Desert Garden

My very good friend Howard Schenk came up with a good idea shortly after I arrived. He said, "John, why don't we have a lunch for you at Desert Garden, and we will invite people from all over the west valley to meet with you and our knew pastor, Sam Sowitsky."

And yesterday, that is exactly what we did.

You can see the group gathered here around the table. Len Silvester was there with a group from Church of the Palms. Jim Fredette was there with a few from United Church of Sun City. There was a good contingent from Desert Surprise. And the folk at Desert Garden really did a great job hosting all of us.

We were privileged to hear Sam and Alla Sawitsky's amazing story. A dissident in Soviet Russia who was sent to Siberia and denied his ability to preach, he defected to the US and left his wife and family behind until they could join him at a later time. This brilliant man would eventually end up in Pennsylvania, and while at Lancaster Seminary (yes, George Ault, another Lancaster grad in the Southwest Conference) discovered and fell in love with the United Church of Christ.

We welcome Sam, and we are grateful for this effort to share meal, story, and fellowship with the churches of the west valley.

I could not help but admire the sculpture of the flame representing the Holy Spirit found in the columbarium at Desert Garden, and while there yesterday took a picture of it. We are led by this Spirit, and beholden to her whimsical, abiding ways. And thank God for that.