We just finished a busy month of Tres Dias activities, including a gathering at our church on Saturday, July 28 with about 150 attendees. It was a wonderful time of worship, fellowship and pigging-out!! Yesterday was the annual Tres Dias picnic. I managed to get in the pool for two dives.
Yesterday I brought the introductory lesson for the Saddleback Church's foundations study. This is the basis for the purpose driven church movement. If there are enough folks to sign up for the program, I'll be giving it in September. Probably on Thursday evenings. I am so impressed with Saddleback Church and Rick Warren's ministry.

Last night Cheryl and I were driving down the Thruway on our way back to Clintondale when we heard a couple of renditions of "Get Happy," which, to my surprise, is a wonderful gospel song. I don't know if it was originally written for that purpose, but the words are definitely about the Lord and about getting happy in him. I have to admit that I never listened to the words before. Tomorrow I am singing for a group in Kingston and plan to use this song as one of the ones we sing together. I'm gonna get happy!

There are a lot of things happening this weekend - two Tres Dias activities and our church congregational meeting. Lots of eating and sharing together and enjoying one another and the Lord.

What a joy it is to be part of such a good Christian community as our church and the Tres Dias movement!

Cheryl and I just finished attending the 35th Anniversary of Tres Dias and the Assembly of the International Tres Dias organization. Tres Dias is an offshoot of the Catholic Cursillo movement, and is a wonderful renewal movement within the church. We did our original Tres Dias weekend in 1987, Men's Tres Dias #63 and Women's Tres Dias #63. Since then we have been on Tres Dias teams a number of times. It was wonderful to see people from the Tres Dias communities around the world, especially the couple from Moscow, Russia. The reported over two thousand people from over two hundred churches in Moscow that have made a Tres Dias weekend. For more information about Tres Dias you can go to www.tresdias.org. Our local community is the Mid-Hudson Tres Dias found at www.mhtd.org.

Wedding Anniversary

Today is our 26th wedding anniversary. What a trip it has been and what a wonderful woman to be married to. Thanks, Cheryl, for making these 26 years so special. Love, Dan

My first attempt at blogging was a complete failure. I forgot to save it. So, here goes another one.

I hope to use this space to update myself, and others as they take the time to read, on my thoughts as a pastor of a small church in the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York State. I've been here for nearly twenty-one years and have had the time of my life. My congregation is the best there is - not perfect, but the best.

Eleven years ago I joined the local volunteer Fire Department and have found such great satisfaction in serving the community this way.

I am married with one son. My wife is a professor of social work in a local college and our son is serving in an orphanage in Haiti.

I'll do more posting as the days come and go. For now, I'll sign off and get to bed.