An Update

It's been a while since I gave an update. In my last update, the Lord had me in a holding pattern. Although I knew what God was calling us to then, I wasn't sure it was time to answer with a yes. Once we returned to Ambridge I was able to reflect and discern following my summer internship at St. John's. In October I finally heard it was time, and I said yes to the call to plant a church on Johns Island, SC. I knew at the time the road ahead would be long. Also, before I could move much further there were some things I had to do first. A few of those major steps have been taken since October, and things seemingly came to a crescendo last week during a short, but intense, trip home.

First I had to pass my canonical exams. Canonical Exams are comprised of a three day, six-part, written exam, and an oral interview with the Board of Examining Chaplains. I took the written exam in January, and last Monday I passed the oral examination. I was officially forwarded on to the next step in the process.

Tuesday I met with the Standing Committee and Commission on Ministry for the Diocese. After about an hour long interview they voted unanimously to recommend me (and the other three candidates as well) to the Bishop for ordination.

Wednesday, with the support of Flip Bryan, Fr. Greg Snyder, and Fr. Gary Beson we opened up a checking account and post office box for St. Aidan's. It was a momentous occasion, and worth celebrating!

Friday presented an opportunity to lead a workshop at our Diocesan Convention. I was asked to help lead a panel style seminar on a program called Mission Insite. Mission Insite is an online demographics database which we have used to evaluate the makeup of Johns Island. It was critical for the vestry of my home church, St. John's Parish, in analyzing the need for planting St. Aidan's on Johns Island. It was also vital for me in my discernment as I asked the question, "am I called to John's Island?"

Finally, on Saturday, March 16th, Bishop Lawrence announced to those in attendance at Diocesan Convention that all four graduating seminarians from the diocese would be moving forward towards ordination. I was humbled to be affirmed in such a public way, and in front of so many people who have been praying for us since the beginning of our discernment process. 

So as I sit here in Ambridge and reflect back on last week, I also look forward at what the Lord has ahead of us. Knowing that the road ahead of us is long, I pray. I pray because now the real challenge begins. There is a small group of people who I have been blessed to have met with for a couple months now. We have been called to reach the unchurched on John's Island. I have been called to lead this endeavor in a rapidly growing area of my hometown. We don't have a building (yet). What we do have is an identity and a vision to get to know the people of Johns Island. We are called to sow seeds of the Gospel, feed those who the Lord adds to our flock, and see God's Kingdom grow throughout the Sea Islands. It will not be easy, but it isn't supposed to be.

Right now I would humbly ask that you pray for us. Pray for Sara, Elizabeth, William, and me. Pray for St. Aidan's. Pray for God's providence. If you're interested in supporting us, that would be great too. Just let me know. But for now, please keep us in your prayers. The kids finish school the first week of June, and I hope to hit the ground running shortly after that. Pray for smooth transitions for them. Above all else, pray that I will be a faithful husband, father, and minister of the Gospel as we step into this new calling the Lord has placed on our lives. To God be the glory!

What Next?

We are back in Ambridge! After an incredible summer spent learning alongside Fr. Greg Snyder and Fr. Gary Beson, I have returned to Ambridge to begin my third and final year of seminary. I am both excited and anxious. Excited to begin this year of study, and complete the task of spiritual education that the Lord has called me to. Anxious about the work ahead, anxious for my children whose classes begin next week, and anxious about what the Lord might be calling me to after seminary is over.

This summer I spent my time in Charleston preaching, teaching, doing pastoral visits, meeting with various church planters and priests for wisdom and guidance, etc. I also spent much of my time learning directly from two leaders in the church whose priestly roles are similar, but whose personalities and day to day ministries are vastly different. One is the rector of an almost 300 year old church. The other planted a church immediately after graduating from seminary. It was amazing to watch the two of them work together, and encouraging to see how well their contrasting personality types complemented one another. They were an incredible team and a dynamic duo whose wisdom and experience I was blessed to glean from. The purpose of this internship was partly to figure out an answer to the question, "What next?" What is it that the Lord is calling me to?

I prayed through that question and various other questions this summer. I prayed for wisdom. I prayed for guidance. I prayed for an answer. I prayed silently, aloud, inside, outside, fishing, surfing, driving, lying down, getting up... You get the picture. There wasn't a time when a form of the following two questions weren't somewhere in my mind rattling around...

