Tuesday, December 19, 2006

A Christmas Blessing!



I squeezed into a pair of traditional blue jeans today and I can't believe how wonderfully stabilizing they feel to my low-back! I've been wearing nothing but sweat-pants since I lost my job and they're waaay too cozy. The jeans feel like a girdle of sorts and ease the pain in my back! Who'da thunk it?

I am absolutely amazed and nearly dazed at how easily this call to the FPC, Taylor is going so far. My committee on ministry - representative - from Presbytery sent me an excited blessing on the call and does not think it will be difficult to receive permission to labor within the bounds of a PCUSA presbytery! I have made my official request now and unless some of the young, strutting roosters decide to give me a hassle...this could go through like clock-work! The church just sent me their first "official" request to meet for discussion of said call and I've asked them to put their request into Mission Presbytery for their permission to serve them. Wow! How exciting is this?! What a fine Christmas blessing! I meet with the session for lunch tomorrow! Woo Hoo! The PCUSA has minimum standards for a pay scale too and so this will be a real "job" as well!! Probably part-time, but that's o.k. by me. If I can snag a part-time position with a local hospice...I've got two parts to make a whole! ...shar, doin' the happy dance...
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clhagan
2006-12-19 10:34:35

All of your steps to go through with the presbytery confuse me. It sounds like everything is working out, yes? Does this mean you could/might become the pastor at this church you've been preaching at lately? I hope so. Sorry if I sound like a dummy, I just didnt know it took all these requests and permissions to be a pastor somewhere! I hope you get this all worked out before Christmas so that you can relax and enjoy some stress-free time, you really deserve it!
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Cynthia, In mainline, reformed churches we work within a highly structured system of polity to insure that my education; ordination; reputation; and integrity meet the standards set by "the church" so that the people are protected. Yes, it will mean that I'll become the regularly called pastor of the little church I've been serving! It will be an interesting call as this little church has been through the ringer for the past three years and are in need of healing. God is good and faithful and so are these people, so I anticipate a tremendous mutual blessing in the year/years ahead!
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Oh...my...goodness...

I am discovering that in addition to a salary I will be offered a housing allowance plus a utility allowance; automobile allowance; study leave and book allowance! I am on my knees in thanksgiving! My denomination found a way to deny me these "perks" when I served in one of our churches for a fraction of what the male clergy receive in salary. Oh, my.

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