Some Things You Should Know!
Back in August I had what I assumed would be a routine echocardiogram. It had been five years since my last one and my doctor just recommended it as a thing to do that would be good to do on general principles. I fully expected great results since I've enjoyed a daily routine of walking virtually every day since mid-March. I was surprised and a bit shocked when the results came back indicating that I only had an ejection fraction of 35% and a possible hole in my heart.
I shared this information with our session but wanted to until a more precise and sensitive procedure called a TEE (transesophageal echocardiogram) yielded more information before sharing it with you. I had that outpatient procedure last late last month and the results were better than the initial echo cardiogram indicated. The hole in my heart proved to be microscopic and therefore no further procedure is needed. My ejection fraction was 45%, better than 35%, but not at the normal 55%. My cardiologist has changed some medications which seem to be helping.
Wanting to be as proactive as possible and with the prompting of Joan Bryden, our Outreach Director, Cinda and I enrolled and are participating in the Ornish Lifestyle Management Program at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. We meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 until 1 at the Rand road location. The program consists of 4 segments each session, exercise, stress management and relaxation (I’m becoming a huge fan of chair yoga!), group support and diet (Cinda and I are committed to a whole food, plant based lifestyle). The program as a whole is designed to help people reverse the effect of heart disease and other diseases as well. The insurance our church and denomination provides for us is covering the vast majority of the cost. So, a very big thank you to all of you for helping make this possible.
The week before last Cinda was having difficulty getting her blood pressure under control so I took her to the Blake ER last Saturday night. Long story short, she received a stent on Monday afternoon and came home Tuesday afternoon. She is doing better now.
The other outcome of all of this is I have decided, after prayer and discussion with family, to retire on May 1, 2022. This has been a difficult decision. I thoroughly enjoy being your pastor and have a deep affection for you. Although difficult and at times even frightening decision, I believe this is the correct one.
My priorities as your pastor over these next 18 months will look something like this:
Working with Joan Bryden to get Our Community Garden off to a great start and firm foundation for continued success.
Continuing to expand our website and community presence.
Working with our Session to develop a strong, workable transitional strategy that brings out the best of our church and builds confidence, ownership and energy in our congregation.
Doing whatever I can to lay a foundation for success for whoever has the privilege of being your next pastor.
Lastly a word of confession and repentance on my part. I confess I had intended to wait until the new year to share this. However, a friend challenged me, saying I was depriving our congregation of the opportunity to pray for us. He was right. Sharing this today is my act of repentance. I always welcome your prayer support and especially in these times. Thank you for being who you are.
Grace and Peace, John
Our Sweatshirts Have Been Ordered (Mostly)!
Our sweatshirt order for Manatee Elementary School is 90% placed and should be delivered the week of November 30th. We anticipate completing the balance of the order this coming week. With the early morning cold weather this last week the arrival of the sweatshirts will be much appreciated. Our total sweatshirt order will be 520 sweatshirts. I had total confidence placing our order because I have complete trust in your faithfulness and generosity. Several people have made gifts already. There is still plenty of time to make your gift and every gift received will have an impact on children (and their families) who often slip through the cracks.
Once again, the price per sweatshirt will be $8. I invite you to join Cinda and me in “buying” 1 or more sweatshirts in honor of grandchildren or other family members. This is a tremendous way for us to share the joy of the upcoming Advent/Christmas Season both with the kids who receive them and also with the staff who can give these kids they love and care about, the sweatshirts that make such a difference.