"Is the Lord calling me to plant a church?"

"Is the Lord calling me to a more traditional priestly role that mirrors a track-like career model?"

The answer was simple. God said wait.

I don't like waiting. I can be a patient person, but I can also get very antsy. One Thursday in late July I was praying through the question above about planting. St. John's, my home parish and where I was interning, had just gotten new lights installed in the nave of the church. The scaffolding was still up, but the workers appeared to be gone. I went into the church and knelt at the altar rail on the sea turtle kneeler. It was the kneeler I had chosen as my go to prayer spot from the beginning of the summer. I had 45 minutes left in the day, and I figured I needed to spend some time talking with the Lord. I went in alone. I prayed the prayer for our parish. I prayed a few surface level things on my mind. Finally I prayed in silence. After a few minutes of silent prayer I looked up at the cross.

"God... is the answer yes?"

I knelt in silence for about 5 minutes. Surprisingly my mind did not wander too much. I thought about several reasons why church planting might be in my future. Nothing overwhelming came to mind. Nothing truly moving at the time. Nothing truly lept out as a word from the Lord.

"God... is the answer no?"

I knelt in silence for another 5 minutes. I thought about ways that I would be challenged, or otherwise was not suited to plant a church. None of these thoughts were new. None of them stood out. The Lord didn't speak clearly in this either.

"God... do you want me to wait?"

As soon as the word "wait" left my mouth the back doors of the church opened, and the workers came back in. I heard them talking about the new chandeliers. I quietly chuckled to myself, looked at the ground, shook my head a couple times, looked at the cross and said, "I guess that's the answer for now." I walked slowly out the back door, and quietly I asked the Lord to make his answer clear, if that was truly my answer.

I've never been a dreamer. On top of that, if I ever have a dream, I rarely remember it for more than 20 minutes. In fact, up until this point in my life, there is only one dream I have ever remembered. It was a nightmare from when I was very small. Well, that night I had a dream that I remember vividly still now.

Note: If you want a full rundown of the dream, read everything that follows. If you just want the punchline, skim to the underlined part below.

I was at a grand opening for an all you can eat buffet restaurant, like Ryan's or something of the sort. When I came in I ordered the buffet and a Coke. The downstairs seating was strung out, very long and narrow. I noticed a staircase that ran along the wall up to a second-floor seating area. Once I got upstairs I chose a table and gave my receipt to the waitress so she could get my Coke. I then went and got some food. I noticed that the entire restaurant was laid out like an interstate. The downstairs was full of hustle and bustle, and the upstairs was like an overpass. In fact, the stairs were even one-way. One set went up, one went down, and they ran parallel to the "highway" below. On top of that, the food bar was along the sides, as if they were frontage roads, and had the server stations right beside them.

Once I returned to the table with my food I realized that my server was gone. Something told me that she was not going to return any time soon. At this point, the only thing that I had on my mind was getting my Coke. It soon seemed to become the only reason I was there. I was almost obsessed with getting my drink. I took it upon myself to go get one myself.

Unfortunately, when I went to the drink machine at the server station, there were no glasses. There were only styrofoam cups. I tried filling a styrofoam cup with Coke, but the opening was too small. No matter how hard I tried, the cup crumbled in my hand. I looked around distraught. Finally, I found a black plastic bag, like a one-time use bag you would get from the grocery store. I filled it with Coke and walked back to the table. 

The dream ended with me standing there at the table, holding a black plastic bag full of Coke, thinking that I should have waited for the waitress to get me my drink. I still remember every detail vividly. I woke up the next morning and shared the dream with Sara. 

What does this all mean? It means that now is not the time for me to say yes or no. Now is the time for me to continue on faithfully with my studies. I will wait patiently on the Lord to answer that question of "what next?" in HIS time. I'm a full-time husband, father, and seminarian right now. If the Lord makes it clear to me tomorrow what his plan is for me next May, I will rejoice in that plan. If not, I will rejoice in the fact that I get to help lead campus tours at orientation, and help a new student and his wife move into their new home. I will rejoice in the fact that I still get to go to class this semester and build on the foundation that has been laid in my first two years of seminary. I will rejoice in the fact that my savior is real, and that I am here to learn because I have a role to play in helping to make disciples. I will rejoice in the fact that, while I don't know anything that the future holds, I know Christ and him crucified. 

