Ralph Waldo Emerson's Address

This is an address delivered by Emerson before the Senior Class in Divinity College, Cambridge, Sunday Evening, July 15, 1838 and I believe is relevant to each of us today. I challenge all of us to read this. A friend referred it to me. Amazing and humbling!

http://www.emersoncentral.com/divaddr.htm

It's long, but really good! Take the time :)

On reading the ORDs

When you take your ORD exam it is sent to Louisville and then out to 4 different locations (in the fall only). At those 4 locations your exam is graded by 2 people from each Presbytery in the area.

Readers convene the day of reading and are prepped as to what is expected of them. Like how to write comments and such. We are given a study session of about 1.5 hours on the exam we are about to grade and then we all grade papers all day. You read the test and look to see if it answers the question properly. As an ordained person this is easier since I know the material. There were several elders there but not a whole lot - I imagine this was a lot harder for them. There are experts on the exams (those who wrote the questions) there to answer questions graders have. All papers are read twice. If there is a question of pass/fail it is read a third time and the writer never sees the grade that doesn't agree. All comment sheets are read twice. If your comments are inappropriate you rewrite them. When all exams in one category are graded all readers move on to the next exam. In my reading group we read Polity, NT Exegesis, and Theology.

You get up at 7 and eat breakfast. Then you grade until 12. Lunch break and you grade until 6. Dinner break and you grade until 10 or you fall asleep. We do this for 3 days straight. The experience is a lot like studying for exams. Everyone is focused on one activity and tired. There is endless snacking and coffee consumption. There is a real spirit of camaraderie.

I loved this experience. Graders are really cool people and this experience takes a lot of dedication. Graders transportation, room, and board are payed but there is not compensation given for time and we are putting in 10+ hour days.

I really enjoyed this work of the church. For one, I met a lot of cool people that are in my general area. Also, I updated by brain on theology and exegesis. It was like a thinking retreat. Finally, it was so neat to realize readers are just people. As someone who failed an exam due to what I believe to be reader error, this was a good experience for me. It really is true that most readers want you to pass (although there are a few grumps).

Each time I picked up a test I thought of the person who spent hours writing it, I thought that this may be someone's last hurdle to ordination, or this may be someone's third time on this test. I tried to pray for each one. My first failure was hard to give but necessary. After that I am afraid it got easier. Overall I consider myself a lenient grader, only because I know what it feels like to be on the edge and fail. There were some exams that were crazy awful, and some that barely passed. I wanted to be able to write in the comments how lucky they were to pass but that is not allowed.

Overall, reading ORDs is a lot like taking ORDs. All the people together in one space, focused on one task, sharing snacks and coffee, and doing one big project for the church. It was awesome, and unlike taking the ORDs I would love to do it again.

Where is everybody?

This summer, Jim and I got to go to my favorite place in the world. One night, we managed to avoid any family stuff and stayed in a nice hotel right on the beach. This gave me an opportunity to stay out on the beach for as long as I wanted. I love late afternoon/early evening on the beach. . . it's still warm enough to be out there -- the breeze is wonderfully warm on sun-kissed skin; the water temp was about 82 degrees so I could've even gone swimming. But I didn't...obviously, the hunky lifeguard had gone home by this time!

We went to the beach almost every day, visited family almost every minute, saw some friends and found out how long it takes to drive from Holland MI to Wilmington NC.

How long, you might (or might not) be asking?
A long time...but waaaaay better than flying!

I'm not much of a picture taker

I'm lame and late . . . but here are some pictures anyway . . .

The Random Pop Quiz

The elder stepson invited his girlfriend over for dinner last weekend. While he is a committed Atheist, she attends a local, conservative leaning Presbyterian congregation.  By leaning, I mean - okay, I mean conservative.  I had heard she was uncomfortable with the pat answers being fed to her in youth group.

Well, one thing led to another and then BAM, there it is - the pop quiz that Greg Love always warned us was coming at us. Please highlight the shortfalls of  substitutional atonement theology, offer up  alternative theologies regarding the death and resurrection of Christ, and while you are at it, please explain the ongoing presence of evil and suffering in this world in the face of an Omnipotent God. In terms that will make sense to an intelligent and compassionate adolescent with a well developed BS sniff detector.  You have about two verbal paragraphs to work within before you will be interrupted. Start... now.

Prayer Concern from SFTS

My sister sent me this e-mail and I thought we would all want to join in prayer for Charles.

Love, Jenn :)

Dear SFTS Community,

I am writing to ask for your prayers and active support for Charles and Amal Marks and their children at the death and resurrection in Christ of Charles’ mother in Savannah, Georgia. Charles will in going to Savannah this week to makes plans related to the funeral.

As I learn more about how we can be supportive and when the service will be held, I will do my best to keep you posted. In the meantime, please remember Charles and his family with your love, cards, and prayers.

