This morning I taught a Sunday school class at First Presbyterian Church of San Diego. In preparation for Wednesday night’s seminar, the lesson was an opportunity to learn first-hand about the congregation. One such member, a navy seal who specializes in explosives, mentioned that he detonates things for a living and that he enjoyed Holy Ground. “So glad you like it,” I responded. Below is a banner by Mrs. Betsy Whitelock advertising the upcoming event.
Let me just say it for the record: San Diego has a terrific little Italy. Restaurants, art studios, and coffee shops line the street with just enough portly-shaped men smoking cigars and talking loudly to one another in Italian dialect to make it feel authentic.
Pastor Jerry Andrews is the Senior Pastor of First Church. We met once before when he was the Pastor of First Pres. in Glenn Ellyn, Illinois. Angela remembered a funny (and slightly embarrassing) story of when I preached there in the summertime when there was no air-conditioning in the church. Due to the sweltering heat, Jerry was dressed in short sleeves and sandals, while I was wearing a suit and tie. I became the guest preacher who lost three pounds of sweat by the end of the sermon.
Jerry is an extraordinary guy. With three masters level degrees in theology and a Ph.D in patristics from the University of Chicago, he typifies the pastor theologian. Angela and I thoroughly enjoyed learning from Jerry as he talked about how he and his wife Lois (who was out of town) have served Christ over the years. There we are together in the following photo along with Ralph and Donna McKenzie, our friends and most gracious hosts. Ralph, who coauthored Roman Catholics and Evangelicals with Norm Geisler, is responsible for coordinating most of the San Diego book tour.
