Abracadabra

The lights went out at church this week, on Wednesday at about 3:10 pm. They flickered once, sputtered, then the power went off completely. What to do about the pizza order, and do we cancel Christos, and what about confirmation, kids’ choirs, adult choir, musical rehearsal? Oh my, there were suddenly a lot of things to figure out that would affect a great many people. I still haven’t heard what the primary cause was, but I have a hunch it may have been a squirrel that tried to bite through a power line and consequently tragically exploded. I’m sure Excel Energy will cover that story up, and instead tell us it was a blown relay switch or something. At any rate, power was out, and a lot of decisions had to be made quickly.

Update about our pastoral team

This week’s blog is a way of letting the congregation know that a decision has been made for both Pastor Kristie and Pastor Jeanne to extend their half-time pastoral roles here at Family of Christ for another year.

Initially, Pastor Jeanne was contracted to spend one year with us, and that time would be up on March 31. This allowed Pastor Kristie the flexibility to continue her pastoral work among us in a half-time capacity, so as to have time to travel and spend time with family, especially in light of the health concerns of her husband, Gene. He continues to undergo chemotherapy treatments for brain cancer, and the tumor has been kept at bay.

Of meerkats & medicine

On the Monday after Christmas, early in the morning, Beth and I took our eldest son, Bergen, down to Abbott Northwestern Hospital. We stood in line at three different stations, waiting and waiting for his turn to be taken in to pre-op. He had developed a cyst near his Adam’s apple, and our doctor thought it was time to surgically remove it and check it out.

The surgery is called ‘thyroidglossal duct cyst excision’ (and yes, I had to look that up to remember how to spell it). As we read about it online, we learned it is a surgery with a high rate of success. Still, when it is surgery on you or someone you love, it sure can raise anxiety.

“In the midst of the snow, we continue to grow”

Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn and you will.– Vernon Howard

Research continually shows that staying active, both physically and mentally, keeps us younger, healthier, and happier. In fact, Henry Ford has been quoted as saying, “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty.”

It’s easy during the cold months of winter to be tempted to hibernate until it’s comfortable and convenient to be out and about. But J-Term’s tagline is “In the midst of the snow, we continue to grow.”

Family of Christ’s annual J-Term series begins next Thursday, January 15, and continues on the following two Thursdays, the 22nd and 29th. I invite you to take advantage of the opportunities of this year’s J-Term series, and give yourself a gift during these coming weeks to continue to grow, to walk through life knowing there is something to learn…and in the process, keep yourself younger, healthier, happier!

New this year: