It seems it has been far too long since I wrote, and that's because I last published an update on November 2, 2014. That's just about 5 months ago, which is sad and unacceptable and a fair representation of how busy my life has become. Some days or weeks it seems like it simply imploded all around me. So here we are, a new year, a new semester, new experiences since we last conversed. I'll try to bring you up to speed.
Last semester went really well for me overall in term of grades, and classes certainly provided a wealth of formative learning experiences. My experiences in my internship/contextual education in the Blue Christmas and Christmas Eve service were wonderful. I continue to learn alongside amazing Godly people who challenge me, encourage me, and envelop me in love and support.
January brought an intense cold from which I never really recovered throughout most of winter. I spent the majority of days from early January to March not feeling well. I'm grateful that I've now had one continuous week of not feeling too bad!
New semester courses began, I'm taking "Jeremiah in Context," "Evangelism in Contemporary Cultures," "Creating Resilience Amidst Resource Scarcity," and my ITP course which accompanies my internship at the church. Certainly some challenging courses, I've enjoyed them immensely (some more or less than others, obviously) and feel they've been helpful and informative in my continued development toward ministry.
In Mid-January niece Isabella graced us with her snuggly adorable presence. After a brief and scary stay in the hospital at around 3-4 weeks of age, she is doing quite well and growing, growing, growing. Big sister Vivian adores her, and I'm loving the small opportunities I get to travel home and see my girls.
February in Boston was snow. I can't say much you don't already know. The city came to a standstill, the MBTA broke and is STILL recovering and moving toward full operations, and we all ended up with cabin fever. I spent some time working on a porch-like structure which can be accessed from the second floor of my home, it's the roof to our dining room, by breaking ice chunks, shoveling snow, and trying to catch drips from dammed up gutters. The amount of damage this winter caused is exceptionally high, many places suffered structural damage from the weight or water damage from... well from the snow. Thankfully, most of the snow has seen fit to melt away with the slightly sunnier days which are getting warmer and longer.
It's time to register for Fall classes, and I can't believe that I'll be heading into my third and final year of study. It's an odd sensation to write "Fall 3" in little boxes, I didn't expect it to be drawing to a close so soon. Were it possible, I think I would take more time to learn and dig in to these courses. I want to draw in as much as I can, I want to experience ministry from multiple angles, from differing points of view.
I preached today, Palm Sunday, and then this evening co-led Confirmation Class. The sermon went well, I received feedback from one person, "This was your best one yet!" and from another, "I was with you the entire time!" and a third, "you spoke to my life right now." By and far it was the most feedback I have ever received post sermon, I felt affirmed in my venture as a result of the encouragement of the congregants. I took a play from Vicki's book and napped in my car for an hour from 1:00-2:00, and I found myself slow moving afterward. Perhaps an hour was too long, I never fully recovered to the level I would have liked, but I fear without the nap I would have been irritable. My supervisor and I, in the afternoon before the confirmands arrived, were able to plan a manageable trajectory for the remainder of time we have, I'm hopeful that we'll complete the curriculum we've set before us.
Up next is Maundy Thursday, but a few assignments and School of Theology events stand between here and there.
I'm off to bed, I'll try to remind myself to write more frequently if for no other reason than I can look back in twenty or thirty years to where I began my ministry and what I thought about.
Peace,
Me
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