happy thanksgiving

Or as we say at Virginia Tech: eat chicken.

forces rallied

I've decided to apply for a preaching scholarship. There was a poster on a bulletin board for the David H.C. Read Preacher/Scholar Award, so I took one of the applications. Only two people from each school can apply. I hoped that I wasn't too late. Apparantly I'm the only one who's taken a form!

There are several things I need to include in the application so it's going to be a team effort. I have to submit two sermons: one Old Testament, one New Testament. Each sermon has to be accompanied by an exegetical paper. Along with manuscripts I also need to send a recording taped before a live studio audience. I need to send a transcript, CV, a letter detailing what I would do with the scholarship, two letters of recommendation, and official sponsorship by the school. I spent last week gathering my resources. The team roster is as follows:

*The Dean/President to agreed to sponsor me.
*The NT exegetical paper will be reviewed by my Advisor/NT professor.
*My OT professor will review my OT exegetical paper.
*The preaching professor will work with me on the delivery.
*I've got letters of recommendation underway by the Liturgical Music, and Ethics/Theology professors.
*The Registrar will print out the transcript next week.
*I've been asking around for people willing to sit in for the recording. So far I have a few.

It's my goal to have this in the box before the end of the term. It isn't due until late January, but I've got other things to focus on at that time.

Go team.

blue convention apron and update

Our convention just wrapped up this afternoon. My highly extroverted side simply loves the schmoozing ops. Once again I signed up to volunteer. I do this for a couple reasons: first, I'm broke and can't afford the registration fee; second, the oh so stylish and trendy volunteer apron is like an all-access pass to people and places of interest to me. Case in point: food. Friday morning's yummy, high-end, not-hotel coffee was provided in abundance at no cost to volunteers. Later that day, lunch was on the bishop's account. Thank you, sir. Friday's dinner (had it not been cuffed at the last minute due to the absence of a parish member) might have required an end run around the hotel kitchen staff -- an easy feat with that little blue apron (or without, really; but I'm not giving away my hospitality industry secrets). And, no, it's not stealing. I don't do that. The apron also gives me a unique opportunity for "face time" with important people. I met the Canon to the Ordinary while he was hurrying about on an errand for the bishop before the meeting. I helped him with his errand and he thanked me greatly, saying I "saved his life." Maybe I made a good impression. We'll see when we meet again.

Former Presiding Bishop Griswold was in attendance Friday night. He was sans purple shirt so at first I wasn't sure it was really him. I decided it was time to introduce myself. I orbited a couple times before final approach. He was talking with a well-dressed, lay woman. I stepped up, faced her, and said in my most inviting tone and body language, "Excuse me." Then I turned my attention to him. He's not much taller than I am! He looks so much bigger on TV. I stuck out my hand and said something like, "Good evening, Bishop. We've never met and I wanted to introduce myself. I'm ..." and so forth. He's a very pleasant person -- charming even. We chatted briefly in a small-talky kind of way. I wished him luck in his post-PB endeavors and departed. It wasn't until later that I wondered who the woman was that I excused, and if she was someone who'd remember me for it later on in this ordination process. Ah well, I'll find out later. True, I was wearing the apron, and yes, it might have emboldened me, but I would have done it anyway.

Ordination Process Update:

I got a packet in the mail yesterday detailing significant changes in the postulancy application process. The document has a statement from Rev. Carol Anderson, rector of All Saints Beverly Hills, an enormous, and apparantly still growing parish. She writes, "We have to find new ways to find and develop people. The process we send people through for ordination is brutal and discourages the very people we need to be our leaders. Instead, we get people who are patient and persistent, who know how to work the system, but who don't trust the system." It's refreshing to read these words, knowing that her ordination hasn't magically erased the understanding of the nature of "the process" in many places. Obviously I am adept at learning and "working" systems and I do fit into the "patient and persistent" category, but I also feel, sometimes very acutely, the discouragement that she describes. I'm doing my best at this, gentle readers, but I'll tell you, if postulancy doesn't happen this February, I won't go through this again. On another page it says that I have to write an essay in 2000 words or less about how I see my ordination contributing to the growth of the church both in numbers and in liveliness. This essay is "in lieu of the two essays now required." I have already written and submitted those two essays. The revision goes on to say that I have to meet with three clergy members to discuss the qualities of "highly effective clergy in growing congregations." I e-mailed them all tonight to set up meeting times. After I meet with them I have to write an essay on the interactions. I've been meeting with clergy like these since I got here two years ago to learn about ministry effectivness for my own discernment. Have I been ahead of the curve on this? I'll have the perspectives of more than just those three clergy members to include in my essay. Finally, I think I need to submit three more references. I'm running out of reference people to use!

