Last Wednesday I took off for a trip to the congregations on the eastern edge of our synod, the two churches from Wyoming in our synod. I stopped at St. John’s Lutheran in American Falls, a church in pastoral transition, to check in with the council president and another council member able to be at the church. They are welcoming the Episcopalians (who are having holy closure and selling their building to the city or county to be a museum). There were questions around how best to welcome them. I found the service to welcome new members for them but also asked to take a look in the pastor’s study. After about five minutes I found what I was looking for–copies of Dan Erlander’s Baptized We Live. I drove on to Pocatello where I had dinner with the Kendal Presbytery leader Cathy Chisolm. I learned that the two presbyteries of southern Idaho will soon be voting to merge. Final destination for the evening was Pastor Wayne and Janet Shipman’s home.

Thursday I made the beautiful drive from Pocatello (where there is road construction everywhere) to Star Valley United Church in Thayne, WY for the funeral of Pastor Allan Schoonover, who served there in his final call. He also served up in Jackson and in Aberdeen, SD and was an active retired pastor in Arizona. Pastor Stephen Bibb preached and I presided. It was wonderful to meet the many parishioners and witness Pastor Bibb’s wonderful pastoral presence.

I drove up through the canyon to Jackson and found the Teton public library so I could catch up on email. I stayed with a wonderful couple who helped start SoM; wonderful hospitality. On Friday, my birthday, SoM Pastor Tim Stadium and I headed to the national park for a hike and dinner–always a good way to get to know someone. On Saturday I went to the Jackson Art Fair–so much amazing art–and enjoyed the library a bit more.

Sunday I preached at SoM. This congregation has done a lot of work in the last few years learning about themselves, their neighborhood, and the larger Jackson community. A small group spent time in Ephesians before worship. Bread was baking in the kitchen up until the opening hymn and the aroma brought John 6 alive. We had a wonderful conversation following worship about Funding Forward (building on our Regional Gatherings) and possible collaboration partners.

I finished the day by celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Ordination of Women in the Episcopal Church with the Episcopal Diocese of Idaho, at Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Twin Falls. I saw many familiar faces and met some new friends.