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These
past few weeks at the parish have been interesting — to say the least. As you
know, I was named the seventh
pastor of St. Olaf on April 7th and have been busy getting things in place.
Suddenly I am looking at things in a new light and thinking more of the future.
Things that never really seemed of great interest to me are gaining infinitely
more importance. Areas I thought I understood are appearing brand new. Since I
am going to be around for a few years, I can finally settle in.
In
these past three years, I secretly dreaded the thought of spring, because it
meant the possibility of having to leave.
I didn’t dread it because I was not up for the challenge of the new
assignment, but because there was always something wonderful that was coming up
at St. Olaf during the next year and I didn’t want to have to miss it. Now I
can be around for a while and really put down some roots and take a look ahead
and give some serious time to thinking about what is to come.
When
I was first assigned, I immediately fell in love with
St. Olaf. There is so much going on around here all the
time, there has hardly been a single dull moment in the three years I have been
here (and there have been times I prayed for a dull moment or two just to catch
my breath…).
But
the continuing movement of things within the parish is intoxicating to me and I
thrive on it. Now that I am getting myself settled in to stay a while, I realize
that there is much more to learn about St. Olaf than I ever realized.
These
next few months of spring and summer are going to
be full of adventures. We await the possible assignment of
a new associate; I will join the Archdiocesan Choir Pilgrimage as chaplain as
they travel to Poland, Austria and the Czech Republic; and St. Olaf will
celebrate its 65th anniversary at the end of July.
I
am overjoyed to be staying here and getting used to my new position. Please
continue to keep the parish, its staff, volunteers and pastor in your prayers as
we move forward and set our course for the coming years of ministry together.
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