What I Did on My Summer Vacation

Last night at 11:00 Caryn and I returned to Manchester from a two-and-a-half week trip to the Midwest.  This trip combined church business and pleasure.  Here are a few highlights:

  •  Attending a "Strategy Workshop" led by the Covenant's Director of Church Vitality, John Wenrich.  This is part of an ongoing effort on my part to hone my administrative skills as a pastor.
  • Being part of the 12th Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.  Our denomination continues to grow and to thrive.  This year we accepted 21 new churches into membership in the Covenant and ordained 67 new pastors.  Average weekend worship attendance in the north American Covenant Church is now over 176,000, continuing a trend of 18 consecutive years of growth. 
  • Spending time with my children and grandkids.  We had a mini-reunion at a friend's vacation home in southern Wisconsin with all four of our kids, their spouses and our two grandchildren.  Country walks, ping pong, table games, food, etc.  Fun, fun, fun!
  • Five days in Chicago with our oldest son and our daughter, who, together with their spouses, own a "two flat" in the city (which, for you non-Chicagoans, is two identical apartments stacked one on top of the other).  We ate great Chicago food. including hot dogs, pizza, barbecue, and (my favorite) Italian beef.  We went sailing with good friends who own a boat on Lake Michigan.  We went to Ravinia (the summer home of the Chicago Symphony) and sat on the lawn listening to Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion" live. 
  • Worship on Fourth of July Sunday morning in the church in which Caryn and I were married 37 years ago.  (The first time I had attended there in over 30 years!)
  • Hanging out with our kids in places that haven't changed since Caryn and I hung out there as college students almost 40 years ago.  It's good to know that there are some things that don't change.
  • Visiting with old friends in Minneapolis and in Kalamazoo, Michigan whom we had not seen for years.  One of our greatest blessings is the many friends we have all around the country. 

It's good to go, but it's always good to be back!  Whatever you do this summer, I hope it affords you a chance to count your blessings!