A Week of Experiences

What an interesting week.

On a plane at 6:40 AM on Monday from Dulles to New York and on to Toronto. First plane was late, barely made the second. Driving north from Toronto the snow went from nothing to 6 inches, the trees completely coated.

Huntsville in the winter has a distinct Northern Exposure feel. Locals say they HAVE actually seen a moose walk down mainstreet. Amazing.

Equally amazing is how God is bringing Muskoka Community Church together...many of the key players are atheists and agnostics...but still, the Spirit of God is drawing them.

I arrived at Jeremy's house before he got there on Monday. I walked around giving thanks to God for taking such good care of Jeremy, April, Aidan, and Kara. What a lovely pastoral setting for MCC's pastoral family. We took a hike through the snow-laden forest behind their house. It felt so much like Narnia. Quiet. Cool.

Wednesday called for us to join other pastors in Barrie for Leadership Village, a best-practices gathering catalyzed by Willow Creek - Canada. Interesting conversation about the merits of church marketing versus NOT marketing.

That evening I met with the executive team and then the whole board of a wonderful Anglican church in Paris, Ontario, pastored by a fellow Jack-Russell-type personality. The church has offered to partner with Ashland Theological Seminary's Sandberg Leadership Center to host our first off-site Pastor's of Excellence cohort...and to even shape their new building design to better host the project.

They were wonderful people. Gracious. Welcoming. Sure blew away my concept of the Anglican church in Canada. These people love Jesus...and each other. AND their community.

Flew home Thursday morning...got up at 2:30 AM to make my 6:00 AM flight back through JFK to Dulles. Drove through snow from Paris back to Toronto Pearson Airport. THAT was a long day.

All that to say it's been a full week. and it's GREAT to be HOME and done traveling for a while.

Travel like this takes me days and weeks to fully process. What did God do in each place? What did He do in ME by taking me there? I guess we'll see.