A Sunday Treat

This past Sunday, I got to do what so many of you take for granted: choose if and where I would go to church! It was really my first weekend in town since my Sabbath Leave began and with Holly running the Wilson Bridge Half Marathon (and me going down early to Alexandria to cheer her on), I decided to drop in on a couple of colleagues who serve churches in Washington, DC. One of the occupational hazards of being a pastor is that you don't often get to venture outside your own sanctuary to see what other churches are doing so I considered it a real treat. I heard two really good sermons and tried to worship openly without too critical an eye (another occupational hazard) though I have to confess that I found myself missing the music, the people, and the way we do worship at BUMC in both instances. It was a satisfying morning in many respects, one I hope to repeat at a few other venues before I return, but truth be told, I'd have rather heard Jenny preach -- we are so spoiled to have her!

This week also gave me the chance to check in on a couple of the girls that I used to coach in soccer for many years as their high school teams were playing one another on a gorgeous Tuesday afternoon (Washington International School v. Maret). As an added bonus since I was in the neighborhood, I got to wander the grounds of the National Cathedral and try to capture some of the majestic grandeur of that sacred place with my camera. What a privilege it is to have that beautiful structure almost in our backyard and how often we drive by on Massachusetts Avenue without stopping -- I was grateful to have the time to just soak it in for awhile before I had to head home.