If you need a passport...

In advance of my trip to Canada I sought to get a passport.

Online I learned that there is a Passport BOOK and a CARD. I phoned to learn the difference and I was told, nearly verbatim, “The passport card is being phased in and is currently only good for Canada and Mexico”.

The person I spoke with left out one important detail: that it is useless for air travel. That would have helped me make a better choice.

Foolishly I decided based on their input to get the card. Of course, when I got to the airport on Sunday I learned I could not get on the flight nor make it to my meetings that day.
I had to get an expedited passport the next day. I also had airline fees related to my changed flight plans. My out of pocket expense due to this inconvenience is almost $300 in total.

Yes, after the fact, I discovered that there is one page on the State Department website that alrets you to this issue. It ought to be clearly stated on any page that references the passport card.

I am only posting this to caution potential future travellers. If you need a passport, get the passport BOOK unless a) you live near the border and will be driving across, or b) you will be on a cruise.

Re-Visioning

I have the privilege of attending the Re-Visioning Retreat, September 20-25 in Cochrane, AB.

Sponsored by my ordaining body, The Evangelical Covenant Church, and underwritten by a grant from the Lilly Endowment, the retreat is designed for those in ministry who are seeking to renew their friendship with God, reignite their pastoral imagination and explore their call in a deeper way. Each retreat is limited to 10 applicants, so I feel very blessed to have this opportunity.

EC hospitalized

To my blog-reading and facebook-reading friends,

Please pray for our family and especially for EC who is hospitalized again. Pray that the delicate balancing of medications can be accomplished; pray that other therapies can have their intended results; pray that God's own hand reaches and touches her heart and mind in a real and healing way. We do not know at this time how long this in-patient experience may last.

Pray also for Alicia and me, and pray for Miles, who worries about his sister whom he loves so much.

A Creed - the God who reigns

I wrote this affirmation of faith for this weekend's services. It was written around the theme of "reign" and will follow Lincoln Brewster's song "God, you Reign".


I believe in God,
the God,
the only God,
who created everything
and reigns as King
over earth, sky, and water,
Sovereign and Holy,
and yet revealing Himself
in the intimacy of the name
“Father”.
He reigns over the nations; He is seated on his holy throne.
Psalm 47:8

And I believe in Jesus Christ,
the Son,
the only-begotten Son
whose reign began
in the weakness of a manger-bed,
conceived by the Spirit
and born of a virgin,
who reigned
even while nailed to a cross of wood;
who died and rose again, ascended and will come again.
He will reign forever; and his kingdom will never end.
Luke 1:33

And I believe in the Spirit,
the Holy Spirit,
the Spirit of God
who as God Himself
brings the presence of God
and extends the reign of God
in every believer and throughout the world,
who ever directs hearts
to our Lord and Savior,
so that grace might reign … to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:21

© 2009 Rick Lindholtz