Grace and Peace,

Phil Butin
President

Card enclosed, please do not bend

In less than a month, I will turn 50 years of age.

This fact is increasingly capturing my attention.

49 years old is still - well - plausibly deniable.

50 is real.  

50 is a mark. 50 is a clear signal that we do not have forever to accomplish it all. 50 is the beginning of the third quarter with the increased awareness that the clock is still running. 

So I'm starting to think about it. Where have I been? What did all that mean? Where do I want to go? I'm still healthy and strong and expect to be so for a while yet. But that horizon that seemed so far away when I was 20 years old and starting my first real job of my adult life is a lot more closer now. Choices made increasingly can no longer be undone and still more choices lie before me.  There are possibilities - dreams if you will - that need to be evaluated and perhaps released or perhaps retained for a little while longer.

I'm turning 50 in less than a month. 

  

Random

Sam says HEY!

GA Reunion

Hello all! Just wanted to say that those of you not here at GA are missed. It is so great to see friends and have a mini-reunion, however, our class isn't the same without Bob's relax shirt, Steph's smile and laugh, etc. I could go on, but the point is to let you know that I miss you and wish you were her as well.

Heather has taken some pictures and will be posting them soon! Love and God's peace to all. Please keep the Genteral Assembly in your prayers!

Blessings, Jenn :)

Summer Update

Happy Summer! Heather and I are really enjoying the summer here, we are really thankful that it's been over 100 degrees for the past 2 weeks. Really, it's too hot to go outside, it's like a dream. (note sarcasm).

We have finally moved into our house. It's still in chaos, but we are well on our way to being able to walk into all of the rooms. Roux loves it and has made friends with all of the neighbor dogs. We live in the city, but our street is so quiet that we play fetch on the street with all of the dogs.

Heather is doing VBS right now and apparently it is going really well. I could not be more jealous that she gets to play with kids all day.

Due to an accounting error (before I got here) where I work lost a huge government grant, which also happened to be the funding for my position. Which means I am looking for another job. Which is super annoying, but there are lots of jobs out there and after being part of this community for 2 years we have some really good contacts who have been very helpful. I will let you know when something comes up.

We will be in Oregon in August for the Chase family reunion, South Carolina in July for the Myers family reunion, New York for a wedding, and Florida for a vacation. It will be a busy summer, but we are looking forward to all of it.

Hooray Summer!

Friday morning ramble

I love to take photos...I would take them all the time if I could. We'll be driving or walking along and I say to myself, "wow, that would be a great picture." Sometimes, I'll ask permission especially if the person happens to see me taking the photo. And then sometimes, I like the random kind of street scene with action and a flowy purple-lavender cape and the person never knows that her image has been captured forever. Is that bad? My ethicist friend would probably say it's not "bad" but there's something that feels wrong. Actually, she would use ethics-appropriate vocabulary but I'm not up to thinking about that right now. The other thing is, I don't like my camera so much. And I wrestle with the extravagance of purchasing a new one that I would really really like and wounding the feelings of the one who purchased this one for me that I would have never picked out. I still take photos, though. I would take them all the time if I could.

Can't stop laughing

http://bowerbird.typepad.com/mmmhellooo/churches/index.html

My co-worker just said: Did you just snort?? I've ruined my mascara and it's only 8:34 am!

You'll need to scroll down her list to find "Presbyterians."

The OTHER Seminary

Not that I ever thought of Columbia Theological Seminary as the Other seminary. I think I left that right to Princeton. Anyway - I spent last week on the campus of CTS for what they call their Lifelong Learning Program. I was actually there for a conferece about Rural Ministry, although I played the spy trying to compare the students experiance to my own at SFTS.

At meals I sat with students and quizzed them about their time at the school. It was one week before graduation and students were all smiles. I don't need to remind you all that was not the case with many of us. Many students really enjoyed the professors, course work, seminary support, loved the President, etc. The campus is beautiful and appears well cared for. The library is wonderful - speaking to SFTS's lack of care for theirs as it is really only part of the GTU. The place did not seem lacking for funds as they are in process of building a new large dormitory.

I loved my confrence. It was well organized, there was always help if needed, it was easy to relax and enjoy myself. We had a presentation from Bruggeman their retired star and he is really something. All in all, I learned A TON that will help me in my ministry setting, I made new friends, I enjoyed the campus, I will probably be back. Especially because I got in lots of good time with Heather and Alexis.

I am not sorry I went to SFTS but talking to the students at Columbia certainly gave me pause.

On the yellow brick road!

