My alma mater

Isn't it pretty? I want to try and get some of my wedding photos taken by the pond. I also like this other one I took:


I want to take a photography class!

Graduation

Colby Class of 2007 graduated today, and I made the trip up with my family to watch my two brothers shake hands with the president of the college and move their tassels from the right side of their face to the left. During the thirty-five minute litany of names (during which time the soon-to-be graduates at the end of the alphabet stood - something I remember all too well), I stood in the back, clapped for people I knew, and caught up with a few folks. It was nice to see so many familiar faces attending graduation (even if I did get a little sunburned).

Yesterday and today were full of graduation activities (namely, the music major reception yesterday and the ceremony today), and I had the opportunity to talk to a lot of people. Every time I go up to campus I have a whole mixture of feelings. I realize that I miss the campus a lot, but I also realize that I'm glad that I've moved on. I miss taking math and physics and music classes, and hanging out in the seminar room on the 4th floor of Mudd, perched on my screen-less windowsill (with the window open, naturally). I miss seeing the sunrise from the CCF room after pulling an all-nighter with a friend. Mostly, I miss the people and the good times we had all had.

Thinking back, I wished I had taken more advantage of the relationships with people; in general, I took people for granted in undergrad. This isn't to say that I didn't value friendships, but that I, along with probably many others, always thought that things would stay the same, and that I'd keep in touch with people I was close to and whatnot. But jumping right in to school again after graduation changes things, and schoolwork and life in a new place with new people can complicate everything. Add major life change and a job or two to the mix and it really starts to get busy.

So I've resolved to be more intentional about my relationships with people. E-mails, letters, phone calls...because really -- people shape our lives, not institutions (be they educational or otherwise). I will always remember Colby for the people and the memories.

Today's Get Fuzzy

I had to share to share today's Get Fuzzy strip with you all - it's absolutely hilarious. I think my favorite is the reference to Vogon poetry...either that or the E = mc scram. Don't know which. Beautifully done!

Blog

Ben's been attending the Generation X/Y Gathering sponsored by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church and has been faithfully blogging about his experience. I have to admit, I'm rather jealous that he's there and I'm not. I hope that when the Northeast puts on a young adult event, it'll be something like that - good speakers, and plenty of opportunities to share stories and meet people.

It sounds like things are going well there. Ben has posted a lot of quotes from the presenters, and it seems like there are a lot of good conversations happening.

RevGalBlogPal Friday Five: Hard Habit to Break

1. Have you ever successfully quit a bad habit, or gotten a good habit established? Tell us about how you did it.

I used to be a nail-biter. Not a terribly bad one...but I stopped by using nail polish. Now I hardly use nail polish or bite my nails.

2. "If only there were a 12-step program for _________________!"

Procrastinators. I've gotten better...I swear...

3. Share one of your healthy "obsessions" with us.

Eating healthily and exercise has become one of the latest "obsessions" in my life.

This one isn't really "healthy" but it's "harmless". This is going to sound really silly, but...pens. I love pens. Any office supplies really, but pens in particular. I could spend hours in Staples or Office Max just looking at pens. I haven't bought any in a really long time since I have plenty already, but I just love them. Gel rollers, fountain, and fun colors are my favorites.

4. Share the habit of a spouse, friend or loved one that drives you C-R-A-Z-Y.

Well, I cured Ben of some of his bad habits back in college (I love you, dear). At the moment, nothing immediately jumps to mind...except for the standard toilet seat thing.

5. "I'd love to get into the habit of ___________________."

Getting back into my daily prayer and writing habit.

Bonus: What is one small action you might take immediately to make #5 a reality?

Since my summer schedule is going to be fairly consistent, I could wake up at the same time every day to start implementing these habits.

Bonus 2: Try it, and let us know how it goes in a future post!

Will do!

And...breathe!