I think God can work with that, and so I'll continue to proclaim it. I'll continue to answer the call to be here and focused on my own foundational training. While I am here I will continue to await clarity in my future calling. I will be faithful because he called me to Ambridge for his purpose. I am excited to one day know for sure what exactly the Lord will call me to. For now, I can't wait to see what this year holds in store for us as a family and for the entire community here at Trinity. Thank you to all of you who have supported us through your prayers and your generosity. Now bring on senior year!

GAFCON

This blog post is a little late. That's ok. It is summertime after all. Also, it is long. Grab a cup of coffee and take your time.

I was blessed to spend June 16-23 in Jerusalem, Israel at the third GAFCON meeting. It all started last August 2017 when I received a phone call from the Very Rev. Dr. Laurie Thompson, Dean President at Trinity School for Ministry. He was in Scotland at the time and called to ask if I would be willing to represent Trinity at GAFCON 2018. I immediately jumped at the opportunity. In all honesty, I had no idea where GAFCON was going to be held this year. I had to look up online. All I knew was that this was one experience that I wasn't going to pass up. When I found out that we were meeting in Jerusalem it made the trip all that much more exciting. I knew that it would be a once in a lifetime opportunity, but in all honesty, I really had no idea what was in store for me.

Fast-forward to Friday, June 15th, 2018. I hopped in the truck before the sun was up and began the drive up to PA. We have a few missionaries house sitting for us up in Ambridge while I am doing my summer internship at St. John's. I had to meet them and get them settled into the house before I left. Saturday afternoon, June 16th, Laurie, the Rev. Dr. Joel Scandrett, and I met at the Pittsburg airport to begin our journey. The travel plans were simple. Fly from PIT to Newark, have a short layover, and then fly to Tel-Aviv. After a long trip, made longer by an almost 12-hour delay (which included a 3-hour nap in a swanky Newark hotel owned by none other than Best Western), we finally arrived at the Royal Ramada hotel in Jerusalem around 3:30 AM Monday the 18th. I managed to get a couple hours of sleep, wake up, grab a quick bite to eat and make it in time for the closing of Morning Prayer. The fact that I made it in time for the first plenary speaking was a huge success in my book. I was now technically 2 days removed from my most recent full night's sleep, and I was running on adrenaline. It was the sheer excitement of being in Jerusalem with 1950 other Anglicans from across the globe that was keeping me awake.

Rather than describe in detail the teachings that I was able to experience while I was there, I would like to just point out that all of the daily expositions of scripture and plenary talks are available online. At the end of this blog post, you will find a link to all of the videos. Please take the time to watch whichever one(s) you'd like. I recommend all of them, but particularly the expository teachings. If you want more information, email me.

From day one I was absolutely amazed by the amount of support that I received from everyone I spoke with. It was great to reconnect with many of the foreign bishops and priests who I had the pleasure of meeting during my four and a half years out at St. Christopher. That said, the vast majority of the people there were all new to me. As I went through the week, introducing myself to hundreds of new people, nearly everyone I spoke to expressed two sentiments when I shared my name and where I was from. First, they all expressed a knowledge of our schism with the Episcopal Church (TEC for short) which was surprisingly thorough. Second, all of them expressed encouragement in some form. More often than not, the individuals I spoke with shared that they have been praying for us, Bishop Mark Lawrence, and the diocese for years. To have a total stranger share that they have lifted you in prayer for years was often overwhelming. I would come to learn that many of them have experienced significant struggles in their own churches. Many of the individuals from Africa, Asia, and throughout the Global South have experienced far greater struggles than our legal battles, and yet they pray for us. Even as I write this blog, many of them have returned home to face persecution. I must say if there was any doubt in my mind that there is a strong and faithful contingent within the Anglican Communion that understands and supports us before this trip, that doubt is long gone now.

Aside from the teachings of the week, we had one authorized extracurricular excursion and several more spontaneous excursions in the city throughout the week.

