fridays – I’m trying to take a Sabbath day. Sabbath is such a wonderful Spiritual discipline. Back in the day all the stores would be closed on Sundays so that families could spend time together. With today’s hectic chaotic lifestyle that we all seem to live, Sundays no longer feel like family days. I’ve shared with some of you that me taking Friday as my Sabbath is a huge challenge to me – as I’ve never intently took a whole day each week off before. So, I’ll need your help with this. I’ll be in the office some on Saturdays as well – with more of a loose schedule.

And don’t forget about the listening sessions that will be starting up in September. I want to meet with small groups of you to just listen. What are your dreams for this church? How has the church blessed you in the past? How would you like to be blessed in the future? I’m hoping these sessions will help me get a handle on where you want the future of our First United Methodist Church of Douglas to go.

Be blessed!

Pastor Patricia