Greetings to you in the name of our Risen Lord! I am excited to announce I am officially a vicar now. I was installed this morning at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Brookings, South Dakota. I suppose I should change my blog name to ChurchVic (Church Vicar) since Seminary Student became Semstud, but that doesn't sound as cool so I will just leave it. I know I have not been very good about blogging this summer, but now that I will have a normal weekly routine again I am going to try blog at least once a week. I thank you to everyone who has stuck with me and apologize for the lack of effort I have put forth.
Brookings seems like a nice small city and the people from church are wonderful. My installation was during both services this morning and everyone at both services made me feel very welcome. Mom and Dad left home at five this morning to make the four hour drive up here for the late service. It was nice to have them here for it. I will be letting you know more of what my vicarage all includes as the weeks go on. My first real action as vicar was to attend the freshman orientation as South Dakota State University where I will be doing campus ministry. There will be a couple more of these as the new students come in waves. One of the older college students who is involved with our group was there to help me. We set up our board at a table and most people walked past us without paying much attention. However, I did get a few people to stop and talk to us and even guilted a few into taking our pamphlets and information cards. I did get one contact card filled out and returned so I will be emailing him this week to make sure I stay in contact with him. It got me excited to have the chance to reach out to these college kids and hopefully bring a few more into our group.
I want to fill you in about the past couple of weeks. I spent the end of June just working on campus and hanging out with friends and Erin as much as possible. Then on June 30th, Erin and I made the 13 hour drive to her parents house in Pennsylvania. That Sunday her mom, her, and I went to church. Then after church she drove me through the Gettysburg battlefield, since her home town is only about 10 miles from Gettysburg. We did not really get out and do anything because it was packed with people for the 150th anniversary celebration. However, it was so neat to get to see it and I cannot wait to go back sometime when we can spend more time actually seeing it. Then that afternoon we spent the day with her parents, her aunt and uncle, and her grandma and her new husband Dean. It was a fun afternoon and good to get to know her family. During the week days her parents still had to work so Erin and I would hang around the house or go run errands or things like that. I did do some tree trimming, bush trimming, and mowing for her dad which he appreciated. Then Monday night we went out to eat with her half sister and her husband and daughter. Tuesday night we went to the county club they belong to for a good dinner and fire works for the 4th. Then on the actual 4th we cracked Maryland crab. I had never done this before but you literally pull an entire cooked crab covered in Old Bay seasoning out of the bag, start ripping legs and claws off, and then crack open the body to dig out the meat. It was fun to do, but a lot of work for the meat. Then the rest of the day we played cards and just had a nice day with her parents. Friday morning her mom and dad had taken the day off so all four of us went golfing. The girls only played nine and then went shopping but her dad and I played all 18. It was another fun day. Then that next weekend Erin and I made our way down to Memphis so she could start her clinical there. She will be there ten weeks total so nine left. She is living with three of her classmates and good friends so it should be a fun time for her. I spent a few days in Memphis checking out the town and just relaxing.
Then this last Wednesday I left Memphis at 6:30 in the morning and rode the Megabus to St. Louis. It was my first time taking public transportation long distance like that. It was interesting but actually not that bad. It only cost me six dollars for two seats because I had to buy a second ticket for my golf clubs. Then when I got back to St. Louis I packed up the last of my things and drove home to Adair. Thursday morning I went and picked up my new car. I bought a 2004 Saturn Ion from a family in Adair because my other car was slowly falling apart. This one is five years newer and almost half the miles as my old one. It is a nice little car, but little is the key word. So I had to get it licensed and registered. Then I spent the rest of the day going through everything I own that has been stored at mom and dads deciding what I needed to take and what could be left behind. It should have been about a week job, but I busted my tail and got it done in one day. I only brought one car load up with me to start since I am house jumping until I can move into my house for the year. However, I left one giant pile of stuff and furniture that mom and dad will bring up to me once I am in my house. Then Friday I played a round of golf with dad and then drove up to South Dakota.
Saturday Pastor Wurm, my supervisor, took me golfing with one of the elders, and then we worked the men's club apple crisp and ice cream booth at the Arts Festival in Brookings. It was a fun day. That brings us all the way up to today and pretty much fills you into what I have been doing the last couple of weeks.
I start tomorrow at 8:15 in the church office and my year is already ticking by. I will try to do another blog with my thought for the day later this week, but for now I just want to fill you in and get another blog up. I know I am so blessed to be here growing in both my faith and my education through this opportunity and I thank the good Lord for how good He is. I kindly ask you all pray for me as I continue through this year so that I may be the best servant of the Word I can be to faithfully bring the gospel to more people. All praise be to Him who gives us our salvation as a fee gift, and gives us His Spirit to bring the good news of this gift to others.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Please be with me as I begin my year as a vicar. Please use me in this position to bring Your Word and Your faith to the people of both Mount Calvary and the students of SDSU. Give me Your Spirit so that I may always act faithfully according to Your Word and that all I do and say may be for Your glory. I also pray for all who read this blog, that wherever they may be and whatever stage they may be at in their lives, You would be with them and keep them in the one true faith also. Let us all be Your faithful children living a life that serves and honors You. In the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.
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