We are now in the month of June. Summer is here! The weather is hot! School is about to be out, and many of you will soon be going on vacation. Others will be migrating down to the shore for the summer. We will soon all be starting our summer adventures. My adventure this summer is the venture of homeownership. On May 10, 2024, Eileen and I purchased our first home together. It is a beautiful two-story house. It has three bedrooms and one full bath. The frontside of the house includes a covered porch that is surrounded by a garden. There is also a fenced in backyard of medium size that will be great for Luca! We are quite excited for this adventure, and it sure has been eventful so far! We have painted the interior. I cleaned the carpets. I had to buy a lawn mower. We have slowly been moving in over the month of May.
So, you may be wondering where this house is? Well, it is in Drexel Hill, PA in Delaware County. There are various reasons why we ended up in this location. We did not necessarily only look in this area. In fact, we looked in all five of the counties in the Philadelphia Metro area. However, overall, we are happy with the location. It is closer to Eileen’s work. We have friends in the area. Then, the cherry on top is that we are five minutes away from Luca’s best friend from daycare. Unfortunately, this house is further from both Faith and Jerusalem. My commute is now 20 to 30 minutes longer depending on traffic. This will be a whole new adventure in itself for me! It probably will take me some time to adjust to this commute. I will also have to be more intentional about my time at the congregations. So, I ask you all for your patience as I begin to adjust to this new normal. I also want to reiterate that I am available. You are always welcome to email and call me. Just know that if I do not answer right away, I will get back to you at an appropriate time. I am also available to meet on Zoom or in-person. If you contact me, we can set up a time and place that works best for all parties.
As your pastor, I am here to be present with you all in the best way that I can. As an ordained minister, I have been charged with many tasks. I am called to preach the Word and administer the sacrament. I am to teach and to conduct worship. However, my favorite charge is to be a minister to you! I do all of these things in service of my God and my savior Jesus Christ. In my house, next to the door, there is a hand painted wood sign from Guatemala that echoes the words of the prophet Joshua which state, “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Jsh 24:15). So, that is what I and my family will continue to do! No matter where I am or where I live I will serve the Lord my God.
So, in service of our Lord, I am glad to be sharing this adventure and the many more to come with you. I give God thanks for you all, and I thank you all for your continuous prayers and support. God bless you all and I hope you all have a great summer.
Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Ethan Doan