Hello, Friends!
     I’ve had a pretty interesting and multi-faceted week already—and it’s only Wednesday!
     On Monday I traveled to Canyon Lake, to be with my clergy sisters for our annual retreat.  My friend Laura and I presided at the Lord’s table together, and once more I was touched to the very core of my tender heart by how vulnerable we all are, when we come with open hands to share signs of Grace.  Women dealing with cancer, women who’ve recently buried loved ones, women struggling in their churches, women celebrating and quaking a bit before new challenges—all God’s daughters, and all needing time for nurture, respite, renewing love.
     Our new bishop, Jim Dorff, was also with us for a time, including our sharing of the sacrament, and he blessed us all with his easy, gracious, entirely human manner, and his ability to listen, be with, take in and take part—no grandstanding, no claiming center stage, no pomposity or pontification—yet every bit a strong leader for our conference at this crucial time.
       Since coming back home I’ve been multi-tasking like crazy, with meetings, Disciple Bible study, and my work as coordinator of the upcoming AAIM Interfaith Thanksgiving service.  Yesterday is a bit of blur, and today has been equally full, with so many delightful, engaging conversations with fascinating, faithful people, and so much still to do, on the St. Luke home front and on other fronts.
     Today I’m lagging a bit in terms of energy, and I’m scaling back tomorrow on the number of contacts, the varieties of work.  Tomorrow I’m going to make time to take a walk and have lunch with a friend, and to read, think, and pray about our upcoming service on Sunday.
     I’m also really grateful for the richness of my life, especially my life with you, and for all the ways God keeps blessing me with new paths of learning, relationship, and service.
      I look forward to exploring some of those paths with you this Sunday, and all our days to come.
 
Shalom,