New Beginnings

It is official. Hannah and I are the proud renters of a 100 year old, 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath, sweet home at 180 S. 20th Street in the Old Towne East neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio. We signed the lease and paid the deposit today. Our move in date is May 1st, but the landlord gave us the keys and the freedom to paint, clean, and move in furniture in the meantime. I will post pictures real soon.

It is an exciting and eclectic neighborhood to move into that is a great central location for living downtown. The couple blocks surrounding us have been redeveloped and the neghborhood is popular among the rich, white, homosexual community. We are just a short walk from Franklin Park, the biggest park in downtown Columbus, and only a mile from downtown.

But, 2 of the poorest neighborhoods in Columbus are only blocks away, an area with both physical and spiritual needs. One where we could see ourselves ministering for a long time. We will also be just a mile from a developing muslim community and 2 miles from Bexley, a predominantly Jewish area. The opportunities for the gospel will be endless. We have already established a fun relationship with both our landlord and property manager. I was interested to see how they (both are gay), would respond to me being a minister. Not even an issue, we had good honest conversations, and already have an invitation to the next neighborhood party or to play our landlord's (he lives 4 houses down) sweet 150 year old piano which has been meticulously preserved.

God is good. It will be fun to partner with him in his new creative work in this community, and to see how he will use this move to refine us.