First Week as Pastor Lydia

Hi! I'd like to briefly share how my first week as a "real" pastor went. I began on Tuesday after Bible study (man, that was awesome to go and be able to say I've been called!). I attended a huge lunch with WHAM (Windsor/Hightstown Area Ministerium) and met a bunch of local pastors there. After that Jim and I had one of our interesting 'Let's figure out what the heck we are doing' conversations (we've had a couple over the course of the week) and then went to visit a couple, one of whom has had a string of bad health. Confirmation for the 9th graders was also that night - they are reading through The Lutheran Handbook, which is pretty cool. On Wednesday I went to the monthly cluster breakfast for the first time as a called pastor, then later attended my first ever council meeting at St. Paul, which of course went late. They were talking about two important things though - budget and how to celebrate their upcoming 75th anniversary. On Thursday I met all the choirs - from the little kids to the bigger kids to the adults - and hung out with the youth group as they painted backdrops for the Christmas play. On Friday Beau and I attended the choir Christmas party, at the choir director's house. She has only been at St. Paul for about three months now, so I am not the only newbie! She and her husband are from England, and have a splendid accent!

Today I assisted in worship and only forgot one or two things. :) Then I was back for the Christmas play with the kids and youth, which was adorable. I was a bit worried when I heard that the director had gotten the play free from the internet, but it was actually not bad, except for the fact that there was a pig among the talking animals. Somebody didn't do their Jewish sensitivity research. :)

Christmas Eve is on Saturday!! I will be there for both services that day, and will be preaching on Sunday, Christmas day!!

Jim and I are getting along well, as well as any two people who really have only gotten to know each other for the equivalent of a week and a half. But it bodes well that I get his sense of humor and think his jokes are funny (it was kind of weird that I was the only one laughing at them during confirmation that one day, but whatever). I also have figured out his biggest pet peeve and will avoid it like the plague - cell phones going off in public places, especially worship. He's already learned about me that I am good at hiding my introverted-ness. I took it as a compliment when he told me he didn't believe that I am an "I". I told him it helps to be married to an extrovert. :)

So far the kitties have not knocked down the tree. Just nibbled on a few ornaments.