At Least a Wall Didn't Collapse

We made it just in time. At the church, there has been water bouncing off an awning and onto a window (with close to 100-year-old panes) and dripping down into the wall. Apparently there has been concern for awhile that the windows might break because of this water damage, but little did they know that the wall could have collapsed all together. After removing the ancient windows (none broken so far!), the able crew, under the direction of master carpenter David Murray, dug out enough rotted wood to fill the back of a pick-up truck. At one point, some brick from the exterior of the building crumbled and fell on one of the workers, who was, mercifully, uninjured. At some point, we need to get storm windows put on the outside to protect this antique glass, but that will have to come later.





If it is possible that one can spend too much time thinking about worship, I have done it this week. Between planning for Sunday worship and preparing worship leader at a conference in about a week-and-a-half, I am up to my ears in liturgy and power point presentations. I've got both my guitars out (tuned to different keys), a stack of books piled high next to my favorite chair and long shopping list of stuff I need to purchase (including gluten free bread) before next Sunday. I may be all out of creative thoughts until at least the beginning of next year.

I am a little worn out from the ups and downs of new church development. Presbytery may say it's a redevelopment, but it's really a new church in an old building. There is no infrastructure. No computer. No printer. A very worn out copier. No mailing list. No pledge drive in at least three years. No long distance service on the phone. There is wireless internet and very cool people (artists and musicians) who rent space at the church. And an ever-growing pool of people who are potential church members. The only indication that it is not a new church is one of our members who refuses to wear a name tag because she's been a member of the church for 65 years and everyone should know her name. Other than that, it's pretty much a clean slate.


This is the banner at the top of the argentanews.com blog. Our second annual spaghetti supper is coming up. This is the kind of great press you get in a community full of artists.