Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Still going...
If you have been checking for updates, we are in the final couple of weeks of classes. One paper has been turned in, one more due this week, and then about 3 more due next week. Then finals. For the next several days, we have no plans but to write, study, and maybe catch a little sleep now and then. We'll try and get some more updates posted once all the papers are finished and turned in. In the meantime, we are still going, but very busy.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Easter Greetings
How do seminarians spend a week of Spring Break that coincides with Holy Week? Well, we stayed pretty close to home. We have been able to shut off the alarm clock and catch up on our sleep, spend time in the campus library doing research for at least some of the papers due before the end of the semester, mow the lawn and trim bushes, run errands like dropping off winter clothes at the dry cleaner, getting the oil changed in the car and having it inspected. Fun stuff.
We also both got haircuts. For Ray that was getting a serious trim; for me it was a more substantial change. I've been letting my hair grow out for about the last three years, with the goal of donating to Locks of Love again. Locks of Love uses donated hair to make wigs for children with long term hair loss. (See www.locksoflove.org for more info on this worthwhile charity.) My hair just recently grew long enough that I was able to have 12" pigtails cut off that I will send in. So I am now sporting a new, bobbed 'do! Our thanks to our friend Gwyn, who graciously provides free haircuts to her poor seminarian friends!
Most importantly, we have been able to observe Holy Week. We worshipped at noon on Maundy Thursday at our field church, Good Shepherd. We were able to attend the Tenebrae Service at our home church on Friday evening, where we experienced the biblical Stations of the Cross - a very moving experience. Then back to campus for the Easter Vigil service in Christ Chapel last night. This is an incredible (but lengthy) service, beginning quietly in darkness at 10 pm for a retelling of salvation history and concluding festively after midnight in great light with a Eucharist service to celebrate Jesus' resurrection. This morning, we returned to Good Shepherd for contemporary worship. It has been a beautiful week of worship - an opportunity to remember the suffering Jesus experienced for our sake and a chance to celebrate the good news that his resurrection gives us the promise of eternal life.
Christ is Risen! Alleluia! Christ is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!
May you each experience the joy of Easter with your loved ones.
We also both got haircuts. For Ray that was getting a serious trim; for me it was a more substantial change. I've been letting my hair grow out for about the last three years, with the goal of donating to Locks of Love again. Locks of Love uses donated hair to make wigs for children with long term hair loss. (See www.locksoflove.org for more info on this worthwhile charity.) My hair just recently grew long enough that I was able to have 12" pigtails cut off that I will send in. So I am now sporting a new, bobbed 'do! Our thanks to our friend Gwyn, who graciously provides free haircuts to her poor seminarian friends!
Most importantly, we have been able to observe Holy Week. We worshipped at noon on Maundy Thursday at our field church, Good Shepherd. We were able to attend the Tenebrae Service at our home church on Friday evening, where we experienced the biblical Stations of the Cross - a very moving experience. Then back to campus for the Easter Vigil service in Christ Chapel last night. This is an incredible (but lengthy) service, beginning quietly in darkness at 10 pm for a retelling of salvation history and concluding festively after midnight in great light with a Eucharist service to celebrate Jesus' resurrection. This morning, we returned to Good Shepherd for contemporary worship. It has been a beautiful week of worship - an opportunity to remember the suffering Jesus experienced for our sake and a chance to celebrate the good news that his resurrection gives us the promise of eternal life.
Christ is Risen! Alleluia! Christ is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!
May you each experience the joy of Easter with your loved ones.
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Big News - Our Internship Assignment
The seminary made Internship assignments public on Friday afternoon. We did get an email sent out Friday night, but then a flu bug hit (for those of you who listen to Garrison Keillor, it was the "60 second flu bug" that he described a couple of weeks ago. It has to do with how fast it hits, not how long it last.) and we did not get the news posted here. Now it is Sunday and we are both feeling somewhat better, so here is the promised news.
Internship assignments, as you have seen from previous posts, are very much beyond our control. We, unlike many of our classmates, have known for a couple of weeks what site was being considered for us, but we could not talk about it. Below is the main part of the email we sent, with more explanation.
We began the process knowing that our only real input was asking to be placed somewhere near each other so that we could live together, but knowing that we would probably be at different churches, possibly in different towns, and that there were a couple of commonly used sites for married clergy couples that met these specifications. We had very little anxiety, because we knew there was just not much we could do about it and therefore, no reason to fret.
Then, a couple of weeks ago, we were called into the Contextual Education office to discuss a special situation that had come up. It seemed that a congregation had been working on becoming an internship site where the intern would be shared between the congregation and Lutheran Disaster Response. The hitch - it was only one site. We were recommended by the seminary internship committee because of our experience on the Gulf Coast in January. We were excited about the possibilities, but very concerned about the fact that it was only one site. You see, internship is paid (sort of). The intern receives, in most cases, a housing allowance and a monthly stipend. Under many circumstances, the stipend covers your living expenses, and if you are single or your spouse is working, life is pretty good. When both of you are students and you look at a budget living off one stipend, life suddenly looks pretty dismal. We wanted to go, but were afraid of financial disaster. So, we spent an entire weekend worrying, praying, talking, avoiding, and praying some more. On Monday morning, we said Yes, but we will have to have more income so can one of us work part time, or can we supply-preach in the area, or something? Two days later, we were told that the site had found additional funding to cover the second stipend!
Now, after all that, where is this place? It is St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Mobile, Alabama. The site is a shared site between St. Paul's and Lutheran Disaster Response. We (both of us at the same place) will be working within the congregation and working for LDR in the area - which means the Gulf coast - very near where we were in January. Now you may want to know how did we managed that, but we didn't. Read the paragraph above again - this site wasn't a possibility when we went to Mississippi or even when we first came back. The only part we played in this was to say 'Yes' to an idea that was being pulled together.
Today it is official, and we can tell you all about it. As we find more details, we will post them on the blog. For now, we praise God that we have been assigned somewhere, with an exciting mission ahead of us.
