Dear Folks -
Some time ago I asked my friend and long time colleague, Bob Tucker, if
he would fill in for me this coming week. I was scheduled to do a
wedding at Horseshoe Bay. I'm still going to be out but, as you likely
know by now, not because I'm out of town doing a wedding.
Rather, I am convalescing from having had quadruple bypass surgery this
past Wednesday, May 12. What started out as an attempt to treat allergy
induced asthma, ended up with a diagnosis of coronary artery disease and
four almost completely blocked arteries to my heart. Surgery was the
solution to this problem.
I am happy to report that the surgery was very successful. I was "off
pump" for the procedure which lasted a little over 3 1/2 hours. Didn't
even have to have a transfusion. I came home Monday morning and have had
mostly good days.
Thank you for your prayers and expressions of concern and interest.
Cards and gifts of meals are being most appreciated. I am told that this
recovery process is often more difficult for the care-taker than the
patient. So, keep Sherry in your thoughts and prayers.
The doctor wanted me to take off a month. I am hoping to make it no
longer than that. You'll be kept informed.
In the meantime thanks again for all your support.
You have a rare opportunity to hear Dr. Bob Tucker this week. I hope you
can take advantage of it.
Bob taught in Turkey for five years, was for twenty-eight years Senior
Minister of First Congregational Church in the Memorial area, and for
the past decade has been the Executive Director of the Foundation for
Contemporary Theology. Among its programs, the Foundation brings noted
theologians to Houston for a series of weekend lectures, for example,
Marcus Borg, Bishop Spong and John Dominic Crossan.
We depend on air for physical life; we depend on language for 'human'
life. So immersed are we in both that we go for long periods thinking of
neither, nor the essential role each plays. In the Bible's creation
story, God first created the world, and then in a second creation,
Adam, in a burst of human creativity, festooned it with words, 7,000 to
20,000 words we speak each day by actual count. We will look at the
nature and power of language—and especially the words that make up
our religious beliefs.
Much love,
Bill Kerley