What Are the Odds?
I received an email yesterday from a pastor in Auckland, New Zealand. That in itself is pretty amazing and reminds us that our world truly is a global village. The Internet is an electronic marvel that enables people who would otherwise never meet to engage in conversation and establish relationships every bit as important and meaningful as those we make face to face.
What makes this even more amazing is that I received this email from another Steve Marshall, a Baptist minister in New Zealand, who also has a wife named Sue. He apparently found me while searching the web for other Steve Marshalls and was led to my art website (www.stevemarshallarts.com). He complimented me on my artwork and was pleased to find that I was also a minister. In his email he asked me a number of questions about my ministry. I answered him briefly and also forwarded this Spirit Song website link. Hopefully I'll hear back from him again.
I shared this story with a pastor friend who immediately suggested the possibility of one day doing a pulpit exchange. Wouldn't that be great, he said, if you could spend a month preaching in New Zealand while he and his wife came to spend a month in Phoenix? I don't know how that would work with my starting a new church and probably meeting in school cafeterias for the foreseeable future, but I have to admit, the thought certainly excited me. We'll have to see where the Lord leads us with this. At the very least, if Sue and I ever get to visit New Zealand (which is one of our dreams), wouldn't it be fun to look them up and invite them to dinner!
Anyway, it was a very surprising encounter and provides a great story. I'm sure you're now wondering if there is another one of "you" out there in the world.
Blessings,
Steve
05-08-08 12:23 PM
Steve,
That is so awesome. The Lord is at work.
In 1969, Dave's father who was a United Church of Christ pastor in St. Paul, Minn. exchanged pulpits with a pastor in Squaw Valley, CA. We went there for the month with our 18 month old daughter. This was also the year of the first walk on the moon so we were able to share that amazing event with the Stoeve family. Holley was baptised by her Grandfather in the beautiful mountains. The Olympics had also been held there a couple years before we arrived.
I know that Rev. Stoeve really enjoyed the experience and his congregation back in St. Paul also enjoyed the exchange.
I hope that a possibilty like this could be one for you and Sue to experience. We'll keep that thought in our prayers.
Blessings,
Barb