BONUS BLOG: It’s the End. (& Thank You, Willie!)

It’s the end of Pastor Appreciation Month.

Close friend and colleague Willie Deuel set the bar very high earlier this month when he posted this publicly.

I’m honored to be included in such company —

It’s Pastor appreciation month, I’m gonna give some shout-outs:

Victor Long mentored me into the ordination process and recommended a divinity degree. Taught me Lectio Divina and the Daily Office.

Harold “Red” Andricks taught the church of my youth to be a church in the best sense of the word. Helped get my dad involved in church, and helped him become the deeply spiritual thinker he is (but doesn’t think he is.)

Steve Palmer encouraged me to go to church camp where my life changed. His spouse Linda prayed at the altar with me, holding my hands in hers and assuring me that I am loved.

Joe Scheets was never my pastor, but he was at church camp with me. He showed me how to play barre chords on the guitar and sat outside the tabernacle playing “Eighteen” by Alice Cooper with me. Taught me that this gig is supposed to be fun, and that responding to life with creativity and joy is a priority.

Troublemaker’s Corner! Nicole Cox, Jeremiah Thompson, Megan Thompson, Robb McCoy, Josh Williams, Justin Snider – y’all made Residence in Ministry tolerable, and I miss making everyone around glare at us at Annual Conference.

So many in the PNW now. Rich Lang for helping me get here, Jeremy Smith for welcoming me right away. Austin Adkinson, Katie Ladd, Joanne Carlson Brown, Shalom Agtarap, David Wright, Jen Stuart, Kendra Behn-Smith, Wes Stanton, and more than I can think of right now! Thanks for giving me a new group of smart alecky sweethearts to hang around with.

I love you all more than you know.

— Right back atcha, Sir!