Call Day 2011

I haven't updated this blog since December, and we have had a couple of events in the last five months.  We've had the normal challenges with my job, Sean's classes, and the girls growing and changing.  Christmas was wonderful, Easter was a blast (Christine is a CHAMPION egg hunter by the way).  Now that Spring is here, we've had two very big events that I'll just go ahead and skip to.
The first is Call Day!  Many of you watched from you computers and witnessed the service right along with us.  Sean had to sit with the other candidates, which was really hard not to be able to hold his hand as we awaited our destination.  I sat with my two closest friends as we tried to pay attention to the hymns and sermons.  We held our breath as our friends received their calls and tried to keep track of who was going where around the country.  I celebrated with Kathleen when she learned they were going to New York - close to her family.  Finally I saw Sean stand up and sat on the edge of my seat waiting the eternity it took for him to reach the front of the line.  Finally his name was called.  Instead of hearing "pastor"  I heard "Minister at Large".  I tried to contain my panic as I asked Heidi and Kathleen what that meant.  Heidi said "it has to be a church plant."  I knew this was a possibility, and one that had me nervous because I had no idea where this church plant was in the process.  With three children - one a newborn - I had some concerns as to how I would be able to pull this off (I know - pray and let God worry!)  The service finally ended and I found Sean waiting for me outside the chapel doors.  He didn't know what Minister at large meant either.  After passing by a few friends asking that same question we didn't have an answer to we made our way to the meeting room and tore into our call documents.  Our fear subsided as we read about this brand new congregation in Skiatook Oklahoma.  By the time we finished talking to the Oklahoma district president we felt excited about our first call. 
In the couple days since Call day, we've learned some great things about our new congregation.  We are very excited to see where God leads this new church!

When we know more about dates, I will post the information about Sean's ordination and Aidan's baptism  Right now all we know is that both will be in Oklahoma!