Now, to answer a couple of questions that we have already received from our email: How long? Internship assignments are normally 1 year, roughly running from Aug 1 to July 31. Since this is a new site, they will not be ready for us until Aug 1, so our plans will be to move down there the end of July. Other questions: What will we be doing? Like most interns (or vicars, as many churches call them), we will be assisting the pastor at St. Paul's with normal things such as Sunday worship, Sunday School, and other parts of parish life. In addition, we will be working with LDR in the area with case work, visiting, preaching are area churches, and so on. Some of this is still being defined. Stay tuned for more, as we find out.
Internship assignments, as you have seen from previous posts, are very much beyond our control. We, unlike many of our classmates, have known for a couple of weeks what site was being considered for us, but we could not talk about it. Below is the main part of the email we sent, with more explanation.
We began the process knowing that our only real input was asking to be placed somewhere near each other so that we could live together, but knowing that we would probably be at different churches, possibly in different towns, and that there were a couple of commonly used sites for married clergy couples that met these specifications. We had very little anxiety, because we knew there was just not much we could do about it and therefore, no reason to fret.
Then, a couple of weeks ago, we were called into the Contextual Education office to discuss a special situation that had come up. It seemed that a congregation had been working on becoming an internship site where the intern would be shared between the congregation and Lutheran Disaster Response. The hitch - it was only one site. We were recommended by the seminary internship committee because of our experience on the Gulf Coast in January. We were excited about the possibilities, but very concerned about the fact that it was only one site. You see, internship is paid (sort of). The intern receives, in most cases, a housing allowance and a monthly stipend. Under many circumstances, the stipend covers your living expenses, and if you are single or your spouse is working, life is pretty good. When both of you are students and you look at a budget living off one stipend, life suddenly looks pretty dismal. We wanted to go, but were afraid of financial disaster. So, we spent an entire weekend worrying, praying, talking, avoiding, and praying some more. On Monday morning, we said Yes, but we will have to have more income so can one of us work part time, or can we supply-preach in the area, or something? Two days later, we were told that the site had found additional funding to cover the second stipend!
Now, after all that, where is this place? It is St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Mobile, Alabama. The site is a shared site between St. Paul's and Lutheran Disaster Response. We (both of us at the same place) will be working within the congregation and working for LDR in the area - which means the Gulf coast - very near where we were in January. Now you may want to know how did we managed that, but we didn't. Read the paragraph above again - this site wasn't a possibility when we went to Mississippi or even when we first came back. The only part we played in this was to say 'Yes' to an idea that was being pulled together.
Today it is official, and we can tell you all about it. As we find more details, we will post them on the blog. For now, we praise God that we have been assigned somewhere, with an exciting mission ahead of us.
Now, to answer a couple of questions that we have already received from our email: How long? Internship assignments are normally 1 year, roughly running from Aug 1 to July 31. Since this is a new site, they will not be ready for us until Aug 1, so our plans will be to move down there the end of July. Other questions: What will we be doing? Like most interns (or vicars, as many churches call them), we will be assisting the pastor at St. Paul's with normal things such as Sunday worship, Sunday School, and other parts of parish life. In addition, we will be working with LDR in the area with case work, visiting, preaching are area churches, and so on. Some of this is still being defined. Stay tuned for more, as we find out.
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Waiting...
What Ray is not-so-subtly hinting at with his last entry about "Big news coming on April 7" is that our internship assignments for next year will be announced Friday afternoon. Right now, we - and all our classmates - are anxiously awaiting those announcements.
When you start seminary, you know that you face two years of classes, a year of internship in a congregation, then another year in classes. What you don't realize is how quickly those first two years will pass! It is hard to believe that we are now almost ready for internship. (I say almost because there are another four weeks of classes - and several papers and final exams - before this semester is completed.)
Last fall, we filled out internship applications and were interviewed by members of a placement committee on campus. Of course, we told them that we would prefer to remain here in town, so we wouldn't have to move. But the reality is that there are very few sites available within commuting distance, and those will go to our classmates who have pressing reasons to remain here - spouse's job, children finishing high school, etc. We can rent out our house, pack up, and move; and we expect to need to do so. Our situation is special, of course, because both of us are students. Fortunately, we have been promised that they can find us two congregations close together, so that we can live together and commute reasonable distances to work and worship. We know that they found appropriate sites for THREE couples in last year's intern class, so we have been very confident that they would locate ONE this year - since we are the only couple in our class.
We expected to have assignments by the end of March, but it seems it has been difficult to secure enough sites for everyone in our class, so the announcement was delayed until April 7. In the meantime, the placement committee works to match interns to congregations based on their applications and interviews - selecting the type of congregation and supervisor that will be the best match for each student.
Lest you think all the locations are in North and South Carolina, last year there were students from Southern Seminary on internship in a number of other places, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Texas, and Pennsylvania. Now the tension is increasing dramatically for our entire class as we wait for the news.
So Ray is right: A big announcement is coming on Friday, April 7!
When you start seminary, you know that you face two years of classes, a year of internship in a congregation, then another year in classes. What you don't realize is how quickly those first two years will pass! It is hard to believe that we are now almost ready for internship. (I say almost because there are another four weeks of classes - and several papers and final exams - before this semester is completed.)
Last fall, we filled out internship applications and were interviewed by members of a placement committee on campus. Of course, we told them that we would prefer to remain here in town, so we wouldn't have to move. But the reality is that there are very few sites available within commuting distance, and those will go to our classmates who have pressing reasons to remain here - spouse's job, children finishing high school, etc. We can rent out our house, pack up, and move; and we expect to need to do so. Our situation is special, of course, because both of us are students. Fortunately, we have been promised that they can find us two congregations close together, so that we can live together and commute reasonable distances to work and worship. We know that they found appropriate sites for THREE couples in last year's intern class, so we have been very confident that they would locate ONE this year - since we are the only couple in our class.
We expected to have assignments by the end of March, but it seems it has been difficult to secure enough sites for everyone in our class, so the announcement was delayed until April 7. In the meantime, the placement committee works to match interns to congregations based on their applications and interviews - selecting the type of congregation and supervisor that will be the best match for each student.
Lest you think all the locations are in North and South Carolina, last year there were students from Southern Seminary on internship in a number of other places, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Texas, and Pennsylvania. Now the tension is increasing dramatically for our entire class as we wait for the news.
So Ray is right: A big announcement is coming on Friday, April 7!
