Touched

Yesterday was my fifth official anniversary as pastor at Calvary. 

The staff and congregation surprised me during worship and gave me a beautiful stole.  Really, I mean, sending me out of Church Council meeting to discuss something “private” was actually kind of a tip off, but usually I am the one planning things in worship.  Worship is my favorite experience of all at church, so their words and this beautiful stole left me really touched.

Today, though, I learned the stole was chosen because people know how much I love the image of water . . . that my favorite sermon of all time is all about water (sorry, no longer on the web site so I can’t link to it) . . . that baptism makes me cry with joy . . . that I’d spend my vacation at the beach/lake/pool before going anywhere else . . . that standing at Makapu’u Point looking out over the ocean is the best visual image of God that I know.

When I wear this stole I will feel the warmth of this community of faith, that has been and continues to be how I best feel God’s arms around me.  Thank you.