Dear Family and Friends,
Well it has come to pass, I have been called, I have been examined and next is to be ordained. I have been called to serve a 119-member church in Topeka, KS, Oakland Presbyterian Church. I will serve part time and continue to work part time as a Registered Nurse. Oakland is a great church that is use to being served by a bi-vocational pastor; their previous pastor for thirteen years was bi-vocational. I am very excited they are a small church with a BIG Spirit, very family oriented. I will start May 11th, Mothers Day and Pentecost. An ordination date has yet to be determined.
I am currently in New Mexico going through storage units getting ready to make the move. After a week here I will fly to California to pick up things there, swing through New Mexico and end up in Kansas by the 9th of May. Please keep me in your prayers traveling mercies. My primary reason for this note is to inform you of my new address and phone number. I also recently up dated my email address. See all referenced below.
I would love to hear form each of you and would reply personally.
Yours in Christ,
Robert (Pastor Bob)

New email: rhattle@mac.com

New cell phone # 785-213-7763
Office # 785-232-1029

New Address:
Rev. Robert J. Hattle, RN
Oakland Presbyterian Church
2810 NE Thomas
Topeka, KS 66616

I kid you not

Ketchup cow!
Handy-dandy mustard cow dangles near-by!

Preaching On the Unknown God

Yesterday I preached for the 4th time at the local UU congregation. It was going to be very wild with the addition of a Sanskrit Rock Group but they encountered a previous engagement so it was a normal UU service. Actually - a sanskirt rock band can be part of a normal UU service, they are kind fun that way.

At any rate, I noticed that the lectionary for yesterday included Acts 17 where Paul preaches to the Athenians about the Unknown God. Of course I included it because it was useful for helping make the point.

I was preaching on Christian Theology and the Environment. (Christian theology tends to limit itself to a God-human dualism but there is much in our text to remember that we need to think in terms of community with all of creation)

It was a lot of work. Because I knew I could not take any previous knowledge on the subject for granted, I took my time explaining Paul, Athens, and the Creation Story (both versions). In the end, it seemed to be worth the effort because it was fun to be talking about this stuff to folks who haven't already heard it for 30 years already. Many of them - some who are refugees from Christianity and some who have never made it in the door of a Christian church and some who are somewhere inbetween - many of them seemed genuinely pleased with a new way of thinking about Christianity - and also about the Environment.

I wonder what Paul first thought when he was invited to stand before the Areopagus - and I wonder what the novelty-seeking Athenians thought when he left.

Is That You God?

I've been in a bit of a funk lately. The job scene isn't moving. The book sits in a publisher's office w/o further word. No churches in the area are open and I can't seem to make it to the interview stage with the churches that have been open. Recently I was in Portland and ran not once but twice into people I knew and worked with when I was in politics who asked, "Gee what are you doing? all kinds of think I imagine" and I had to quickly sell baking bread and gardening as "all kinds of things" ("I'm deep into earth centered activities" I think I babbled. Yikes, I've been in Sonoma perhaps a little tooooo long. )

So, naturally enough, I take up the tradition of David & the rest of the Psalm writers and the Isrealites trudging their way across the desert and get all whiney on God. Are you there God? Do you still care? Did the call thing have an expiration date I didn't know about? Was I delusional in going to seminary (well, okay don't answer that question, I did choose SFTS so there is some damning evidence there...)? I'm to the point of being so pissed off & discouraged that this afternoon I took down the stoles I have had hanging out in my closet and put them away out of sight.

Then Bill & I go out to a chinese restaurant tonight and my fortune cookie arrives with the following message:

"Trust your intuition. The universe is guiding your life."

Isn't that just like God? Who believes fortune cookies? Its like one of those episodes on Joan of Arcadia where out of nowhere in a form least expected and in a way that leaves open the way for uncertainty - God speaks. (maybe... maybe not) I started looking toward the door for Mrs. Landingham to walk in and glance over at me in a significant way.

Nice job God. Nice sense of humor. And thanks.
I'll take the stoles back out of the bag. Not like they left my mind or my heart anyway.

sheesh.

Daffy-dills!

Oh -- how fun!! The daffy-dills are finally finally showing their beautiful happy yellow faces...the tulips are sure to follow. John Bell is here at Western this whole week, leading worship and opening my eyes, ears and heart to scripture that I have been hungering and thirsting for! Next week, Mark Yaconelli will be here for a contemplative youth seminar and I'm looking forward to reconnecting with him.

This year, I have been volunteering with Vanessa through the KIDS HOPE program. Vanessa is in the 3rd grade; we first started meeting in October and she was a wild child! Walking on tables, running and hiding from me, running and climbing on, over, under, through anything she could find. Over the past few weeks, it seems we've turned a corner. Last week, she decided it would be great fun to take everything out of my purse and examine it!?!? This week, she shared more about her family than I've heard all year while working on painting a heart on the back of my hand.

Anyway -- what's all this got to do with daffy-dills, you may ask. I think that somehow the daffodils remind me that even though I can't always see the growth, or take responsibility for the growth, or even know when those glorious yellow flowers will appear, I trust that it will happen. I have faith that it will happen. And for Vanessa, even on the days when I was chasing her down the halls of the elementary school (NO RUNNING IN THE HALLS!!!), I had faith that someday we would have days like today -- bright, warm and sunshiny, filled with the promise of spring and the gift of a new friend.

