Category: Life

Posted in Life

Call Day (part 2: travel)

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Today was a long travel day to St. Louis. We left our house at 7:15, picked up my in-laws and headed for Orlando International Airport. Easy drive (we do I-95 and the Beachline 528. But then it was a mob scene at security. We got through but then only got to our gate as the final boarding announcement (they called our names) was made.

After running to make the flight, we sat in the plane for an hour while they fixed a rear thruster. We finally got into the air, but I was certain we'd miss our connection in Miami. Yes, you read that right: Miami. Pretty quick flight, but rain and fog kept the pilot from seeing the runway, so we had to make another attempt. Finally landed safely, and were told they were holding our connecting flight for us. Only had to get from gate 4 to 40, and made that flight, too. But, because of rain and lightning, we didn't takeoff for another hour.

For both flights, we were in boarding group #1. We never get in group 1. But it really didn't matter. We were the last ones on the plane both times.

Got to St. Louis about 4 pm, got our bags, and they, along with some of the contents, were drenched. Got our rental car and then followed Siri's directions to our hotel. She led us to an abandoned building, but it was in sight of our real hotel.

We met Adam and Sarah at Square One Brewery and Distillery for supper. I had a very nice Irish Stout and a burger. A little dessert at their apartment, and then time to turn in.

Tomorrow, the Arch, Anheiser Busch, and the Call Service.

 

Posted in Life, Ministry

Call Day (part 1: memories)

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Call Day 1986

As our family gets ready to travel to St. Louis for Call Day at Concordia Seminary, we are all excited to learn where my son Adam and his wife Sarah will be placed as their complete their studies. In this post I will reminisce about my Call Day in 1986 (exactly 27 years ago) at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN. It’s been a few years, so my recollection may be a bit fuzzy.

Lisa and I had been married for nearly two years and Adam was only three months old as Call Day approached. Our fourth year at the seminary included making Chex mix for Kroger Supermarkets, me working at Subway and Lisa doing some tutoring. The food bank helped us make ends meet with 5 lb. blocks of cheese. We were really glad when Spring arrived, since the little house we rented wasn’t very well heated. Thank goodness for that kerosene heater and a couple of labs to keep us warm.

The week before the call service, we were told that we didn’t have a placement yet. There weren’t enough calls for the graduating class, so we might have to wait until the summer before we found out where we would be going. But the day before the call service, we were told we indeed had a call. The placement process is very confidential, so we had no idea where we would be going.

On Call Day, Lisa’s family came up from Columbus. They had a doubly-vested interest that day since their son Jeff was also graduating. My family decided to take the train from Philadelphia and barely arrived in time for the service. I was singing with the Kantorei and playing trumpet in the balcony (one of the most amazing organs to play with), so when it was time for my call to be announced, I slipped into line and quickly learned we’d be going to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Coventry, Connecticut. Where the heck is that? Break out the Rand-McNally atlas. (No Google maps — this was 1986, folks). Ah-ha, just a little east of Hartford, in a beautiful rural area of the state.

As the evening progressed and called were announced, I remember one in particular. The professor announcing this one call said, “Peru…” <everyone gasped> “…Indiana” <everyone exhales>. What a great moment. The other great moment is when a certain call was announced and a very clear “Oh, s***!” was spoken. I guess that’s not where they expected to go.

I got to meet the New England District President that night, David Mulder. He was just the right man to welcome me to the district, and let me know I was not stepping into an easy situation. The last pastor at that congregation had not only been asked to resign, but had been defrocked (he was no longer able to be a pastor). Hmm, this was going to be interesting. But hey, the call came with a house! An enormous parsonage. Cool.

And just like that, we were thrust into the real world of parish ministry. (And yes, for those of you with inquiring minds, the document below was created with a typewriter!)

Call Day 1986 B

Posted in Grace, Life, Ministry

The unseen

Posted on by William Douthwaite

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“We don’t focus on the things that can be seen but on the things that can’t be seen. The things that can be seen don’t last, but the things that can’t be seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

When I read this verse a few weeks ago, it immediately made me think of all the CSI television shows I enjoy watching, from the original to Miami to New York, as well as the Behavioral Analysis Unit of Criminal Minds. I know those shows are scripted, but I am still fascinated by the things that they observe, as well as the things that they don’t see at a crime scene. A picture that isn’t on a wall, food that’s conspicuously absent from a refrigerator, jewelry not in a box, or even a body missing from the scene of a crime. I don’t know how realistic the scripts are, but I sometimes wish I could develop the observational skills of those investigators.

So my question is: how do we focus on something we cannot see? How do we keep our eye on something that we cannot observe? How do we make sure we don’t lose sight of those things that are invisible and eternal?

When we look at each other (or ourselves in a mirror), it is easy to see errors, shortcoming and failures. It’s not so easy to see the redeemed, the forgiven and the saints. All that is only visible by faith, for God’s Word declares us to be redeemed, forgiven and the saints of God. That’s who we are! Do you believe that? Can you see that in someone else?

