Pastor Frank

This morning I attended Network of Community Ministries’ annual Convocation of Stakeholders. This was an organization I knew nothing about before last week, when I ran into Tom Purcell outside of my office. Tom’s passion for Network is obvious, so when he invited me to attend the meeting and take a tour of the new facility I was happy to go. I had no idea what was in store! Also attending the meeting was the Rev Cathey Sweeney, a colleague of mine in the North Texas Conference and one of the associate pastors at Arapaho UMC, and dozens of other community leaders. I met the CEO, Abbie Kauffman, who started there last September. I met several Board members. I learned that Spring Valley UMC is an official stakeholder. There was so much amazing information offered- I wish there had been a handout so that I could articulate to you the range of services Network makes possible. Even if you know, you don’t know. Like the demand for many services doubled over the last year.

On the tour, I saw meeting rooms where neighbors learn life skills or receive job training. We walked through the food market, which is designed to look like a store, so that guests can actually shop and choose which foods best meets their family’s tastes or dietary requirements. The clothing store is tremendous. The site is even an emergency center for the City of Richardson should a catastrophic event happen. It was all overwhelming, but in the best way. It’s great to see people in the community- 14 zip codes of Richardson ISD, the fifth most inclusive school district in Texas- hearing and meeting so many diverse needs. And doing so that neighbors- obviously that word is intentional- are helped in a way that empowers them and ensures their dignity. 

I know Spring Valley has many people who volunteer at Network in a variety of ways, so I let me say thank you for living out your faith there. If you would like to get plugged in, start here: https://thenetwork.org/volunteer/

The night before, I attended my first Missions Committee meeting at the church. Again… I had no idea! Spring Valley supports, serves, helps so many groups and ministries locally and beyond, in addition to the denominational support we give through our United Methodist connection. I loved hearing from everyone around the table and over Zoom where and how people are serving. I tried to take notes, but I know I missed some. Just check out the breadth of ministries we support: Network, Salud y Paz, Sisters of Sierra Leone, North Texas Food Bank, Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity, several elementary schools, Restoration Team (not just funding; the youth mission trip has traveled to Houston the last two years, and they plan to return next year). The group decided to send financial support to: Network ($1000), Close to Home, the North Texas Conference partnership with UMCOR to assist Jack County following the tornado a couple of years ago ($1000); North Texas Food Bank ($500). I am very grateful for David Smith’s leadership of this team, and for everyone who serves there.

Borrowing from the sermon text for this Sunday, “Carry each other’s burdens and so you will fulfill the law of Christ; Let’s work together for the good of all whenever we have an opportunity…” (Galatians 6:2, 10). There is a vital connection between what we believe and what we do. I am proud to be part of a congregation with a long history of commitment to meet the needs of those we are called to serve and love in our neighborhood, city, and world.

Mark 1:32-39

Jesus’ ministry spreads

32 That evening, at sunset, people brought to Jesus those who were sick or demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered near the door. 34 He healed many who were sick with all kinds of diseases, and he threw out many demons. But he didn’t let the demons speak, because they recognized him.

35 Early in the morning, well before sunrise, Jesus rose and went to a deserted place where he could be alone in prayer. 36 Simon and those with him tracked him down. 37 When they found him, they told him, “Everyone’s looking for you!”

38 He replied, “Let’s head in the other direction, to the nearby villages, so that I can preach there too. That’s why I’ve come.” 39 He traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and throwing out demons.

A couple of weeks ago I was nearing the end of my office decorating. I remembered how many Zoom calls I had participated in over the previous three years- how the background behind my head communicated so much to the people on the other end of the video call. Put something visually interesting there; think about lighting, etc. I turned on my computer’s camera to look behind me- and I saw an empty corner. I need a plant! Where can I find an unused plant around here? Upstairs! 

There is a room up there that is used for storage. I stashed my office stuff there for the month or so before Pastor Paul moved out. I found a plant! But then… hello. What’s in this box?? T-shirts. T-shirts from youth choir tours. From 2012. Or 2011. These were brand new, never worn. I grabbed three XLs: my favorite is the Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat from 2008. Seriously, find me at Kroger or someplace and there is a good chance I will be wearing a Spring Valley UMC t-shirt from a dozen or more years ago! What were those tours like? Who attended? Is anyone from those tours still around the church?