Mariners Win!

I had a great week off to celebrate my 30th with my family. I went to Seattle with my parents and we went to see the Mariners. I had hoped to get a Wilbur sign on TV - at least I got on the big screen in the stadium! It was a good week of eating, shopping, and even some time with my brother. I dreamt about church but didn't think about it during the days so that was good.

Now I am back to work and busy sorting through all that I left in my wake. Oh well, I am taking another week out of town in May to attend a confrence in Atlanta so there is another break on the near horizon. Thank God for continuing ed!

A Family Reunion...

At last, Mary has discerned that her ministry at SFTS is coming to a close. She gave notice that she will leave her employ there at the end of May, much to the dismay of many folks -- all of whom knew this was inevitable at some point in time. This will be such a blessing to us as gasoline surges past $4/gallon and we will both be spending *much* less time on I-80. It will also be quite nice to have her around EG full-time to share in all that happens here.

Her plans are to continue consulting to some of her corporate clients while she pursues Commissioned Ministry in the UCC, focusing on her experience and skills at facilitating transitions, transformations, and conflicts in the local church settings. She was taken In-Care of our congregation earlier this month and will visit our COM (think CPM in "Presbyterian-ese") in August to become a "person in discernment" for at least a year before being commissioned.

All I can say is, "Yeaaa!"

Stress Relief

Seems we've been mighty quiet since Heather turned 3-0. Here's something for your amusement, distraction or stress relief. . .

http://www.therightfoot.net/mystuff/whatever/swf/bubblewrap.swf

Hope you're all well. Spring is slowly arriving in Holland. Soon and very soon, it will be Tulip Time again.

"The Big 3-0"

Not that 30 is really all that big but I guess it gets credit for being a round number. I turn 30 on Thursday of this week and its not as much of a retrospective time as I may have guessed it would be. Granted, I don't think I ever thought I would grow up to be a pastor but stranger things have happened. I think the only shocking thing is being 30 with braces. I was at the ortho today for thicker wires and lots of tightening. (OUCH) Right now I have a large light purple rubber band across the top teeth and then alternating light and dark purple on each bottom tooth. Hey - you have to have fun with it right?

I am dreaming of Spring but we still keep having snow off and on. My poor bulbs are trying to come up and don't know what to make of it.

My church threw me a surprise birthday party yesterday. I was surprised and it was quite the cheery little party. We even had a cake with my picture on it, imagine something like that available in Wilbur. We are moving up in the world and will have a gas station with a convenience store soon!

On the actual birthday day Lars and I are going to Spokane for a nice dinner. Then next week I am leaving him alone with the mutts and I am going to Seattle with my folks. We are going to a Mariners game, getting together with my bro and fiance for dinner, and shopping shopping shopping. Should be a good break.

Anyway, hope all your adventures are going well, that you are out in the garden if you want to be, and that wherever you are it is warmer than Wilbur!

This wasn't covered in our Reformed Worship Class

The folks at the Santa Rosa Universal Unitarian congregation has invited me back to preach again. This is #4 I think. Its always interesting - and this time promises to be even more so.

The choir has been given the sunday off in favor of this group: Shanti-Shanti.





I will be preaching on Christian-eco theology. Or at least trends - but this also involves teaching about theology and why its not a bad thing to have around.

Personally, I think Jesus would probably be tapping his toes (if not whirling around) big time on the music but I'm wondering exactly how the sermon & this group are going to go together in the service.

The group is listing both services as a "concert" on their web site.

So potentially the community of New Age spirituality will be significantly present at this service.

I think I'll be thinking of Paul who kept wondering into town squares and proclaiming the good news to mixed effect....

Waitangel, another pitcher of beer for my friends and me please.

(I'm writing a sermon which is touching on eschotology and this is an little side observation that needs to go somewhere else)

So... is anybody else perturbed by the Philly cream cheese commercials that has angels exclaiming over its great taste/less filling qualities while in the background is a fluffy cloud holding up a row of walking exercise machines? Like going to gym in this lifetime - which has an end sooner or later - isn't enough fun we can all die and keep going for all eternity? Is not my own post-resurrected self supposed to be already perfected?

I"m just saying...

A letter to Sally Kern from a senior in high school in Oklahoma.

I am not sure if you are aware of recent comments that were made by Oklahoma State House Representative Sally Kern. If you have not you can listen to her hate filled speech here:

http://pageoneq. com/news/ 2008/ellen_ sallykern031208. html

If you haven't seen this yet, read it, then pass it along.

