It feels necessary to explain the process, in order to gain understanding of my present reality.
In spring of 2009 I visited a seminary for the first time. There was an event held for people considering seminary. The welcoming speech began and immediately I knew seminary was something very different than undergrad. There were all these new terms to learn and paths to choose from. It is explained nearly immediately that earning an MDiv at an ELCA seminary (traditionally) looks like this:
Classroom credits for an academic year
Chaplaincy Internship the following summer
Classroom credits for an academic year
On-site perish internship for twelve months
Classroom credits for a year
GRADUATION!
You become so used to explaining this timeline that you almost immediately become desensitized to how quickly it actually happens. All of a sudden it's:
Year one: check!
Chaplaincy internship: check!
Year two: check!
Internship year: [blank look of disbelief]
All of a sudden you're in the middle of internship interviews, and waiting anxiously for placement.
Then you're placed.
Then you're packing up a moving truck.
Then you're... here.
I moved into my new apartment in Fargo, ND on June 20. I was "installed" during worship the next morning, and I reported to my new office that Tuesday to begin this next chapter. That was a month and a half ago. If these past six weeks are any indication of how time will feel while I'm here, I should probably start packing again, because I'll be moving again really soon!
But not too soon I hope.
My internship site is one where I work at a church alongside a pastor. (There are internship sites where the pastor and the intern are at separate sites). This means that the pastor and I co-lead services. Well, last Sunday my supervisor was on vacation and I had the opportunity, for the first time, to lead a worship center by myself. Of course I was very anxious beforehand, but something just clicked that morning. I feel like I just clicked into this role. Yesterday after worship I did my first solo hospital visit. It was amazing. I got to visit with the parishioner and her family. We talked and laughed and worried and prayed together. While I was on the elevator, on my way out of the hospital, a young woman saw my collar and asked if I was a pastor. I told her yes because, simplicity, and she asked if I would be willing to visit with her mom. These are the things I'm so excited about!
In just a month and a half I've already preached, presided, served lunch to neighborhood kids and their parents twice, made hospital visits, done worship planning, participated in text study, sat in on meetings for social justice committees, observed pre-marital counseling, and the pastoral side of a wedding, and I made connections with area pastors and the bishop. Three weeks ago, we had our worship service in the park, which was of course accompanied by a pot-luck picnic.
In addition to all of that, I've gotten to meet and get to know the people here! I have to be completely honest, when I first got here, seeing nothing but strangers was really stressful. But even in that past few weeks, I've gotten to know them, and there are so many faithful and service-oriented people here. It's so inspiring to see how much time and energy they put into making sure that their church, and their feeling of church, surpasses the brick and mortar of this building.
I know that this blog has never been faith/church-heavy. However, I will be adding a new tab at the top where you'll be able to find my sermons that I preach this year. We might begin to record Mp3s of the sermons, and I'll try to add that also, when it's available.
Thank you for reading
and I'll try to keep you all updated on this experience!
Em.
PS, Still no sign of a wood chipper. I'm safe.