Why the "Accidental Pastor"?

When I was forced into the first difficult decision in setting up this blog, I was amazed at how few thoughts I had about what I might call this site. They all seemed to thrash around the word "pulpit" in some form or other. I understand that because, within my role as a minister in the United Church, I see myself primarily as a preacher rather than anything else. The truth is, though, I never expected to be in this profession in the first place. I wanted to be a librarian, or failing that, a hired-gun researcher which would allow me to read, learn, investigate, and limit my interactions with the public. I was well on my way in university before my "Road to Damascus" or "Burning Bush". There was an investigation by the police of some nefarious goings on in my summer workplace, a small car accident, a moment of despair, and then the heavens opened and the clouds parted and the light shone and a loud booming male voice said, "I have a job for you". Nonsense. No opening heavens, parting clouds or booming male voice. Just the growing thought that I should be a minister. Tough to do since I didn't really have a faith, a church, or much knowledge about the Bible. Just a constant, gentle, push in one direction. And whenever I veered from that direction, the undergrowth closed in, things got dark and murky, and the only open path seemed to take me back to the one I had left. It was spooky at times. It still is. If Moses should have been passed over because he was a stutterer, I should have been passed over because I was a pagan. It didn't seem to matter. When I needed greater faith, it came. When I needed gifts to preach, they grew. When I needed to be able to relate to people and not get completely drained, I found a reservoir called Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Hence, the Accidental Pastor.

I've created this space primarily as a way to reach out to my congregation at Stoney Creek United Church but also to follow my "geek side". I've been playing on computers since my friend Roger got his frist TRS-80. My son, Johnathan works for Firefox Mozilla, in part, because he grew up on my Commodore 64 (I still have the button that says, I Heart My 64). For me computers have always been more fun than ministry and now I get to use them together. I might not be in seventh heaven yet, but I'm working my way upward. I hope that I can be faithful in what I write, and faithful in responding to those who comment. I also hope that I can be at least a little entertaining in the process. But isn't that what every blogger wants?