So, Pentecost has begun and will continue for several months - the longest season of the church calendar - and I have already had one vacation.  We went to Las Vegas and saw lots of shining lights, people trying to sell us stuff, and lots of folks down on their luck.  I was suprised by many things in Vegas but mostly the homeless and the panhandlers.  Many of the homeless just sort of sulked in the shadows, not asking for anything.  Then you had the folks staggering up to you asking for change.  And then, you had the more industrious with their coolers offering you a bottled water for $1.  Believe me, in those temperatures (over 100 every day) that was definitely the best buy on the strip.
     I did not see the James Bond types at the tables with their martinis and a bundle of cash to bet.  Some looked like they might have been in some service industry and local.  Some were a lot like us, vacationing and just trying to see what all the whoopla was all about.  I just know I was happy to get back home.
     I don't know if any of you have ever been away from the church or not, but let me tell you from experience - coming back is like coming back home.  The love of Christ is in all places, but having a church home and a loving church family makes all the difference.  We might have some problems here at Trinity, but most churches are going through the same stuff.  And, after all, a church is not a building.  It's the people that go there.  I love you Trinity, and it's good to be back home.