Monday and Tuesday 
I spent most of my time outside of the conference recuperating from the travel. Monday evening I went back to the room to lie down briefly before dinner and woke up Tuesday morning at 4:00 AM. I was not able to go back to sleep, so I chose to participate in an optional 6:00 AM service of Holy Eucharist at the hotel. Needless to say, following the service I was a little more hungry than normal, so I ate a very full breakfast. Tuesday evening I grabbed dinner with Laurie and had some great conversation with several people over drinks afterward. It was an opportunity to establish relationships with several people who I am bound to work within the future.

Wednesday Afternoon
All GAFCON participants were able to choose one of four tours in the region. I chose to go to The Jordan River to see the sight of Jesus' baptism, Qumran, and the Dead Sea. I managed to get on the same bus as Laurie, as well as Fr. Bob and Mama Lynn Lawrence. Traveling through the region was a sight to see. It was incredible to watch just how quickly the landscape changed from the lush green areas around the city of Jerusalem to the vast and desolate desert. Just as striking was the change in scenery when we neared Jericho, a city surrounded by massive plantations full of date palm trees. The lushness of the Jordan River Valley was striking as well.

One thing they don't prepare you for when you visit the Jordan River are the remnants of the days when tensions were high along the border between Israel and Jordan. At any point, you could look somewhere and see some sort of old observation tower. Also, the old mine fields still exist surrounded by fencing and warning signs that remind clueless tourists not to wander off the beaten path. I couldn't help but wonder if someone was still watching us as we gleefully stepped into the muddy brown water.

Above: A photo of me standing in the Jordan River, and a view looking across the River at the Jordanian side. 

From there we took the short drive to Qumran. Standing at the foot of the mountains, whose caves hid the Dead Sea Scrolls for hundreds of years, it made sense how the scrolls could have been preserved so well. It also made sense how they could stay hidden for centuries.

A look at the ruins of Qumran, and the hills that housed contained the Dead Sea Scrolls for years.

Following a walkthrough of the ruins at Qumran, we then descended to our final elevation of -423 meters. That is a whopping 1,388 feet below sea level. It was there that I took a float in the Dead Sea. An interesting announcement was made as we drove up to the parking lot that the Dead Sea is dropping at a rate of 3 meters per year! It is anticipated that eventually, the lake will reach a sort of equilibrium level, but that will be a matter of years. Yes, you do really float almost at or above the surface. Yes, any little nick in your skin burns. Yes, it stings if it gets in your eyes. Yes, it does feel as if your body is coated in some sort of petroleum-based oil. But if you go, you simply must get in. It would be like going to Camp St. Christopher and not getting in the Mud Pit.

Looking down at the Dead Sea.

After a quick shower and dinner at the hotel, I joined Laurie, Dr. Leslie Thyberg, Canon Dr. John Macdonald, and Jim Oakes of Five Talents. We grabbed a couple cabs and headed to sit at the rooftop wine and cheese bar at the Notre Dame Center of Jerusalem. I spent most of the evening talking with Leslie and Jim about a myriad of topics from ministry and calling to church planting and the future of the Anglican church worldwide. Along the way, we would discover that Israeli wine is rather good. It is far from surprising though that a region which has been making wine for thousands and thousands of years does so well.

A poor quality panorama of Jerusalem at night from the top of the Notre Dame Center.

Thursday
In the morning I woke up early and met a group of folks in the lobby of our hotel. One of my former professors, the Rev. Dr. Peter Walker, led us in a trip to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. We hopped on a bus and were dropped off just outside the Old City near the Jaffa Gate. From there our trip started with us standing outside the Jaffa Gate, looking at the original bedrock that Jesus stood on when he was tried. We were standing in much the same location that many members of the crowd stood when they shouted out, "crucify him!"

Above you can see a small remnant of the old bedrock that the new wall (approximately 500 years old) was built on top of. That is where Jesus likely would have stood as he was tried.

