As you might know, I have been officiously "moved." Err, officially, that is. I don't want to get into the circumstances surrounding the move, because there is so much heresay involved and everyone is denying everything. Thus I don't want to be accused of libel (I think that's the print version, isn't it?). Suffice it to say, Tara and I have been treated extremely unfairly in this matter.
On the other hand, the church, New Knoxville UMC, seems at first bite to be a church of enthusiastic people who have been lulled to sleep (again, no accusations, but they definitely wanted a full-time pastor). Their committee was very nice.
The church was founded in 18something, and the building was built in 1916. Here's a picture of the building:
It doesn't look any different from that picture, really. Except that it's in color. It smells like you might think, too. Now, you might still be wondering about New Knoxville. Let me give you a picture of the town.
Yeah, it's in the middle of cornfields. The next closest town seems to be Lake Wasapamani, made famous by the Blues Brothers ("We're 106 miles from Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses. Hit it"). No seriously, the nearest town with any services, "restaurants," or a Walmart is called Wapakoneta.
I still don't know what to feel about the appointment. I'm bitter and angry about the way it went down. I hate for Tara to be hurting, and she hates for me to be hurting. I am just praying that they can update the parsonage for us. It was, well, to say the least, frightful.
And in the pastor's study, not only was there a seminary diploma displayed, but it was surrounded by such paperwork as a high school diploma and a grade school promotion certificate. I promise I am not kidding you. The highlight for me, however, was the computer in the pastor's study (at least the committee assured me that it was not currently in use). Here's a picture of a computer from the same general vintage:
Nice, huh?
3 comments:
Dear sirs,
Wow, that really su.., er, bl.., um, isn't good. It sounds as if you've been really, errrrrrrmmmmmm, thinking of a good way to say it, errrrmmmmmmmm, raked over the coals.
I wish you all the best in dealing with all the nastiness that has caused this change, seems from here like it may have come out of nowhere which just makes it worse.
On the other hand, it sounds like you may now be able to proudly display your certificates related to your executive membership in the American Honky-Tonk Bar Association (although I'm sad to say my own membership seems to have lapsed), and perhaps your "Participant" certificate in that horrible piano recital where we played a duet that we really never practiced (unless this only happened in one of my nightmares).
Anyway, this is what New Knoxville ("En-Kay" as all the hipsters call it, or "En-En" for those who are not so acquainted with spelling) looks like as you approach on a bombing run (and/or land your private jet):
http://www.newknoxville.com/images/Runway.jpg
By the way, you're right that "libel" refers to print, and you're very wise not to publish any details in this public space. I am certain that "management" would not take kindly to such activity, even where it might not be considered libel by a court of law.
Good luck to both (all) of you in developing a good situation in the new place!
I am sure there will be a lot of good opportunities in "En-Kay" as the Dunce so nicely named it. It looks like in school, Jonathan will have plenty of personalized attention with 336 children Pre-K through eighth grade in the elementary school. How stinky is it to be an eighth grader still part of the elementary school, that's what I want to know...
I would want to know more except I have to go wake Mark to feed him before music class.
Hugs all around.
The Sister
Brian,
My heart aches for you. Know that I am praying for you and Tara!
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