NPC Annual Meeting

A couple months ago I had an appointment with my ophthalmologist - a post-op check up. I mentioned I'd been in Chicago for some church meetings.

His question: "I suppose church meetings must be all politics, like medical meetings and everything else."

And I had to tell him, "Maybe with other churches. But that's not my experience with the Covenant Church."

This weekend's North Pacific Conference Annual Meeting proved it once again. Passion for mission, humility and grace, friendship and fellowship - that's what marks these meetings. From the newest person to the denominational bigwigs, all are welcome and all are made to feel at home.

Last night I joined a friend for snacks at a local establishment, after everything else was finished for the night. And who should be at the table next to us but the conference superintendent, the conference associate superintendent, the executive VP of the denomination, and the former president of the denomination, and their spouses. And they all chatted with us, asking how we were doing. . .and even paid our bill.

I am still amazed at the blessing that is the Covenant Church. I have never been associated with a better group of people in my life.

More on el fuego

I've been following most of the coverage on the LA Times website.

And it's all so familiar. We had friends who lived in Escondido. I ran youth retreats up at Lake Arrowhead every year.

Alpine Camp and Conference Center, the Covenant Camp near Lake Arrowhead, has been evacuated, with fires less than two miles away. At the moment, it appears they were spared, but now looting is going on. The Calvary Chapel camp was apparently destroyed. Mt. Miguel Covenant Village was evacuated last night.

Now they say over 1200 homes and businesses destroyed, and that's just the beginning.

Kyrie Eleison