We then walked through what has since been added into the footprint of the "Old City," and carefully (for fear of slipping on the very well worn stones walkway) descended down to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. As we walked through the city we also walked through the last hours of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. Along the way, I was overwhelmed by the weightiness of the crucifixion and the passion narrative. It is one thing to understand the timeline and complexities of the narrative in relation to our own sins and forgiveness. It is quite another to walk the journey that Christ so arduously took on Good Friday. It was particularly striking to do so in the quieter hours and cool of the early morning before the shops had opened up. In the oddly comfortable quiet of the morning, I was able to completely focus and reflect on the gravity and beauty of the story. I was overwhelmed that my sins were put upon that very cross out of perfect love. The biblical narrative made so much more sense as I walked that small road, gazed upon the small crown of Golgotha, and peered into an open 1st-century era tomb. No, it wasn't the actual tomb Jesus was put in, well probably not, but through the experience it all made sense.

I loved these small arches above the road to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

 Early in the morning, the road from the Jaffa Gate to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is surprisingly quiet. Once all of the shops open up, this whole area comes to life.

 The road that led to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

 The entrance to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

 The anointing stone on which Jesus' body was prepared for burial. Pilgrims came and anointed it with oil, and it had a most beautiful sweet aroma.

A Catholic Mass being performed not 10 yards from where Christ was crucified. The icon of Christ on the Cross sits atop the original bedrock of Golgotha, which is encased in glass.

 There is a small structure built atop what is believed is the exact site of Jesus' tomb. These small holes allow one to see inside.

A lady offers prayers just outside the small building atop the site of Jesus' tomb.

As I went to leave, I noticed this beautiful painting of Jesus staring down at me from the roof of the dome on top of the church. It was probably my favorite painting all week.

That afternoon, after a workshop, the entire conference was bused to the South Temple Steps, just outside the walls of the Old City, for the group photo. Let me just say that I have a great amount of respect for the leadership of GAFCON being able to choreograph the buses. Within an hour of walking out of the International Convention Center, I was in my place and we were ready to take the photo. To do that with a group of nearly 2000 people from across the globe is a miracle in and of itself. To stand on those steps, where thousands upon thousands of Jesus entered into the Temple was amazing. To then look to my left, across the valley, at the Mount of Olives where Jesus ascended into Heaven left me speechless.

 It took us a little over an hour to get everyone in their place. Needless to say, I was surrounded by bored people on their phones. 

 A look at the folks to my right as we waited for everyone to get situated.

 There was something beautiful about this modern playground right inside the walls of the Old City.

 There was a surprising amount of really cool art like this if you kept your eyes out for it.

 There was beautiful artwork everywhere.

 There was a time, under Muslim authorities, that the Christians were not allowed to ring bells to call people into worship. The Armenians adopted the practice of banging on a board in order to skirt those rules. Unfortunately, I never witnessed it.

The Armenians had some of the most exquisitely painted pottery.

After the photo and the amazing worship that followed (imagine singing Amazing Grace on the South Temple Steps with almost 2000 others and hearing it echo across the Kidron Valley), we had a short worship service, sang Amazing Grace, and then proceeded through the Old City. The goal we were given was to walk briskly through the city, board another bus, and head back to the convention center. Unfortunately, I'm not much for following rigorous itineraries while traveling. Neither is my good friend, Leslie. We met up with another friend, Kirsten Gardner, and slowly strolled through the Armenian district of the Old City. Once we neared the Jaffa Gate we bumped into a few familiar faces and decided to have dinner at the Armenian Tavern with them. Bishop Jim Hobby, his wife the Rev. Shari Hobby, Laurie, Leslie, Kirsten, Jenny Noyes, and I shared some great table fellowship and had some delicious food. Along the way, we also bumped into Canon Jack Luminog and several others who were taking time to fully experience the wonderful Armenian cuisine as well.

Friday
Friday was the last day of the conference. One thing that anyone who has yet to spend time in Jerusalem must know is that Shabbat, the Sabbath, is still very much a big deal. Shabbat begins at sundown on Friday, and preparations begin mid-afternoon. In order to prepare for Shabbat, the conference ended promptly at 3:00. This allowed time for everyone to leave the premises before the whole city pretty much shut down. Following the closing Leslie and I met several new friends, and Seth Zimmerman (an old friend and church planter in the Pittsburg area) at a local brewery called the BeerBazaar just in time to have one drink before they closed for Shabbat. From about 4:30 until dinner time Leslie and I walked through Jerusalem, back to the Old City, and then to the American Colony Hotel's restaurant which was one of only a handful of places open for dinner.

