I was thinking...

...that it seems it has been almost 2 years since my last post.  Much has changed since that post so here is a brief recap.  Almost 1 1/2 years ago we moved from Columbia to Greenville to be closer to the congregation of Emmanuel that I serve in Easley (about 15 miles away).  I started a part time job at Target about a year ago as a sales floor associate in the Hardlines department (most things that are not clothing) and enjoy the job for what it is.  I continue to take courses to finish my PMC (Pastoral Ministry Certification) and look forward to taking additional coursework to keep up with my studies when that is completed in June.  Judy has finally settled into a new job recently that is with an embroidery/print shop called Print Specialty Inc.  So far she enjoys he work and heads off to start her day at 6:30 am.  I think it's the first time in our 30+ years of marriage that she is up and moving (and sometimes out the door) before I am up and moving.

Kate is engaged to a nice young man named Frank Johnson and will be married June 1st.  She will then move up to Hallock where he is Pastor of 2 Lutheran Churches.  She will be an intern, as she finishes up her MDiv coursework, in the very NW corner of MN.  She is excited for all of the changes that are taking place.  Sammy became engaged to a nice young man named Jim Hudson.  They are planning a wedding sometime next summer.  Jim continues to work at UPS and Sammy has just changed jobs and is working for a cleaning company while keeping a Victoria's Secret job on the side.

Emmanuel Lutheran church of Easley (the church I serve) has recently bought a building so we are no longer a "homeless" congregation.  It is a 5000sf building downtown Easley that needed little to no work to move in so we moved in immediately after closing (and a little scrubbing).  We were blessed to be given a gift large enough to purchase the building.  We also are blessed to have a reserve of cash in our bank account as well.  Our membership continues to slowly grow and our baptized membership is about 60 or so.  We are hoping to continue a slow growth trend as we bring the good news of Jesus Christ to those who need to hear it.

In closing, I promise that my next blog won't be 2 years in the waiting.  I have much to bring to this forum and look forward to beginning it to anyone who stumbles across it.

Peace to y'all

Greg