Friday, March 31, 2006
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Plea from the Distribution Center
We received an email last night from Bob Montgomery, a member of Christus Victor Lutheran Church in Ocean Springs. He is the volunteer in charge of both foodservice for the volunteer work crews and the distribution center. I can't say it any better than he does, so I'll include part of his message:
The semi-trailer trucks have stopped arriving and the receipt of supplies has reduced to a trickle. We are experiencing daily shortages at the Distribution Center. Our volunteer workers are processing 150 to 200 families a day, six days a week. With the magnificent outpouring of donations from across America, Christus Victor Lutheran Disaster Response has been able to help close to one thousand families a week. We have been told to anticipate the demand for food and supplies from the Distribution Center to continue for several years.
Over 29,000 families, more than 25% of the Mississippi Coast's population, live in FEMA trailers. Ten thousand of the trailers are in Jackson County, where Christus Victor is located. As of a month ago, another third of our coast residents remain off the coast, as there is no place for them to live. Economic activity has stagnated, tax revenues are unpredictable, and unemployment is high. The recovery on the Mississippi gulf coast is going to take a long, long time.
He goes on to ask for 52 congregations to commit to providing a truckload of food for distribution, hoping that somehow he will find enough churches to provide a truck full of food each week for the next year. That is certainly an ambitious goal, but I believe it is possible with God's help. And help from folks like all of us.
It has been challenging for us to be back to 'normal' and know that many others are not. Receiving this plea for help reminds me of the helpless feeling I experienced many times when we ran out of some critical item at the distribution center. I also know how incredible it was to watch a supply of something suddenly appear: 250 blankets and quilts stuffed into a motor home from Indiana; a box of towels from a man who had received the wrong ones from an online retailer - they told him to keep them and so he brought them to us; groceries purchased overnight by volunteers who saw what we needed; a skid full of feminine hygiene supplies that had been hidden and forgotten under a tarp in the back corner of the warehouse. The list of miracles that we experienced could go on and on.
Even if you can't send a entire truckload of food, you can still be a part of those miracles for the Gulf Coast. Anything you can contribute will certainly help. If you want more information about the items needed, go to their website (www.christusvictordisasterresponse.org/current-needs.html) and look at the "Supply, Hygiene and Food Items Needs." You can also contact us and we can put you in touch with Bob. I know he would be delighted to hear from you!
The semi-trailer trucks have stopped arriving and the receipt of supplies has reduced to a trickle. We are experiencing daily shortages at the Distribution Center. Our volunteer workers are processing 150 to 200 families a day, six days a week. With the magnificent outpouring of donations from across America, Christus Victor Lutheran Disaster Response has been able to help close to one thousand families a week. We have been told to anticipate the demand for food and supplies from the Distribution Center to continue for several years.
Over 29,000 families, more than 25% of the Mississippi Coast's population, live in FEMA trailers. Ten thousand of the trailers are in Jackson County, where Christus Victor is located. As of a month ago, another third of our coast residents remain off the coast, as there is no place for them to live. Economic activity has stagnated, tax revenues are unpredictable, and unemployment is high. The recovery on the Mississippi gulf coast is going to take a long, long time.
He goes on to ask for 52 congregations to commit to providing a truckload of food for distribution, hoping that somehow he will find enough churches to provide a truck full of food each week for the next year. That is certainly an ambitious goal, but I believe it is possible with God's help. And help from folks like all of us.
It has been challenging for us to be back to 'normal' and know that many others are not. Receiving this plea for help reminds me of the helpless feeling I experienced many times when we ran out of some critical item at the distribution center. I also know how incredible it was to watch a supply of something suddenly appear: 250 blankets and quilts stuffed into a motor home from Indiana; a box of towels from a man who had received the wrong ones from an online retailer - they told him to keep them and so he brought them to us; groceries purchased overnight by volunteers who saw what we needed; a skid full of feminine hygiene supplies that had been hidden and forgotten under a tarp in the back corner of the warehouse. The list of miracles that we experienced could go on and on.
Even if you can't send a entire truckload of food, you can still be a part of those miracles for the Gulf Coast. Anything you can contribute will certainly help. If you want more information about the items needed, go to their website (www.christusvictordisasterresponse.org/current-needs.html) and look at the "Supply, Hygiene and Food Items Needs." You can also contact us and we can put you in touch with Bob. I know he would be delighted to hear from you!
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Dead Sea Scrolls
As you can see, we seem to stay busy, and not just with books. Last weekend, we were offered tickets to the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit. If you have the opportunity, go see it. What makes the exhibit so interesting is the background information that is provided - about the community, the methods of copying and storing the scrolls, how many were found, etc. What I really found fascinating were the signs that hung beside each display, with the text shown in the Hebrew that I can read! There are also coins in the display with Greek inscriptions which I actually recognize! Just think - two years ago I am not sure I would have even recognized a Hebrew letter; now I can translate them!
The other thing we were able to do while at Discovery Place is go to the IMAX movie. It is not directly related to the Scrolls exhibit, but close. A group ran the Nile river, from the source (Blue Nile in Ethiopia) all the way north to Alexandria, Egypt. More than three months on the river, in rubber rafts, going over water falls and being chased by crocodiles! It is a great movie - plenty of information on Africa and the Nile river, info on rafting, and incredible footage of the sights along the way.
I am not sure which was better, but having done both was very much an experience which translated well into seminary life, learning stories that occurred in that part of the world, learning the language that is used to decipher the scrolls and other artifacts of Qumran, as well as a day off from studies which translated into a learning experience!
The other thing we were able to do while at Discovery Place is go to the IMAX movie. It is not directly related to the Scrolls exhibit, but close. A group ran the Nile river, from the source (Blue Nile in Ethiopia) all the way north to Alexandria, Egypt. More than three months on the river, in rubber rafts, going over water falls and being chased by crocodiles! It is a great movie - plenty of information on Africa and the Nile river, info on rafting, and incredible footage of the sights along the way.
I am not sure which was better, but having done both was very much an experience which translated well into seminary life, learning stories that occurred in that part of the world, learning the language that is used to decipher the scrolls and other artifacts of Qumran, as well as a day off from studies which translated into a learning experience!
