Sedona celebrates 50 years

I traveled up the highway to Sedona for the weekend, where Mimi and I had a wonderful evening with George and Claudia Ault. It is worth noting that as the church celebrates its 50 years, George is celebrating 25 with them. That's right - he has served that church faithfully now for more than half of its existence. And he still looks great, yes?
Nothing makes you look better than posing next to me in a picture, so here are George and I (and yes, Goerge is wearing jeans and sneakers to church):

And here are the reasons why we smile as much as we do:

There was a very moving service of worship, with a choir rendition of "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" that just sent chills up my spine both time I heard it. And following the worship was a picnic lunch on a gorgeous Arizona afternoon. Here are some of the pictures from that lunch:
The Rev. Donna Cavedon sitting with a clown:

Judith, who not only is organizing a whole year's worth of anniversary celebrations at the church, but also was the on-site coordinator for our Conference Annual Meeting, with Susan

And finally, the inimitable Rev. Bob Carlson, whose sister Dosia composed the anniversary hymn for the church, "Majestic Rocks"

A couple of big days....

Yesterday, CoCAM met. Among the many things we did, we happily received an outstanding new candidate for ministry and began a conversation with a pastor seeking privilege of call.

Here is Kelley Kahlstrom, member at First Congregational in Phoenix, with her pastor the Rev. Jeffrey Dirrim. She was taken In-Care at our meeting.

And here is the Rev. Alan Joplin, member at First Congregational Tempe, who has begun conversation with us concerning Privilege of Call.

A Nice Way to Spend the Holiday

Wally Ryan Kuroiwa and I, old friends we and Interim Minister in Silver City NM he, decided to spend the day in, um, a pastoral consultation.

These pictures will give you an idea of how intense the consultation was.