>> A letter to Sally Kern from a senior in high school in Oklahoma.
>> *******
>>
>> Today my nephew attempted to deliver a letter to Sally Kern but
>> was stopped by a highway patrol man. With his permission I am
>> distributing the letter to all news stations and thought I would
>> include it here.
>>
>> Maybe we can all stand to learn a listen from this smart, loving,
>> young man. He more than most has reason to hate. He lost his
>> mother, my sister, in the Murrah Building bombing.
>>
>> Elizabeth
>> ( by way page 112 of the News9 Comment Section at http://
>> www.news9.com/ global/story. asp?s=7983168
>>
>> Letter From Tucker
>>
>> Rep Kern:
>> On April 19, 1995, in Oklahoma City a terrorist detonated a bomb
>> that killed my mother and 167 others. 19 children died that day.
>> Had I not had the chicken pox that day, the body count would've
>> likely have included one more. Over 800 other Oklahomans were
>> injured that day and many of those still suffer through their
>> permanent wounds.
>>
>> That terrorist was neither a homosexual or was he involved in
>> Islam. He was an extremist Christian forcing his views through a
>> body count. He held his beliefs and made those who didn't live up
>> to them pay with their lives.
>>
>> As you were not a resident of Oklahoma on that day, it could be
>> explained why you so carelessly chose words saying that the
>> homosexual agenda is worst than terrorism. I can most certainly
>> tell you through my own experience that is not true. I am sure
>> there are many people in your voting district that laid a loved
>> one to death after the terrorist attack on Oklahoma City. I kind
>> of doubt you'll find one of them that will agree with you.
>>
>> I was five years old when my mother died. I remember what a
>> beautiful, wise, and remarkable woman she was. I miss her. Your
>> harsh words and misguided beliefs brought me to tears, because you
>> told me that my mother's killer was a better person than a group
>> of people that are seeking safety and tolerance for themselves.
>>
>> As someone left motherless and victimized by terrorists, I say to
>> you very clearly you are absolutely wrong.
>>
>> You represent a district in Oklahoma City and you very coldly
>> express a lack of love, sympathy or understanding for what they've
>> been through. Can I ask if you might have chosen wiser words were
>> you a real Oklahoman that was here to share the suffering with
>> Oklahoma City? Might your heart be a bit less cold had you been
>> around to see the small bodies of children being pulled out of
>> rubble and carried away by weeping firemen?
>>
>> I've spent 12 years in Oklahoma public schools and never once have
>> I had anyone try to force a gay agenda on me. I have seen,
>> however, many gay students beat up and there's never a day in
>> school that has went by when I haven't heard the word **** slung
>> at someone. I've been called gay slurs many times and they hurt
>> and I am not even gay so I can just imagine how a real gay person
>> feels. You were a school teacher and you have seen those things
>> too. How could you care so little about the suffering of some of
>> your students?
>>
>> Let me tell you the result of your words in my school. Every
>> openly gay and suspected gay in the school were having to walk
>> together Monday for protection. They looked scared. They've
>> already experienced enough hate and now your words gave other
>> students even more motivation to sneer at them and call them
>> names. Afterall, you are a teacher and a lawmaker, many young
>> people have taken your words to heart. That happens when you
>> assume a role of responsibility in your community. I seriously
>> think before this week ends that some kids here will be going home
>> bruised and bloody because of what you said.
>>
>> I wish you could've met my mom. Maybe she could've guided you in
>> how a real Christian should be acting and speaking.
>>
>> I have not had a mother for nearly 13 years now and wonder if
>> there were fewer people like you around, people with more love and
>> tolerance in their hearts instead of strife, if my mom would be
>> here to watch me graduate from high school this spring. Now she
>> won't be there. So I'll be packing my things and leaving Oklahoma
>> to go to college elsewhere and one day be a writer and I have no
>> intentions to ever return here. I have no doubt that people like
>> you will incite crazy people to build more bombs and kill more
>> people again. I don't want to be here for that. I just can't go
>> through that again.
>>
>> You may just see me as a kid, but let me try to teach you
>> something. The old saying is sticks and stones will break your
>> bones, but words will never hurt you. Well, your words hurt me.
>> Your words disrespected the memory of my mom. Your words can cause
>> others to pick up sticks and stones and hurt others.
>>
>> Sincerely
>>
>> Tucker

For the activist out there if you would like to send an email to Sally her address is sallykern@okhouse. gov

Preaching

I love my Episcopal church, it has so many positives, except the preaching. It's a little like torture most Sundays; except when they have guest preachers (the regular Methodist guest preacher tends to bring it in the pulpit), and there is one priest who is an excellent exegete and speaker, who only preaches once every two months. (There are 8 priests at our church who rotate preaching, with the Rector preaching 2 Sundays a month). I even go so far as to write my own, but it would be nice to learn from people who are better at preaching than I am. Easter was really the last straw for me, I had to go to 2 services and hear the ridiculous sermon twice. I know preaching is not everyone's gift, our Rector is really good in small groups and great at pastoral care.

