We're back!

No, I didn't fall off the face of the earth, though in some ways, it seems so. I've been at the Festival of Homiletics-- a preaching conference, held this year in Washington D.C. My friends, this was an incredible week, for a lot of reasons.

Outside the conference:

..I got to spend the time with a marvelous group of Seabury preaching geeks, sharing laughter and music, awful jokes and amazing insights. If you are ever going to spend 13 hours at a stretch in a car, then Tripp, Susie, Micah, and Judy are the people with whom to do it.

...Tripp's mother was our host for the week, smiling and patient as the five of us swarmed into her home. A more gracious Preaching Camp Mom you will not find.

...We did spend Friday afternoon being tourists, walking the Mall, visiting some of the memorials, stopping into one of the Smithsonian museums. I've only been to D.C. once before, and it snowed then, which had everything shut down solid. This time the weather was sunny and warm, and I was able to get a brief glimpse into that amazing place. The wondrous, amid the ordinary.

Inside the conference:

...Music, from different places and times, and yet so much in common. I learned that when you get 800 preachers in a room, and the organ (or piano, or celtic harp, or jazz ensemble, or gospel choir) warms up, the sung expression of faith is at least as powerful as the spoken word. These folks could sing, and did, and it was a joy to be in the middle of that.

...Long days, full of worship, and lectures, and sermons... Ooh, baby, the sermons. In a myriad of styles, and from a variety of traditions, these people were bringing the Word. Inspiring, and encouraging, both as a Christian and as a preacher. It was exhausting, and I couldn't get enough. I have no words to describe the experience, except to say that the conference is in Chicago next year, and you should make your reservations now. I will not willingly miss it.

What a marvelous gig that God has called me to perform. Remind me to say thank you-- again.