halloween costume

The children of the community are going around trick-or-treating throughout the seminary. It's very cute. One of them asked me why I wasn't wearing a costume. It's 'not really my bag, but it got me thinking. I could tape pages of my thesis all over me and go as "My MTS Thesis." It would be a pretty scary costume.

Kid: "Hey lady, what're you dressed as?"
Me: "I'm a THEEEEEEEEESSSSSIIIISSS!!!"
Kid: "Aaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!! Mommy, don't let that happen to me!"

I could dress Roz Dog up as my Bibliography - not as scary but still plenty upsetting.

twice?... in four years...?

Well, there you have it. The Red Sox won the World Series... again. What was once cursed, has been reversed, and I'm thinking maybe re-reversed. Twice in four years? Might as well put us in pinstripes! We certainly can't talk trash about the Yankees anymore. I liked us better when we were the loveable losers. Hmmm... the Cubbies had a good go of it in the post season....

I guess I'm not as good at change as I thought I was. I mean, yay... Red Sox Nation! and all that. But there was something magical about following a team that tried so hard for so long, were so loved, and yet always came up just a little bit short. I would have preferred to lose this one - or at the very least make it a little more sporting, like a come-from-behind RBI on the final full count. There was something about the looks a Red Sox jersey got from fans of other teams. It was kind of sympathetic, but with a twinge of respect for team loyalty. Now... well.

Is this what the new millennium is all about? Will Fenway Park be renovated as a result, with banks and corporations vying for naming rights: "The Sam Adams Boston Lager John Hancock Union Oyster House Gillette Bank America (or Fleet, or whatever they're calling themselves these days) Kraft Prudential Staduim (at old fenway)?" I still use Scollay Square. Ah well, progress I suppose. Let's not let it go to our heads shall we?

... and, we're back

Made it back from Iowa yesterday as planned. It was very good trip - good to reconnect with friends.

As I re-entered Chicago I began to wonder about my tolerance for city life. When the traffic started picking up and the construction went on and on, I could feel my neck get sore and my shoulders go up. I got to the rental place to drop off the car and I just missed them. They'd left for the day. I didn't know where to put the car. I got there within the grace period, but who would know? I called Budget's 800 number but they were no help. I stressed out right away. The sign in the window said that when dropping off after hours to fill the tank. The guy I got the car from said to replace what I used - it wasn't full when I got it. Well, I found the place where they put the cars and left it there. Now I have to get back to them and make sure I don't get charged for an extra day, or for fuel, or something. Coming back to Seabury/Ev'tn shouldn't be a stressful thing, but it really was yesterday.

Later in the evening I led the "Spooky Tour" around the seminary. It ended with a party where I had a chance to sit down and chat with a student's partner I haven't really met yet. That was a high point to the day.

Now I have to get ready to do another site visit for a class. It'll be an easy presentation, but I've already done so many of these write-ups, there's not much left to spark my curiosity.

hello from Iowa

This is my second visit to the Hawkeye state. It's got to be God's grace that put me here, 'cause a few years ago I'd've said there's nothing in the world that would get me to Iowa. It's really a very pretty state, and the people are very nice. I've met several Iowans and they're all wonderful people - especially my hosts.

I got in yesterday afternoon and John made a fabulous home made pizza with roasted red peppers. We toured St. Ambrose University, and saw where John works. Today I toured Raisin's two areas of ministry: Trinity, and the campus ministry of The University of Iowa. They're about six blocks apart. Iowa City is about 60 miles west of there they live - quite the commute. It's a college town complete with lots of walkable downtown, coffee shops, and trendy stores and galleries. We had sushi for lunch. Another testament to God's hand here is good sushi in a land-locked state. Go figure! In a little while we'll go out for dinner at their favourite restaurant here in Davenport. Kinda wish I brought my camera.

Maggie, the Horn standard Poodle, seems to be back to normal after her unexpected surgery last week. She and John are playing "get-the-ball." I brought my Harry Potter fun reading which I've gotten to open a couple times. I just couldn't bring myself to tote the thesis research on this trip. It's a most relaxing mini-vacation from school.

Dunno what tomorrow morning will bring, but before long I'll have to return the rental racer and get back to Seabury. I'm scheduled to lead the Spooky Seminary Tour. More on that later.

dare I dream again?