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
books, books, and more books
Well, I've finally done it. I have exceeded my limit at the campus library. That means I have over 50 books checked out! Plus Ray has probably another 30 or so. All our bookcases are full of books we own, plus there are stacks of books everywhere in our house...
Now, to explain at least a few of them: We purchased one set of our 24 required textbooks for this semester, then checked an additional copy of each book from the library. This way we each have a copy to read now and we will have one copy for future use, but we don't accumulate two copies of everything.
Then there are the commentaries: We currently have a couple checked out that cover the gospels of Matthew and Mark, along with other lectionary readings. That wey we have resources available to prepare sermons. We also have commentaries on the gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts, for our course on Luke-Acts. Plus a couple of books on the book of Ruth, since that is our current topic of discussion in our Old Testament class...
We have research papers to write in five classes - so I have started to accumulate books on five different topics. That is a pretty good stack on one corner of my desk. Plus a book that we are using for our small group study at church, plus a couple of new books in the library that just looked interesting...
I've always loved to read. Many treasured gifts in my childhood were books, and many happy memories are of rainy or snowy days curled up reading a good book. I have not been able to give up reading for fun. So a few books at a time I check out mysteries or science fiction, fantasy or whatever strikes my fancy - to read in my "spare time." One of the books we both read recently and I can thoroughly recommend is by Robert Fulghum. Remember All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten? If you liked it, check out Maybe/Maybe Not - Second Thoughts from a Secret Life. It is full of stories so true, and yet so funny.
Anyway, if you need to find me, look for me curled up with a book! Or maybe behind one of the stacks of books scattered throughout our house...
Now, to explain at least a few of them: We purchased one set of our 24 required textbooks for this semester, then checked an additional copy of each book from the library. This way we each have a copy to read now and we will have one copy for future use, but we don't accumulate two copies of everything.
Then there are the commentaries: We currently have a couple checked out that cover the gospels of Matthew and Mark, along with other lectionary readings. That wey we have resources available to prepare sermons. We also have commentaries on the gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts, for our course on Luke-Acts. Plus a couple of books on the book of Ruth, since that is our current topic of discussion in our Old Testament class...
We have research papers to write in five classes - so I have started to accumulate books on five different topics. That is a pretty good stack on one corner of my desk. Plus a book that we are using for our small group study at church, plus a couple of new books in the library that just looked interesting...
I've always loved to read. Many treasured gifts in my childhood were books, and many happy memories are of rainy or snowy days curled up reading a good book. I have not been able to give up reading for fun. So a few books at a time I check out mysteries or science fiction, fantasy or whatever strikes my fancy - to read in my "spare time." One of the books we both read recently and I can thoroughly recommend is by Robert Fulghum. Remember All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten? If you liked it, check out Maybe/Maybe Not - Second Thoughts from a Secret Life. It is full of stories so true, and yet so funny.
Anyway, if you need to find me, look for me curled up with a book! Or maybe behind one of the stacks of books scattered throughout our house...
Monday, March 13, 2006
Back from Spring Break
Probably not a great title, as it would lead you to believe that we actually went somewhere exciting for spring break. We did get away for a couple of days, but spent most of the break working at home on little projects that have been getting put off.
The main reason for this post is a phone call from my sister saying that we must be really busy, as we have not been posting very often. That would be a very astute observation. We are each taking 19 hours, plus auditing a course and working 10+ hours per week, plus keeping things up at home. For those reasons alone, spring break was nice - at least we could sleep in most mornings!
Our one trip during spring break was to visit my mother, and to stop and see the new puppies at Rhonda's. Here is a picture of the puppies:
The main reason for this post is a phone call from my sister saying that we must be really busy, as we have not been posting very often. That would be a very astute observation. We are each taking 19 hours, plus auditing a course and working 10+ hours per week, plus keeping things up at home. For those reasons alone, spring break was nice - at least we could sleep in most mornings!
Our one trip during spring break was to visit my mother, and to stop and see the new puppies at Rhonda's. Here is a picture of the puppies:
These are Feist puppies. I did not know what a Feist was before, but apparently they are similar to Jack Russels, but not as high-strung and are particularly good for squirrel hunting. Rhonda and Chris are raising these particularly for hunting dogs. Though you cannot see all of them here, there are eight little furballs in this litter.
Spring break ended yesterday and classes started again today - from now until Holy Week we will be pretty busy, then a few days off from classes for Holy Week, but more to do at church that week, then back at it until classes are finished in May. We'll try to get the occasional post uploaded here, but forgive us if homework has to come first.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
5 Down, 1 to Go...
Guess it really is my turn to post something to the blog. It seems to often be forgotten in the midst of reading, research, and writing. Those must be the 3 R's of seminary.
Actually, after further consideration, I think it should be 4 R's for seminary education - the other one would be reflection. The list should be: research, reading, reflection, and of course, (w)riting. We spend a great deal of time researching to locate the appropriate materials, reading to gather insight and information, reflecting on what we have learned and experienced and where we have seen God at work, and then writing papers or sermons about those insights and experiences. (And then, of course, there is translating from Greek and Hebrew. But that ruins my list of R's so I'll give up that effort...)
Most of the juniors on campus have been accepted for CPE, so they know where they will be working this summer. This week the seniors received their first call synod assignments, which means that while they still need to interview with specific congregations and await calls, they at least know what synod they can expect to be living in soon as they graduate and begin their pastoral ministry. Now all of us middlers are anxiously awaiting the next round of announcements, which will be our internship assignments for next year. We expect those assignments to be announced around the first of April, so for the next month, the stress level will be high among all our classmates! While we are pretty flexible about location, some of our classmates need to be in specific areas and that just adds to their stress!
In the meantime, we just keep busy with our reading and other homework, and look forward to Spring Break, even though Ray and I plan on spending most of it right here at home. It's hard to believe we have already finished five weeks of this semester, and have just one more week to go before before the much-anticipated break. Which will probably be a very busy week as well, with plenty of homework, housework, and yardwork to do!
