Success! Thanks to all of you for supporting me during my renewal leave. It was a time of reflection, prayer, camping, hiking, and (believe it or not) a fair bit of grease under my fingernails.

During my time away, I worked with a clergy coach who helped me dig deeper into understanding who I am as a beloved child of God — not just as your pastor, but as a person continually learning to listen for God’s voice. Together, we worked on personal and professional goals that I’ll be carrying forward into the next few years of ministry. Think of it as a “spiritual tune-up” — oil change included!

And speaking of tune-ups… I also got to revive my passion for working with my hands as I continued the journey of building my ratrod. After years of tinkering, adjusting, and occasionally muttering prayers that probably sounded more like “Lord, help this bolt come loose,” I finally heard the engine run for the first time! It was a holy moment — maybe not quite like Pentecost, but there was definitely some fire involved.

Now, I’m back, rested and excited for what’s ahead. Advent is right around the corner, and we’ll be exploring the story of Christ’s birth through the wonderfully chaotic lens of the movie: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Together, we’ll see the Christmas story through fresh eyes — maybe even with the same surprise and joy the shepherds felt on that first holy night.

As Paul reminds us in Philippians 1:6, “The one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.” God is still working in us — sometimes with a wrench, sometimes with wonder — but always with love.

So buckle up, friends — it’s going to be a great ride this season!

Pastor Owen