For the most part, we watched the city slowly shut down. As it did, the Israelis hurried to buy all they would need for the Shabbat. Soon the electric train stopped, and people walked, ran, or biked along the same roads where the trains had run all week long. It was really incredible to see how everyone slowly came together in their neighborhoods and began to transition into their routine of evening prayer. On our way to dinner, a call to prayer cried out from somewhere nearby. One thing that surprised me throughout the trip was just how safe I felt at all times. Despite what I was told about relations in the region, the Israelis and the Palestinians all seemed to get along just fine in Jerusalem. That isn't to say that everything is cupcakes and rainbows throughout the region, but at least in Jerusalem, the people have figured out a balance in which everyone can live, despite significant cultural and religious differences. No, they don't embrace one another's traditions. No, they don't "coexist" as the bumper sticker might lead us to believe we can/should. What they have found is at least a semblance of peace, for the time being at least.

This giant Panasonic was fully functioning, and playing music as the city was shutting down.

Dinner Friday night was great. I had some amazing chicken tajine at the American Colony Hotel and sat with several members of the ACNA's committee for catechesis. I am especially thankful for the conversations we had regarding catechesis and church planting. Many of them are involved in just that. More specifically, listening to some of the stories that Fr. Lee Nelson had was particularly helpful as I look at what the Lord may be calling me to do following my experience in seminary. He is, quite simply, doing great things in ministry, planting churches throughout the country, and emphasizing the importance of catechesis. I'd be more than happy to share more in detail, but that is a conversation to be had over a cup of coffee if you're interested.

Final Thoughts


It is so hard to summarize my experience. I met so many incredible people, experienced so much, and at the same time I hardly even scratched the surface. All I know is that I cannot wait to go back. I want to walk those streets again and watch the children play in the park on Shabbat. I want to get up to the Sea of Galilee, and then travel around the region more. The list goes on and on. That said, I am so incredibly thankful for the experience I had. I pray that the relationships built through GAFCON, and the decisions made might lead to revival throughout the Anglican Communion. We are all back in our homes now, and for the most part, everything is back to normal. The question now is what does the future hold for God's church and how did my trip affect the ways in which I am able to share the Gospel? Hopefully, I was able to represent Trinity well and faithfully in order that we might continue to grow and equip people to faithfully proclaim the Gospel. Hopefully, I established relationships which will be not only lifelong but everlasting. Hopefully, I can return back to Israel and continue to learn more. Next time Sara is going to go with me though.

Links to Teachings:
GAFCON Has provided the entire Live Feed from each day, th Expository teachings of scripture, the Plenary talks, and avriety of other resources. To access them all, click here.

Reformation Day

Family and Friends,

Happy Reformation Day! Happy Halloween too! It has been a while since our first blog post. We have since gotten settled in mostly, school has started, life has happened, and it is now almost November. Here are all of the important things that you may have missed to this point. Most of this we have hardly even had the time to reflect on fully to be honest.

The Lord blessed us immensely when we got here. Once we moved in and settled at 836 Glenwood Ave, we had so many loose ends to tie up. Elizabeth and I had schools chosen, but Sara and William had nothing really in the works for them. Elizabeth had a pending application at Rhema Christian School which is about 20 minutes away. Her enrollment was ultimately dependent upon a few details. Sara and I both knew that it would be good for her to have some sort of a routine and something to do herself. That would also mean having a school plan for William, but he was two months too young for Rhema. Well, it turned out that Rhema was looking for a part time preschool teacher. That’s exactly what Sara had done before we moved out to camp. After she finished her application she received a response pretty quickly, and she had an interview the day before class started. She got the job, and has been able to take William with her most days. Elizabeth is doing half day kindergarten, and Sara has a routine that keeps her busy and plugged in up here during the day. This was an answer to so many prayers. It was such a huge blessing.

I seem to have found a good class routine. I’m taking four classes, which seems like a light load, but Greek is one of those classes. Trinity teaches an entire year’s worth of Greek in one semester, so it is highly recommended not to take more than four classes when one of them is Greek. I will be able to make up the fifth class in the January intensive time period (a.k.a. – Jan Term), so things will all work out just fine. All of the professors and other students have been amazing too! Even when I was in graduate school I never enjoyed school and the challenges it presented like I have enjoyed seminary so far. I will never be able to scratch the surface of half of the information I would like to learn but these three years are far from the end of the learning process. This is just the beginning.

