Stranded in California...

I have had some interesting experiences in air travel over the last couple of months. After losing my bags twice in a row on flights to Europe, I now find myself stranded in Van Nuys, California due to weather related flight cancellations in and out of Dallas. While looking for flight and air traffic information at the airport, I came across a neat website: www.flightaware.com. I have used a lot of different sites over the years to obtain updated flight information, especially www.flightview.com (which not only shows the estimated departure/arrival/gate information of individual flights, but actually allows you to track the flight "live" on a map with information that shows doppler weather radar, altitude, speed, etc.), but this new site adds the capability to see actual air traffic flow in and out of a specific airport. It generates "real-time" images like the one below. Somehow, seeing those thunderstorms and various flights trying to pick their way around them helps me feel better about being stranded...


I came out Sunday night in order to take a modular class toward my M.Div at the King's Seminary, founded by Dr. Jack Hayford. I was scheduled to fly back this morning but have to spend another night away from Teresa and the kids... :(

On a more positive note, the class, An Advanced Seminar in Pastoral Leadership, was fantastic. Held over three days, with lectures starting every morning at 8:30am and continuing until 6:00 pm daily, it was taught by three great teachers, each of whom is a seasoned pastor.

Monday featured Jim Garlow, Senior Pastor of Skyline Wesleyan Church and known for The Garlow Perspective. Skyline first became famous under the leadership of well-known author, John Maxwell, of Injoy Ministries. Tuesday's lecturer was Bishop Kenneth Ullmer of Faith Central Church. Yesterday, Doug Richardson of Long Beach Christian Fellowship wrapped things up. Each one made a distinctive contribution to my life. What a privilege to learn from others...!

King Herod's Tomb

According to the BBC, archaelogists have just found King Herod's tomb. For a short news item with some accompanying photos, click here. The New York Times has a little more information here. Ted Olsen over at Christianity Today had this to say and Philip Yancey, with his usual insight, wrote a great essay last year reflecting on Herod's encounter with Christ and the way preachers sometimes interact with the powerful entitled, "A Tale of Five Herods - If You Had Five Minutes With the President, What Would You Say?"

More Croatia Photos and Videos

Since we had a little technical problem in service trying to play the short video clips from Croatia, I've posted them both below, along with a few others, including a short glimpse of the Sunday morning worship service and some folk singers I encountered at Diocletan's palace.

Here is a photo or two of their church. The videos are farther down in this post. Just click on the "Play" button that looks like a triangle in the center of the video box to watch them.

Parisian Pastors

My train ride back down to London was uneventful, but I hit the city right at rush hour. Crossing town on the "tube" (as London's subway is commonly called), train, and taxi with my luggage was no fun, but the leg by taxi yielded beautiful glimpses of this storied place, such as this glimpse of Buckingham Palace, home of the Queen. I noticed there wasn't any royal flag flying when I zipped by so that meant she was not at home. I noticed on the news that she was going to the Kentucky Derby and then on to Washington, D.C. to meet President Bush, so maybe she had already left. As beautiful a city as my beloved Paris is, I must confess that London has a charm all her own.



Half way across London I realized that I had made a very stupid mistake and assumed that I was flying out of the same airport I had arrived in (Gatwick). Thankfully, I took out my ticket and was able to change train lines midstream and make my way to Heathrow instead for I was booked on the last flight out to Paris that night...!


The flight was delayed a long time and we didn't arrive until nearly midnight, but my very dear friend, Pastor Samuel Rodrigues of the Eglise Protestante Evangélique de Montrueil was there to meet me. Along with his wife, Héléne, they lead a thriving congregation just a few hundred yards from the city limits of Paris. Pastor Samuel hosts a monthly pastor's meeting where I spoke to some sixty church leaders from across the city.

Jeff Serio, of European Initiative, joined me for this time at my invitation and was a tremendous blessing. Together with his wife, Barb, and their four fine children, they are soon moving to Berlin, Germany. At Hillcrest Church, we believe in this family and are honored to be able to partner with them financially. I encourage you to take a moment to check out their site and to click on the video posted below so you can learn more about their heart and vision for Europe

Mattersey Hall

I hopped the train in London yesterday and rode up north to Retford, near Nottingham. It was amazing to be riding along at high speed and uploading these photos I took with my cell phone with the English countryside whizzing by...! The yellow plant in full bloom out in the fields, by the way, is rapeseed, used in making oils of various types.



I just happened to come at a time when the weather hear in Britain has been absolutely gorgeous - no fog, rain, or cold, just lots of warmth, blue skies, and sunshine. That has made the views all the more beautiful as I have travelled by both train and automobile.

After my arrival in Retford last night, Paul Alexander, the principal of Mattersey Hall, and his wife, Carol, took me out for a typically British dinner of meat pie with sticky toffee pudding and custard in the shadow of Lincoln Cathedral. (My camera stopped working, but I managed to find their picture and one of the cathedral on the internet.) Paul will be preaching for us at Hillcrest Church while they are in the States this coming October.

I lodged at a small inn near the school named The White Swan; had a typically English breakfast this morning that included fried eggs, fried ham, and baked beans; and then headed over to the school. Even though this is my third day in the U.K., I still find myself walking around to the right side of the car when I am a passenger! I have driven in Britain in the past and did not find it to be too great a challenge, but it always takes me a few days to develop new reflexes, especially when crossing the street as a pedestrian.

The worship in the student chapel was a real treat. I am not enough of a musician to analyze the differences between worship music in the U.K. and that in America, but even my untrained ear detects a distinct difference. It seems the melodic lines here are richer, somehow more varied and complex, with a certain lilt to them. Most importantly, the worship was obviously straight from the hearts. Pastor John Andrews from Rotherham New Life Christian Centre in a neighborhing city and his staff gave a stirring update on what God was doing through the ministries of their church and launched an appeal for students to work with them during the summer and next fall as they plant two more daughter churches.

Mattersey Hall is a wonderful institution that offers fully accredited undergraduate and graduate degrees in various ministry and theological concentrations including a full Ph.d in connection with the Univesity of Wales. Their student body comes from around the U.K. and serveral other countries. They also have a great distance learning program. Their campus is spread across some fourteen acres and headquarted in an 18th century mansion. My camera stopped working so I could not take a photo and have been unable to find one on the web, but trust me, their facilities are beautiful!

After speaking to the students in one session then to the faculty and administration in another, it was back on the train to scoot down to London to catch a late evening flight over to Paris.