Category: Life

Posted in Life

Happy Birthday, Bill

Posted on by William Douthwaite
This seems like a good day to reflect on my 53 years of being around on the earth. At first, it’s about the numbers. Married 26 years. Three kids. 24 years in the ministry. 14 years in Florida. 35th high school reunion later on this year. Milestones that are significant.

As I’ve often written before, though, I certainly don’t feel like I’m in my fifties. How old do I feel? In many ways, like I’m still in my twenties. I think that’s because I am still doing many of the things I did then. Running. Trumpet. Church. Kids. My size and weight are pretty much the same as then. Ok, I know, my hair is much grayer, but apart from that, I feel much younger than my years announce.

But life was very different when I was in my twenties. No blogs. Few had personal computers. Cell phones? Nope. Social media. No. Now, however, everything about me and everyone I know is out there for the world to see. Experiences, pictures and opinions — they’re all there. Life has become a very shared experience. I received at least 100 birthday greetings today, many from people I haven’t actually talked to in decades. Some of whom I barely remember from my childhood. So my party each year gets bigger and bigger. And all without one invitation!

Seriously, though, 53 doesn’t feel too bad. I can still keep up with most of the church’s youth group. I can still remember most off the things I need to recall. I enjoy my work. And I love my wife and family. Not bad. Not bad at all.

Posted in Life, Ministry

LCMS National Youth Gathering part 4

Posted on by William Douthwaite
On Tuesday night, we had pizza in our hotel for supper, then headed out to the Superdome for the evening mass event, which was a worship service with Holy Communion. We sat in the upper deck. The event was an interesting mix of contemporary and traditional, praise songs and liturgy, drama and preaching. For me, the most impressive part was the youth choir and band. What voices! What a sound! What a talented group of young people!

Wednesday was our last day of the gathering. We loaded up and the van and drove up to the Superdome, parking nearby for a quick getaway. The final mass gathering included different colored “boom sticks” that made different notes and provided endless entertainment for us. Heading out about 11:30 am, we got home about 12:30 am Thursday morning. Thankfully no traffic, and a nice supper in Tallahassee (much to Adam-nole’s delight).

It was on the ride home that I saw the group bond the best of all the days. Lots of conversation, laughter, sharing, and support. Guys who had been pretty quiet for days were suddenly conversant. It took that long for our group to really come together. And then it was over.

Cleaning out the van was disgusting. Food, drink, bottles, gum, candy, money (I kept it), playing cards, electronics, books, and food wrappers covered the floor. Ew.

The best part of the gathering: spending extended time together with the youth. Talking with them, learning from them, watching them interact was an opportunity to see their personalities and faith.

The worst part of the gathering: the crowds. In the dome, in the restaurants, on the sidewalks, just so many, many people. Yes, I expected it, but so much time was spend negotiating a sea of people. Sometimes bigger isn’t better.

Overall impression of the gathering: what an effort by so many people who gave so much of their time and energy! From parents who came along to those who worked the booths to those who made sure we crossed intersections safely, a lot of adults care deeply about the next generation of believers. What would Jesus have though of it? I believe he would have loved spending time with the people, both young and old, who came and served and made a difference in New Orleans.

Posted in Life, Ministry

LCMS Youth Gathering part 3

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Monday at the gathering was our late start day: we didn’t have to be at bible study until 10:30. Some of us made the trek to the French Quarter to get some beignets at Cafe Du Mond. After a good study of John 4, most of us had lunch at the hotel which was OK but nothing special.

The group I hung out with then went to a couple of breakout sessions. One was called “Questions you can’t ask your Mama” (sexuality). The other was about how to help a friend who gets pregnant. Both were good speakers. After supper at a restaurant not too far from the hotel we hustled to the Superdome and just missed Megan on stage talking about Hong Kong. But she was able to save us seats in row 4 on the floor. It’s fun to be up close one night.

Our Tuesday began with our servant event. We took buses to the ninth ward and painted a house and cut a lot of brush from some vacant lots.

