Graduating seminarian Judy Vetter polled fellow graduates on their experiences at seminary and their transformation.

Spring is quickly approaching and by looking out the large windows of the seminary building we can see it unfold before our eyes. Eastern Mennonite Seminary is filled with an atmosphere of expectancy and urgency. We are quickly approaching the end of classes, exam week and all the activities of graduation. There are perceptions of having too much to do and the feeling that there is not enough time to get it all done. This is both the excitement and the frustration of the end of a semester, whether it results in graduation this time or not.

As I stop people to chat with them about their impending graduation from seminary, they are most often without words to describe what is happening and how they feel about it. They have the classic “deer in the headlights” look on their face. When the question is repeated most often they answer, “I can’t believe it is the end of the semester already. I still have papers to write. It seems like for each paper I complete another one seems to pop up from nowhere although it is in the syllabus.”

Many prospective graduates are already serving churches, especially the United Methodists. The joke around the seminary is that Mennonite churches have multiple pastors while one United Methodist pastor will have multiple churches. As the weeks have progressed during this semester we have rejoiced as those of our 2005 class have announced their acceptance as pastor at this congregation or that.

As one graduate shared, “At the church I will be serving, an elderly lady came up and shook my hand. Without saying hello or how-do-you-do, she firmly stated, ‘Young man, you will be burying me and my husband.’” He said he was suddenly struck with the impact he would soon be having on the lives of the people in his soon-to-be congregation and how they were already making an impression on his life and calling.

Another classmate shared that although he had candidated with a congregation that thought they wanted him, during the interview the Holy Spirit made it apparent to both the congregation and the prospective pastor that it was not a match. So he continues to look, believing that God will lead to the right place.

Another graduate said that she had gone for several interviews in Christian leadership positions other than pastoring and that none of them seemed to be working out. She is wondering whether she heard God’s call correctly.

One woman told me that she and her husband had interviewed but been told that their congregation was not ready for a woman as co-pastor. “Now what?” she asked. Then with a gleam in her eye she confided, “Did you know with only about 30 more hours of graduate work I could have my doctorate?”

However one young man knows that he will be returning to missionary work in a land halfway around the globe. He has no illusions that it will be easy, because he has already been there. However he now feels better equipped for the task.

It must also be mentioned that there is an air of sadness around the seminary. Many of us realize that seminary has been our faith community for the last several years. We will miss the stimulating conversation, but we won’t miss the class work.

We will certainly miss the meaningful chapel services; soon we will be responsible for creating a worship environment for others. We will miss each other. The term “one another” was used often by Jesus. In this community the task of “one another-ing” has taken on a life and meaning. “Love one another as I have loved you. In this way others will know that you belong to Me.” Yes, as one poet put it, “Parting is such sweet, sweet sorrow.” However we believe that one day we will all be together again. (In heaven and/or at the School for Leadership Training!)

For many of us graduation from seminary is just a few steps in the journey that we began when Jesus called to us, “Follow me.” Most of us do not know for sure where a life of Christian service will lead us. The destination is not what is important here, it’s the journey. What a ride! We will look back upon these days at Eastern Mennonite Seminary as a safe, sheltering place where we were accepted, loved, prayed for and sent out.