I started this beautiful day with a hike along the Boise Greenbelt with Luther Heights Exec Director Kelly Preboski. We said, as I repeated all day, that we were grateful for the lovely weather even if it was a bit odd for late January, even in the high desert of the Treasure Valley. It’s always good to catch up with Kelly.

Then I drove over to the Episcopal Diocese of Idaho offices to meet with Bishop Jos Tharakan and Canon to the Ordinary Rev. Emily Van Hise. We each had a list of collaborative efforts to discuss but our conversation also wandered into how we faithfully cover the geography that is the mountain west. I am so grateful for these partners in ministry.

Then I headed off to my new friend Traci’s home for lunch. Traci Lofthus and I met through the Idaho Nonprofit Leadership program back in May. This lunch, on the schedule for a while, was great timing because our Northwest Intermountain Synod Assembly passed a resolution last April encouraging more congregations to create diaper banks and Saturday during the synod council meeting we started strategizing about carrying out the resolution. Traci is the Exec Director of the Idaho Diaper Bank! So in addition to all the things of life and learning how the Bank’s warehouse just moved, we brainstormed a bit about how she could equip and inform our congregations in the Treasure Valley and all across the synod. We’re thinking a Zoom open house of sorts.

After lunch I set off to Hyde Perk Coffee House, near the next appointment, for a Zoom call with Assistant to the Bishop Pr Phil Misner and Pr Laura Teriyaki, Executive Presbyter of the Northwest Coast Presbytery. If you think the NWIM Synod has some big geography, check out this territory, which includes the Tri-cities, central Washington, skips Seattle, and then goes up to Alaska. Laura started a few months before I did, so we’re kind of in a similar stage of figuring out a new call. We were also joined by Stated Clerk Pr Lillian Park, who serves part-time the UCC church in Colville, WA. Small world as Colville is in our NWIM Synod. It was a generative and fun conversation about partnerships and sharing resources.

Next was an appointment with my coach, something that also came out the Idaho Nonprofit Leadership program. I have bought into the ELCA’s coaching culture in large part because of my own experience as a recipient/participant in coaching. It’s not always comfortable, but the struggle is worth the clarity I gain.

Finally I headed back to Julia Davis Park and the Idaho State History Museum, site of the annual Avenues for Hope celebration, for the housing nonprofits across the state. I came in after the speeches and hoopla and got to connect with the staff of Leap Housing, whose board I sit on, AND my pal Stephanie Day, exec director of CATCH, who I have known for 13 years. Stephanie is one of those people I can pick up a conversation with even if we haven’t talked in person for a few years.