One thing I wanted to do on sabbatical was explore some parts of my home region. When our sabbatical task force first put together the calendar we never dreamed that I would get to do the exploring with friends from Iowa. I met Dan and Molly Gerrietts when Dan I were in our first-calls as pastors in the Western Iowa Synod. We were all part of the group that met at Buffalo Alice’s in Sioux City, which I blogged about earlier this year. Dan now serves as senior pastor of Trinity Lutheran in Mason City and is also on sabbatical this summer. Dan, Molly and their two daughters joined me for four days before heading to Seattle. We had many wonderful conversations about religion and culture in the Intermountain Northwest and Midwest, the future of the mainline church, our families, books, music, late night television, and the gifts of rest and reflection.

Facilitated a reunion: my friend and colleague Casey and Dan overlapped at Warburg Seminary

Had a long talk with Pastor Andrew Kukla at First Presbyterian Church before lunch with my colleagues Pastor Mike Sager (Hope Lutheran, Eagle) and Pastor Gretchen Bingea (Immanuel Lutheran, Boise)

Spent a blissful afternoon in the excellent and air-conditioned Idaho State Museum. Here we are reminiscing about Oregon Trail.

Photographing Boise’s Freak Alley Gallery.

Presentation at World Center for Birds of Prey

Took the girls on their first trip white-water rafting. Class 1-3 rapids on the lower Payette River. Kudos to Cascade Rafting for a great afternoon.

Showed them the shipping containers turned into houses at Windy Court.

Shopping for dinner at Albertsons Market Street in Meridian. It did not disappoint.

Dan’s FB post after we all visited Trinity, Nampa.