The weather behaved itself last Saturday, allowing for a great turnout at our February presbytery meeting. For many of the saints, particularly those from Beaver Creek, Ellsworth, Worthington and other points to the southwest, it made for an extra-long day, but I was pleased that so many of you - from all corners of our presbytery stayed with us to the very end.

As I look back, I see several moments that helped to make this day special.

The First Moment: Worship
Over the past three-plus years, I have gotten to share many good conversations with Jon Armajani over lunch at Star of India, and we have developed a special friendship. To hear Jon preach, and then to co-officiate at the Lord's Table with him, was a gift. As Jon mentioned later in the day, we do have a connection that goes back longer than the past three years. Jon's great-uncle, Dr. Yahya Armajani, was one of my professors at Macalester College. Small world, indeed.

Second Moment: Our Common Life and Ministry
I felt exceptional energy flowing from a number of our presbyters as they shared with passion visions for ministry that are ahead of this presbytery in 2017. The last year was a learning curve for many of us, as we tried to figure out how to live into a different Mission Design. We knew it would take time for people grow into the vision, and we have spent time walking with folks into this really. As the vision becomes more widely understood and embraced, we will be able to move into meaningful ministry, and some of it is getting closer.

In that spirit, we heard:

• Candace Adams enthusiastically share the Commission on Congregational Transformation and Development's intentions for becoming a greater resource to our congregations and their leaders. CCTD's commission members will become point-persons, knowledgeable about resources in key ministry areas, available to help make resource connections. She indicated that we would hear more in May.
• Bob Bartlett speak of how the Committee on Congregational Nurture intends to grow its ministry and increase its visibility among our congregations. The nine members of this team have committed to visiting their neighborhood churches this year.
• Stan Menning share information about "The Academy," a venture that is being shared with two other presbyteries to provide training for ruling elders who might wish to pursue commissioning.

Things are beginning to happen, and it is exciting!

The Third Moment: A Guatemala Visit
We got to spend some time with our Minnesota Valleys team down in Guatemala, along with some of the Guatemalan Presbyterians present with them. Mark Ford arranged for a video link that took us inside the home of one of our Occidente Partners where we received an update on the events of the last week. The wonders of technology do help bring us closer together! In May, the wonders of modern transportation will bring some of them to our meeting in Worthington!

The Final Moment: Retirement
I would be remiss if I did not include the recognition of my upcoming retirement. It has been a privilege sharing this part of your journey as a presbytery with you all. You will never fully understand what this experience has meant to me, and I hope that in some ways I have been helpful to the journey. I will admit that I am not wired like a lot of other Executive Presbyters--being an educator and youth ministry person, I approach things in my own way, with my particular personality, trusting that it had helped create a vision and plan in response to what God wants to do through you all.

Scott Thompson probably told the presbytery more about me than you needed or wanted to know, but it was fun having him share all that. It was a gift to have our Synod Executive, Elona Street-Stewart, and her husband, David, present, along with Virginia and Chuck Molitor. I thank you all for the gifts and the words of affirmation - you are way too kind! I now have a certificate that says "Honorably Retired," but we all know that this title does not kick in until April 1. We still have over 50 days together and a good amount of work to do!

From my perspective, Saturday was a good day for this presbytery. Our friends in Saint Cloud were exceptional hosts. The young people of the congregation did an exceptional job of preparing and serving the noon meal. It was a big highlight of our day. Hats off to Mark Giese, the youth and their parents, and those who work with these youth for a job extremely well done! The cookies and the cake at the end of the day topped it off just right. One thought, however, unless you want the ultimate calorie and sugar highs, never allow me to cut a cake ever again!

As we pulled out of the parking lot, with a backseat filled with cake that the group could not finish off, Sue and I took with us the good feelings of having spent the day with some truly wonderful people who are indeed a significant part of my cloud of witnesses! This journey has been, and will continue to be - for a little while longer - the trip of a lifetime! Thank you!

Grace and Peace,