Although I use a blog engine (www.movabletype.com) to manage my website, I have never considered my site to be a blog. Instead, I consider it a resource for Bible study, spiritual insight, and cultural analysis and commentary. I am just not very good at writing down thoughts about my own personal experiences. Instead, I enjoy writing about thoughts, concepts, and issues.

That being said, the following is probably more like what most people expect a blog to be.

The last few months at my new church have been a wonderful experience. For the first time in my life, I feel like I am exactly where God wants me to be. I look at all my past experience in church ministry and view it all as preparation to get me to my present point in life.

The last few years have been hectic. Although my first ministry of 10 ½ years was foundational in my preparation, the last few years were quite challenging. For the first few years I was the golden-boy who could do no wrong – maintaining the status quo. In my final years I rocked the boat with my expanding views on church, spirituality, and ministry. This created quite a stir with a few people in leadership and caused my final years to be full of anxiety. Thankfully, most in the congregation were unaware of this behind-the-scenes turmoil.

My two years in Glastonbury provided a thrilling and challenging experience of solo pastoring in a small church community with limited resources. Although we greatly loved the congregation, in a very short time we began to financially hemorrhage. We stayed far beyond the time we should have, and incurred a great amount of debt in the process, but I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. In the most positive light, I view the experience as a very expensive on-the-job training in senior/solo pastoring.

But now, we are finally in a community where we feel we belong. We are in a place where my theological curiosity and development are not viewed as an impediment but as a strength. We are now financially stable. We love the West Bend community and are growing deeper in love with the congregation every day.

On top of this, our children are finally getting to the age where our family is beginning to feel manageable. Adam, our youngest, is finally almost potty-trained. Owen is growing into a curious, intelligent, and delightful young boy. Carmen is turning out to be a sweet, smart, and beautiful little girl.

My marriage is stable. My wife and I know without a doubt that we are made for each other. We are exactly the kind of person that we both need to spur one another onto deeper love and faith.

Right now, life is good!

I relish the present moment. I realize that further challenges await us, but I am more confident than ever that I can handle them with my personal faith, my loving family, and my church community.

I do not take the present moment for granted. It is a gift from God that I am extremely grateful for. Now, all the times I felt like giving up and yet still managed to keep pressing forward seem worth it. I’m glad I never gave up ministry for pizza delivery (a temptation I was prone to time and again).

For all those who have prayed for us over the years, I offer my deepest thanks! Even more, I thank God for the great gifts of life, faith, hope, and love.

© Richard J. Vincent, 2006