All of that being said I am on the look out for great sermons to read on Monday morning. I already read Heather Jepsen's blog (I hope you preached your Easter sermon and will post it soon, if not can I have a copy?). If any of you know of other really good sermons out there that I can read that would be helpful. I'm not looking for things like tribalchurch.org, which I love, but actual sermons.
Thanks

book update

Westminster/John Knox sent me a very nice thanks but no thanks letter.

So that is two down and an unknown number yet to go.

Piffle.

Atlanta turns into Kansas

As you may have heard a tornado came racing through Atlanta this past weekend. Just wanted to update you that thankfully it skipped our house, but we did get the tornado sirens, hale, crazy rain, and apparently some pretty strong winds. We don't have a basement so Heather, Roux, and I were dutifully huddled in an interior closet underneath our comforter when we heard the sirens go off. Roux was really unhappy with us. Luckily we only had to stay in there for about 10 minutes, then the storm went away. I had been through one tornado before, in high school, which destroyed my parents barn (yes we have a barn, I did grow up in Kentucky). This was Heather's first serious storm, Oregon gets some rain, but not wind, thunder, and lightening like this.

Mind The Gap

The worst part right now is the look on people's face when they first see me. That and my complete inability to speak clearly.

new frog pond

Looks like I will have a book review in an upcoming issue of Christian Century. I am still waiting to hear on the book proposal but I'm okay with waiting right now. Meanwhile, I have a couple other assignments to work on for the Chimes & Presbyterians Today. And a chance to preach on one of the high holy days of the Associate/pulpit supply preacher... (the Sunday after Christmas, the Sunday after Easter, Fourth of July Weekend... )

Meanwhile - spring is starting to bust out around here. Below is a picture of a bush over by the creek where the most amazing mass of leaves are pushing their way out of a monster-sized bud:



This is what the leaves look like once they are out and expanded:


Be rich with life, be explosively green this spring!

TribalChurch.org

TribalChurch.org

Don't know if you all are familiar with this site -- just had to share!
Have a blessed week!
love,
steph

Update on Heather

Hello friends - I survived my surgery really well considering. I hardly had a bloody nose and only threw up once. I spent a week on my back with my mom nursing me back. Swollen and black and blue are my new look. That and the space between my teeth which is already about 5 mm. Hard to believe they can move the teeth so fast . . . that's why it hurts! I am still turning my expander and will do so for at least 5 more days. Today I am going off my big pain meds so we will see how it goes. I was tired of feeling nausea all the time. I am home alone for a few days (Lars has big days at work) and then my mom is coming back to keep me company some more. Right now the battle is depression as I spend my days on the couch looking ugly and feeling like crap! But, back to work by Wed next week - at least half days . . . I hope.

Encouraging News

I got a nice note from an editor today saying that he enjoyed the book proposal and was planning to pass it along to his colleagues for their review.

Still a long ways from the "yes" but hey, what a nice note, eh?

Anitra

thanks

Thanks for your prayers and concern. The infusion yesterday went smoothly with no allergic reaction :) I will have to go and have an infusion every month. Currently I am really tired and weak, which the nurse said was normal. However, I am hoping that the fatigue and weakness are more from the cold/flu I have and that this won't be a monthly event.

Thanks so much! You all mean the world to me.

Much love, Jenn :)

Prayer Request

Hello friends! Things here in Wray are going great. I love the congregation and am enjoying the simple life of a rural pastor.

On Wednesday I start a new IV medication for my MS. Since my body has stopped responding to other forms of treatment this is the next step. Although they assure me that Tysabri is now safe, 3 people have died from taking the medicine. So, needless to say I am a bit worried. My dad has come up to be with me and take me to the first infusion, so that is comforting. So, if you have a little extra time, please keep me in your prayers as I begin this next step of treatment for MS.

On another note, Harold is in Malawi, Africa on a mission trip until February 29, so keep him in your prayers as well.

Take care and much love!

Brace Face

Friends - Here are pictures of my now strange face. I have clear braces on top and metal on the bottom both with blue rubberband thingys. You can also see the torture device that has been installed on the roof of my mouth. I now speak like I have a mouth full of marbles. I sound awful - which will be a joy as I try to preach on Sunday. The trip to the ortho did not go well as they could not get the expander in - the glue had begun to dry. I was crying in the chair from the pain of them forcing it on my teeth. My surgery is now scheduled for Thursday. I will turn my expander two times a day for 12 days and a total of 24 turns. We are going for a 8-10mm expansion. When I finally get back to work in March I will have a large space between my two front teeth. Oh the adventures . . . no wonder most pastors quit after the first year : ) Just kidding - so far my congregation has been great - though we'll see how patient they are after tomorrow's super slow sermon.

Brace Yourself for Valentines Day

Friends - Tomorrow I go in and get all my gear put on. I am getting a palatal expander on the roof of my mouth which looks something like this . . .