The semester is over, and I have been out of New Jersey since Tuesday, and I can honestly say that I don't miss it one bit. It's so wonderful to be home amongst family and friends, and staying in one spot for more than a week is very appealing at this point. There's still a lot to do - one wedding, two graduations, and annual conference (and a couple presentations to put together) - all in the space of three weeks, but on the whole it will be enjoyable and non-stressful work. I hope. :-)

It's truly amazing how fast this semester, and the whole year, has gone by. It has been challenging in more ways than one, but I believe I'm a better person for it. I managed to survive four classes, church work, and everything else this past semester...and I lived. I've learned a lot this semester - about myself, about what God might be calling me to, about things I've learned in class - that it'll probably take me awhile to take it all in. I'm good at absorption, but this semester has left my brain feeling like an over-soaked sponge in a huge puddle of water!

One of the things that excites me the most about this summer (aside from my wedding), is the chance to catch up on some reading. I have a whole list of books that I want to be sure and read: books by Brian McLaren, Len Sweet, and many others. I'm also taking suggestions, so comment if you want to recommend a book!

Coming up for air

It probably wasn't the wisest plan to decide to do DCOM, move, and preach all within the same week. I've driven an estimated 1,000+ miles since last Sunday alone, and will clock another 400 this week (maybe 500 if next Sunday is included). I am tired.

Moving is a very stressful thing, even if you have a team of wonderful, patient people to help. I probably would have been *much* less stressed if I didn't have to preach, but I was the genius who decided that I could handle it. (I did, by the way...and it went well, so no worries there). I now have a much deeper sympathy for the Israelites who were in transit for 40 years, while we got all my stuff moved in to my summer place and Ben's stuff moved in to the apartment with only two car trips (with many cars). Much shopping and assembling happened yesterday (Ikea TV stand and Ikea table and chairs!), and the place is starting to look a little more lived-in. After Ben went back up to New England today, I stayed, unpacking our gobs of books. I can say with confidence that we are going to need another bookshelf. A big one.

I know there's something deep and theological in all this moving, but I'm to tired to drag it out of my brain so I'm not going to try. Instead, I am going to get some sleep, and dream for a very long time.

In the words of Jesus...

...it is finished.

The semester is officially over for me, and to top it off, I was certified today!

No, no...not certifiable...though that is still up for debate. I became a certified candidate for ordination in the United Methodist Church!

So now I get to kick off my shoes, lean back in my chair, sip lemonade and watch the world go by for a little while...

haha, Right. Tomorrow is sermon time (I've got a workable idea though, so I just need to write it out), and Thursday is Drive-Back-to-Drew time and Packing-time so Friday and Saturday can be Moving-Time. But then...I get to come back home next week, so I can endure it all for a week. I guess.

Where has the time gone?

I've blinked, and it's almost the middle of May. I'm up to my eyeballs in papers to wri... pages to write: a final exam for Religion and the Social Process and a 3000-max exegetical paper on Psalm 139. All for Monday/Tuesday. Right during DCOM. Gah.

I can't wait to get home, I am so burnt out, and I really can't offer much else interesting to say. Except, I have two more pages to go on my final before it's ready for some (major) editing. Right now, however, is break time, so I can go find the missing pieces of my brain and put them back in the (mostly) correct order.

Please, if you haven't done so already, check out http://multiculturalmethodists.wordpress.com. It would make me especially happy if you commented, or otherwise gave me some feedback. Please. It's for a class...and because I think it's an important conversation to have.

A little class project...

For my multicultural evangelism project, I created a blog (http://multiculturalmethodists.wordpress.com). I want to get people (lay, clergy, and all who are in-between) talking about what it means to have multicultural ministry in the Methodist tradition. I don't mean to intentionally exclude people from other denominations, but I've really noticed in my denomination the lack of attention given to this issue. We don't have very many multiracial congregations, let alone multicultural ones. I intend for this to be an on-going conversation where people can share their stories, struggles, desire to learn, experiences, what have you. Please stop on by!

Highlights of my Day

1) Not passing out while jogging this morning.

2) Being halfway done with my written response questions for DCOM.

3) Doing a little work outside the library and watching someone maneuver a remote-controlled car around the concrete. I found myself intrigued, and kind of hoping that whoever was controlling the thing would drive it into the library.

RevGalBlogPal Friday Five: What are you...

