Put

We've been here for two weeks, and so much has happened! We moved on the 30th of July, and our moving truck pulled up the next morning to unload. After a week, Kristi and her mom had it looking like we've lived here forever. Pictures are hung, as well as curtains. Things not only out of their boxes, but in their places. The main floor is great, and ready for visitors. :-)


The sofa did not fit down the stairs for our basement family room. The overstuffed back and arms, with the deep dimensions, just would not get through the threshold. Other than that, it looks great. We'll just need to get a newer, smaller sofa.

There have been several hospital calls already, including two surgeries. The vacancy pastor had atypical pneumonia, and it ended up that I preached the morning before I was installed! (He is doing OK.) There were also THREE baptisms lined up for that morning. So what a day! It was great!

The installation was scheduled for 6 PM. Originally I wasn't wanting such a late time, but it was good. The day was VERY hot, and it would have been much worse earlier in the afternoon.

Pastor George Borghardt, a good friend of mine and the Higher Things executive for Conferences flew into O'Hare to preach. He preached in Conroe, TX (suburban Houston) that morning and had planned just enough time to make it. Of course, his plane was delayed by almost a half hour. I got a little nervous as he Twittered this update!

But the Lord was gracious, and got him here in plenty of time. And what a blessing indeed! You can read or hear his sermon here. I thank God for the words he gave Pastor Borghardt -- it was a great homily! It's making its rounds on the web too. Pr. Borghardt has it on his Facebook page and his blog, Weedon has linked it on his blog too. Who knows where else it is by now. The word "Gospelly" will no doubt be added to next year's edition of the Oxford Dictionary of the English Language.

Several friends from college and from Mt. Greenwood Lutheran (my first parish on the south side of Chicago) were here to celebrate with us. Pastor Allan Buss (1st VP of the Northern Illinois District) and his wife Marie (family friends) came too. Also, several friends from Higher Things came. Jon Kohlmeier, Stan Lemon, Pastor Borghardt and I took the classic HT "Two thimbs up" pose after the Divine Service.

The people of St. John's have been very warm and welcoming! They are excited to have a new shepherd. And we are excited to join them in serving the Lord here.

It is my pleasure to be "put" here by God to dish out His forgiveness. "You can't get any more gospelly than that."