Journal Entry 2
October 5, 2007
The advent of seminary classes and routine has both narrowed and broadened my world. The daily mantra of read, study, listen, study, and write for the five classes I have funnels my focus into reading and responding to only those words which I can absorb. Sometimes it feels numbing (or should I say “doesn’t feel” numbing?). There are topics which we continue to debate after classes, like baptism and why we don’t receive it every day. Is it useful for reflection or just an outlet from our busyness?
On the other hand, look what I’m learning that I never realized before! Many “a-ha” moments enlighten me to possible reasons for the way things are done. Though I enjoy all my classes most of the time, I like The Teaching Church most (and I’m not just saying that to curry favor in a class I have a paper to write for this weekend). What I am learning resonates with the foundational desire of my heart: to teach in the church. How do we teach or share God’s story and God’s Being with others? Sometimes the reading material is a little hard to grasp: so many authors have attempted to explain the how and why of this question. The thing is, there is this thing called hope that assures me I will learn something by the end of the semester and beyond. And not only learn it in my head, but know how to be thoughtfully practical, as well.
Spiritual Life Week, an annual event for EMS, brought Jane Hoober Peifer to us for encouragement and nudging into discomfort. She talked about her calling to be a pastor in a region where women are not ordained. As a woman from a similar region, she was speaking directly to what could be my future. (Even as I write I am thinking I must be careful lest some people misconstrue my words.) Her emphasis was on the Being part of pastoral ministry, not on the non-ordination policy in the region. I am encouraged by the patient endurance approach, meanwhile looking out for those teachable moments when the Spirit of God moves people beyond what they knew or thought before. May I have patience; and may the Spirit of God hurry up and move!