Actually, after further consideration, I think it should be 4 R's for seminary education - the other one would be reflection. The list should be: research, reading, reflection, and of course, (w)riting. We spend a great deal of time researching to locate the appropriate materials, reading to gather insight and information, reflecting on what we have learned and experienced and where we have seen God at work, and then writing papers or sermons about those insights and experiences. (And then, of course, there is translating from Greek and Hebrew. But that ruins my list of R's so I'll give up that effort...)
Most of the juniors on campus have been accepted for CPE, so they know where they will be working this summer. This week the seniors received their first call synod assignments, which means that while they still need to interview with specific congregations and await calls, they at least know what synod they can expect to be living in soon as they graduate and begin their pastoral ministry. Now all of us middlers are anxiously awaiting the next round of announcements, which will be our internship assignments for next year. We expect those assignments to be announced around the first of April, so for the next month, the stress level will be high among all our classmates! While we are pretty flexible about location, some of our classmates need to be in specific areas and that just adds to their stress!
In the meantime, we just keep busy with our reading and other homework, and look forward to Spring Break, even though Ray and I plan on spending most of it right here at home. It's hard to believe we have already finished five weeks of this semester, and have just one more week to go before before the much-anticipated break. Which will probably be a very busy week as well, with plenty of homework, housework, and yardwork to do!
Friday, February 17, 2006
Update, Feb 17
It appears that my last post got lost (lost in the mail? Operator error?). Life has certainly been busy, and there has not been a lot of time to update the blog. Another problem has been that our DSL has been on the blink ever since we got home. Hopefully, it was fixed yesterday and seems to be much more reliable than it was.
Class schedule for this semester is pretty tough - lots of reading, two classes requiring Greek translations and one requiring Hebrew translations. The transition back to seminary schedule has been a bit of a shock to the system, compounded by our arrival home only two days before classes started.
We have heard from a couple of people that we met in Mississippi, and talked about our experiences. We have also been asked to share with our field education church here, as well as with a couple of groups on campus. Talking about our experiences is good, but it can get a little emotional as well when you try and explain to someone who has not been there what it is really like. There are those who lost everything, but who remain hopeful. It does make it a little difficult for us to hear someone complain about everyday problems, though.
It's Friday night, the fourth week of classes are over, and we plan to do not much of anything for the evening. Sunday will be a big day - church, then home to watch the Daytona 500, and then back to church to meet with our small group. We are using the book Ordinary Joy, which is somewhat interesting, in that the author talks about ordinary joy in everyday life while we are still thinking about people to whom ordinary joy has become a truck delivering basic food supplies, or a blanket to keep them warm on a cold night. Our ordinary joy's would be extraordinary to many of the Katrina victims on the Gulf Coast.
Class schedule for this semester is pretty tough - lots of reading, two classes requiring Greek translations and one requiring Hebrew translations. The transition back to seminary schedule has been a bit of a shock to the system, compounded by our arrival home only two days before classes started.
We have heard from a couple of people that we met in Mississippi, and talked about our experiences. We have also been asked to share with our field education church here, as well as with a couple of groups on campus. Talking about our experiences is good, but it can get a little emotional as well when you try and explain to someone who has not been there what it is really like. There are those who lost everything, but who remain hopeful. It does make it a little difficult for us to hear someone complain about everyday problems, though.
It's Friday night, the fourth week of classes are over, and we plan to do not much of anything for the evening. Sunday will be a big day - church, then home to watch the Daytona 500, and then back to church to meet with our small group. We are using the book Ordinary Joy, which is somewhat interesting, in that the author talks about ordinary joy in everyday life while we are still thinking about people to whom ordinary joy has become a truck delivering basic food supplies, or a blanket to keep them warm on a cold night. Our ordinary joy's would be extraordinary to many of the Katrina victims on the Gulf Coast.
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Friday, January 27, 2006
Back at Seminary
Wow! We only thought that coming home required some readustment - starting classes again has really been hard. We have now been in classes for a week, and going from working 7 days a week to sitting in classes every day has been quite an adjustment.
Instead of trying to get chainsaws working for a crew to take out, now I am trying to figure out how to read 300 plus pages every week. Between the class schedule, homework, and trying to get back into working in the computer lab on campus, I have been as tired this week as I was the first week in Ocean Springs.
This has also been a very busy week. We have been to classes, back to our field church, celebrated Ruth Ann's birthday, and re-stocked the pantry. This weekend, our dog is coming home and on Sunday, my mother is coming to visit. Hopefully, by next week, we'll be a bit more adjusted to being home and back into the swing of classes and homework.
Instead of trying to get chainsaws working for a crew to take out, now I am trying to figure out how to read 300 plus pages every week. Between the class schedule, homework, and trying to get back into working in the computer lab on campus, I have been as tired this week as I was the first week in Ocean Springs.
This has also been a very busy week. We have been to classes, back to our field church, celebrated Ruth Ann's birthday, and re-stocked the pantry. This weekend, our dog is coming home and on Sunday, my mother is coming to visit. Hopefully, by next week, we'll be a bit more adjusted to being home and back into the swing of classes and homework.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Back to the grind...
Well, we are back and classes started today. Don't know why, but we just can't seem to get over being tired. We only changed time by one hour (I used to change time zones like changing shoes) and we can't seem to get caught up. Yesterday, we slept late, went to the late service at church, bought groceries, and then took a nap. Today, staying awake through two classes was very difficult.
On our last day in Ocean Springs, we went to a seafood restaurant called Port of Call. It is certainly not a fancy place, but they had some of the best fried catfish I have ever had (or was it just from eating at the church for 3 weeks?). Across the street from the restaurant was this storage business. As you can see, the building (and contents) were heavily damaged by Katrina. Also, you can see in the second picture, another boat that just does not seem to be where it is supposed to be. Seems that we saw many boats - some were stored and washed off their trailers but we also saw several that appeared to be washed from some other place and deposited.
The sign in the foreground is just one of many, advertising roofing, remodeling, or other types of home
repairs. The creator of the Presbyterian blog that I gave a link to earlier described it best when he wrote about going to Florida to finish the settlement on his burned motorhome - you are driving along (as we did coming home) and suddenly realize that things don't look right - there are no blue tarps on the roofs, no broken trees, and no signs like this one advertising for home repairs. It was actually a bit unsettling as we drove home and into our neighborhood - it looks so different than what we had been seeing the last 4 weeks.
