I got an e-mail from Dan Kimball when Kris and I were at Marko and Jeannie Oestreicher’s home in Rancho San Diego. He included for laughs evidence that he was reading Embracing Grace, so I thought I’d document the evidence for the public. Dan’s a big part of the emerging movement in the USA and especially in California.

This picture might become a historic piece, and those who know know why.
Friday night we went out to eat with the Oestreicher family at a wonderful Mexican restaurant, and I can’t for the life of me remember its name. But, it was very good. Pastor Ed Noble, from Journey Community Church, came along and it was great to get to meet him. A big surprise for me: one my former students from North Park, Ingveld Mjelde, is married to the worship pastor at Journey, Jason Denison. We met her earlier that night at the church.
The highlight for the day (besides Dan’s picture) was Marko’s sermon. Marko gave a very good sermon: he structured the biblical story into creation, crisis, call (Abraham), and conversation (priests, prophets, poets, and philosophers). He’ll finish the next three parts of the story next Sunday at Journey. Marko was passionate, articulate, and practical, and I can see why he speaks all over the world.

Saturday morning Kris and I took a walk on Coronado Beach, hob-nobbed for some coffee with the ritzy folks at the “Del,” and then had a light lunch at Seaport Village. When we got home we watched the Oestreicher kids swim in the pool and chatted with Jeannie and Marko. Great folks. Didn’t have the courage to strip down to swim suits and take a dip in their pool.
Saturday night Marko and Jeannie went with us to the Padres-Braves game, and I got to see another former North Park student, Mike Wickham, who works for the Padres. We sat in the 18th row behind the plate. For me, it was great: I got to see John Smoltz pitch live for the first time since he was a rookie and worked the Cubs over for a few innings. This time he had the Padres’ number. The Braves made Petco Park look like a pinball machine: balls were flying all over that place. If you get a chance, go to Petco. Beautiful, great weather, and a good team. Thanks Wick.
Wick came down and sat with us, and we got to chat about baseball. He’s big time now and virtually manages the minor league teams for the Padres. Kris and I both observed his professionalism. That his Blackberry was simultaneously a phone, an e-mail machine and an internet source was nothing short of confusing to me. I’m sure glad my phone doesn’t do all that or I’d be composing posts for the blog during Faculty meetings (which isn’t such a bad use of time, come to think of it).