Okay, the Rector is tired today. We had a big weekend. The parish campout and the launch of the parish visioning process did me in. But in a good way.

The parish campout was a great success. The youth spent all weekend in kayaks and canoes cruisin’ around the lake. David and Edith Reed anchored the camp kitchen. Tracy Kilmer provided pre-camp organization, without which the campout could not have happened. Well done every one. And thank you, thank you.

My high of the weekend was a long open-water swim. I was accompanied by three middle- schoolers in kayaks. Alec Troxell led the way.

My daughter Claire flanked me on the right. Kyle Hayes flanked me on the left. Theoretically their job was to be very visible so ski boats passing by would not run over the rector in the water.

We went about a mile up the lake than turned around and swam/paddled back. It was a great swim.

It was uneventful, for the most part. Except that Kyle had a little bit of trouble navigating the kayak. I was in the water about 200 yards into the swam and... BUMP. Kyle accidentally rams his kayak into my head.

I start to tread water.

“Easy there little brother, the object of the game is not to hit the swimmer in the water.”

Another 150 yards and... BUMP.

I start to tread water again.

“How you doing there Kyle? Are you have a little trouble steering the kayak? Remember, the goal is to get the swimmer out of the water alive.”

I swim another 100 yards and, that’s right... BUMP.

“Okay, okay. I get it. Kyle, how about you take the point position, Alec you ride the left flank.”

After that we had no more incidents. Kyle even mastered kayaking in open water.

As I was face down in the murky waters of Raystown Lake I began to think about the vision process Jim Tracy was launching on Sunday.

Lay leadership in the church is a little like learning to row a kayak. It looks easy enough. Especially in open water, on a still, calm day. But even in a wide open lake, it can take a while for good, faithful, well-intentioned folk to learn how to steer. The rector is likely to get bumped once in a while.

Hey, that’s okay. I’d rather swim in the Kingdom of God and get bumped a few times while Kyle Hayes learns to fly a kayak, than sit on the shore and watch everyone else have all the fun.