As far as extracurricular activities are concerned, if one can truly find time for extracurriculars in seminary, I’ve stayed as busy as I can. This past weekend I traveled with about 20 other seminarians to Gettysburg, PA where we participated in the annual Luther Bowl, a flag football tournament held at the Lutheran Seminary there. The weather was incredible, the family came and had a blast, and to top it all off Trinity won the championship for the second year in a row. It continues a streak that started in high school for me. Since sophomore year, every football team I have been a part of has had an opportunity to play for a championship, winning two of three state championships and now a flag football championship. I know, it’s kinda cheeky, but it is always fun to push yourself and see just what you can accomplish. Hopefully we can keep the run going next year.

We have had a blast exploring the vast amounts of public land that is within a short drive of home on weekends as well. The kids love “going to the woods”, and Sara loves getting a little time of peace and quiet to herself when she can. The time I’ve spent exploring has also been very good for my spirit as well. It is surprising just how much this place has begun to grow on us all, although we do look forward to Thanksgiving when we will return home to be with family and friends.

As you can tell, we seem to have found a pretty good rhythm and routine up here. Our neighbors have been incredible. The kids play almost daily with a few of the neighborhood kids. They ride bikes and scooters in the cul-de-sac behind the house, laughing and filling the street with the sounds of playful banter. We have gotten to know several of our neighbors. A few are retired (includeing a former Ambridge High English teacher, and a former 40-year employee of the Borough), a couple have school aged and younger children, and a couple are just reclusive enough to keep us from getting to know them. All of them seem to enjoy living here, and that has been a true blessing. It has really helped set the tone for us and realize that this really is a pretty good place to be for a season. It isn’t glamorous or extravagant. Far from it. Ambridge is still a pretty rough town suffering the effects of a collapsed steel industry even today, but the residents here are resilient. It is a great example for us.

I hope this brief update has helped you feel a little better caught up on our life up here. We would love your prayers that we might finish this semester strong and that we might get some good quality time with family and friends over the holiday. We will be home for one week around Thanksgiving and about 10 days around Christmas and the New Year. We hope to see you all then. God bless you!

Grace and peace,
Will

William.klauber@tsm.edu

William waiting on a parade in Ambridge.

William and Elizabeth at the Fire Station Open House.

Introduction

For those of you who have stumbled upon this blog, welcome! On August 20th, 2016 at approximately 10:30 AM I climbed up into the cab of a 26' Penske truck with my Father in law, Randy. This was one of those trucks that is so big you should probably have a CDL to drive it. Our family had just packed almost all of our possessions into that truck. My wife, kids, and Mother in law hopped in a Chevy Equinox and followed behind. We left the Lowcountry of South Carolina, and have now relocated up North to Ambridge, PA. I will be attending seminary at Trinity School For Ministry for the next three years, and this is guaranteed to be an experience to be remembered. We knew that we would want to start a blog about this adventure for a few reasons.

First we wanted to keep friends, family, and loved ones in the loop while we are up here. Ambridge is long way away from my hometown of Charleston SC.

Second, we wanted to be able to have our memories documented for the years to come. I'm ADD and forgetful, so this will help a ton. 

Third, when I felt the call of the Lord and began discerning whether or not I was being called into ordained ministry I didn't have any clue what seminary life would be like. I had a couple amazing mentors who helped clue me in, but a blog like this could have been really helpful as well. Hopefully we can help inform others, and spouses of others, about some of what they can expect when they take a step out in faith and follow the Lord into this process. We hope to share all of our laughs, tears, and goofy kid photos with you. I'm sure we will miss some things, probably a couple important things, but we'll do our best not to. Not all of these blog posts will be written by myself either. Sara is sure to put her fair share of posts up as well. It is the Klauber Village after all. A village, by definition, requires more than one person to be involved.

Finally, none of this would be possible without the generosity of our family and friends who support us both prayerfully and financially. Thank you! As they say, "it takes a village." Continue to pray for us. If you feel called to support us, let me know. I can tell you how you can do so in a tax deductible manner. 

Grace and peace, 
Will, Sara, Elizabeth, and William Klauber