I read an article today by Dr. Bill Wilson, founder and director of the Center for Healthy Churches in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, called “Four Traps for Clergy When Moving to a New Congregation.” He said, 

A new minister coming into a congregation is a wonderful season of new beginnings and possibilities. People await a new pastor with great expectations. Often those expectations are exaggerated and grandiose. The new pastor is seen as the one who will reverse decades of decline, inspire apathetic congregants, make everyone happy at all times, and never disappoint. Sometimes the grandiosity is in the mind of the new minister. She or he thinks this church is everything the last church was not. The grass looks so green on this side of the fence! Personal foibles and bad habits are overlooked in the infatuation with a new opportunity.

Unrealistic expectations, wherever they originate, are a setup. They lead us away from God’s design for us and His church. And they trap us in impossible situations. A new minister will never succeed as the Messiah, and the congregation will soon expose its cracks and fissures, reminding everyone that it really isn’t heaven on earth. Talking about this and anticipating the inevitable disappointments is an essential component of a healthy relationship between minister and congregation. The humility that comes when we acknowledge that we are all earthen vessels and deeply flawed is a great place to begin a relationship between minister and congregation.

Dr Wilson also mentioned the importance of the new pastor’s first 100 days: “The first 100 days offer a never-to-be-repeated opportunity for a new minister to define himself or herself and establish some trajectories for ministry.” I am now at my 15th day at Spring Valley, meaning I have another 85 days to go (I’m not counting the week I will spend in Florida at the end of this month with a group of students from Grace UMC; more on that next Friday!). Throughout August and September there will be many times for me to hear from you and you from me- sometimes in small to medium sized groups, sometimes one on one. I am always available Tuesday-Friday for coffee, lunch, chats in the office.. only call the church or email fdrenner@svumc.org to make sure I am around. We can also connect via social media; find me at pastorfrankdrenner.com or Frank Drenner III on Facebook and Instagram.

The experience of the hidden t-shirts made me think of all the forgotten, untold or undertold Spring Valley UMC stories. I want to hear all of them, and over the next three months I hope to take every opportunity to hear and celebrate as a new vision for our ministry together forms. In the meantime, yes, there are absolutely more shirts up there in the box if you want one!

Luke 3:21-22

Jesus’ baptism

When everyone was being baptized, Jesus also was baptized. While he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit came down on him in bodily form like a dove. And there was a voice from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I dearly love; in you I find happiness.”

About 18 months ago I felt like I was in a rut in my ministry. We had just completed a capital campaign, we were in the midst of a building project, and oh yeah and there was a global pandemic going on. I felt like I had been running full time without much of a break for two or three years. I had been in ministry for more than two decades and had never taken any extended time off other than three Sundays in a row and that was 15 years previously! Just at the right moment two things happened: a colleague mentioned that they had taken leave and it had saved their ministry, and I heard about a 5 day online workshop offered through Brite Divinity School at TCU called Flourishing in Ministry. It was designed for mid career clergy to kind of reconnect with their story and with their purpose. We journaled, had deep discussions, we had free time (naps are a means of grace) and at the end of the five week 5 days I came to understand that what I was struggling with was burnout and that I needed to take leave in order to go forward in ministry.

I was very clear with the congregation that my goal was not to take a sabbatical- I know that a lot of people use those terms interchangeably, but for me a sabbatical implies producing some kind of content. I didn’t want to do that; I just wanted a break and so I was very intentional to call it a renewal leave- I would do things that I love to do that would reconnect me with God. I’ve always been a huge baseball person and so I decided to use part of my leave to go on a month long baseball tour of Major League ballparks and do almost all of it on trains. I’m so grateful to Christy and the boys and the congregation for allowing me to do that. Upon returning home I had three weeks to prepare for the move to Richardson, and when we moved here June 1 I still had a month  to settle into our new house and community and get ready to start here at Spring Valley. When the leave came about I didn’t know that I was going to be moving toward the end of it but it ended up just kind of aligning very well together so that I could start here in Dallas with a renewed sense of commitment and purpose reconnecting with God with my calling and my vocation in the church.

