It’s Been a Few Years

[gravel]

Hello brothers!

I never got truly established here before some significant work/life changes occurred. I see the last post I made was in May 2015. At that time I had just enrolled full time in seminary (graduated with a M.Div in August 2018). I figured with evenings free and a full day of instruction on Mondays, I could knock it out in a few years. What I didn’t anticipate was the church where I was an executive pastor also asked me to reach back into my far past and take on the youth group too. For a few years I had both roles (full time), school (full time), and a family and all the events that occur with that. Needless to say, I had very thin margins.

Overtime I was able to move a considerable amount off my plate as my church didn’t want me to burnout. In a show of generosity, the leadership gave me a paid sabbatical starting this October and the church whole heartedly approved.

Over the years I’ve been absent, I’ve had opportunity to reach into my tupperdor and light up a cigar provided in an embarrassingly generous newb bomb I received here. When I have, I thought of this place fondly.

I’ll be around going forward. I’m still astonished by the crazy amount of information around here!

Geoff

[markem]

Hi Geoff! Welcome back. Where are you in Oregon? I’m Beaverton.

[gravel]

Hi Geoff! Welcome back. Where are you in Oregon? I’m Beaverton.

Not too far from you. I live in Salem.

[bruceolee]

Welcome back Geoff! if you don't mind me asking what kind of church? My best friend is our youth pastor at my church. I attend and evangelical free church but i lean reformed in many matters. Anyways, i hope you have fun here and find it a place where you can hang and relax! God bless you!

[gravel]

Welcome back Geoff! if you don't mind me asking what kind of church? My best friend is our youth pastor at my church. I attend and evangelical free church but i lean reformed in many matters. Anyways, i hope you have fun here and find it a place where you can hang and relax! God bless you!

I don’t mind at all! It’s a nondenominational church but formerly part of a Baptist association.

I finally shed the majority of my former exec role (aside from being a brain to pick) in Jan and I am now the youth pastor. One thing I’ve learned this second go around as a yp… 47 feels a lot different than 41!

[longknocker]

Welcome Back, Geoff!:D:tu

[The Poet]

Welcome back, Geoff. Pull up a pew and sit a spell.

[icehog3]

Sounds like lots has happened since you were here last, Geoff, congrats on all the good. It's great to have you back in the Asylum.

[shark]

Welcome back!

[Remo]

Welcome back!!

[G G]

Welcome Back!!!!

[Brian D.]

Welcome back. Your church sounds like they appreciate you, not all organizations do.

[gravel]

Welcome back. Your church sounds like they appreciate you, not all organizations do.

For sure. I know of a few organizations around here that do offer some form of sabbatical. One nearby requires a sabbatical (paid) after seven years.

There are a lot of reasons a church may not be able to offer a paid sabbatical to express appreciation. I’m certainly glad they can!

[gravel]

Thanks for the warm welcome back everyone.

Sounds like lots has happened since you were here last, Geoff, congrats on all the good. It's great to have you back in the Asylum.

Plenty of hard things happened too with a couple we are living through right now. This sabbatical is well timed as we address and adjust to some of these difficult changes.

[Chainsaw13]

Welcome back Geoff.

[Havanaaddict]

Welcome back!

[SmokeyJoe]

Welcome, brother. Prayers for a blessed and merry Christmas. Enjoy some nice smokes! :ss

[sigsauer]

Geoff...PM sent

[RevSmoke]

Welcome back!

God's blessings on the sabbatical.

I know there are people here that would love for me to be able to have one, but serving three parishes means things are just very financially tight. I understand, and appreciate their love. They do allow me regular continued education type opportunities being gone for a week at a time to do it and not counting it as vacation time. Maybe not a sabbatical, but certainly refreshing, renewing, and a time to reinvigorate to return back to the parish.

Peace of the Lord be with you!

[gravel]

Welcome back!

God's blessings on the sabbatical.

I know there are people here that would love for me to be able to have one, but serving three parishes means things are just very financially tight. I understand, and appreciate their love. They do allow me regular continued education type opportunities being gone for a week at a time to do it and not counting it as vacation time. Maybe not a sabbatical, but certainly refreshing, renewing, and a time to reinvigorate to return back to the parish.

Peace of the Lord be with you!

Thank you Rev. Educational opportunities are reinvigorating! I’ve appreciated those when I have had them. During this time I’ve been reading a fair amount that have been on my stack for years. Not all are ministry related and some deal with a particular family situation.
I’ve been in ministry since 1996, and this is the first time I’ve been given a sabbatical. I’m truly grateful.

[gravel]

Geoff...PM sent

I fear for my mailbox.

[bruceolee]

I fear for my mailbox.

you should its our favorite pastime destroying them. they're evil. its in the bible i'm sure of it!

[gravel]

On a mid December day I responded to a simple question in my dms, “What is your address? You need to be welcomed back properly.” Thinking at most I might receive a fiver I responded with my address.

Twice. My mistake.

My mailbox and modestly size tupperdor were obliterated by these two anonymous brothers. I had to buy more supplies for another tupperdor to contain the insanity. As for the mailbox? USPS will get right on it!

It started innocently enough:
https://i.imgur.com/K4XxITn.jpg

But there was nothing innocent about this. This was gleeful destruction.
https://i.imgur.com/dggNzrc.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/SeWBSFZ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/2Pb7d4t.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/nIUWkv5.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/ICPjmOT.jpg

I’ve done my best to catalog the destruction:

AJ Fernandez Bellas Artes
Alec Bradley Fine and Rare JRS-10
The American
Arturo Fuente Rosado Sungrown Magnum
Arturo Fuente Rosado Sungrown Magnum R Super Sixty
Arturo Fuente Hemingway
Arturo Fuente Hemingway ShortStory
La Aurora 100 Anos
12 x Crowned Heads Four Kicks Capa Especial Aguilas LE (A box! I’ve never had a box and now my first is a gift!)

At this point my dear wife was giving me the side eye. “I am certain I didn’t order anything!”

Diesel Double Perfecto
2 x Famous Nicaraguan Selection 6000
La Gloria Cubana Serie R Maduro No. 5
The Griffin's
HVC 500 Years Anniversary Limited Edition
Montecristo Pepe Mendez Pilotico
My Father Limited (2015 I think)
Padron 1964 Anniversary Principe Natural
Privada Champagne Series No 1
3 x Quorum Shade
Southern Draw Rose of Sharon
Warped La Colmena Unico Especial
Xhaxhi Bobi Halloween


I have thanked both of these brothers privately. I wanted to share this with the rest of you while keeping this somewhat private (and it also keeps everyone else on their toes). When I entered my sabbatical, I was exhausted. During my sabbatical we were working through some difficult stuff with my kids (we still are). These random acts of destruction were of great encouragement to me and I couldn’t stop looking at these cigars.

This community truly is special.

[Porch Dweller]

Woohoo, nice hit lads!

[bruceolee]

People do not understand how hard a Pastors life really is. it truly is a labor of love what you do Geoff and a true calling. Unless you're a Joel Osteen you don't get into this because it's easy to get rich. You deserve it brother! Great hit! :) God bless you!

[icehog3]

This one made me smile big time....congrats Geoff, and kudos to the bombers.