Claimed, gathered and sent

My first year of seminary is complete!!! The last class was Wednesday. Seniors graduated yesterday and I am no longer a first year student. I am now officially a second year student (middler in seminary parlance). In August, as we were struggling through the two week intensive Summer Greek, we wondered if we would ever survive even that, let alone our first year. Teaching Parish was a formative experience for us. We have made friends with whom we have laughed and cried together. We have formed traditions, like going out together on Friday nights for dinner. We have had silly times like the peeps diorama contest and decorating the Martin Luther statue like a beloved prof. There have been flag football competitions and croquet tournaments, struggling with translating scripture and moments when the lightbulb in our heads has gone on. The year has been a wonderful growing experience for us all. We are not the same people we were in August. In many ways it has been a difficult year for this

I think if we are honest with ourselves, the main battleground in quiet, meditative prayer and Bible reading, is our wandering minds. It has been wonderful, several times a week to gather with a few others and prayerfully, meditatively read scripture. We gain wonderful insights and blessings from approaching this discipline communally. But it is in those moments of silence, when I should be pondering profound passages like, "But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves" (Luke 22:26), that my mind wanders to what I need to pick up at the store later, what's coming up class work-wise, or sometimes I'm on the brink of falling asleep. It is at those times that I feel a bit like one of those sleeply disciples Jesus scolded for not being able to stay awake while he prayed in Gethsemane. Yes, I know God is gracious and merciful and knows my heart, but it is exasperating how difficult it can be to be full

In my Gospels class, each of us has been working with the same passage from one of the four gospels throughout the semester. For me, it was John 10:11-18, the Good Shepherd passage. Along with a classmate we have looked at this passage from numerous perspectives: form criticism, text criticism, redaction criticism, Old Testament in the New Testament, etc. From our weeks of study, we each put together an integrative project. Mine is another blog, Shepherding God's Flock. Initially, it was just for the class and that was it, but at the prof's suggestion and my own enjoyment in putting it together, I've decided to keep it going. I invite you to join the discussion and let's see where it takes us.

As a seminarian from The New England Synod in Region 7, I had the opportunity to apply for a scholarship to this triennial WELCA retreat and won it. This was an excellent retreat on many levels. It came at a time when I desperately felt the need to get away and rest. I didn't even bring any homework with me!! This is the only retreat I've ever been to, where we were told from the very beginning that it wasn't necessary to attend everything. Not only was there built in time to do as we wished, but we were encouraged to walk outside, take a nap, whatever we needed to do. That was different. Worship and fellowship were wonderful at Mt. St. Alphonse in Esopus, NY. The retreat center overlooks the Hudson River. The picture at the right was the view from my room. The keynote speaker, Sr. Anne Bryan Smollin, author, nun, counselor etc., was a hoot. She got her point across with wonderful humor. We were dying from laughter when she spoke. Other speakers and presenters were wonderfu

At Revgals is a marvelous ancient prayer for your journey today. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi, quia per sanctam crucem tuam redemisti mundum. Qui passus es pro nobis, Domine, miserere nobis. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. O Lord, who suffered for us, have mercy on us. 1. How will you pray and worship today ? I had planned on joining the seminary community in the stations of the cross this afternoon, but I took a tumble the other day and am very sore. Today, weather permitting, they will be done outside, going to various stations around the campus. But tonight I will be at Rural Lutheran assisting with the Good Friday liturgy. 2. Share a powerful memory or memories of Good Friday past. One year when I lived in the Holy Land, an ecumenical group gathered and did a prayer walk to the various places Christ went prior to the crucifixion. We completed our walk at the Church of All Nations . What made this such a profound experience is that it hammered home to me the reality of

As Bob Dylan wrote, “The times they are a changin.’ This Sunday is one of those changing, transitional times in our church year. The end of Lent is near as we move through Holy Week towards Easter. Today, we’ve heard and participated in the celebratory parade with Palms, singing “All Glory Laud and Honor,” walking down the Mt. of Olives with Jesus during his triumphal entry into Jerusalem . Did you hear the hosannas? This crowd was excited. They wanted to crown Jesus as king! When I lived in the Holy Land in the 1980s, on Palm Sunday, Christians of all denominations and languages would gather on the Mt. of Olives . We would sing, pray, and joyfully walk down the Mt. into Jerusalem . We were Christians of all nationalities and languages singing and shouting, “Hosanna!” It was like being transported back in time to Jesus ’ time. Can you imagine what it must have been like on that first Palm Sunday? This morning our readings take us to other place