8-8 from Asiomar

"Heaven, I'm in heaven..." Here I am in Pacific Grove at the Asilomar Summer Conference. I am sitting in the lobby of the Olympia Lodge (where there is wireless Internet access) and I am on my BRAND NEW MacBook! And it gets better--there is a big ol' goofy Golden Retreiver who lives here and he keeps bringing me his tennis ball to toss and play. OH, the only thing that would make this flat-out ecstasy would be if there was a Starbucks within reach. Ah well..... The nearest Starbucks is in Monterey and I don't have a car and have not been since the airport when I arrived.

Yesterday, was a busy rev day on the opening day of the Conference. Rev. Michael Kearney gave his first Big Talk in Merrill Hall and I sat backstage to hold High Watch. All the while, the Ministerial Panels were taking place. UCSL now has 23 new ministers--inlcuding our own Rev. Patti Paris! Yahhhh! It was a glorious day of celebration and success. And Rev. Patti'sreturn from her panel was the highlight of the day for everyone in attendance. Unbeknownst to her, Larry, Adrian,Allie and AJ drove up here on Sunday night and was waiting for her to surprise her when she came down the hill a newly minted minister. Everyone cried! It was also so wonderful for Patti to have such stalward support from Kathleen Sibley, Victoria Freed, Ruth Soklow, and Rev. Suzette.

And remember Rev Ron Threatt who interned at our church and taught Treatment & Meditation? He passed his Ordination Panels; as did Rev. Mark Anthony Lord who is at the Chicago church and taught one of our Bible classes a few years ago.

Now with some free time and some internet access, I can return to the business at hand of our revealing and choosing our new community name and vision statement. I have been doing my work on this and also sought out the counsel of Rev. Dr. Linda McNamar who has been an advisor to our church and our Board of Trustees. My plan is that the next blog entry will give some names for you to contemplate as well, so please be sure to check back in more often.
thanks.

RDD