Confessions of a Pastor

The month of January has brought with it a new arrival to the parish where I serve --- the congregation has a Vicar (student intern).  The Vicar will be here for a whole year.  It is a wonderful opportunity for the parish and the community.
This said, the supervisor ---that's me--- has had to do a bit of journelling, feeling everything but the kitchen sink:  apprehension, questioning ability, wondering what to pass on, jealous, privileged, excited, creative ideas galour...
Intersting today, the Vicar preached for the first time in this setting.  I was nervous as a mother, wanting everything to go great.  The Vicar is a good preacher. 
This experience is already teaching me more about myself and stretching me.  I particularly apprectiate the difference of cadence, the new word patterns and gestures, the possibility of what will happen to me, to us, to the community.
Thanks be to God for a journey just begun.

It is a very snowy day on the East Coast.  It is like the kind of storm one remembers from childhood, where school is cancelled, nothing is open (well things will be closing), and mom and dad want you to stay home so you are safe.  It is the kind of day where one makes homemade turkey soup and bread -already in process in my kitchen.  It's the kind of day when there is no apology needed for curling up with a good book under the light of the final days of the Christmas tree.
Before finding a book, I looked over FB and found this post.  It is a good read for a day like today.  Take a moment and ponder the words:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-unappreciated-pastor/hello-my-name-is-church_b_4124322.html