Today is a day unlike our regular Sundays. Instead of getting ready to leave for Bristol, Tennessee by 7:30, we don't need to leave until 11:30. Faith Lutheran, the church where I am a Synod Appointed Minister, celebrates Christmas Eve at 2, with no morning or evening worship. I have never gone to an afternoon Christmas Eve service, but it makes sense for this congregation. I have noticed that many churches no longer do the late night service, the one that begins at 10 p.m. or later.
I have my sermon written, which I'll post tomorrow. I had thought I might bake a small braid of Santa Lucia bread for every household at the small church, but I didn't have time for that. It's fine.
We might be home in time to go to a local church's evening service, but we probably won't. A regular Sunday leaves me a bit worn out, what with traveling and leading worship.
Last year, by this time, we'd be on our way to Hawaii. Or would we still be sitting in the airport? In the gate area of the airport, waiting to board the plane, we were near a crew member who was sick; we knew he was sick because he collapsed and vomited. I thought the flight might be delayed because of the lack of a crew member, but we were told it was because of some airport issue. Still, soon we were on our way--but we would spend that week in Hawaii with various family members getting sick. It was not our best family vacation, but we tried to make the best of it.
So today we will travel, but it will be by car, over the mountain. I am fast approaching the point where I will avoid air travel as much as I can. Last year we flew to Hawaii and got sick; in September, we flew to Maine and got sick.
A year ago, I had no idea where I would be in a year, but I was coming to think I wasn't likely to be in seminary housing, since it seemed certain to be torn down. A year ago, I didn't know what I was about to set into motion, by thinking about the possibilities of not living in seminary housing. And now, here I am with a Synod Appointed Minister position, an internship with the Southeast Synod of the ELCA, and a teaching job at Spartanburg Methodist College. I am thrilled with these changes.
I thought it would be nice to have a more leisurely Sunday morning, but I really prefer our regular schedule. It will be nice to have time to go for a walk, to think about this sermon one last time. I need a sentence or two that explains why any of it matters.
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