Farewell, John!

From Tucson …

From Southern NM …

Sure enjoyed the evening with the good people in Southern New Mexico.

Lunch stop in Deming, New Mexico includes my new favorite sandwich, peanut butter granola and honey.

Just a few photos from my night in Albuquerque saying goodbye to Northern New Mexico.

From Northern NM …

From Northern AZ …

This is one tough hombre. And one heck of a good pastor and preacher.

Release Service …

The last goodbye. My home church, First Congregational UCC in Phoenix. My vows of release were offered. Time for new horizons.

New Horizons …

July 27th : Spent my last night in the house we have loved, and which served us so well, here in Phoenix. The van arrives at 6:30am and will pack first our daughter's household and then ours. Sometime later today, when that's all done and both places are thoroughly cleaned - Mimi will climb in her car and I in mine and we will begin a 2,046 mile trek to our new digs in Cleveland. Southwest Conference, I loved this part of my journey with you. This is a hard goodbye for me, made easier only by the honor and joy of the call that has emerged on the other side of this one. A new chapter in our lives begins today. On the day of our marriage, we read together a passage from Joshua: "Choose this day whom you will serve. As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Following that call has taken us from Mayview, MO to Lebanon, MO, back to St. Louis where we both were born and raised, here to the Southwest, and now to Cleveland. In each place we were loved and cared for. We experienced great joy in serving with some of the most amazing people. We had the honor and pleasure of witnessing what they were capable of when love came alive in and through them. We bring all of that with us on this new adventure: every memory precious, every name cherished, and every new hope alive and very real in our hearts. I stand radically open to whatever the future may hold; responsible for my part in that; and trusting in God's abiding presence.

We’ll Miss You!