Summer ministry is in full swing, and apparently so is summer travel.

Andrew got back from celebrating his parents' 50th anniversary on a cruise, where he managed to lose his wedding ring, just in time to officiate a funeral, preach on Sunday, and help examine and ordain Tim later that evening. No easing back into the schedule around here.

Congratulations are in order for Tim, who was officially ordained by Lakeview Church last night. It was a meaningful service, a fitting celebration of God's call on his life, and a reminder that faithful ministry is always worth recognizing. Lakeview also welcomed its new associate pastor, marking another exciting milestone for the church.

Meanwhile, Andrew's week got even more eventful when he was rear ended on the way to an escape room... with four youth group students in the car. Everyone is okay, but it definitely made for a more memorable youth outing than anyone had planned.

This time of year always feels like a blur. Tim recently enjoyed a family vacation in Orlando and is already looking forward to a fly fishing trip out west in a few weeks. Andrew is unpacking from one trip only to repack for two weeks in Arkansas.

We'll catch up on all of it, celebrate a huge milestone in Tim's ministry, and officially take our annual summer pause.

We'll be back at the end of July... because we never miss a week.

...Unless we do.

It’s a week of transitions as both Lakeview and Safety Harbor are saying goodbye to staff members. We talk about the often-overlooked art of offboarding well, celebrating people for their service, blessing them on their way out, and remembering that healthy ministry includes healthy endings.

Tim had one of those marathon ministry Sundays that remind you why pastors sleep on Mondays. Three services in the morning, a new members class in the evening, and just enough caffeine to make it all happen. Somehow, he survived.

Meanwhile, Andrew took what felt like half of Safety Harbor Community Church to a ballgame. It turned out to be one of those rare church events that required almost no convincing, no complicated logistics, and left everyone asking when the next one would be.

The conversation also turns to baptism. When should a baptism happen publicly in front of the congregation? Are there situations where a private baptism is appropriate? What are the pastoral considerations that go into making that decision?

It’s a conversation about transitions, long Sundays, easy ministry wins, and helping people take their next step of faith.

After a few weeks off, we’re finally back behind the microphones and there’s plenty to catch up on.

Tim can officially talk about Lakeview hiring a new associate pastor, including what the search process was like and the surprisingly difficult reality of calling candidates to tell them they finished second. Pastoral ministry apparently now includes HR, recruiting, and emotionally complicated phone calls.

Andrew spent last weekend in Dallas for his second graduation from Dallas Theological Seminary and, unlike the first time, he actually showed up for this one. Growth. Maturity. Airfare.

Meanwhile, Tim’s ordination is only a month away, and he’s beginning to question why Andrew is asking such deeply personal theological and ministry questions. Somewhere between “describe your prayer life” and “what books are you reading,” the process started feeling less like ordination prep and more like a pastoral FBI interview.

Last night, both guys participated in their friend Adam Powers’ D.Min graduation celebration, which somehow turned into the launch of an entirely new competition: figuring out who is actually the funniest pastor in the friend group. Results remain disputed.

It’s a catch-up episode full of hiring updates, seminary milestones, ordination prep, and middle-aged men trying very hard to out-joke each other.