We are glad to be home, and eventually, we'll get back into the swing of things here and be able to stay awake for classes. Most of all, we need to get used to things looking "normal". Stay tuned - we'll be posting updates as the semester progresses.
On our last day in Ocean Springs, we went to a seafood restaurant called Port of Call. It is certainly not a fancy place, but they had some of the best fried catfish I have ever had (or was it just from eating at the church for 3 weeks?). Across the street from the restaurant was this storage business. As you can see, the building (and contents) were heavily damaged by Katrina. Also, you can see in the second picture, another boat that just does not seem to be where it is supposed to be. Seems that we saw many boats - some were stored and washed off their trailers but we also saw several that appeared to be washed from some other place and deposited.
The sign in the foreground is just one of many, advertising roofing, remodeling, or other types of home
repairs. The creator of the Presbyterian blog that I gave a link to earlier described it best when he wrote about going to Florida to finish the settlement on his burned motorhome - you are driving along (as we did coming home) and suddenly realize that things don't look right - there are no blue tarps on the roofs, no broken trees, and no signs like this one advertising for home repairs. It was actually a bit unsettling as we drove home and into our neighborhood - it looks so different than what we had been seeing the last 4 weeks.We are glad to be home, and eventually, we'll get back into the swing of things here and be able to stay awake for classes. Most of all, we need to get used to things looking "normal". Stay tuned - we'll be posting updates as the semester progresses.
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Home Sweet Home
We got a late start from Montgomery, Alabama this morning since neither of us are morning people. We drove much of the day in light rain and arrived home around 5:00 pm. We had time to unload the Jeep before dark and between rainshowers, but we discovered some sure signs you have been away from home too long:
1) Neither of you know where you put your house keys (mine were in my purse and quickly located - I'm not sure where he found his!)
2) You don't remember where to put away some of the stuff you packed!
3) The unopened mail covers the kitchen table!
4) The house just looks different than you remember.
In spite of those moments of confusion, we are glad to be home. We have opened and read our mail, gotten mostly unpacked, found enough food to cook some supper, and started washing the mound of laundry. Tomorrow we will be going to church and the grocery store and continuing the chores here. Monday will be a day for buying books and running other errands on campus before we go to our first class of the semester.
Thanks to all of you who have helped us on this journey with your prayers and support, especially Rusty for bringing in the mail and keeping my houseplants alive and Rhonda for caring for our beloved mutt Smokey. The house is very quiet without him! We are eagerly awaiting his homecoming in a few days.
Those who remain on the Gulf coast - residents and relief workers - will remain in our thoughts and prayers for some time to come, as the rebuilding process begins in earnest. We are already considering a return trip...
1) Neither of you know where you put your house keys (mine were in my purse and quickly located - I'm not sure where he found his!)
2) You don't remember where to put away some of the stuff you packed!
3) The unopened mail covers the kitchen table!
4) The house just looks different than you remember.
In spite of those moments of confusion, we are glad to be home. We have opened and read our mail, gotten mostly unpacked, found enough food to cook some supper, and started washing the mound of laundry. Tomorrow we will be going to church and the grocery store and continuing the chores here. Monday will be a day for buying books and running other errands on campus before we go to our first class of the semester.
Thanks to all of you who have helped us on this journey with your prayers and support, especially Rusty for bringing in the mail and keeping my houseplants alive and Rhonda for caring for our beloved mutt Smokey. The house is very quiet without him! We are eagerly awaiting his homecoming in a few days.
Those who remain on the Gulf coast - residents and relief workers - will remain in our thoughts and prayers for some time to come, as the rebuilding process begins in earnest. We are already considering a return trip...
On the way home...
We are about a third of the way home. Leaving, as usually, was more complicated than we had planned on. A couple of people had mentioned a restaurant which had great seafood, so we went out for our last lunch (I expect we won't be having hotdogs at our house for a while). Then, when we went back to our hosts home to pack, I noticed that a tire was low. One of the wonderful things about driving around in neighborhoods where many of the homes have had all of the drywall pulled out is the number of nails laying in the road - and one of them found it's way into our tire. So, after packing, we sat for an hour getting the one tire fixed and the other three checked.
Our last stop at the church for goodbyes took a little while, but we had expected that. Some of the people there had been our constant companions for the last 24 days. We finally got on the road and arrived at the hotel about 8:00 p.m. - just in time for a nice, long soak in the hot tub! After that, and a good nights sleep without alarm clocks, we are ready for the final leg of the journey home.
Our last stop at the church for goodbyes took a little while, but we had expected that. Some of the people there had been our constant companions for the last 24 days. We finally got on the road and arrived at the hotel about 8:00 p.m. - just in time for a nice, long soak in the hot tub! After that, and a good nights sleep without alarm clocks, we are ready for the final leg of the journey home.
Friday, January 20, 2006
Short timer
It is time for the distribution center to open, yet here I sit at my computer. What an odd feeling. My replacement seemed to be learning quickly, so after spending a day and a half training her, I decided the best thing I could do was to hand over all the keys and notes and let her take over. This morning when the van full of volunteers left for the distribution center, I stayed behind. I'm trying to give them time to get there and get opened up. I will stop by later this morning, to see if I can answer any last lingering - or suddenly occurring - questions before we head for home later today.
I am asked by many pastors and volunteers what items are needed most by the distribution center. The simple answer to that question is FOOD (or money to buy food). We had to order groceries last week - nearly $10,000 worth! Six full pallets of food arrived yesterday but I suspect that they won't really last very long. Items that we continually run out of are soups, juices, spaghetti sauce, cookies and crackers, and packaged meals like macaroni & cheese.
We had a special project yesterday at the distribution center. We assembled 75 food kits for a new FEMA trailer park in a nearby community. Seems that a small church nearby has adopted this new neighborhood - they have obtained dishes, pots and pans, bed linens, and towels to furnish all of the trailers for the new residents. They asked us to provide a food kit for each trailer so the families moving in would have everything they need for the first few days. We assembled the food kits, stacked them on pallets, shrink-wrapped the pallets, and loaded them on a truck. I was really glad we had received all the new groceries so we could help!
We also filled 160 orders from the front line and 20 casework vouchers for furniture, linens, and other household items. It was very a busy day, with supplies and donations coming in and kits and furniture going out!