One of the things I’m doing each day is asking, “What didn’t I see today?” What pain, loneliness or disappointment was hidden behind a smiling face? What insecurities, fears or doubt was hidden behind a friendly greeting? It’s all there. We just don’t see those things because they’re disguised behind busyness, spirituality and the good parts of our lives revealed in public.

How can I learn to see the unseen?

Posted in Grace, Life

Flagler Beachfront Winery

Posted on by William Douthwaite

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Lisa and I headed down to the beach for supper tonight, and parked right across from the Flagler Beachfront Winery just a few blocks north of the Golden Lion on A1A. We never noticed it before because it has only been open for a month or so. So we wandered in to see what they had to offer and discovered a great place to sit and have a glass of wine made right on the premises, a pint of beer (they had some craft beers on tap) and a nice cheese plate. Sitting outside on a beautiful night, the ocean had calmed from the high waves of the full moon just nights before. We’ll definitely be back to sample some more of their wines!

Posted in Life, Ministry

Celebrating Administrative Professional Day!

Posted on by William Douthwaite

So when in the world did this observance begin? It began as National Secretaries Day in 1952, but evolved into Administrative Professionals Day by 2000. A great day to remember the great front office people who hold it all together.

We celebrated today, with a really cool vase of almost-ready-to-bloom tulips, a card and lunch out for Marcy (not her real name), our office administrator. Truth be told, she’s worth a monthly celebration. As gatekeeper for phone calls, mail, email and walk-ins, purchaser of just about everything we need, facilities coordinator and editor and publisher of a number of publications each week, she makes the church office happen. When she’s not there, I might as well stay home. I never get anything done, because of the constant interruptions. She is definitely a special blessing for me and the church!

Posted in Life

Earth Day

Posted on by William Douthwaite

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I got to be a part of the first Earth Day in 1970. (Sheesh, I’m old!) I don’t remember much about it. My best recollection is getting out of class to go and clean up the lake by our junior high school. Old tires, furniture, and junk dumped there. In 1970 we really didn’t think much about recycling, gas mileage or global warming. What a different world it was.

Now I recycle more than I throw away, I drive a hybrid car, I have higher efficiency appliances in my house and I pick up litter in my neighborhood. I am constantly aware of the environment, climate, ecosystem and conservation. It’s a part of my everyday life.

From the very beginning, God charged his creation, male and female, to consume, enjoy and also care for the creation. It’s a part of everyday life for God’s people. In other words, every day is Earth Day for Christians.

Posted in Grace, Life, Ministry

What Family Promise did for our church

Posted on by William Douthwaite

family promiseFamily Promise is a fairly new resource in our area that provides temporary shelter for families experiencing homelessness. It involves local churches who provide a place to stay, meals and other support, enabling families to stay together as they take steps towards obtaining employment, transportation and a home. Churches provide a week’s worth of hospitality four times a year. 

Our church was literally dragged into this program by a family who insisted we be a part of our county’s effort to establish a chapter of Family Promise. While that family is no longer connected with our congregation, we found ourselves unable to find any reason why we shouldn’t or couldn’t do this. We had the space, the volunteers, the resources and the heart to minister to these families, so we became a host church.

A year later, after five different weeks of hosting, I find that for us, it’s not so much what we did for Family Promise, but what Family Promise did for us.

First, Family Promise exposed us to the name and faces of families experiencing homeless. Most of the time, when we talk about the homeless, we know they are out there, but we have no idea who they are. We may have seen someone in that situation, but we never met them. Now, we’ve broken bread with them, heard their stories, played with their children, worshiped with them and prayed for them. And we still do.

Family Promise blew up our capacity for compassion. We thought we were a compassionate, caring and loving congregation. Our guests took us to the next level, sharing their lives with us, caring about our families and gratefully accepting whatever we could offer them. In a way they took us under their wing and helped us rediscover the importance of family, of hope and commitment.

Family Promise brought people in our church together. Some of our volunteers had never met each other before. Our guests enabled new friendships to be forged.

Family Promise made us work hard and do things we didn’t want to do. We had to recruit volunteers, move furniture, buy food, prepare meals, clean, do laundry, spend the night, get up early and make our church home a safe home for the families. We actually had to do something rather than simply make a donation. We had to live the reality these families faced every day.

Family Promise showed us a different side of ourselves. You don’t get to know someone very well when you are sitting in worship on a Sunday morning. We got to see each other talking with the parents, playing with the kids, taking out the trash, and drinking coffee first thing in the morning. No better no worse, just real people doing real stuff in the name of a real God.

Finally, Family Promise opened our eyes to what’s possible when you drag yourself away from the TV, a comfy bed and the Internet for a while. You don’t need a ton of resources to make a difference. Just a little love.