Pastoral Ponderings - January 29, 2026

My journey as the minister of Mill Woods United Church came as a surprise to me.  When Ian Kellogg retired back in May of 2022, the pastoral search committee had been unsuccessful in finding a suitable candidate.  So I was asked to accept a year appointment as minister while the search continued.  In the spring of 2023 the church called Eli Carter-Morgan as its new minster to begin in August.  Eli ended up going on long-term leave the following October, and again I was asked to step in and help out.  I was eventually appointed as the minster until the end of June, 2026.

This Sunday, February 1, there will be a special church meeting immediately following the morning worship.  The purpose of the meeting is to receive the report of our current pastoral search committee and to vote on their recommendation to the church.  This is extremely exciting news to me.  I look forward to their report and recommendation, and to find out more about the candidate they are recommending.  And I am relieved!  I retired from hospital chaplaincy 15 years ago.  This year I will acknowledge my 78^th year circumnavigating the sun.  As much as I have enjoyed these additional 15 years of ministry serving local churches, I am ready to not do this anymore.  I am ready to finally retire.

So it is with excitement for my future, and for the future of Mill Woods United Church, that I look forward to this Sunday and to the unfolding of the future before us.

Blessings upon you, my friends.  I hope to see all of you this Sunday.

Dale