Today we begin our trip home. I'm looking forward to being home, but will miss this place as well. We have worked hard, but we have also made new friends from all over the US. For example, I worked with a pastor from Nebraska yesterday who assured me that he would be glad to help us if we want to intern or serve in his synod!
I am asked by many pastors and volunteers what items are needed most by the distribution center. The simple answer to that question is FOOD (or money to buy food). We had to order groceries last week - nearly $10,000 worth! Six full pallets of food arrived yesterday but I suspect that they won't really last very long. Items that we continually run out of are soups, juices, spaghetti sauce, cookies and crackers, and packaged meals like macaroni & cheese.
We had a special project yesterday at the distribution center. We assembled 75 food kits for a new FEMA trailer park in a nearby community. Seems that a small church nearby has adopted this new neighborhood - they have obtained dishes, pots and pans, bed linens, and towels to furnish all of the trailers for the new residents. They asked us to provide a food kit for each trailer so the families moving in would have everything they need for the first few days. We assembled the food kits, stacked them on pallets, shrink-wrapped the pallets, and loaded them on a truck. I was really glad we had received all the new groceries so we could help!
We also filled 160 orders from the front line and 20 casework vouchers for furniture, linens, and other household items. It was very a busy day, with supplies and donations coming in and kits and furniture going out!
Today we begin our trip home. I'm looking forward to being home, but will miss this place as well. We have worked hard, but we have also made new friends from all over the US. For example, I worked with a pastor from Nebraska yesterday who assured me that he would be glad to help us if we want to intern or serve in his synod!
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Almost done
Our replacements are doing so well, we have decided to leave here Friday afternoon and drive part of the way home. Driving 9 1/2 hours on the way down was not too bad, especially since we were fairly well rested, but going home, I think we are still going to be tired so breaking up the drive will be good. Besides, a night in hotel with a hot tub sounds really good - especially as sore as I am tonight.
Today turned out to be moving day. There were several generators still in boxes that needed to be moved around, including a couple that were taking up space in the tool trailer. We have about 12 generators available as volunteers need them to run lights or power tools on job sites; these are extras that have not been uncrated yet. They need to be handy in case of a storm, but not in the tool trailer. Now that LEDR has the distribution warehouse, there is room there for storage, so we put them on pallets to be moved. Lifting is not really what I needed to be doing today.
A few new people arrived today; a big group left tonight on their way back to Nebraska. I spoke to a group leader in the Chicago area that is coming down in a couple of weeks - with about a dozen skilled people! Word is out - we are starting to do rebuilds and skilled labor is needed. It has really been great to begin to see some people almost ready to move back into their homes - especially as there are many people who are still waiting for FEMA trailers. As some move out of their trailers, they can then become available for others.
Volunteering here has been interesting, educational, and challenging. If you can get time, come down for a few days and use some of those tools that have just been sitting in the tool box. Or come and cook for a few days - volunteers are always hungry. Look for a group from your area that is coming down and support them - help with gas money or help them collect items to bring down. Blankets, towels, food - any item that you use everyday is an item that someone here could use as well.
This will probably be our last post from Ocean Springs. Hopefully, we can take some more pictures tomorrow and as we leave and we'll try to post some of them after we get home. First, there is the Jeep to unload, a month's mail to sort through, groceries to buy, textbooks to buy - all sorts of things. Thank all of you for your prayers and support while we have been here - it has meant a lot. Hopefully, after a safe journey home, we can get a little rest this weekend and be ready for classes next week.
Remember, we do hope to continue posting to the blog after classes start. We will continue to send out occasional emails about our progress but will be posting some information here as well. Please feel free to leave comments - know that comments have to be approved (by me) before they appear as a post, so if you want to leave private information, leave it and ask me to not post it. If you are not on our email update list and would like to be, please leave your email address in a comment and I will add you to the list (and no, I won't post it for the world to see).
Today turned out to be moving day. There were several generators still in boxes that needed to be moved around, including a couple that were taking up space in the tool trailer. We have about 12 generators available as volunteers need them to run lights or power tools on job sites; these are extras that have not been uncrated yet. They need to be handy in case of a storm, but not in the tool trailer. Now that LEDR has the distribution warehouse, there is room there for storage, so we put them on pallets to be moved. Lifting is not really what I needed to be doing today.
A few new people arrived today; a big group left tonight on their way back to Nebraska. I spoke to a group leader in the Chicago area that is coming down in a couple of weeks - with about a dozen skilled people! Word is out - we are starting to do rebuilds and skilled labor is needed. It has really been great to begin to see some people almost ready to move back into their homes - especially as there are many people who are still waiting for FEMA trailers. As some move out of their trailers, they can then become available for others.
Volunteering here has been interesting, educational, and challenging. If you can get time, come down for a few days and use some of those tools that have just been sitting in the tool box. Or come and cook for a few days - volunteers are always hungry. Look for a group from your area that is coming down and support them - help with gas money or help them collect items to bring down. Blankets, towels, food - any item that you use everyday is an item that someone here could use as well.
This will probably be our last post from Ocean Springs. Hopefully, we can take some more pictures tomorrow and as we leave and we'll try to post some of them after we get home. First, there is the Jeep to unload, a month's mail to sort through, groceries to buy, textbooks to buy - all sorts of things. Thank all of you for your prayers and support while we have been here - it has meant a lot. Hopefully, after a safe journey home, we can get a little rest this weekend and be ready for classes next week.
Remember, we do hope to continue posting to the blog after classes start. We will continue to send out occasional emails about our progress but will be posting some information here as well. Please feel free to leave comments - know that comments have to be approved (by me) before they appear as a post, so if you want to leave private information, leave it and ask me to not post it. If you are not on our email update list and would like to be, please leave your email address in a comment and I will add you to the list (and no, I won't post it for the world to see).
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Job Posting Closed!
I found a new tool man today! Actually, Paul and Gwen found him. Now that I have a replacement, it really is time to go home. Ken spent most of the morning helping me repair wheelbarrow tires - 6 flats - a new record. A little more time with me tomorrow, then he is on his own.