1. Wearing?

Well, I'm wearing blue corduroys and a dark pink, long-sleeved shirt. It's my day off, so I don't really care. Though I'm glad I didn't decide to do this right after my workout and before my shower! (Hooray for scuzzy old bathrobes!)

2. Pondering

I've been thinking a lot about the UM DCOM questions because this week's project is getting those responses written so I can send them out. Secondly, I've been thinking a lot about multicultural ministry, how it's more than just multiracial or multiethnic, and how we as a denomination talk a lot about being diverse but we have churches that are mostly homogeneous (racially, generationally, culturally, linguistically, etc...).

3. Reading

For my own sanity, I've been rereading a bit of fiction - Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series. Right now, I've past where I stopped before and am now on book 10: Crossroads of Twilight. I am bound and determined to finish this series, even though it is painfully evident that the plot has collapsed under its own weight. The earlier books were better, these later ones are OK. Give me two more books, and if the series isn't over yet, I'll most likely be screaming for the main character and all associated with him to die in the Last Battle.

4. Dreaming

I've been dreaming about life after the end of the semester, life after Drew and, best of all, married life. :-) Only a few more months!

5. Eating

I have only had Dannon Light and Fit Strawberry Yogurt this morning. For lunch, I'll be eating some leftovers. For dinner, I'm feeling like it's a day for turkey soup.

Reading

You know? I wish I had the time for fruitful, outside reading. I have the stuff we're required to read for class, and I try to always be reading one book of fiction just for fun, but that leaves me with little time to read books that I'm interested in vocationally or spiritually. I think I've been reading the Bolger and Gibbs Emerging Churches ever since I picked it up last year at Annual Conference. Gah. And I want to start reading some of the more spiritual classics, but where's the time?

I think that it would be fun to have a one credit seminary class that met once per month or every other week just to sit down and discuss the relevant books we've been reading. I need some accountability in my reading list!

This isn't to downplay the importance of some of the stuff I read for class. I've encountered some terrific books as a result of my classes, like A Rabbi Reads the Psalms by Magonet (and his associated book on the Old Testament). I've read books I normally wouldn't have picked up on my own - some of which I've liked, others of which I've hated. I just wish that there'd be a little space for me to read what I want to read!

Theology of Ministry?

As part of our supervised ministry course, we are required to write a 10-12 page, single-spaced paper on our Theology of Ministry that covers these areas:

1. Pastoral Identity, including self-care.
2. Leadership
3. Theological understanding of ministry.
4. Vision for ministry
5. Implications (what courses or training do we need to take in light of what we talked about in the paper)

With some of the leading questions that they ask us to discuss in these sections, I feel as though I am hitting my head against a brick wall, particularly when it comes to (1) leadership, and (2) theological understanding of ministry.

I'm coming to understand more that ministry happens where it happens, and that more often than not, the modern church with its social club mentality is more of a hindrance than a help to creating disciples of Jesus Christ. Even a good modern church that is missionally-minded, one where disciples are made, and one that takes seriously the call to transform lives and the world...doesn't jive with what I see myself doing as a pastor. We are really taught to be chaplains in ministry - caring for those in the congregation, trying to bring more people (and more money) into the church, and trying to teach and nurture them so that they can participate more in the life of the church.

I wrestle with this. I don't think pastors and the church should simply create church-goers, and equipping the laity for ministry shouldn't just be about mentoring people so that they can organize church suppers. The church exists for the sake of those who are not a part of it - those on the margins of our communities, those who need help - because that's who Jesus would be hanging out with, hoping to transform their lives.

I have been thinking a lot lately about what it means to have the seed of the gospel planted in a community or culture and have it grow. We are called to incarnate the gospel wherever we are, so the church in one place may look a lot different than the church in another community. We are called to be relational, as Jesus was relational, and our primary relationship is our individual and collective relationship with Jesus. We are called to be missional, as we are to be sent out into the world as opposed to waiting for people to come to us. Jesus called us to go out and make disciples. There is nothing about people coming in and becoming church-goers that give out of their pocketbook and sit and attend a worship "serve-us" for an hour.

