I put in my two weeks notice today at Apple. As much as I’d like to be working at the Apple Store and sharing about the products that I use every day and love, I’m also looking forward to being able to put to use my years of education and ministry experience.
Starting September 1st, I’ll begin my position at Asbury United Methodist Church in Livermore, CA as Minister for Youth & Young Adults. My primary responsibilities – as I understand them – will be to work with the junior high and high school youth ministry (I’ve been given permission to “blow the thing apart” and start new), help coordinate fellowship activities for young adults (18-35), do some creative alternative worship and help assist with with other pastoral duties when necessary (preaching, sacraments, pastoral care, visitation, etc).
We’ve been meeting more and more people from the church, and learning more about the worship and community life at Asbury UMC. They are a very musical church, and are actually putting on a production of “Fiddler on the Roof” at the end of September (they’re also trying to get me to play the role of Perchik). There is also the possibility that I could be ordained into this position, as long as the appropriate Presbyterian and Methodist folk are equally excited about the possibility.
Sarah and I will also be moving out to Livermore in a month or so – I’ll put up photos of the place as soon as things are finalized, but most likely we’ll be moving to a house (a “duet” actually – similar to a duplex) – similar square footage as our apartment right now, but it feels like a home, has a washer and dryer, a HUGE nicely landscaped backyard and a finished garage that can be used for a study, den, hang out space…lots of possibilities. Livermore is about 36 miles south east of Berkeley, so this means Sarah will be commuting, but she doesn’t have to go in every day, and Livermore is about 10 degrees warmer than Oakland (which Sarah is really looking forward to), so there are some things we’re really looking forward to. The house we’re looking at is in a nice neighborhood, near a park, about 1 mile from downtown and close to Livermore’s 40 wineries!
Anyway – that’s the news. I have a job. I’m looking forward to seeing how this job will affect pomomusings, as I will hope to be blogging more about youth ministry and theology (as I give myself some time to set aside for reading and continuing growth and learning). We’d appreciate your prayers as we enter this time of transition and moving, and as I prep for starting this ministry position, and Sarah gets ready to start her PhD program.