Sometimes that need for reconnection is real for all of us. We might feel distant from God,  distant from our brothers and sisters in Christ, distant from our spiritual gifts and out of connection with the needs of the community. We might feel like we’re just kind of going through the spiritual motions: showing up on Sunday morning hoping that the service doesn’t run too long or that everything works properly, overly focused on the music or the choir or the pastor or whatever else. Sometimes we get frustrated because things are going on with ourselves that are kind of out of our control. We don’t know what to do our health, our work, our kids. A couple of colleagues shared this meme on Facebook the other day:

And the bigger brokenness of the world around us impacts our spiritual life: the constant threat of violence, racial injustice, economic inequality… all these things can build up overtime and we find ourselves disconnected from a faith that once was life giving to us. We need to reconnect.

We’ve probably all had the same experience of frustration with our electronics. Our phones get stuck, our computers freeze when we’re trying to write, and oftentimes we’re told the first thing we need to do when this kind of lockup happens is to hit the reset button, restart the computer- sometimes just turning things off for a moment and then turning them back on again gives the solution that we’re looking for. How does that apply to Christian life? We can’t just turn off our faith, we can’t just unplug ourselves from our spiritual lives. Our religious life is part of our DNA- it’s part of who we are, but sometimes we need to go back to that source and reconnect with our identity in Christ. We have so many competing identities out there: professionally, at home, our hobbies, where we went to school… all these things compete for our attention and our identity but as followers of Christ our identity is in Christ and that begins with our baptism.

In the United Methodist Church we have two sacraments: Holy Communion and Baptism. The Lord’s Supper is a perpetual remembrance of Christ- the bread and the juice symbolize Christ’s real presence with us when we receive them in worship, we have fellowship with the Lord and our brothers and sisters and siblings around us at the table. Communion is a means of grace; it is encouraged that we take it as often as possible; in fact the Wesley brothers John and Charles took communion throughout the week almost as like we would take supplements to keep connected to Christ. Baptism is different, in than that it is a once in a lifetime event that may happen when we’re children, or youth, even as adults. It’s a moment when we become aware of God’s grace that’s already been at work in our and we respond- we make a commitment or sometimes our parents make commitments on our behalf and we later claim them for ourselves. At baptism we are brought into the universal church, we affirm that we belong to Christ, we belong to God within the congregation. Baptism is always a communal experience: the community reaffirms its commitment to Christ, vows to support the new person in Christ going forward in their spiritual life.

Jesus himself was baptized; now why would he do that? Luke tells us that Jesus was baptized along with many others who were being ministered to by John the Baptist out in the wilderness. Jesus wants to be part of our lives, to share in community; again baptism is a communal event. Jesus wants to share in a ritual that helps us to deeply connect with God and with our own spiritual purpose. Following the baptism Luke tells us that Jesus is praying- what is the simplest, most accessible spiritual practice can we always do anywhere, whether a clergy is present or not? Prayer. Prayer brings us close to the heart of God. Jesus is praying, sharing with God, when the heavens are opened and the Holy Spirit alights upon Jesus in the form of a dove. God speaks and says, “You are my son the Beloved. In you I find happiness.” In Matthews account of Jesus’ baptism, the voice from the heaven says, “This is my Son…”, a way of proclaiming Jesus’ identity to everybody else who’s gathered. When the time comes for to baptize an infant here at Spring Valley I will take that child and I will walk all around the sanctuary and show the kid off: “This is _____.”  “This is _____.”  “This is _____.”  

In Luke’s version of the story the focus is different- it’s not an announcement to the people, it’s a direct message to Jesus: “You are my son. You are Beloved. In you I find happiness.” You can imagine the impact this message has for Christ. Before his ministry begins, before his temptation, before he calls the first disciple, before he heals anyone or teaches anything, he hears this good news: he is loved. God finds joy in Jesus. This is the voice is spoken to us by the Holy Spirit at our baptism. The Spirit alights upon us at the baptismal font, or river, or swimming pool (yes, I have done it more than once!). The Holy Spirit speaks to us, “You are a child of God. You are beloved. God finds happiness in you.” Can you see how that would be good news to us when we need a soul reset?