So why I have to sit here and attempt to fill 10 pages what I can articulate in the space of a couple pages is beyond me. Though it has gotten me thinking that our modern church is pretty sick, and unless we figure out how to incarnate the gospel in postmodernity (whether that means incorporating more emerging elements into our churches, planting more churches with pastors who don't have a modern mindset, or figuring out something else entirely), our denomination is doomed.

Wesley was really on to something back in the 18th century, with his radical call to discipleship, service to those on the margins, and covenanting together for mutual growth and accountability. I may be a bit harsh in saying this, but if we can't even follow Wesley's example, Jesus' example might be a little too much for us to handle.

I miss Maine....

I went to Costco yesterday and ended up buying Dole strawberries (for which I was chastised for later - I had no idea Dole was a bad company!). In any case, I just had some for breakfast. They were good, but nothing like the ones we would get at Maxwells - sweet, juicy, and oh so delicious.

I'm feeling more than a little homesick for Maine. I'll get up there in a few weeks for my DCOM meeting (insert ominous music here), and then I'll be up again periodically for two graduations, a wedding...and then I'll at least be in New England for conference. But right now, boy do I miss it!

One of the toll-takers at one of the booths I pass through on my way to church on the GSP talks to me about Maine every single time I pass through. He mentions how he visited Mansfield Stadium in Bangor and talks about Steven King. While I can't say that I've spent considerable amount of time in Bangor (i.e., never), it's nice that (a) there's a toll worker on the GSP that actually talks to people and (b) it reminds me of Maine.

I would so love to go back to Maine to do ministry. I know that's up to the discretion of God and the Cabinet, but I can hope, right?

Post-Easter Update

I am still breathing after the Paschal festival, though just barely with all the work I have to do and the sermon I have to write (which is coming along nicely, if I do say so myself).

But in-between the busy-ness and the late nights and the fast pace of life, I have found some time for jogging. Well, jogging and walking. If you follow the link, you'll find a program designed to get you from couch potato to running 5k in 9 weeks. I have just finished my third week (though I repeated the first one). A group of four of us has been doing this consistently for two weeks now, and I'm so amazed that I can feel the difference. Right now, I'm actually looking forward to doing a bit of jogging (scary, isn't it?)!

It has been a good bit of self-care for me. Plus, if it helps me reach my target weight in time for my wedding, I am all for it!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter, everyone! He is Risen indeed!

Where did Holy Week go?

So we had this week off from classes, as the majority of us are in church settings and are very, very, very busy this time of year (for a very good reason...it's close to the end of the semester and we've all procrastin-, I mean...church. Lots of church services going on. Yeah. That's it. Church.)

I, for one, don't know where this last week went. I don't feel like I've been able to properly get into the spirit of Holy Week, primarily because I've been thinking ahead to Easter, and then again to good ol' doubting Thomas the week after (because that's the week I'm preaching next). For example, Jesus was in the tomb all day on this Holiest of Saturdays...and I had Easter on the brain.

Well, at least I got a good dose of Good Friday. I wonder if that covers all of Holy Week?

On the other hand, Good Friday has reinforced my uneasiness regarding penal substitution, the notion that Christ took the hit from God for our sins. At one of the services I attended yesterday, we sang "In Christ Alone," which isn't an awful song, everything being said. Sure, I have some issues with some of the lines, but I had a visceral reaction to the line: "'Til on the cross as Jesus died, The wrath of God was satisfied." This doesn't portray a very appealing picture of God...parental abuse for our sake just doesn't sit right with me, and it takes his death out of context and glorifies it. To me, his death is meaningless without the resurrection, which penal substitution ignores.

Perhaps more thoughts on this later. For now, it's bedtime...

A New Record!

7 Good Friday worship services in one day! Now, I only participated in one, but still! Impressive, if I do say so myself...

April Showers...

...bring May flowers, but what do April flurries bring?

Your guess is as good as mine!

While we haven't had the shocking 14 inches of snow like central Maine had (have yet to check with my parents for the Cape total), we, too, can say, "It snowed in April!"