the top 10 reasons to be in merced . . . .

i could come up with more than 10 reasons to be in merced  . . .  but i'll just give you my top 10.  after finishing six years here (united methodist pastors are appointed (assigned) for one year at a time, and the end of june marks the ending of my sixth year).  so, i've come to appreciate the central valley.  here are my top 10 reasons:

     10.  Location, Location, Location.  what other community could greet you with a sign that says, 'the gateway to yosemite'?!  while we may be about 2 hours away, hwy 140 passes right in front of the church.  and what a beautiful backyard to have -- a national park; perhaps even the 'best' of the national parks!  in the central valley, we are 'on the way' to the coast -- just about 2 hours from monterey; 3 hours from san francisco; two-ish hours to south lake tahoe; and about 4-ish hours to mickie and minnie!  in california, one has to drive to get anywhere; chances are, merced is 'on the way'.

     9.  We Have Shopping!  ok, we have a costco, a target, a koles, and a walmart, and lots of grocery stores and a farmer's market at least twice a week.  and have you ever eaten a merced strawberry from a road-stand?  we rarely have to go out-of-town, but when we do, modesto is only 45 minutes away to the north, and fresno is an hour away to the south.  some great restaurants as well...every mexican restaurant hosts their own unique salsa! 

     8.  We have All Kinds of Weather!  while we are not in the snow country, we are close.  we celebrate all the major seasons; cold and fog in the winter -- so cozy up to a fire with a good book; cool nights and sunny days in the spring and autumn -- a great time to walk; rain, sometimes ; a necessity of life.  and the summer is hot, with more-often-than-not a cooling off for the evening.  no hurricanes or tornadoes,  and very few earthquakes; a great time to sit out on your boat or swimm at lake yosemite.

     7.  People; 80,000 and (slow) growing.  merced does not grow hand over fist, but we have a rich diversity of cultures and ages.  and there is an appreciation of diversity here.  we even have political diversity.  and we have room for you!

     6.  Building Opportunities.  we have growth opportunities in industry, and a willing work-force.  while the economic down-turn left gaping holes in our landscape, holes can be filled, and we are in a place to receive such growth ... so tell your investors!  have we got a deal for you!

     5.  Merced is Family Friendly.  we are a community that is well-planned, with neighborhood parks, plus recreational/sporting areas, and walking/bike paths.  our streets, for the most part, are accessible and cars generally 'share the road'.  this is a community for people of all ages.  we were also written up in the aaa magazine not long ago!

     4.  "Let Us Entertain You."  'playhouse merced' introduced its upcoming season that will include a 'premere presentation'.  this friday opens its final production, 'the music man'.  outstanding talent comes from all over the valley to participate in this great community theatre.  we also celebrate 'shakespeare in the park', as well as host two movie theaters.  our historic theatre has just completed its remodel and is a site to behold.  and our community also boasts 'kttyland', and a wonderful museum, as well as a cultural arts center.  golf anyone?  we have quarterly 'art hops', and fundraising events that pull the community together to support numerous causes.  you really won't be at a loss for what to do!

     3.  Neighborhoods.   merced has great neighborhoods.  i live in a fairly quiet northern neighborhood near the community dog park.  while crime happens here like in every community, i feel safe walking around my neighborhood, in the wee hours of the morning and even late at night.  many houses are filled with college students who, for the most part, actually do more studying than partying.  and my neighborhood is infused with the rich diversity i mentioned in #7.  there are still homes available which are 'move-in ready'.  merced could be a great place to invest your time and energy!

     2.  Education!  we are a community that honors education.  we are home to a long established community college, and the latest u.c. campus.   not many communities of our size anywhere in the united states can boast having two college campuses.   and we look forward to our newest state-of-the-art high school opening for the 2013-14 school year. 

     and now the #1 reason.  Faith That Nurtures Your Soul!  the united methodist church of merced, is one of the most progressive faith communities you'll find in the area.  we are a reconciling community, meaning that we welcome divergent thoughts and lifestyle; so as you grow in your faith and spiritual development, you'll find a welcoming atmosphere here.  this is just the best place for me to be at this time in my life; warm and caring people; justice minded; learning to reach out and exploring what it means to be 'evangelizing' in this day and age.  while i was away in florida, the church functioned without me!  that is not always the case.  we struggle like everyone else in this day and age, but there is much kindness shared here.  if you're in merced and you are looking to grow your faith and be of service, you are welcome here!

so, there you have it.  merced.  the place to be ... for me, one year at a time.