The Great Migration

It's finally over.

After way too many months, my search is finally over. On May 4th, 2008, the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara called me to be their new minister!

Candidating week was a lot of fun, and I was so gratified to discover first hand that the outstanding search committee really was representative of their outstanding congregation! Although it was a tiring, action-packed week (I have no idea how Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama manage to do what they do months after month....), every single event, every single meeting, was full of fascinating, loving and committed people and my energy level remained high. It was great.

Eliza and I did manage to take some breaks here and there, and even split town for a day to pop over the mountains into the Santa Ynez Valley, which is some of the loveliest win country I have ever seen (or tasted). We also managed some bike riding, beach-walking and museum-going, which was remarkably easy since Everything seems to be within 10 miles of town! I don't know how people ever get any work done in a place where the weather is always perfect, the beach is 3 minutes away and rivers of milk and honey flow down from every mountain!



But I guess we'll find out soon enough.

And maybe milk and honey doesn't really flow down from the mountains, but I seriously wouldn't be suprised if it did - Santa Barbara is truly a paradise!



But nothing could have prepared me for what it felt like at the end of the week when Eliza and I were ushered back into the sanctuary to the applause, cheering, tears and love of all those wonderful people who were calling me to be their minister! I was so moved that when I opened my mouth to speak - nothing came out. I was speechless, a rare event for a McEmrys! In fact even now words fall short of describing what I see in my mind's eye, so I won't try. Just trust me - it was awesome.



After such a long journey from Portland, Oregon to Meadville Lombard in Chicago to Denver for internship and a year of interim-ship it is hard (and wonderful) to believe that very soon Eliza and I will be SETTLED - living somewhere long enough to make planting things seem like a good idea - living and growing with a community and knowing all the while that there is no where else I would rather be and no reason in the world why I cannot, should not, will not stay for a good long time! It's like a Spring harvest.

It's kind of surreal being back here at my desk in Denver. Although I love it here and will miss the people I serve, the friends I have made and the mountains that have been my neighbors - a big part of me is already in Santa Barbara, just waiting for the rest of me to catch up. I am bilocated.

So we'll be moving (again....) in the beginning of July. I don't officially start work until August 15th, so until then we will be settling in, having a good visit with my kids and other friends and family - and just sort of hanging out and enjoying life for a while. I haven't had a real vacation for a long time, so I can hardly wait for this one!

In the meantime, there is still plenty to do here in Colorado, some of which I ought to get back to right about now. So back to work it is.