Pastoring the Passages

In my church, the babies come in pairs.

To different families. Mothers regularly seem to birth their children within hours of one another (you’d think they planned this right from the start! ;) – which makes for a busy pastoral day when the babies arrive. For me, it is not just a celebratory moment, but a chance to pastor the passages, to shepherd the life transitions where family systems change, evolve, and branch off into new nuclei. As a shepherd and priest I get to herald these new seasons of life, to inaugurate them, to announce them. And subsequently watch the new family walk into their calling and destiny in the manner Sarah and Abraham did.

Here are our newest additions:

Sophia Valadez:

Jonathan Cho:

Both sets of parents are doing well, and have very healthy, hungry babies! Blessings to the Valadez’ and the Cho’s!