i have other sheep...

Last week I spent three days in Austin, Texas, which must be regarded as one of the most interesting towns on the planet. I was there with a research group of pastors who are involved in a project with the Center of Theological Inquiry (see link to the right). I am completing an essay on the "Teaching Pastor in the Wesleyan/Methodist Tradition" for a future publication. Other papers, on topics ranging from preaching to intercession to social ministry to pastoral visitation were shared. It is an amazing group of men and women, from Bangor, Maine to Tallahassee, Florida, from Princeton, New Jersey to Spokane, Washington. As a United Methodist I'm in the minority, but that is okay.

The most memorable experience I had I Austin took place on election night. Kinky Friedman was a candidate for Governor of Texas, and in fact he did receive ten percent of the votes, which is, to my mind, pretty astonishing. Since his election party was a five minute drive from the seminary where we were housed, this seemed to be a bit of history that could not be overlooked. And so five of us piled into a car and drove to the site.

When we entered, in fact there was Kinky Friedman, smoking a cigar and commenting on politics, the election, and life in general. I purchased a ballcap for our older daughter, who is a real political animal, and also picked up a few bumper stickers. For a twenty-five donation to the Haiti Mission, I will mail you one. They will only increase in value, over time. One of the bumperstickers reads "My Governor is a Jewish Cowboy".

At any rate, Kinky provided me with some much needed humor that night, and had done so earlier in the campaign, with his commercial entitled "The Good Shepherd". As Jim, my Congregational pastor friend comments, 'I will never think of John 10 the same way again".

Watch it here..