Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Hats off to new adventures. My husband Wayne and I officially began a new chapter, answering a call to serve as commissioned pastors of First Presbyterian Church in Tucumcari.
We’ve got some pretty hefty shoes to fill. After 11 years at First Pres, Pastor Amy Pospical is embarking on a new adventure herself. Our stories are connected, all because of Dad.
The drive to Tucumcari is second nature. Not only is this a road I’ve traveled for years with Wayne, but it’s one I traveled with my dad. And like so much of my life’s journey with dad, there are stories along the way.
We pass by the house that has “the herd of white dogs,” by the house where people used to feed deer, by the now-dry playa, by the fields where flocks of deer and antelope gather. The trip, then and now, is fueled by country music. Both Wayne and Dad love the old, twangy stuff.
We met Amy because of Dad. During his years of service with Presbytery, he served on the Committee on Ministry. And in his role on COM, he worked with First Pres to find a minister. Dad burned up the road. I can’t even guess the number of miles he put on his Prius, guiding the church through the search that would eventually lead to Amy.
I first met Pastor Amy when she visited and preached during the search process. But I heard all about her before that first Sunday. Dad had a feeling about Amy, and said she had the special something that Tucumcari needed, and that the church and Amy would be good for each other. And he was right.
Amy, like Dad, has a servant’s heart. She sees goodness. She radiates joy, and wisdom. She’s been as good for us as she was for Tucumcari. Amy, COM and First Pres knew about the possible call to serve before we did. When Wayne and I went before their session to chat and figure out if this was a good fit for all of us, I felt Dad there. I shared that with session and told them I felt like it had the dad deal of approval.
In the weeks since then, I continue to see and feel divine signs that this is what we’re meant to do: Amy messaged me and said she pulled out her original covenant with First Pres and dad’s signature was on it. During this past weekend’s presbytery meeting, leadership talked about dad and how much he loved the church and people at Tucumcari. In sharing the news on the home front, we got the family seal of approval. Perhaps the most emotional moment in all of this happened this past weekend. Janelle Kane, stated clerk of Presbytery, told me that this would make my dad so happy, that I’m following his footsteps of service. To be compared to my dad at all, but especially in that way, was the final confirmation – the dad seal of approval.
Patti Dobson writes about faith for The Eastern New Mexico News. Contact her at:
