Tuesday, July 14, 2009

An Introduction....

Hi! I am Robert Wyckoff, usually known also as Bob, and I will be the supply pastor here at Cambridge Welcoming Ministries during Pastor Tiffany’s maternity leave. By way of introduction, here is little bit about myself and where I am from.

I am a Certified Lay Speaker from Union United Methodist Church (http://www.gbgm-umc.org/unionboston) which is located in Boston’s South End. Shortly after I joined Union in 1993, we began the journey toward becoming a Reconciling United Methodist Congregation. I worked on the Reconciling Committee there and taught classes using the materials which had been developed by the UMC for that purpose. In 2000, Union became the first African American congregation to join the Reconciling movement. Union UMC was also involved when Cambridge Welcoming Ministries first began at Grace UMC, and so I am especially excited to have been sent by our District Superintendent, Rev. Martin McLee, to fill in for Rev. Steinwert during her absence. It is a blessing and a humbling responsibility with which I am charged and I am grateful for the generous support I am receiving from the Lay Leaders at CWM.

About me personally, I am an alumnus of St. John’s College in Annapolis and a graduate of the University of Vermont, 1972, where I majored in philosophy and religion. More recently I studied at Berklee for a performance degree in 2006. I play trumpet and arrange music for Boston Community Choir (http://www.bostoncommunitychoir.org) and also play a 12 string guitar and harmonica. I am especially looking forward to joining forces in song with Pastor Annie Britton when she visits!

I have three grown children, two daughters and a son, and eight grandchildren ranging in age from 4 to 24, all of whom make me feel blessed and proud! I will be posting my reflections here on this blog and also my thoughts for our Children’s Moment which we have at CWM each Sunday. This is one of my favorite parts of the worship service, when we are all invited to see things through the eyes of the children among us. For we remember that Jesus said, "Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me….”