at the LCMS Convention

Good evening Fellow Redeemed,

Well, my travels to the convention started early today. I was up at 5:00 am to walk my dogs. As you know Julie is a wonderful wife. She got up to drive me to the airport at 6:30 am! Bless her!!!

The Southwest Airline flight went better than expected: we arrived in Houston 30 minutes early!!! On the flight with me were our Southeastern District President, Rev. Dr. Jon Diefenthaler and his wife; Pastor Hank Simon from Galilee Lutheran Church and our circuit’s pastoral delegate, and my long time friend from the ELCA, Pastor Robert “Bob” Driver-Bishop. Rev. Driver-Bishop is currently a pastor in the D.C. area but was flying to Houston to interview for a senior pastor position in the Houston area.

At the Houston airport I ran into our fellow member Tony Hansen. Tony is our circuit’s lay delegate. Tony took an earlier Air Tran flight but was routed through Atlanta. We rode to the hotel together on the “Super Shuttle.” We also ate lunch with the Diefenthalers.

During lunch our Synodical President stopped by to say, “Hello” and respond to an e-mail I had sent him earlier in the week. Part of it was LCMS Foundation business; and part of it was a request for him to meet with our Youth who are going to the National Youth Gathering. He agreed to meet with our teens in New Orleans sometime between Sunday and Tuesday.

Tony and I went across the street to the convention hall and registered: Tony as a voting delegate and I as an advisory delegate. After that we walked through the exhibit area where a number of ministries and church related businesses had displays. I introduced Tony to a number of friends in those ministries as they were setting up their displays.

Later I took a three mile walk through the downtown area with Rev. Tom Ries, the President of the LCMS Foundation. I thought I was back in Baltimore as the temperature was in the high 90’s and the humidity was just as high!

After a succulent dinner as a local Coney Island hot dog eatery about a ½ mile walk away, I returned to the hotel where I met with some fellow pastors before retiring to my room for prayer and a good night’s sleep. My prayer is that God will continue to bless each of you and the ministry we share together at St. Paul’s.

I will probably find a very more delicious dining spots like James’ Coney Island as the hotel prices for food is very high. As an example, breakfast meals are between $15.00 and $25.00! Alright, don’t call me “cheap” – call me “frugal!”

Good night and God bless you all!

Pastor George