The Pastor’s Desk…                                                                                                                                        

    As I write this, I am about 36 hours away from being on vacation. While there are still things that I want to get done, I’m starting to get excited. In many ways its not all that much different from when I was in school. There is an
excitement as you count down the days or hours. Yet, at the same time, there is an obvious increase in things that need to be completed before vacation begins.
It’s not that I hated school. It was just that it was obviously time for a change and a break from the routine. With each passing day, the number became smaller, until … finally, you were FREE! It’s not the exactly same for me now. Mainly, its because a week of vacation in the Berkshire’s , is different than the ten week break from school. It’s nice, but I don’t always get the same sense of almost
endless freedom.
     Vacation was fun. There were lazy afternoons at the City Pool. There were pick-up baseball games. There was Church Camp and Scout Camp. There were family trips and family gatherings. There were the 4th of July Parades and
fireworks. There were band concerts in the park. And more! Still, I remember that before summer was over, I was usually ready to go back. After a while, I started looking forward to what was coming next. (And yes, I was one of those kids that actually LIKED school.) I liked the thought of new classes, new lessons, new athletic seasons, new band music, and just the challenge of learning new things.

      It’s been 25 years since my last graduation (from seminary), but some things haven’t changed. One chapter ends, and a new one begins. Some stories  are repeated, some are brand new. Our Sunday School is finishing a great year. We just had Confirmation Sunday. We have a new Web Site (www.NewDorpMoravian.org). Music Sunday is coming on June 29th. If things continue to progress, it looks like construction in the Sanctuary may begin in July. Our church’s 245th Anniversary on July 6th. Then comes VBS, the SI Yankee’s game, the SI Moravian Picnic and more!
     The events and activities, the dust and construction mean that things are happening. New experiences and changes help create an atmosphere of excitement and opportunity. At the same time, they can also create a certain amount of anxiety. Will there be enough charcoal for the June 8th Family Fest? Will the SI Yankees win on Moravian Day? Will the new organ be ready for Christmas? Yet, for all the yet-to-be-answered questions, I’m excited about the possibilities. New sounds. New options. New experiences. And more. So much is about to happen!
But for now, I just want to remember where I put the sunscreen….