Neil Dunnavant is retiring this month. His last Sunday with us is February 27. We will have one service at 11 am. For information on how we are honoring Neil, look here.
Executive Pastor Neil Dunnavant
In the state of Guerrero, Mexico, it is popular to eat pozole on Thursdays. Restaurants called Pozoleros are open only on Thursdays. Pozole is a hearty soup made with hominy. The Spanish word for hominy is pozole. In pozole is broth, pork, chiles, onions, garlic, tomatillos, avocado, pumpkin seeds, and oregano. The soup is served in beautiful ceramic bowls and on the table are many little bowls for toppings such as limes, radishes, pickled red onions, and hot peppers. The traditional beverage to accompany pozole is locally made mezcal, a distilled spirit made from agave. Tequila is a type of mezcal made only from the blue agave.
See Neil’s pozole and more at his Food of the Spirit video series.
Like Sunday is the day for church and sabbath keeping, it is a nice idea to have other days of the week for special and regular enjoyments. I visited a small town in Mississippi where almost everyone ate pizza on Fridays. One of our church members visits his regular favorite restaurants on certain days of the week. It’s a nice way to give shape to one’s life and have regular things to look forward to. I hope in my retirement I will be making pozole most Thursdays.
This is my last essay going out to the congregation. I deeply appreciate all the many best wishes for my future. I want to clear up a few misunderstandings about my plans. Kate and I are not and never have planned to move to the farm in Claudville, Va. We will continue to work at the farm and usually stay only one or two nights and then return to Greensboro. I have decided not to make any plans for several months regarding new work or activities. I am very fortunate to be in excellent health, and I know in time the right sort of rituals and activities (and possibly paid employment) will emerge beyond the day-to-day things I already enjoy such as exercise, cooking, reading, and helping Kate with our Greensboro rental properties and farm work.
As a retired pastor, it is customary and required to keep a very low profile for two years and of course never interfere in church business. However, it will be a great disappointment to me if I do not find regular ways to stay in touch with you and be a part of your lives and you a part of mine. Here are a few things I have a strong interest or knowledge of that you might enjoy reaching out to me about.
- A whole foods, plant-based diet and delicious recipes that do not use meat, eggs, or dairy products and very specific suggestions about how to slowly transition to a more healthy diet.
- Recommendations for excellent books and films that are not too long or boring or disturbing.
- Anything about Mexico — places to visit, food, weather, museums, archaeological sites, etc.
- How to train to run your first 5K race or get in the best shape of your life.
My new email is neildunnavant32@gmail.com and I will still have the same cell number, 336-601-7757.
It has been an amazing and very wonderful eighteen and a half years with you all. As the Mexicans say, Andale Pues! See you around. Have a good one.
