The Bishops’ Holy Land trip I was scheduled to participate in this September was postponed for obvious reasons. To say I lament the genocide, the violence, the tragedy that we have been witnessing in Israel and Palestine seems inadequate. And as I write those words, I don’t want them to minimize bloodshed and tragedy in other parts of the world, like Sudan. And all of those words give me a measure of guilt in writing that it felt like a gift to have a week of my life back to spend at home among friends and familiar places during one of the Boise area/Treasure Valley’s most pleasant months–September.

• Faith Lutheran in Caldwell – This is my home congregation and I love being able to simply attend worship and be nourished by the Word and Sacraments.
• I went to brunch at Rembrandts in Eagle (a place that’s had many transformations during my time in Nampa/Boise) with some friends and met a woman who works for the Idaho Human Rights Commission–what a gift they are to the state.
• I attended the Labor Day Rally at the Capital and it was good to be with strangers and friends speaking about the wealth gap and wages and labor.
• I finally made it to the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights’ Speakers at the Center series and heard a wonderful retired librarian/junior high English teacher speak about the power of books and stories to feel seen and to step into the stories of others.
• I attended Saturday Worship at St. Michael’s Cathedral–where I go when I want to be quite anonymous–except that Boise is still really a small town and of course I ran into people I know.
• The best silver lining to the trip being postponed is that I was in town for Boise Pride – Trans Rally and Parade Friday and Pride Interfaith Worship, Parade, and Festival on Sunday. I led a blessing during worship and marched with Luther Heights Bible Camp in the parade, which had a new route this year.
• I dropped off a bunch of old electronics at Reuseum on Chinden and trust that they will be recycled or repurposed.
• A friend and I saw Peter and the Star Catcher at the Idaho Shakespeare Festival. I had no idea what to expect but found myself laughing at lines and nodding knowingly at other pieces of the story.
• On one day, I stayed home and joined the last online session in a series by the Idaho Nonprofit Center on financial development. I was wearing my LEAP Housing board hat that day.
• Because of Boise Pride and some other events, another denominational leader was in town so we had a Southern Idaho Ecumenical Judicatory Gathering. We spend a lot of time on Zoom and it was fun to be together.
• Finally, I attended the  Interfaith Countering Hate Summit hosted by Interfaith Alliance and Western States Center. The latter is an organization I’ve been following since I was elected bishop. This event was at once sobering and hopeful. I’m still reflecting on all I heard.