Hi, All,
They asked. I said yes.
Last Sunday (9/30) I preached for the PNC of 1st Church Boonville, NY. After lunch, the committee met for what seemed like an awfully long time. When they called me back in, they invited me to become their Designated Pastor. I said yes.
In my mind, I'm saying YAHOO!
It's a 200 year old church of 121 members. The village of Boonville is about 35 or 40 miles NW of Utica, NY, about 25 miles NE of Rome, NY and about 3000 miles east of the Pacific Ocean. Boonville is a village of Victorian and older houses and buildings, surrounded by farms and hardwood forests, sitting in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains. I'm told they have serious winter there.
Assuming trials and candidating go well, my ordination service will be on November 18 at Westminster PC in Portland. You're all invited--the more the merrier. Dates and places for trials are still being discussed between Utica and Cascades Presbyteries, but in any event will be the second week in November.
Stay tuned for more info about moving dates, start dates, etc.
While I'm celebrating, though, I have a deep concern for my friend Saw Than Win, my roomate in Oxtoby my last year at school. He is a pastor and seminary professor in Myanmar. As a result of the recent civil unrest, the ruling junta has pulled the plug on internet access for the whole country, so there's no way to contact him to find out if he's OK. I ask for your prayers for Saw Than and his family.
Peace and Blessings,
Bob
