It’s Official…
Finally, seven years after starting seminary, three years after ordination, a year after starting the whole “presbyquest” process, and six months after starting a search,
I have my first “called and installed” ministry position. Yesterday, the congregation of Fox Valley Presbyterian Church in Geneva, IL voted to call me as their Associate Pastor for Children and Youth.
For my CR readers, let me tell you that these Presbyterians pack a whole bunch of the call process into one crazy Sunday. I preached during the service, they immediately held the congregational meeting, I immediatly accepted the call, and after greeting more people than I think I did at my wedding, I signed 6 copies of the call papers. (The clerk explained that the 6 copies are necessary because “We are Presbyterians…” A thorough people.)
On Thursday and Friday, we found an apartment, too.
This is my last week downtown, and after 4th festivities, I start work in Geneva. We move into the apartment in about two weeks.
So, of all the questions and prayers that have been swirling this spring, many are now answered: we know where we’ll be living; we know where I’ll be working; we know that the baby gets to take her sweet time in picking a birthday.
The biggest remaining question: while we have an emergency-back-up-boy-name (should our “girl” prove to have been a wily subject during her ultrasound), we are stuck on two girl names. I think this is a delightful question to mull over for the next month or so!