 When the world around us is gone crazy or when we’ve suffered burnout or we’ve feel disconnected to Christ we can always come back to that word: “You are my daughter. You are my son. You are my child. In you I find happiness.” No one can take your belovedness from you. Throughout this series we’re going to reset ourselves so that we can be sent into the world joyful, hopeful, empowered by the Holy Spirit. Today God resets our souls by reaffirming the baptismal covenant. Next Sunday we’ll reset purpose. As we engage in the liturgy, and as I walk through the space and kind of flick water at everybody,may you know you’re a beloved child of God. May you know that you bring happiness to God, and may your soul be reset by this gift of water. I read yesterday that in in communion human hands take that grain, human hands take those grapes, and they work it to where bread and juice are produced. But only divine hands can produce water. Water reconnects with the one who calls us beloved.

There’s one more facet of baptism that I want to emphasize: we are baptized for a purpose. It is the baptized Christian who takes on the responsibility to bring about God’s will of justice, mercy and peace for all the world. It is the baptized Christian’s responsibility to provide food for those who are hungry, clothing for those who are naked, shelter for those who are unsheltered, hope for those who have no hope. It is the baptized Christian’s responsibility to bring peace where there is violence, justice where there is oppression, voice where there is no voice, compassion where there is hatred, and healing where there is suffering. The baptized Christian is meant to meet the needs of the world and bring about God’s justice. You’ll see in this liturgy a challenge to live out your baptismal covenant in ways that make a positive impact on the world for the sake of Christ and for the sake of those also made in the image of God. Baptism is communal, and as such it reminds us that every single person is a beloved child of God, regardless of where they come from, the language they speak, the people they love, how they worship- if they worship- in God’s eyes we are all children we’re all beloved we’re all part of the human family.

 Let’s join together now in the reaffirmation of the baptismal covenant

From my family to yours, thank you for the warm welcome on Sunday during worship and the lovely reception afterward. Christy, James, Miles and Linus all transferred their membership to Spring Valley. We’re ready to move forward in ministry here! Sometimes it can be helpful to pause, step back, and reset things. More often than not, the first, most effective thing to do when our electronics do not respond to us is- hit the reset or refresh button. With AI invading our lives at every opportunity, now we are learning spiritual practices from the machines! Cue the Terminator sound track!

New Sermon Series begins Sunday!

God’s mercies are new every morning! But sometimes it is easy for us to get stuck in the same old routine. Let’s hit the “reset button,” so we can claim the fresh start God makes available to us. As we rediscover our true identity in the love of God, we will discover new purpose and, guided by the compass of God’s values, head off in an exciting God-given direction!

Week 1: Soul Reset | Luke 3:21-23

Resetting your soul begins with remembering who you are. In baptism, God calls us beloved.

Week 2: Reset Purpose | Mark 1:32-39

Centered living comes from understanding God’s purpose in this season.

Week 3: Reset Values | Galatians 5:24-6:10

What does it mean to live by God’s Spirit and not our own, to live according to God’s values and not those of the world?

Week 4: Reset Direction | Acts 9:1-15

Whether we’ve been in the church for a long time or are exploring the faith, Jesus sometimes calls us to move in a new direction, even when we think we are already heading in the right direction.

There are daily scripture readings to accompany the series. They build on the theme from Sunday. Here are the readings for the week of July 9:

Week 1: Soul Reset

Sunday – Luke 3:21-23

Monday – Matthew 3:13-17

Tuesday – Mark 1:9-11

Wednesday – John 1:29-34

Thursday – Revelation 21:5

Friday – 2 Corinthians 5:17

Saturday – Jeremiah 29:11

This series will help us to retain, maybe even recover, our calling and our purpose as followers of Christ. It will lead us directly in to our next series, which will begin August 13, “Bless this Neighborhood.” Energized by reconnecting with Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we will go out into our immediate neighborhood to embody the love of God.

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

That day Jesus went out of the house and sat down beside the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he climbed into a boat and sat down. The whole crowd was standing on the shore. He said many things to them in parables: “A farmer went out to scatter seed. As he was scattering seed, some fell on the path, and birds came and ate it. Other seed fell on rocky ground where the soil was shallow. They sprouted immediately because the soil wasn’t deep. But when the sun came up, it scorched the plants, and they dried up because they had no roots. Other seed fell among thorny plants. The thorny plants grew and choked them. Other seed fell on good soil and bore fruit, in one case a yield of one hundred to one, in another case a yield of sixty to one, and in another case a yield of thirty to one. Everyone who has ears should pay attention.”

