AtomCoffee with the Kucks
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19
Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you! I deeply appreciated the refreshment that my sabbatical time afforded me during the months of May and June. It is a great blessing that First Lutheran recognizes sabbatical time as a ministry to its pastors and their families. It allows us to “back away” from direct ministry for a time and to recharge our batteries through prayer and study and renewal time redirected toward relationships other than those in the congregation. To that end I enjoyed a few extra cups of coffee with colleagues at the Synod Assembly in May and at the Academy of the Rockies in June. I also had opportunity to have a cup or two with my Dad at his resort near Remer (although he keeps sneaking de-caf into the pot…hmmm.) There was a thermos or two (or four) of coffee with my former college roommate, John, while on a fishing weekend in Canada, and a bit more time for a leisurely cup with my wife while catching up on my “honey-do list” at home. So, again, my thanks to you…and certainly to Pastor Dave and the rest of the staff…for picking up the slack and making this time away possible.
That being said, it is good to be back in worship with you and sharing a cup of coffee during visits in the office or out of the office – in whatever place it is that FLC is busy – and looking toward the year ahead. And…looking ahead…if there is one cup of coffee I am looking to have in the near future it would be with the new missionary couple sponsored by First Lutheran. The Holmans have finished their ministry assignment in Jerusalem and we have been reassigned new missionaries. This is rather exciting because Pastor David and Mary Kuck are parents of Ben, who with his wife, Christi and son Isaac are members of our congregation! Ben and I have had many a chat about his parents work when he services my vehicles over at Jiffy Lube. Pastor David Kuck is a teacher of Bible and Preaching at the United Theological College of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica and Mary Kuck teaches English for the Jamaican vocational training agency at the college.
The Kucks are two of 250 missionaries deployed over 50 countries who work hand-in-hand with churches and other ministry companions, teaching, preaching, healing, nurturing, building, and growing. In January these included 101 long-term missionaries, 49 Young Adults in Global Mission, 47 volunteers, and 23 two-year missionaries. These folks are directly supported by the ELCA Global Mission Budget, ELCA World Hunger, and gifts to ELCA Missionary Sponsorship. (Our gifts get to them by way of all these means.)
The Kucks just happen to be in the US visiting family this month, and although they won’t be scheduled for an “official visit” until next year, they plan to join us for worship on August 1st. I look forward to this opportunity and future opportunities to have a cup of coffee with the Kucks, not only because I hope to share some “Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee,” but because I am intrigued by the teaching ministry of Pastor Kuck and his recently published book, “Preaching in the Caribbean: Building Up a People for Mission.” He and Mary have answered the call to “make disciples of all nations,” and are helping the Christian Community of Jamaica to tell the story of Jesus. With you, I look forward to hearing their stories.
Serving with you,
Pastor Wade
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