Great News from the Kuhlmanns

Larry and I called Elaine Kuhlmann while we were driving through Wisconsin today and discovered that we were 30 minutes away from the hospital where Ron was doing very well 48 hours after a liver transplant. We met them at the hospital and went up to see Ron. He is alert and talks about the miracle that occurred just when he needed it. We all prayed together giving thanks to God for this gift of life. Ron appreciates all your prayers and asks that you continue because he still needs them.

We are now in Minnesota, about 100 miles from where our own Marsha Anderson will be a pastor on staff in her first call at Trinity Lutheran, Moorhead. We also saw a sign to the Lake Wobegon Trail, but didn't get off the interstate to see where it led.

Dinosaur fossils tomorrow - yeah!

New York Tourists

We toured the Statue of Liberty, saw Ground Zero, Times Square, and tried to see the Empire State Building but the rain made the visibility zero, so we stayed on the ground.

With all the languages spoken on the streets in NYC, we thought we might have gone to the Day of Pentecost except that we only understood English.

If you want to see the wonderful diversity of the human family, this is the place to go.

Miles Dostert and Pastor Manisha

Pastor Manisha who was our associate pastor five years ago and her son, Miles age 3 1/2 with Larry in their apartment in Bloomfield Hills, outside of Detroit. Miles' daddy, Troy, was at work with his students. Pastor Manisha is a pastor on staff at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in nearby Troy, Michigan. She sends her love to all the people at St. James.

New York City Sights

This is the Cathedral where the Bishop of the Episcopal Church in New York City worships. We heard a high school choir sing there and toured the building which is being rebuilt after a fire destroyed much of it in 2001.

Family Time

For the past four days we have been with Larry's mother in Boyertown, PA. During that time we visited Longwood Gardens (see the photos) went to a Reading Phillies baseball game, fixed misc things in his mother's house, ate, slept, and enjoyed our time together.

Tomorrow we go to the Big Apple to visit with Trinity Lutheran Church of Manhattan. We will be staying at Union Seminary guest housing and hope to get some sight-seeing in as well.

After celebrating Pentecost with Pastor Heidi Neumark, we will begin our westward journey to see Pastor Manisha Dostert, Frank Lloyd Wright's house, Falling Waters, and then go west even further to see dinosaur fossils, Yellowstone Park, and end in Denver to visit our daughter Laura and son-in-law Marc and three granddogs. We will keep you posted.

Here is the chancel of The Church of the Redeemer (Episcopal) in Morristown, New Jersey where we worshiped. On Sunday I celebrated Holy Communion sharing a teaching moment for this congregation since Lutherans and Episcopalians are in full communion with each other. There were 24 worship assistants involved with worship leadership. I look forward to sharing with you all that we have learned from them and from the other places we have visited.

Redeemer supports a school and Sister Jane who runs it in Africa.

The AIDS walk gathered at Redeemer on the Sunday we were there and the money raised is used to support the Eric Johnson House where 7 persons with HIVAIDS live and receive care and counseling.

Episcopal and Lutheran Sisters and Brothers

We are in Morristown, New Jersey for the weekend. This morning I attended a confirmation service for confirmands from six churches in this district of the diocese. That is like a conference in our synod. In the Episcopal Church the bishop is the one to confirm and receive adults into the Episcopal communion. In the Lutheran Church pastors in the parish confirm and receive members.

Our services are very much alike and I was right at home. Tomorrow I will help celebrate communion at Redeemer and we will try to have some pictures. I am including a picture of the cathedral where we worshipped and a link to Redeemer so you can learn about the church we are visiting.