Last Wednesday I drove up Idaho along highway 95 and then 195, stopping to stretch my legs in a baked Riggins (in the canyon). I had a great conversation with campus minister Deacon Karla Neumann Smiley and her colleague George, the part time admin for The Center (formerly Campus Christian Center). We have some big dreams.

Then other pastors and lay leaders from the Palouse and Tsemincum Clusters joined us at Trinity Lutheran in Pullman for dinner, fellowship, and conversation about ministry and the synod.

I met two more ecumenical partners during my time in Spokane: United Methodist District Superintendent Daniel Miranda and Presbyter Sheryl Kinder-Pyle. Our synod staff joined the Episcopal Diocese for lunch one day–very fun and more dreaming.

On Friday and Saturday we watched the news break about three fires nearby, the largest being the #GrayFire which made national news and left devastating damage in the town of Medical Lake. St. John’s, Medical Lake was spared but the clergy couple, who also serve Emmanuel in Reardon, moved all of Sunday morning worship to Emmanuel. Assistant to the Bishop Phil Misner joined them for worship. Strange coincidence, just last week I had my first Zoom call with the Washington State VOAD representative related to Lutheran Disaster Response. I emailed Ray and he kept us informed on the disaster and I trust he will parter with us through the long relief process. Stay-tuned for more.

I drove to Davenport to see one of our pastors recovering from a hospitalization. The air quality was grim; hard to say if this was from the Gray Fire or from smoke coming in from Canada or a combination. Here’a photo of Zion Lutheran, Davenport.

Sunday morning I preached and presided at Salem Lutheran in West Central Spokane for a tri-parish worship service which welcomed members of Salem, Central, and All Saints (Me, Pastor Liv Larson Andrews from Salem and Pastor Alan from All Saints pictured below).

On Sunday night, the Misners had me over for dinner and introduced me to grilled pineapple on vanilla ice cream! Where has this been all my life?