“Consider then the parable of the farmer. Whenever people hear the word about the kingdom and don’t understand it, the evil one comes and carries off what was planted in their hearts. This is the seed that was sown on the path. As for the seed that was spread on rocky ground, this refers to people who hear the word and immediately receive it joyfully. Because they have no roots, they last for only a little while. When they experience distress or abuse because of the word, they immediately fall away. As for the seed that was spread among thorny plants, this refers to those who hear the word, but the worries of this life and the false appeal of wealth choke the word, and it bears no fruit. As for what was planted on good soil, this refers to those who hear and understand, and bear fruit and produce—in one case a yield of one hundred to one, in another case a yield of sixty to one, and in another case a yield of thirty to one.”

(more…)

http://www.pastorfrankdrenner.com/2015/06/reviewing-half-of-major-league-ballparks.html?m=1

April-May 2023

Teams I saw once:

Detroit

Toronto

Phillies

Rockies

Reds

Cubs

White Sox

Twins

Royals

Dodgers

Teams I saw twice:

Giants 

Rays 

Rangers 

Padres 

Brewers 

Angels 

Quick thoughts from each ballpark:

Detroit: most exciting game; walk off home run by the home team in the 10th

Toronto: Skydome/Rogers Centre isn’t as much of a concrete Goliath as I thought. And the stereotype seems true: the Canadians are so kind. 

Philly: Very engaged fans- someone tried a couple of times to start The Wave™️, and they were like, “Dude have a seat.” OH AND PHILLY HAS EXCELLENT FOOD SELECTIONS 

Cincinnati: This is a very good ballpark in a great setting, but attendance was poor. The team isn’t good, but they swept my Rangers. Should have better support. Good beer selections- and the chili cheese coneys were a hit!

Chicago and Milwaukee were extra special because my buddy Royce Hayes joined me. 

Wrigley- sure I get it. It’s old and small and everyone goes here. But I wonder what the percentage of ✌️fans✌️were there, versus tourists. And I have never been so cold- not just at a ballgame but ever. 

White Sox- really enjoyed this place. If you go to Chicago, and you should because it’s the best city, see the Sox. Very committed fans, they make a kind of generic stadium work really well, great uniforms and history. 

Milwaukee: I had the most fun here. The ballpark has a brewery!! The fans love Wisconsin- their pride is obvious. I fell in love with Mr Barrelman, now my favorite mascot. Closed roof- a good touch on a cool night. 

Minneapolis/St Paul: Cold, but not bad. Again, midwesterners are just proud in the best ways. Homemade mini donuts were a WIN. 

San Francisco: I mean, the highlight of the trip was my wife’s visit. Oracle Park is a gem. Owner financed- no public money. Garlic fries or were kind of spare, but the crab fries were on point! And getting to return to Oakland on a ferry after the game was a big bonus. Cold- not Wrigley cold of course but cold!

San Diego- great ballpark, great location. I hate to fly, but the flight plan of landing planes just over the outfield wall is a fun distraction. Great fans, really confident team, Tony Gwynn was one of my top 10 all time fav players. Time to win a title, but not before the Rangers. 

The Big A- another old stadium style, but they also make it work. Not much stands out, except that the Rangers scored 27 runs in three games there this weekend!

Now the rankings. Buckle up. 

30 Oakland- could have gone here but didn’t, for two reasons: 1. It’s a dump 2. They are abandoning their loyal fan base for Las Vegas. Boo

29 Tampa- haven’t been here, but I know it’s terrible; 1. It’s Florida 2. It’s just not for baseball. I grew up going to games in the Astrodome. A real shame, because their team is very good. 

28 Arizona

27 DC- just very generic 

26 Toronto

25 New Rangers park- just doesn’t have any character. They chose function over design and it’s a shame, because as hot as the old place was, it was fantastic. 

24 Seattle

23 Denver 

22 Anaheim

21 Kansas City

20 Houston- bonus for the little train and downtown location. Other than that it’s an airplane hanger. 

19 Milwaukee- Major points for placing experience over function. Not much to look at, located away from the city, but it’s a great time. Good food too

18 Miami – haven’t been here- again Florida- but I give them points for design. They’ll never have a devoted fan base, which is management and ownership’s fault. Won two titles, sold off the players, alienated their fans.  

