The Bishop came to visit tonight; he confirmed two people and received two others.  Right before the service began, a terrific storm with wind and lightening and thunder and torrential rain broke loose that continued well into the service.  Bishop Sloan would start his sermon talking about the reassurance that comes when people are gathered inside a church during a storm, how it speaks, somehow of God’s trustworthiness.  We sang, we listened to Esther and Jay make their glorious music, we prayed, we welcomed Pat and Larry and Laura and Lee into the Episcopal Church and then had a lovely dinner afterwards.  While we were having dinner, I found out that one of our parishioners is looking for people to adopt 4 donkeys that belonged to her mom, who recently passed away.  The four of them love cookies so you have to be willing to get a package of cookies at the dollar store once a week if you take one of them in.  But they are gentle and they need new homes. We’re going to see if the horses that share our pastures with us would do OK with a little donkey and if they do, we’ll have a new member of the family.  Did I mention how much I love being a parish priest again?

Bishop’s parking space in high style

The parish hall decked out in zinnias and loveliness for the party

Two wonderful acolytes

And those who were going to be received or confirmed with one of their presenters

And the prettiest little church all ready for the celebration…