...oh yes. I do dare.

back... for now

I got in late last night from a trip to Mundeline Seminary where I had the first of my two weekend intensive classes in "The New Face of Christianity: Exploring the Church and Its Mission." It's one of the cross-registration classes shared by most, if not all the seminaries in the Chicago area. There are 5 seminaries represented. The class is set up like a showcase of 8 major denominations. Representatives of each one come in and present who they are, what they do (or don't do), and current challenges to their mission. The class has split up into small groups to do site visits -- yeah, just when I thought I was safe from any more of those. It's kinda like "Gospel Mission" all over again. That was a class I took in my first year. It was a great class, but I don't speak for all of my colleagues who took the class with me.

Anyhoo, Mundeline is a beautiful campus. The students there were warm and friendly. I got a tour and immediately regretted not having the camera. Next time I'll bring it. The foliage will be better then anyways. I think it'll be worth the wait.

The student I'm partnered with for the site visit, a Mundeline student, is great. I'm looking forward to working with him. We're going to an AME Church in Ev'tn on the 28th. We'll present our findings the next weekend.

This marks the first of many travels for me this semester. I leave again for another trip later this week. Back to Mundeline. Off to other destinations after that. I'd love to tell you about it now, but I'll be late for church - Jane's 25th ordination anniversary & 10th year at St. M's. More later.

let me rephrase that

Having my trip to California cuffed by someone else is not "the best part." It's a really, really good part, but it's not the best part. The best part is the enthusiasm that summer student shares with me for this kind of thing - leadership models, and congregational development stuff. It was so nice to talk about my ideas and research with her, and have my interest and energy reflected back. The professional support and encouragement is the best part. Paying for my trip falls into the realm of professional support, I realize. I wouldn't be able to make the trip if I had to pay for it myself. I could do the research here if I had to - there are Marines I could connect with locally. Catching up with my friend face-to-face, sharing ideas, and processing research together, is a benefit I can only get with her support of me and this degree project. That is the best part.

I just wanted to be clear about that.

california here I come

I just got word that I'm being flown to a parish in the Diocese of Los Angeles to interview people for my MTS thesis the first week in December. One of the students in the D.Min classes I took last summer invited me out to stay with her. I told her about the leadership component of my thesis - military leadership specifically - and she was really interested. She said there's a Marine Corp base next to her parish, and she could help me set up interviews with officers and NCOs. But get this, this is the best part, I don't have to pay for the trip! She said she'd get it covered on someone else's nickel. When we e-mailed last night she told me that she was meeting with Bishop Packard, the Bishop of the Armed Services for the Episcopal Church, and he might be interested in the research also.

I've never been to California. What do I wear in LA in December? What questions do I ask Marines? Are those real bullets? I want to get my picture taken on the walk of fame. But who's star do I pose with? So many decisions. So exciting.

I know that feeling

As someone said earlier, "That's okay Cubs, every team has a bad century."
















Or, as Red Sox nation has so often said (in the past), "Maybe next year."
I feel your pain, Chicago.


But then...








Y'all know where my heart really lies.

stop the music

I find it very helpful, when beginning to craft a sermon, to hear someone else read the texts for the service. Certainly I can read them out loud and hear myself, but there's a natural bias hearing it from the inside. I've been trying this week, without much success, to find an audiobook of the NRSV - the whole thing, not just the New Testament. I found James Earl Jones reading the JKV. I'd love to get his reading, but I can't find him reading the version I want - and that is a crying shame. It doesn't really matter to me if the reader(s) is(are) male, female, or both. I do care though, that the recording does not include cheezy instrumental music in the background. Yuck. It's been difficult to find an audiobook of the NRSV at all. This is the only source I've been able to find, but it's got the cheezy music. Gentle readers, do either of you know of a source for a New Revised Standard Version Bible CD audiobook sans instrumental background? Am I asking too much?

update

Today I had my interview for candidacy at the diocesan offices. It went spectacularly well. My mentor, who was to accompany me to the meeting, arrived late. When she came in, they described the previous fifteen minutes as stroking me and telling me how great I am. Well, that was certainly nice to hear. They asked a few questions, and we talked about what I've been up to with this MTS degree - nothing difficult. I asked if the upcoming change of bishop would delay my ordination and they said not to sweat it. One person, the representative from the Standing Committee, said he'd throttle anyone who tried to stop my ordination. Others said they'd also "go to bat for me." They all agreed that now was the right time to begin the job search process so that I've got something lined up for June. In all, the meeting took about 35 minutes. Ordination is so close now I can almost taste it.