People, namely my Gramma, have been hinting that I need to post a new blog update. It HAS been several months (a summer hiatus) since I've posted, so I'll admit that there is room for an infusion of information. So, here goes.
I'm in week two of classes and week three of my internship. A great joy that I can share from my experiences thus far with year two of seminary is that as theological, historical, and philosophical concepts are no longer completely foreign, I am finding my readings not only easier to comprehend but also easier to get through. The first year of seminary taught me about coping with massive amounts of reading, perpetual stress, and always feeling behind. In year two, I've wisened up a bit about how to do readings more effecively and have a better understanding of "what really counts."
I've noted with year two that, as of right now, my head is still very much above water, which means that I'm feeling in a place where I can deconstruct information more effectively. It's not as much of a situation as, "Wait, that reading said what?" with the goal being understanding, but is instead more a situation of, "Wait, that reading said what?! Let's deconstruct this." So much of last year was new that I felt I was frequently grasping at anything I could merely to hold on through another week, but this year I feel more prepared to say, "I take objection to _____ in this text. Can we reframe this into a more positive vision?"
My courses this fall are:
Introduction to Christian Worship
From Jesus to Christ
Integration of Theology and Practice (with Contextual Education)
Introduction to Pastoral Care and Counseling
Three of my four courses are hitting upon exploration of church setting, self-care, and how we can be effective in ministry; I'll let you guess as to which three those are. My fourth course explores the transition from the historical Jesus to the Christ we know in the Gospels.
My Contextual Education experience is at the First Congregational Church of Reading in Reading, Ma (I specify because some assume I'm commuting to Reading, PA each week). It is an absolutely wonderful congregation that I am delighted to be journeying in ministry with. In my time there, approximately ten months, I'll be working to co-lead Confirmation class, I will do pastoral care visits, I will engage youth in the church in youth-group type events, I will hold adult spiritual nurturing events, and I will preach eight times between now and mid-May. My supervisor has been exceptionally supportive in allowing me to craft an experience which will not only assist me in learning about the multiple facets of church ministry but will also enable me to use the skills I already know I have to assist the church through its journey in these months. I am so incredibly excited to journey with them, even if for just a short while.
I'm setting this year before myself to be one of exploration and understanding. I wish to look critically at my life and work consciously on developing healthy habits which will serve me well in ministry.
Delightfully, I am participating again this year in Seminary Singers, a true joy of my experience here in seminary. Not only has my involvement been a truly wonderful way to meet and get to know some of the students in the years ahead of me, but it has been a way for me to worship while leading. With each performance in a Wednesday service, there is a time where our singing ceases to be 'simply singing' but instead becomes a moment where I can feel the Spirit moving within me. It is, for me, a form of Sabbath, and the connections I have made with these great people will stay with me forever.
As I draw this to a close (classwork does await), I'll simply state that I would not be where I am without the wonderful people in my life who have helped to shape and guide me to this place. I will refrain from listing names, but if you have ever had an encounter with me of any kind, you have in some way assisted in forming me into who I am today and who I will be tomorrow, and I thank you.
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