Innocence abroad?

Reflections on faith and travel

While I was on sabbatical from September 2006 to January 2007, I sent back occasional emails to folks back home. I didn't have in mind that they might end up on the church's website, but other minds prevailed, and here they are in somewhat edited form. My thanks to Barbara Franklin and webwizard Lori Janies for their assistance (and persistence) in this task.

As you'll see if you decide to plunge in, the postings tend to get longer and more reflective as the time wore on. At times they're probably a bit idiosyncratic, or at least singular-a bit personal, as letter-writing tends to be. Such is the experience of making your way in new places. I make no claims to being an authority about any of the places I visited-Istanbul, Venice, southern Spain. Most of these places I'd never been before. And I found that I had to modify some of my observations the longer I spent in different places. Some of that is reflected here. Part of travel is the sense of discovery, including discovering that your first impression was wrong.

So welcome, fellow traveler. May there be something of use, amusement, or even benefit for you here.

Eric Nelson
Principal Minister
First Congregational Church of Minnesota

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