Erik the Youth Pastor

Yesterday the search committee met at the Evangelical Covenant Church in North Mankato an unanimously voted to recommend me as their church's next High School Pastor. Step one is thus complete towards me becoming their youth pastor. What remains is for their church board to approve me for a candidate weekend. The board next meets on April 10, and it will be during this meeting that they will vote. I was told this is essentially a formality, so I guess step two is basically taken care of as well. That means, all that is really left is for me to pass a congregational vote, which will happen after my candidate weekend. During this weekend, which will be Mother's Day weekend, I'll have to give my testimony at their three services (briefly), and also talk at youth group on Monday night. Those will be the primary responsibilities I'll have, though I'll also have to face the tribunal of parents and church members for questions, which is often so delicately titled "Meet and Greet" time. I'll also have some time just to hang out with students and get to know them a little bit, which I'm really looking forward to. I don't know if I'll have to plan stuff for that time, or if they'll have stuff for us to do. Monday, at least until I have to talk, Amy and I (and by then, Soren), will have time to spend with a realtor in the church, hopefully perusing the market to find a home. We are yet undecided whether or not to rent this first year or buy. I suppose a lot will depend on prices and if we can find a nice home in our price range. We have zero equity, so a lot will depend on our mortgage rate too. All in all, I'm stoked. This was the first church I really interviewed at, and while some people advocate considering different positions, that's not generally the way I operate. I only applied to PTS when I went off to seminary, though I looked at other places. But, when I visited, I knew this was where I wanted to be, and sensed God was leading me here, and something similar happened with this church. For me, since I knew this was my first choice, I didn't really pursue other options. Call it intuition. Call it providence. Call it God's leading. Whatever, I'm excited.