The Calhoun's are preparing for a move....
Last Wednesday, Julie and I stepped onto a plane in Wichita and stepped off the plane in Missoula, Montana. The primary purpose of the outing was for an "introductory" meeting with the staff parish ministry team of a congregation that had been discerned for us by the Bishop and cabinet of the Yellowstone Conference of the United Methodist Church. We were greeted by District Superintendent , Rev. Su DeBree, who then drove us about an hour north of Missoula to Polson, Montana. While a good portion of the drive was in the dark, we were glad to be greeted by a few snow flurries as we pulled into town. Our hosts for the two-day excursion were Bob (staff parish chair) and Diane Byers, who invited us to stay at there home on the lake. 
With the anxiety of the next day's meeting on my mind, and curious thoughts of the town and the scenery consuming my thoughts, I had a hard time sleeping. After surviving the night, we awoke to the illumination of the sun,to the lake, to an island, and to the mountains that filled the window in our room. The sight was amazing. 
Prior to our afternoon meeting, we were able to tour the town, the church, the schools, and some of the neighborhoods. Our morning ended with lunch at a local cafe located in the downtown Polson area, more touring and eventually our introductory meeting at the church in the afternoon. After a few hours of getting to know one another, and a brief time of deliberation, the church folks along with the DS, came to the conclusion that they would indeed like to have me as their new pastor and our family as part of their congregation. The reality of the news was overwhelming, but Julie and I were instantly excited about what the future holds for our family in this incredible town.
Polson, a town of over 4,000 people, is located on the Flathead Indian Reservation in the Northwest corner of Montana. The town sits on the southern edge of Flathead Lake and is surrounded by mountains. Our new church is First United Methodist Church of Polson. 
The church has about 118 members with an average worship attendance of 54. Next year, Polson UMC will celebrate its 100th anniversary. The church moved into a portion of its current building in 1993 and into the sanctuary in 1997. We are extremely excited about the opportunities that await us in Polson, and we are especially excited about the chance to move back to our home region of the country. Please keep our family and the Polson church in your prayers as we both enter into a time of transition. We plan to arrive in Polson around the middle of June.
Here are a few pictures from our trip... Should you ever find yourself in this part of Montana, be sure to stop in and see us... and while you are there, be sure to stop in at one of the greatest stores in the valley...
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