14 April 2013 - No Longer Bishop

This was my final week as bishop of the Washington Ward.  We had New Beginnings for three girls who are coming into Young Women's in the next two months.  Joanne worked for hours making 'values' cupcake shoes.

Here are all all eight value shoe cupcakes.  It was a nice event and the girls all helped deliver the program.

On Friday my parents flew in to be here for my release.  We went to PNC Park for the Pirates game.  It was a little cold, but not terrible, and the Pirates won!

I found a great deal on half-dozen roses that day, so I bought red ones for Joanne, pink ones for Grammie, and orange and peach ones for two sisters in the ward who were in the hospital.

On Saturday Jessica had been invited to represent her middle school in a Western Pennsylvania regional choir.  With Grammie and Grandpa in town we needed two extra seats, so Madeline and I road the motorcycle.  It was cold, so I was grateful to have my beard hat from Aunt Tiffany.  I got some excellent looks riding up to the school about 15 miles away.

Here are all the kids in the regional choir.  There was even one other LDS girl, a young lady from our stake who was invited to represent her middle school.  Jessica knew her from Girl's Camp last summer.

On Sunday I was released.  We didn't take any pictures of that. ;-)  It was good to serve, but it was also time for a change.  It was a spiritually powerful experience.  The new bishop of the Washington Ward is Bob Young, who is a friend and an excellent person in all respects.  His counselors are Phil Conklin and Ben Hansen, both wonderful choices who will bless the Washington Ward.