Last Day in Wyoming - Sept 28, 2015

Rain this morning. The first rainy day in my six weeks here. We had two thunderstorms at night, but no rainy days.Time to leave. I have gathered up the logistical loose strings - shipping stuff home to lighten luggage, making sure all bills are paid, putting gas in the car to return it full at the airport tomorrow morning very early. I am glad that I have had a couple of days to think about, assimilate, and interpret what has been on my mind during this trip. Aside from visiting a beautiful state, it seems that I have been thinking about resisting and embracing change. The situation of  Presbyterians in Wyoming as they negotiate their relationship with a national church that has taken some fairly radical steps to become more inclusive has provided a strong environment for thinking about this theme. (Note irony: More inclusive means more liberal which means less inclusive - that's part of the paradox I have been pondering.)

In addition to the report/article I will need  to write for  this project, I have been working on sermons that I will give on this theme next week at the Church of Christ at Dartmouth (UCC) in Hanover on this subject, and a similar one that I will give at Christ Church (Presbyterian) in Burlington, Vt, soon after. Both of these are progressive churches that are in the midst of significant change as they seek new pastors and grieve the loss of their previous ones. I have also been writing a brief article with an assigned title that will be published as part of a larger volume. The article  is entitled: "The Decline of Established Christianity in the Western World: A Perspective from American Mainline Protestantism". And then there was the Pope's visit. Is it mere spectacle, or is it substantive? Does he represent a force for change, truly? Or just a more appealing persona? Is a more appealing persona enough?

So all of these things are still running through my mind,  colliding rather forcefully.

Thank you for reading this blog. I really appreciate the interest so many of you have shown, and the feedback you have given me. Maybe I will keep up this blog, or start a new one, but I doubt it will have daily entries. This has been a special time of reflection, made possible by the Louisville  Institute, the warm reception from many people in  Wyoming,  the  interest of my friends, and, supremely, the patience of Carolyn. who has been a constant presence in the absence.