I am back from NYC after what Brian McLaren called an amazing weekend. I am still tired. I actually took the “day off” today and went to see Iron Man with my son Samuel. I worked not. Since my trip was a combo trip (to take care of a friend who just had cancer surgery) and to coordinate the Bronx “Everything Must Change Tour”, I awoke most days at the ungodly hour of 5 a.m. to stay up late and do the same thing over again. It felt like the movie Ground Hog day. Nevertheless, it was truly my honor to be there for one of my best friends (what are friends for right?) and to work again with and for a tremendous group of people I have come to respect and cherish as friends, namely David Ramos, Luis Alvarez, Susan Rivera Leon and Belinda Passafaro.  Thanks for entrusting this event to me, I hope you were pleased. I myself was extremely pleased with the volunteers from all over the city and staff from LPAC. This is the first time I worked with people I didn’t self-select and well, they did an awesome job. Thanks Rose, Wanda, Wilma, Manny Leon, Manny Z, Louis, Alicea, Onilove, and all the rest!

 For those of you who want a play by play, I noticed that Jeremy Del Rio has some notes on the event and he was taking a boat load of pics so make sure you check his site to see them. I can’t provide that for you. I was uh, too busy to take notes.  More thoughts on event from David Ramos, Founder of the Latino Leadership Circle here and Jose Humphreys, Church Planter and Pastor of Metro Hope Church in Harlem here.

Although the event itself was wonderful and seeing Brian again was great (I hadn’t seen him since the last Emergent Conference in Nashville), what stood out the most for me is:

a. Seeing the folks of the Latino Leadership Circle –the group has a number of people I am just blessed to know, many of them I call friends and many I am proud to say represent “mi gente” well. I remember a time when a gathering of Latino professionals both in the marketplace and in ministry was hard to come by, yet that is what happened this past weekend. David, you are such an inclusive person with the patience of a saint. You are a sweetheart and I am so glad we’ve been friends all these years. Thanks also for tolerating my “Heather”.  Belinda, you are one bad mamajamma. The way you opened up our volunteer orientation and how you took control of our “singles discussion” at Betsy’s made me feel like you are a force to be reckoned with. I know God has someone special picked out especially for you!  Hope our friendship continues to develop. Susan it was so great to see how you’ve risen to the challenge of running LPAC even amid what Rev. Ray calls organized chaos LOL. I am proud of you too. Look what the Lord has done.