sorry... i haven't been keeping up with the blog. i've been involved with too many things to keep up to date with this thing. i'll try to update more frequently...
last weekend was the one year anniversary of when we first stepped foot in south dakota. it was the weekend when we met the congregations for the first time, i preached my candidating sermon and the congregation voted to extend a call to me. what a difference one year makes. moved half-way across the country, stepped into the roll of a pastor, endured what the locals call a hard winter, and now enduring heat, humidity, thunderstorms and bug bites...
even though it's been a year, i still feel like the new guy. sure i got some things under my belt, but i'm still really green as a pastor and still learning about the congregation and our community. there is still a lot to learn and a lot i'd like to do in this upcoming year.
it's kinda fun(ny)... i've been making summer travel plans and when input my information to buy airplane tickets there's the option to either put Mr, Dr, or REV! at first I hesitated selecting the Rev title and was going to settle for Mr. (it's still rather awkward for me to address myself as pastor mark, let alone rev. mark) but then i thought, "hey, i spent all those years in seminary, jumped through all the presbyterian hoops and am now serving in a couple of churches in south dakota...i think i shall enjoy the ability to select rev!" so there you go, flying the friendly skies soon will be the rev. mark! ha ha!