Our host have been wonderful. Knowing that we will be leaving soon, they presented us with a book this evening of pictures of the Ocean Springs/Biloxi area both before and after Katrina. They signed it and everything! We really have been blessed, both this January and last in that the families that have hosted us have been wonderful people.
We attended our last long-term volunteer coordinators meeting today. Everyone seemed to be happy that we had found replacements and were training them, but they still threatened to slash our tires so we couldn't leave. They even offered to write notes to our professors at seminary, explaining that we would miss a few weeks of class! We have really enjoyed our time here, and have learned a lot about what disaster relief looks like, but we are also ready to go home. Part of the pastoral care for volunteers is knowing when they need to rest. We may come back, but for now, it is time to wrap up this trip and go home. Classes start next Monday and we will arrive home where there are no groceries, a pile of mail to sort, and most likely, a bit of dusting and vacuuming that needs to done.
This week has been filled with amazing stories about people and their ability to survive, their struggles, and how volunteer’s hearts are touched so that they go the extra mile to finish their home, or help them buy groceries, or something. I would imagine that everyone who has been here has at least one such story to tell. Some of us have several. It is truly amazing what we, as the body of Christ, can do, will do, and have done. Praise be to God!
Our host have been wonderful. Knowing that we will be leaving soon, they presented us with a book this evening of pictures of the Ocean Springs/Biloxi area both before and after Katrina. They signed it and everything! We really have been blessed, both this January and last in that the families that have hosted us have been wonderful people.
We attended our last long-term volunteer coordinators meeting today. Everyone seemed to be happy that we had found replacements and were training them, but they still threatened to slash our tires so we couldn't leave. They even offered to write notes to our professors at seminary, explaining that we would miss a few weeks of class! We have really enjoyed our time here, and have learned a lot about what disaster relief looks like, but we are also ready to go home. Part of the pastoral care for volunteers is knowing when they need to rest. We may come back, but for now, it is time to wrap up this trip and go home. Classes start next Monday and we will arrive home where there are no groceries, a pile of mail to sort, and most likely, a bit of dusting and vacuuming that needs to done.
This week has been filled with amazing stories about people and their ability to survive, their struggles, and how volunteer’s hearts are touched so that they go the extra mile to finish their home, or help them buy groceries, or something. I would imagine that everyone who has been here has at least one such story to tell. Some of us have several. It is truly amazing what we, as the body of Christ, can do, will do, and have done. Praise be to God!
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Three more days
One of the members of Christus Victor who is involved with their relief efforts asked me tonight how many days we had left. I had to ask him what day it was before I could answer his question! The days are starting to blur, especially today, with all the rain and the problems it created. Most of our crews could not work because most of the work was either outside or was in a house where the roof leaked. We had a lot of make-work jobs today, including putting up more drywall in the sanctuary at Christus Victor.
As we move more and more into construction, there are tools that we need but don't have, so I was sent on a shopping expedition today to outfit a couple of roofing crews and a couple of drywall crews. When the weather clears tomorrow, we'll have the tools to send people out to do construction type projects.
It is not that all of the houses in Ocean Springs and surrounding towns are all cleaned out; it is that we are about out of cleanout jobs where the homeowner has returned, has a FEMA trailer or somewhere else to live, and has had the insurance adjuster come do their thing so that they can clean out the debris. Some people simply have not returned (yet) or have not requested help. One of the things volunteers were doing today is going to areas where help was obviously needed and passing out flyers and offering help. Much, much more needs to be done, but only with the homeowners permission (and usually with them present).
While it looks like Ruth Ann has a replacement, I don't. There are a couple of people who could take over for a week, but by the end of the month when we are gone and Paul and Gwen leave, there will be no one with knowledge and history of any of the tools that are available or the maintenance that has been done or is needed. Hopefully, a long-term volunteer will show up in the next couple of days or Paul has to go back to doing 2 jobs.
From our blog hit counter, it looks like a lot of you are checking in on us. Hopefully, you are learning some of what it is like to be here, but I assure you, it is only a glimpse that you are seeing. The stories that the volunteers share each evening wrench your heart while at the same time assure you that God work is being done here; that His hand in everything that we do. My stories of tools and supplies appearing just when we need them the most continue. By Sunday, we had 3 crews trying to rebuild or repair fencing and only had one post-hole digger. By Sunday afternoon, a group from Pennsylvania had arrived with blankets and other much needed supplies for distribution and 6 post-hole diggers for the tool shed. I can't tell you how many times this has happened during our 21 days here. Prayers are answered, sometimes even before we ask.
As we move more and more into construction, there are tools that we need but don't have, so I was sent on a shopping expedition today to outfit a couple of roofing crews and a couple of drywall crews. When the weather clears tomorrow, we'll have the tools to send people out to do construction type projects.
It is not that all of the houses in Ocean Springs and surrounding towns are all cleaned out; it is that we are about out of cleanout jobs where the homeowner has returned, has a FEMA trailer or somewhere else to live, and has had the insurance adjuster come do their thing so that they can clean out the debris. Some people simply have not returned (yet) or have not requested help. One of the things volunteers were doing today is going to areas where help was obviously needed and passing out flyers and offering help. Much, much more needs to be done, but only with the homeowners permission (and usually with them present).
While it looks like Ruth Ann has a replacement, I don't. There are a couple of people who could take over for a week, but by the end of the month when we are gone and Paul and Gwen leave, there will be no one with knowledge and history of any of the tools that are available or the maintenance that has been done or is needed. Hopefully, a long-term volunteer will show up in the next couple of days or Paul has to go back to doing 2 jobs.
From our blog hit counter, it looks like a lot of you are checking in on us. Hopefully, you are learning some of what it is like to be here, but I assure you, it is only a glimpse that you are seeing. The stories that the volunteers share each evening wrench your heart while at the same time assure you that God work is being done here; that His hand in everything that we do. My stories of tools and supplies appearing just when we need them the most continue. By Sunday, we had 3 crews trying to rebuild or repair fencing and only had one post-hole digger. By Sunday afternoon, a group from Pennsylvania had arrived with blankets and other much needed supplies for distribution and 6 post-hole diggers for the tool shed. I can't tell you how many times this has happened during our 21 days here. Prayers are answered, sometimes even before we ask.
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