Christmas 2008

Merry Christmas ‘08
Keith & Sharon Drury
4637 S. Wigger St.
Marion, IN 46953

SUMMARY: We are happily engaged in teaching at IWU, in church life, writing, and outdoor adventures.

SHARON: I’m enjoying teaching doctoral students in organizational leadership and seeing the students making a difference in their companies. We faculty are also writing a book on leading organizations. Being part of a blended program (onsite and online teaching) allows me to work from home many days, and attend daytime events with the grandkids. We also had great vacations this year—like Spring Break in Key West, General Conference with our extended family in June (see picture below), and we spent a month out West in July-August—in Wyoming backpacking the Wind River Mountains and in Montana and Colorado in some of the most beautiful places in the world. I lost my father at age 90, and was able to spend two precious weeks with my mom and family in Tucson. I’m so grateful for the prayers of my Christian friends, many who are at College Wesleyan Church and others are across the USA. Stop by if you’re in Marion sometime and have coffee with us!

KEITH: I’m in my 15th years of full time teaching here at Indiana Wesleyan University. I started teaching youth courses as an adjunct here in 1976 so it feels like more than 30 years. I sometimes forget I ever did anything else. I saw two books come out this year, one on the Apostle’s Creed, (Common Ground) plus a short book on writing (Brief Guide for Writers) I’m in my thirteenth year writing my weekly Internet “Tuesday Column.” In May I returned to re-hike the Southern 500 miles of the Appalachian Trail, the same trail Sharon and I hiked 35 years ago. I was amazed at how much I remembered of the trail. I’m in the process of exploring what will be my future outdoor adventures and am thinking seriously about trying to ride a bicycle on all of America’s Rails-to-Trails routes. I’m still pondering that however. My next book will be co-written with my son Dave—a dialogue between a Boomer and an Emergent minister (maybe it will be an argument ;-).

FAMILY:
Our kids have their own Christmas cards but from our viewpoint, they’re doing fine. Dave is executive pastor at College Wesleyan here and he & Kathy live about 5 miles away. We are getting good at playing Wii with their kids, Max, Karina, and Lauren. John & Amanda are both in PhD programs at Princeton Seminary, he in Theology and she in Adolescent Ministry/CE. The biggest change in their lives was their new son Samuel James, who born last December. We were there for Thanksgiving. All of us got together at the Wesleyan General Conference, including our World Hope nephew Scott & Elizabeth (on right)


Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Keith & Sharon