The gentleman whose house we painted had lived in the house since 1973. He was just getting done making repairs from Katrina. He left before the hurricane, but it took him 10 hours to go 100 miles. I don’t think they came home for about 6 months. A lot of houses were still in disrepair and vacant.

On the bus there, a couple sitting in front of me said, “You look familiar.” I played trumpet for their wedding 20 years ago in New Britain, CT. Unfortunately, I don’t remember that event, but we had a great conversation about friends from New England.

When we got back we grabbed some lunch and got to two afternoon sessions. One was a band called Ives. The other was about telling your story.

Tonight is the mass gathering divine service with holy communion. They’ve promised it will be awesome.

Posted in Life, Ministry

LCMS Youth Gathering day 2

Posted on by William Douthwaite

First thing this morning was a pretty good Bible study on John 9. Only about 4,000 people there.

After that we went to all the booths in the exhibition hall. From what I can tell, every district, ministry, and university in the LCMS is here. Lots and lots of free stuff!

We then went to see Megan’s Hong Kong presentation. Fairly well attended. They did a very good job.

Subway sounded good for lunch. 90 minutes later we were eating, lines for everything!

We went to a Lost and Found concert and got to sit up front on the floor. Funny and entertaining. Lots of the kids got T-shirts.

Supper at Huck Finn’s. Then off to the mass gathering at the Dome. We sat pretty far up top. Great music and presentations tonight. But the walk back seemed longer. Everyone’s pretty tired tonight.

Posted in Life, Ministry

LCMS National Youth Gathering part 1

Posted on by William Douthwaite

After about 10 hours of driving yesterday in a van and a car, our group (13 youth, 3 adults) arrived in New Orleans for the national youth gathering. Pretty easy trip, little traffic, just long.

It took me a while to find a place to park the monster van. I found a lot about 5 blocks from our hotel. Praying it’s still there in a few days.

We then had a little free time. Most wanted to go swimming, but changed their minds when they saw how small the pool was. So while Adam and Gail went to some orientation meetings, I and the youth split up and found something to eat nearby.

We then hiked up to the Superdome, about a mile away. Huge crowds were waiting to get in. We sat on the floor this time. Great band, good, familiar songs, impressive multimedia and good presenters. The theme is “We believe.”

We then hiked back to our hotel, ate some pizza, and crashed.

Sunday morning came quickly. Chris, Thomas and I got up at 5:30 for the gathering 5k run. The organizers were anything but. Finally they gave up on registering and just started the race. Thomas ran about 20:00, me about 25 and Chris about 28.

We are supposed to meet in about 5 min. More later.

Posted in Grace, Life, Ministry

My son’s first sermon

Posted on by William Douthwaite

This past Sunday my son Adam preached his first sermon at our church. He just finished his first year of classes at the seminary, so he’s getting some experience in front of a live audience. We’ve been here in Palm Coast for 14 years, so this is basically the church he’s grown up in. I had hoped that preaching in front of friendly faces, who have been supporting and praying for him would make for a positive start. I was right. And I was impressed. I had read his sermon ahead of time and given a few suggestions, and the final product was excellent (check it out here). He was poised, relaxed, confident and well-spoken. All this in a room where the AC and the sound system weren’t working since the power in the neighborhood went out the second he began preaching!

As a parent, I may have been more nervous than he was. I wanted him to have an enjoyable, positive first experience in the pulpit (even though he didn’t actually use the pulpit). I wanted him to be himself, not feel pressured to be like me. I wanted him to relax knowing that God’s work never returns void, always accomplishing what he intends. By the grace of God, all my parent prayers were answered. The only thing is, now I have a hard act to follow this Sunday!

I’ve searched my mind for memories of preaching my first sermon. No luck so far. I know where I was: Messiah Lutheran Church in Wolcottville, IN, my second-year field work congregation. And I believe I have the manuscript of that sermon. And I know I survived the experience. But I fear the memory has faded, and there is no recording. I suspect I didn’t do nearly as well as Adam did, though.