17 New York Mets

16 Philadelphia 

15 Detroit

14 Atlanta- haven’t been to the new place, but I disapprove of suburbs > city. 

13 Cleveland- good location, great city, terrible ballpark food. Y’all need to visit other parks and take notes. 

12 Cincinnati

11 White Sox

10 Minnesota

9 Wrigley- I know this and Fenway are a century + old. I respect that. 

8 Fenway

7 St Louis- haven’t been to the new Busch. No plans to attend. I hate the Cardinals- love the fans, respect the tradition, just too much heartbreak with Astros and Rangers. 

6 San Diego 

5 New York Yankees- haven’t been to the new Stadium, but Yankees fans are the best. And they know it. 

4Baltimore- great location, started the revitalization/historic trend of the 90s. 

3 Dodgers- A+ all around. Classic. Great fans, lousy location, terrific history. I could see games here every day for a month and never grow tired of the experience 

2 Pittsburgh- previous #1. It has everything- downtown. Bridges. Small/intimate. They are winning. More people need to visit this place. It should be the prototype. 

1 San Francisco- food needs improvement. Water location, return to three places via ferry, easy mass transit, part of the city, great franchise and history. Privately financed. Unpredictable weather. Bridge behind left field. The giant Coke bottle IS A SLIDE. PacBell-AT&T-Oracle. It’s got it all.  

And so the adventure begins: Day 1 of renewal leave. 

I am in East Texas waiting for my train to Chicago. Why Amtrak? The slow pace. The scenery. Someone else doing the driving. No stress or hurry at the airport. Podcasts, a book, naps, repeat. On this trip I will see games at 11 Major League ballparks; only one of which I have visited before. Of those 11 games, two will be versus the Rangers. It’s a  journey to visit all the ballparks I began several years ago; I’ve kept a running diary here: http://www.pastorfrankdrenner.com/2015/06/reviewing-half-of-major-league-ballparks.html. I’ll finish the journey on this trip, with the exception of the Florida teams. I’ll also visit the Baseball Hall of Fame and experience a concert with one of my favorite artists.

I am grateful to my sweet wife and amazing boyos for supporting me, not only on this trip, but in the journey of ministry. Renewal leave is offered for full time clergy every seven years, but after 25+ I’ve never taken it. I’m thankful for the enthusiastic support of my DS Rev Todd Harris, Rev Cammy Gaston of the North Tx Conference, Rev Don Renshaw who will serve as interim pastor of Grace, and the Grace UMC congregation, who have loved me and my family this much- to allow this break to catch my breath, recommit myself for the next decade and a half, and have fun without worrying about the responsibilities of ministry.  I’m out of the pulpit until June 11- eight Sundays without preaching. The longest break I’ve had before this was three consecutive Sundays- in 2009. Fourteen years ago. 

Last April, I participated in a week-long course for mid-career clergy out of Brite Divinty (TCU) called Flourishing in Ministry; it’s offered twice a year, in April and October. I realized I was burned out- thinking about ministry in another setting (not a church), or even considering a change of vocation. And the burnout had taken root before Covid. Then one of my colleagues mentioned how taking leave “saved their ministry,” and something clicked. Yes; that’s what I needed to continue in this great work. Pastors, many of you have been in the work for the long haul without a break; maybe that time is coming your way. Lay people, it would be a great gift to your pastor to check in with them and ask- not just how is your soul since last Sunday, but since your ordination? 

I’m also inbetween appointments, preparing to say goodbye to the best congregation in the Northwest District, and to say hello to the best congregation in the Metro District. God has already been moving in both places. I’m already in a better place spiritually, able to see, feel and hear the still, small voice with a clarity I realized a year ago was missing. 

Some will say/ have said some version of, “Must be nice!!” And yes, it is. But so is well being. So is the ability to serve for five decades, when many people have 5+ career changes. If you looked at your health plan you might find a similar benefit; so what’s the issue again?

I keep looking ahead of me, across the street, where the railroad tracks are flanked by gorgeous green trees. It is a spectacular day out here. In a couple of hours, those tracks will take me to some great experiences. I invite you to check in along the journey. I’ll regularly post where I am and what I am up to for those who are interested. Grace family, I’ll see you again for Youth Sunday 5/21- Miles and Erika are preaching! And my last sermon/farewell Sunday for the Drenners will be 6/11. 

There are many, and much, to be grateful for. Thank you. ⚾️ 🛤️