Bittersweet

Hey all! The first part is from Jana -- the 2nd part is from me! It's a bit long but please keep reading -- and thank you all for everything!
I miss you!
love, steph

Sarah Knowles, I'd love to talk with you! Remember a LONG time ago when I asked you a question out of the blue about RCA?? Maybe it makes sense now??

Dear Friends,
It is my bittersweet duty to let you know that Stephanie Croom will be leaving SFTS in December to accept a position at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. The news is bitter for those of us she will be leaving behind. She has been a wise counselor to students, a trusted colleague to coworkers and a beam of pure North Carolina sunshine to all who knew her here. We will miss her mightily. At the same time because we have come to know and love Stephanie as well as we have -- we are very happy indeed for the joy, adventure and opportunity this change will bring into her life. Later this semester we will find an appropriate time and way to face up to our good-byes and celebrate Stephanie and Jim.

Meanwhile, Stephanie has provided the following note which fills in the details of this story. We are grateful for the love, sweat and tears Stephanie has invested in our work and community. Please do join me in telling her so!
Jana Childers
Dean of the Seminary

Dear Friends and Colleagues,
I am writing to share some wonderful news with people I care about most, my family at SFTS (or beyond, as the case may be)! Last spring, I was offered a position with Western Theological Seminary (Holland MI) as Associate Director of Formation for Ministry! I have known the director of the program (Matt Floding) for seven years through my participation in the Association of Theological Field Educators (ATFE) and the PCUSA caucus of that group, PTFE. Matt sent me a position description in the Fall of 2005 and asked if I knew of anyone who might be interested in the position.

In January 2006, I attended the FaithTrust Institute with Marie Fortune in Daytona Beach; the folks from Western Theological Seminary were also there -- Matt Floding (director of the formation for ministry team and dean of students), Theresa Lattini (pastoral theology) and Leanne Van Dyk, the dean of WTS. After that gathering in Daytona, Matt was meeting with the steering committee of ATFE in San Rafael (coincidentally??) and stayed at our apartment, giving him a chance to do some laundry and meet Jim. Long story short -- Matt really opened my eyes to the possibility of applying for the position. At his invitation, I submitted an application and visited Holland and the WTS campus in April. While there, I met with faculty and students, interviewed with the president and the dean and came home to prayerfully consider their offer to come and be a part of the Formation for Ministry team.

It has been a long process -- I knew before our spring semester was over that I would be leaving SFTS. My feelings are mixed -- SFTS has been my home for 11 years and I absolutely love being here. It will not be easy to leave. However, the timing is right personally -- closer to my home state of North Carolina, same time zone, too! We are buying a house -- and have narrowed our choices to 3!! Professionally, the program at WTS "fits" my understanding of theological field education and although not a PCUSA seminary, a sister institution in the Reformed tradition!

Jim and I truly believe that this is a call for me -- he is very supportive and excited about the move (he loves cold weather!). The plans are that I will complete this semester which ends December 15, while Jim expects to remain here for a while in the position he began in June. We'll be moving house and Sam (the cat) in December to our new address during the Christmas vacation and I will start at WTS on January 1, 2007 by getting on a bus with the junior class and going away for a week-long retreat!

You have all been companions, colleagues and consultants along this incredible journey. I cannot begin to thank you enough for everything -- but I will try to do so as our days together in this place and time come to a sweet ending.
With a heart full of love & gratitude,
Stephanie

Time Passes

I was back on campus yesterday for the Redwoods Presbytery meeting. We started with worship in Stewart Chapel - at the normal chapel time so I saw teachers and students and it felt normal plus a few dozen extra people I did not know. And then it was time for the students and teachers to leave for class and I didn't.

And that almost felt like normal.

It was a poignant moment of transition that I didn't feel until after folks had left and I looked around and realized that I was sitting among strangers. I know a number of Redwoods people, but most of the people in that room were strangers to me. Given enough time, I could come to know many of them, their stories, their joys, their struggles. But I don't know how much time I have among them. I don't know where I'm going. All I have is this inbetween time. Abraham, Sarah, Hagar and you and I, heading out to destinations unknown... When do we need to act and when have we acted too soon?

There is a creek near my home. This morning I went to sit beside it with my bible and my book of common worship, the personal prayer edition. Job lamaents his abandonment by God, Lazares dies and its a metaphore for Jesus's own upcoming death and the Word is preached all over the Mediterranian and elders are strengthed and comissioned with prayer and fasting. As I sit silently watching leafs, each taking its turn to gracefully take flight until it touches the surface of the barely perceivable moving water, I notice a deer on the other side of the creek watching me. Together we sit in the morning sunlight. How much does a deer note the change in seasons? What does time mean to it? Is a deer's life a true eternal zen moment of now? Or do deer also dance in the love/life that pulses underneath everything? There are three spider webs gleaming in the sideways morning light to my right. Then the deer snorts three times three, turns and leaps away. Two more deer emerge into my view to leap and run and to follow the first.

Creator, created, creating.

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A couple of random changes to note:
The Chinese resturant that closed for the eternal remodel has or is about to reopen. An art studio has opened in that big brown office building next to the knitting store. Two of the stores (gem & fig garden) have reopened but it looks like the chocolate shop has closed.
There is probably more, but that's all I could see driving through the downtown area - which involves avoiding all the other cars, bikes, pedestrians, etc.

News from Wilbur

Hello friends - Lars and I had a wonderful weekend in Wilbur. We looked at houses on Saturday and have picked out a small fixer-upper. Hopefully we can make it our own soon. Had a potluck with church members on Saturday night. It was a joy to meet people, share great food, and try on being their pastor. I think all had fun. Sunday went well. I really enjoyed worshipping with the congregation. There was a lot of joy and excitement in the air. The sermon went well. We went next door to wait for the vote which was a little nerve racking but happily we returned to positive news. I was voted in by a large majority! Lars and I are thrilled and I really feel so good about this. The church community and I are a really good match. Now all I need is to survive those pesky Trials next weekend! - Heather J