One memory I do have comes from my early years of ministry in Connecticut. I clearly remember Adam, age 4 and his sister, age 3, sitting at the dining room table one day, each with an open Bible and a page filled with scribbling. When I asked what they were doing, they replied, “We’re writing our sermons.” We may even have a photo of that moment.

I hope those present realized they were getting a chance to see the next generation of pastors being prepared by our seminaries. Our professors are doing a great job! But I also hope they see that they play a big part in preparing the next generation of church workers, too. God certainly uses the many years of prayer, encouragement, grace, example, and teaching of a Christian congregation to prepare and send out workers into his harvest fields. It certainly is a privilege — as a parent, a pastor, and a member — to be a part of that process.

Posted in Life, Ministry

Scary stuff

Posted on by William Douthwaite

A few months ago, a woman who somehow knew I was a pastor came up to me and asked if I had ever helped people who had spirits in their homes. Immediately I could feel the hair go up on the back of my neck as I replied, “Not really. Why?” She explained that they had built their home a few years ago, so no one else had ever lived there but their family. Still, she had eleven pages of notes recording all the strange phenomena she had observed in her house. Interesting, huh? Yes, but scary, too. While we can explain away a lot of things scientifically and medically, there are still things going on that defy explanation and suggest that spirits and demons may still be alive and well like they were when Jesus was on the earth.

In this week’s gospel lesson, which I’ll be preaching on, Jesus and his disciples come meet a man possessed by multiple demons (Luke 8:26-39). Pretty scary stuff. But then Jesus shows that he has complete command of unclean spirits. Even scarier, right? For some, yes!

Now, with that truth in our mind, how will we deal with the demons we encounter? We may not encounter anyone completely possessed by demons, but I’ll bet you’ve met people who in some way seemed to be under their influence. Addiction, abuse, self-destructive behavior and hateful words could all be the product of our depraved, fallen state. But perhaps someone or something drives those behaviors in some. If that’s true, then you better take good notes when Jesus exhibits complete and total authority over those someones or somethings. You better not go out there without your armor, either.

Posted in Grace, Life

Five is very good

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Last night my wife, my three children and myself were at supper together for the first time since Christmas. My son’s been at St. Louis at the seminary, my older daughter was in Gainesville graduating from college, and the rest of us were at home doing our thing. My younger daughter’s comment as we said our prayer together before we ate was, “Wow, that was loud!”

What a blessing to have all our voices together again! Until college life pulled us in different directions a few years ago, we had always eaten supper together daily. As our number gradually shrunk, it was sometimes no more than one or two of us praying. In the future, there may not be many “five” nights. We’ll often have less. Eventually we’ll have more when my children have spouses and families of their own.  But for now, five is very good.

Posted in Life

Into the real world

Posted on by William Douthwaite

My daughter is moving to Atlanta in a few weeks, to being her post-college life. Having landed a job, she is off into the world. I am trying hard to remember my transition from college to the real world thirty years ago.

To the best of my recollection, it was a long six weeks that I spent living back at home after finishing college. Finally, my letters and applications were noticed, and phone calls came. I was off to full-day and multi-day interviews at places like New Jersey Bell and Bell Labs (yes, I am old enough to have worked for Bell Labs).

There are few experiences as rewarding as someone calling you wanting to schedule an interview. One would be actually getting a job offer! The days following the job offer were spent trying to find an apartment, moving, and setting up a place to live. My first apartment had a table, a chair, a dresser and a bed. I’m pretty sure that’s all I had. I don’t remember if I had a bed frame or not. I may have begun with a mattress on the floor. In time, I added a piece of carpet and some shelves. But you know what? I really didn’t care. It was so cool to be on my own and have a job.

After I visited a local church, I remember the day the pastor came to visit me. I had nowhere to sit, so we sat on my new piece of carpet in the living room. Eventually I got a TV, a stereo, a sofa, and a dog. Life was good. And life was cheap, too. One person to feed. No cell phones. No laptops. And an amazing feeling of freedom, identity, and purpose.