I’ve lost track of exactly how many times I have attended the West Coast Presbyterian Pastors Conference.  I know the number is well over 30.  I began to attend when I lived on the west coast, but before I was a pastor. I have been nearly each of the 25 years I’ve been a pastor, but as a pastor I’ve never lived on the west coast.  Kent will be my roommate once again.  Kent was also the best man at our wedding. Kent and I met our first year of college. We go back a ways. Jonathan and Kristy will be there, as well. We go back only ten years, but in recent years they have come to add even more joy to attending the West Coast Presbyterian Pastors Conference.

The West Coast Presbyterian Pastors Conference always begins eight days after Easter and it is always held at Mount Hermon Conference Center in the redwood forest above Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay on the central coast of California.  The speakers are almost always good and the friendships are of the best sort.

I will be leaving Monday morning and will be at Mount Hermon in time for registration.

This past Tuesday I received an email from the organizers of the conference reminding us of registration details and the like.  They also reminded us of Monday night’s log-in.  It never changes.  We will be in groups of 20 or 30 and each of us in the group will have one question to answer and two minutes to answer it: “What is the one word that describes your past year – either in relation to ministry or to your personal life?”

After you introduce yourself and give your word, you can use what remains of your 120 seconds to offer a brief explanation of why you picked the word you picked. Each group has a timekeeper, and experience proves the necessity of one.

So, as I have for many years, this year, eight days after Easter, I will say the word I’ve chosen to describe my year since eight days after Easter, 2017.  I’ve been thinking about what word I might choose since before the email arrived on Tuesday.  I know how log-in at the West Coast Presbyterian Pastors Conference goes. It never changes.

One word.  The pastors at the conference often cheat and use more than on word, so I could say, “Lydia and Theo,” or maybe just “grandbabies.”  I might say “Paris” or “Forty.” Maybe I will pick a Portuguese word, “amizade” or “parceria” come to mind. Perhaps I will say “DIWG” and yield my last 100 seconds to someone with more to say.

I may pick another word or words to share in later conversation with Kent, Jonathan, Kristy, and a few others.  Who knows?

For well over thirty years, eight days after Easter, I have found a word to describe the previous year – eight days after Easter to eight days after Easter.  I am pretty sure I have never used the same word twice, and I cannot remember most of the words I have used.

Whatever word is chosen, the one-year, one-word exercise helps bring to mind the reality of God’s presence and work in our lives. Some years are summed up by sorrow-filled words, others with words whose colors depict sunshine and adventure, hope and possibility.

Every year, eight days after Easter, I am reminded to pause for maybe no more than 120 seconds and give thanks for the privilege of walking with God, of following Jesus, one more year.

Come Monday, eight days after Easter, why not take two minutes or so to choose a word that describes the year past. Let me know the word you choose, and I will be glad to share mine – just give me 120 seconds to explain.

See you Sunday, seven days after Easter.