Coaster goes up (a little)



Unused photo from the Globe and Mail shoot.


So, last night and all day today I was on the top floor of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Vancouver. Quite auspicious surroundings for church council/pastors meetings!

there were stunning views of the North Shore mountains, Stanley Park and the downtown buildings. The meetings were lengthy, exhausting and a lot of work.

Basically, FBC has been on a year long journey of crafting its vision statement and core values - we did it with the assistance of a coach from Outreach Canada. We are coming down the home stretch and needed to hammer out everything for presentation to the congregation.

Today was the first day that I have begun to feel lighter and ready to resume the work. Although still feeling wounded from this whole mess, I'm ready to limp on.

It's true:

Sunday,Monday - elation at finally reaching a goal of holding a first@night service in a trendy nightclub
- excitement at getting press coverage - even though it was biased

Tuesday - sharing the excitement w. staff at FBC
- the crushing blow of getting kicked out of Bar None due to my "homophobic" comments

Wednesday - pondering the reason for my life - shut away in the apartment, wearing sweats, ignoring the phone, trying to pray, eating junk food

Thursday - (see Wednesday)

Friday - first signs of emergence

Saturday - yay - FBC has a great vision for the future!

I once told an atheist friend of mine - I don't know what you think about the life of a pastor, but one thing it's NOT, is boring.

This past week proved it.

Comments

Anonymous said…
you are so transparent and honestly open. real human.. wish more pastors and leaders were like that...they and their sheep would not need masks...churches would come alive and be relevant..
2:20 PM
Santosh said…
anonymous - who are you? and thanks.
3:38 PM
Anonymous said…
what the heck santy? i commented anonymously on another post and you never wanted to know who i was--that hurts man, that hurts. and to think that i was getting a nice big piece of apple pie all ready for you, complete with a big ol' scoop of ice cream. guess i will have to eat it myself. probably would have melted by the time i saw you next anyway.
12:25 PM
Anonymous said…
anonymous #2 - who are you? and thanks for the pie. i love apple pie.
12:26 PM
Anonymous said…
anonymous #3: this is anonymous #2. i am the greatest there is, the greatest there ever was, and the greatest there ever will be. apple pie rules.
12:28 PM
Anonymous said…
who are all these anonymous g's? sounds like they are sweet dudes. and they like apple pie.
12:32 PM
Anonymous said…
After reading this I think you take yourself WAY TOO SERIOUS
5:04 PM
Anonymous said…
i sure hope you're not talking about me--there is nothing more serious than a sweet piece of homemade apple pie.
4:40 AM
Anonymous said…
I am glad that you guys are now out of Bar None. I tried going to your church and it was cold, unfriendly and downright mean. You can put yourself in a bar and call yourselves whatever you wish but you are still First Baptist. First in Mean and First in Boring and First in old and First in ESL. A lot of firsts ... but certainly not First in friendly and welcoming. Grrrrrr Church keeps getting stranger and stranger.
11:20 AM
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