The revision document looks like a really healthy approach to finding potential clergy leadership. It states, "The Commission plans to change the nature of its relationship to people in the process from one of ongoing challenge to a more supportive and productive role." There are a few more things I'll have to do before February, but this revision document is encouraging. If it helps future aspirants and COMs in the ministry discernment process, it will be worth the extra effort.

"Superior Range of Cognitive Capacity"

A few weeks ago I spent an entire Saturday cooped up in one of the classrooms filling in a bazillion little circles on a series of psych tests for my postulancy application. It's enough to make you crazy. It was a beautiful day, warm sunny. About half-way through the tests I could hear the football team gathering outside the window to go to practice. Birds were singing and children were playing, so on and so forth, and I was deciphering proverbs like "When the cat's away the mice will play," and choosing the correct definition for words like mollify. Well, today I got to see the results of all those tests in narrative form. If I didn't know it was me that I was reading, I would definitely hire her. But the thing that stuck in my mind was the phrase I used to title this entry. Oh yes, it is too what they said. Oh no, there'll be no living with me now. It's official: I have a superior range of cognitive capacity. You can just call me superior. Open both the double doors so my cranium can fit through. My thoughts are so huge I have to sub-contract them out. In the language of my peeps back home: I'm wickid smaht.

just the highlights

I feel like I haven't written to you in a dog's age. I also feel like I'm always writing to you about preaching. I do do other things too.

Take for instance my classes. I've got a good line-up this term. I gave a presentation in one class about my idea of what the kingdom of God is to me. The following week I gave another presentation about the steps some religious teaching takes as it moves from sound doctrine to teaching their people to kill in the name of God. I really enjoy doing presentations. The first one was was great. The second one would have been great if I wasn't distracted by a discernment committee meeting that I had to go to right after the presentation. I'm working on a paper for another class on the development of the prayers in the American Book of Common Prayer as they reflect the social and pastoral needs of Americans.

Seabury hosts an annual multi-day seminar called "Bread for the Journey". This year's theme was about about church growth and development. I wasn't able to sit in on as much as I would have liked, but I was impressed by what I did see. It seems to me that the Episcopal Church must be the hardest working church in the church business in terms of trying to make what we do relevant and accessible to congregations and potential congregations. There were clergyfolk from all over the country with all range of parish experience, and they shared some great ideas and things they they do that address church growth and development. There are some very creative people out there! I can't wait to see what they do next year.

The Middler Class is off on their Plunge Trips. Ah, I remember mine: what fun. It sure is quiet around here. It's not nearly as much fun without them. I can't wait until they get back. I want to hear all about their parishes. One group is in Pittsfield, MA. Court, if you're reading this, I know about the coffee.

Yesterday our new presiding bishop was installed in Washington DC. I've had an all-day retreat on my calendar for months. As much as I wanted to watch the installation live, I decided to go to the retreat, and rent, borrow or buy the CD when it comes out instead. One of the members of the retreat saw the opening moments and came to tell me that they processed in on Hymn 518. That's both of our favorite hymn. How cool. When 518 is played here we try to get together so we can sing the descant.

And speaking of the new presiding bishop: she will be our Commencement speaker in June. Pretty cool, huh? She'll definitely hear me sing the descant then. I'll be brushing up on my schmoozing between now and June. Maybe she'll give me a job. I still think, at a quick glance, she looks like the former interim priest of Trinity Melrose.

The retreat was pretty good. The theme asked us to consider how we use our time here on earth, and on what do we place greater or lesser value in that time. It related well to an assignment I've been working on. It is so very validating to hear my own thoughts articulated by others with more experience in these matters that I have.

Today I have to figure out what I'm going to do with the Youth Group this morning. The topic is: "Season for giving thanks or season for shopping?" I have no idea what I'm going to do.

Later today is another football game. I think we're in the playoffs. Go Saints.