Then I am getting cermaic braces on the top and bottom teeth which looks something like this . . .

I will post pictures when I am able. On Tuesday next week I have my surgery to cut open my upper palate so it can move with the expander . . .

Please continue to keep me in prayer.

Confession

I like ants.

I think they are very cool and they do interesting things both individually and as a group. I think they are important little clean up critters in this world and I like having them around. As long as "around" is outside. Not in my house. Especially not in my kitchen.

Which is where they tend to show up after a long rain or it turns cold outside. And who can blame them? Its warm, there's food, and its not flooding the nest.

At first I tended to squeal a little bit and then squish as many as possible with a paper towel but there seemed to quite a few more thousand. I tried talking to them but human-ant interspecies conversation doesn't seem to work well.

So I looked on line and read my organic pest books and decided that pretty much my only option was to set out the puddle of death. Its a high viscosity slow acting ant poison. Its sweet so once an ant discover its yummy lethal goodness, pretty much several thousand of its brothers show up to lick it up and take it back to the next to share with the others.

I hate putting it out. I really don't want to kill them. I just want them out in the yard. Not pets. Yet, this is our second invasion in the upstairs bathroom and we've seen two waves this year in the kitchen so far. I noticed a couple wandering around the living room a few days ago but they apparently decided it wasn't worth calling in the gang. You can see how this could go.

So - the night before last when I was reluctantly picking up the bottle of death goo to spread out the banquet of doom, I screamed like a girly girl when I discovered the ants were already sucking on the pour spout. For some reason it makes me think of cars lined up in the McDonalds drive through lane....

Last night, the population was starting to drop. I could see some of the ants carting off the bodies of their brothers back toward where ever it was they came from.

Today there are no ants. Just the placid, still glistening puddle of death gently reflecting the morning light.

Why can't they just stay outside?

Time on your hands? Wanna go to Geneva?

In honor of Calvin's 500th birthday in 2009, a host of groups and churches have put together all kinds of seminars and events - and a Calvin-centered-hymn-writing competition. Winners get travel and accommodations paid to Geneva for the celebration. Details are here:

http://www.calvin09.ch/media/pdf/interaktiv/Liedwettbewerb_E.pdf

And more info on the celebrations are here:

http://www.calvin09.ch/EN/home/home2.html

I can see it now...

"His theology comes with some gravity,
That's the way of total depravity..."

Snow daze

Well, here we are! Winter has definitely arrived and it shore is purty! This is a photo of Hope College Dimnant Chapel -- inside reminds me a whole lot of Stewart Chapel but about three times as large -- really beautiful.

It has been snowing most of today...and snowing...and snowing...outside my office window, the icy branches have tiny red berries still clinging on for all they're worth! The seminary was actually closed due to weather this past Wednesday for the first time in 15 years!

Life is good. I have been appointed by Dean VanDyk as an adjunct faculty for next academic year to co-teach a class for seniors "Launching Your Ministry." How cool is that??? And yesterday I submitted my application for the DMin program (what am I thinking???). Having a great time -- love what I'm doing here, love the people who put up with me, love our home and love you all for being so supportive when all this started. I've been here one year and 30 days. Can you believe it?

Jim started a "seminary singers" group with yours truly as accomplice -- however the students have suggested another name: Creme de la Croom! We sang in Chapel this morning -- not up to SFTS standards as far as numbers go but the majority of folks here seem to read music so it makes for fun rehearsals.

Almost time to trundle out and scrape the windscreen! So TTFN and loads of love to you all!

Ordination photos

Hi everyone! I'm getting my feet underneath me at Santa Clara, and also have already had my first vistors: friends who were in town for a wedding - and who also brought ordination photos...



Here's a slightly blurry one where Cheryl is about to give me my robe...



...and here's one of my dad and me looking very serious as we serve communion.

Theological Pop Quizzes

I have two stepsons who are loosely Unitarian in their upbringing. They are also very bright and interested in the world around them. Living with them is something like a never ending Trivia Pursuit game. I might be walking out of the bathroom and bam, there's a question like, "how many presidents earned over $250,000 per year?" or "What do you think of Obama's electablity against Gulliani?" Sometimes I can answer the question, sometimes I tell them to go look it up on-line. Mostly I enjoy watching their curiosity and their thought paths at play.

Sometimes though, its tough.

The other night - I had about 15 minutes to eat my dinner & find my shoes/socks/stuff and get out the door for choir practice when my younger step son (age 13) asks, "So, what do you Presbyterians believe about heaven?"

yikes!

So we had a conversation that touched on life after death, the new heaven and earth, Revelations, the holes in Jesus' hands, A God that is always creating, and meanwhile my elder step son is throwing in questions like, "So, explain atonement for me..."

I made it to choir practice on time, with shoes and socks on my feet but I had to postpone atonement for another time alongside of explaining why apocalyptic writings are a mis-reading of Revelations and an overall review of Eschatology & Christology.

