After a full week of activities at Harvest, we were able to enjoy a weekend with friends and family with a little work tossed in the mix.
Friday evening - Lacey fixed a delicious supper at the apartment that we enjoyed with my Dad and our new friends, Paul and Sue Whittingstall, of the Harvest Bible Chapel in Markham, Ontario. Mom was at the hospital with my Aunt, who is doing much better now.
Paul Whittingstall and Dad improve U.S.-Canadian relations
Saturday morning - Gordon Zwirkoski, Director of Pastoral Development for the Harvest Bible Fellowship, Paul Whittingstall, and I went to meet with the leadership team of a church in the Chicago area that is considering developing a closer relationship with the Fellowship. Gordon answered several questions from the leadership team and then we went to lunch with the pastor. It’s exciting to see the caliber of people God is bringing into the Fellowship.
Saturday afternoon/evening - My parents came over to our apartment to watch the kids while Lacey and I went on a double date to downtown Chicago with our good friends Chris and Lisa Keathly. Chris and I drove school buses back in seminary days in Texas and is currently the pastor of First Baptist Church of Riverview, FL.
The Keathlys have been great friends through the years and it was such a blessing to see them again and enjoy their fellowship the weekend. We went to the top of the Sears Tower, road a cab over to the “An American Girl” store just off the Magnificent Mile (I never knew how serious doll collecting could be, but this store was unbelievable!), and then ate some fantastic pizza at Giordano’s. We finished off the evening by walking down Michigan Avenue to Millennium Park, where we stood under the silver bean, enjoyed the wonderful view of the lit up skyline, and watched festive folks ice skate on the outdoor rink.
Chris is also interested in leading his church to join the Fellowship as an affiliate and part of the reason for their trip up from Tampa was to experience Harvest and meet the leadership of the Fellowship, which was exactly what they did on...
Sunday morning - Went to the 9:oo service at the Elgin campus and filled a row with my dear wife, my parents, my aunt Pat, my cousin Cindy, her husband, John, their daughter Emily, and Gordon and Joyce Zwirkoski. The music was outstanding (as usual) Pastor James brought a great message (as usual) from the Parable of the Soils, and we remembered our Lord Jesus through the observance of the Lord’s Supper. Lunch was a the Burnt Toast with Kent and Nancy Shaw, the Keathlys, and Gordon Zwirkoski. This experience was made distraction-free by the extremely generous offer of Joyce Zwirkoski to take our four kids back to our apartment, feed them and entertain them until we were back. Joyce is simply wonderful.
Sunday evening - With the Keathlys in the air headed back to Tampa and my parents on the road for Southern Illinois, I teamed up with the Whittingstalls and hit the road for Gurnee, Illinois, for the 6:00 Party with the Pastors for the new Harvest Bible Chapel of Gurnee. Pastors Mike Bryant and Daryl Handy did a great job of introducing some new people to Harvest of Gurnee and fielding their questions. Returning to my apartment at about 9:30, kissed the sleeping kids, talked a little to my dear wife, and collapsed into bed, looking forward to my day off.
Monday, January 14, 2008