I'm going to be sooo ready for a floor examination should that day ever come to pass.

mmmmmm

This is my first effort at making bacon. Real bacon. It has just come out of the oven where I slow roasted it after brining in a simple salt/sugur/pink salt brine. It tastes very good. Seriously.

It has a twin in the refrigerator, still in brine stage. That one I want to smoke. I just need 3 hours w/o rain. Or a tarp.... hmmmmmm

In the Mail

Two years from first thinking that not only had the time come, I actually could do this...
Seven years from first dreaming that someday I might do this...
There it is in the mailbox - the book proposal.
Now its up to someone else.
And yes, in all probability, quite a few more someone elses

But there it is: a dream now out and loose in the world.

Peace!

Update

Hello. An update on Heather and I. I have started a new job. I am now the Development associate at The Samaritan House, samhouse.org. I am mostly going to be writing grants and doing research. The Samaritan House, founded in 1986, transforms lives by helping homeless men and women achieve self-sufficiency through personalized employment readiness and life stabilization programs. If you can't tell, I've written that sentence this week many times. I get to sit in my office and write and be creative and I don't have to talk to other people, I love my job.
Heather, of course, is a complete rock star at her job. She got the church through Christmas with flying colors and with everyone's heads still attached. Apparently that hasn't happened in recent memory so everyone is falling all over themselves to tell her how awesome she is, something we all already knew. Her programs are growing and the kids follow her around like little ducklings, she is so good at her job. The presbytery of the Cascades is a whole other story, but keep Heather and all of them in your prayers as they figure out what to do next. I have decided to hate them all for a little while, I'll get over it I'm sure, currently just sending them my spite. (If you want details, ask Heather, not my story to share).

Our marathon is in a month, yes we are running a real 26.2 marathon on February 18th. We ran 18 miles this past Saturday, will run 20 next weekend and training is going well. Our next goal is a triathalon, training for a marathon takes up too much time. After a year we have decided we really like Atlanta, who knew? We don't think we will be here forever, Portland can wait for a couple years for us though.
Peace and light

Update on Heather

Friends - Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers. I have survived the gum graft. For a while there I was really swollen and black and blue. I was calling myself "Big League Chew" since only half my face was doubled in size. There was no way I could do church on Sunday so Lars filled in reading my sermon and leading worship. He was a big hit and is now in demand, which is good because I have more sick days coming up. Right now I am still tender on the roof of my mouth and I look like Frankenstein at the graft site but its not too bad. I got my stitches out yesterday which was a big improvement. There is a bit of an issue with an area where I have lost feeling at the graft site and I need to go back and have it taken care of, but not until I recover from my big surgery. Next week I start the braces preparation, its like a never ending nightmare for this girl who hates the dentist chair. Thanks for your prayers.

Wind Gusts to 55 mph or so

We used to have a fence.

We still do I guess, only its kinda done with being a fence. Or at least with being a good fence. Right now its a tired fence. A laying down fence. A broken fence, rotted out at the base and no longer able to separate, delineate, set the boundary. Our neighbor's yard is open to us and our yard is open to him.

Which is okay with us as neither of us have dogs and our kids are big and his kids never ever go outside. Seriously, I practically never see them. He is Vietnamese-American and from L.A. He owns an auto repair shop a few blocks from here and it looks like he and his family really all live at the shop in that "Gonna make the American Dream" way.

This weekend Bill & Kevin will sort out the wood and try to find a better place to store the now-retired fence pieces and make some sort of agreement about its replacement. It will be interesting to see how that conversation will go. Kevin is very pragmatic about things like yards (lowest maintenance possible) and fences (cement blocks ok?). Of all my neighbors here, I like them the best even though they are practically invisible (they never open their windows or their blinds) because they aren't trying to put their stuff on other folks.

Up till now we've lived next door to each other in that suburban live-and-let-live way. Now I'm starting to thumb through some Vietnamese recipes. I think eating together is very important when considering fences.

Prayer Request

Friends - This is a simple prayer request for myself. Tomorrow I am headed in for a gum graft. They will take tissue of the roof of my mouth and then attach it to my upper gums right side. I am hoping to be healed by Sunday, but I am planning to train Lars as a back up. I am mostly asking for prayers of peace. This is the first venture in what will be two hard months for me. Surgery this week, then near the end of January I begin braces preparation. On Valentines day I will be fitted with upper and lower braces along with a palatial expander which is a big peace of metal on the roof of my mouth. Then on February 19th I will have my big surgery which involves sawing in my jaw in several places so that my upper palate will become mobile. Needless to say all this planned messing with my mouth is causing me anxiety. Tomorrow it begins and in a few months it will just be living with braces - but right now I am having a hard time focusing on my congregation as my head swims with my own needs and fears. So . . . keep me in your prayers. And in February I will post pictures of my brace face! - Heather