This is for you (and you know who you are) that are struggling with classes that seemingly have NO practical application to your end goal.
I've been there before and I find myself doing the same thing. I was pretty sure that my teacher education classes were a bunch of crap and had really NOTHING to do with how I was going to teach or even to relate to kids (being a secondary ed major and all). Methods, assessment (which I REALLY didn't pay attention in...and this was before wireless Internet access in class), ed psych (which I struggled with), even the content classes that I had to take all kept me from my ultimate goal of being in the classroom with students. I liked learning the content because I like learning. I wanted and believed that we needed more time in the setting(school) and less time in the classroom.
So now, I'm in a professional program to become a pastor and there are days when that feeling re-emerges. What does this have to do with anything? How does knowing the past help with issues today? What good is Greek or Hebrew when I'll be ministering to a Latino congregation in NE Philly? Why can't we be doing more in field ed now...
I see this both ways. I am a contextual person...what happened in the past truly does affect today and maybe we can learn how to get through some of the challenges that we face. I'm also a social/people/giving person who needs to be where the people are. Sometimes its listening, sometimes it's praying, sometimes it's just sitting in silence.
So...patience my dear grasshoppers. I won't be trite and and give you standard cliches. I just pray for patience, peace, and guidance for you as you race to the end of your first seminary semester. It doesn't seem like enough in the short term (it's what 17 days until all is done or something like that?). But that is my prayer, my advice, and my desire for all of you banging your heads and wondering what you've gotten yourselves into.
(Hey...isn't that what Advent is about anyway?)
T.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Advent Worship on Wednesday
Trinity tried something new this week and Mrs. G shared a sermon about 'waking up' in Advent. I usually am the first to get out Christmas decorations and to get ready for the season, but this year, I've been a little torn. Don't get me wrong...I love the challenge that my new job brings, I love learning and the community of LTSP and I am finally feeling like I belong to a community. But in the midst of all this change, there has also been heartache and anxiety as I watch my parents work through an acute mental health crisis. The past month, I've acutally slowed down my frenetic pace and really just tried to get through. I've been walking around in a fog.
But the message of the first Sunday of Advent is to be watchful and awake. Mrs. G used the example of participating in countless fire drills to teach her how to be prepared in the event something happens. I thought about that and could even fill in other things that we practice to be ready. And then as she made the analogy to church and the things we do about church every week, I had an a-ha moment. This is why we worship. We work together to be ready for when Jesus comes again. We pray, read, sing, listen.
I've been putting off blogging for a while because this is something that makes me vulnerable. In the middle of worship, I started to come awake and to understand that all my time spent in school, in church, in study of scripture, being part of a Christian community...all these things are helping and supporting me...I've probably driven a few of my friends a bit batty with my need to stay connected, but that's what friends a for: to put up with my crap and to still be my friend.
That's enough for now.
But the message of the first Sunday of Advent is to be watchful and awake. Mrs. G used the example of participating in countless fire drills to teach her how to be prepared in the event something happens. I thought about that and could even fill in other things that we practice to be ready. And then as she made the analogy to church and the things we do about church every week, I had an a-ha moment. This is why we worship. We work together to be ready for when Jesus comes again. We pray, read, sing, listen.
I've been putting off blogging for a while because this is something that makes me vulnerable. In the middle of worship, I started to come awake and to understand that all my time spent in school, in church, in study of scripture, being part of a Christian community...all these things are helping and supporting me...I've probably driven a few of my friends a bit batty with my need to stay connected, but that's what friends a for: to put up with my crap and to still be my friend.
That's enough for now.
Christ the King Sunday Sermon
It’s Christ the King Sunday. For me, I see Christ radiating glory and power and all the things promised coming true. It’s a festival day where we celebrate the one who has set us free. The paraments are white and the songs proclaim his eternal reign: Jesus shall reign where’er the sun and crown him with many crowns. It signals the end of one church year and the anticipation of another Advent season. It’s a great day.
So when I read today’s Gospel lesson with my colleagues, we were left a little stumped. Why include a part of the Good Friday Drama on a day when we celebrate Christ triumphant? Very curious indeed.
But look closely…if you take away the drama and the suffering that we intrinsically feel when we read this passage, we see Christ radiating glory, power and peace in the midst that horrifying day.
The last few weeks have had Luke leading us to this moment. Amid the doom and gloom of the readings, there has been a thread of hope leading us to this promise and this time. Last week, nations were fighting and the earth was in tumult. The week before, Jesus shared that the life of the resurrection would be greater and more amazing that the things we worry about here will not matter.
Hope is something that has been missing in my life lately. It’s really hard to get past the illnesses plaguing my family, the really long hours that church work brings, the confusing readings of systematic theology, and the other things that weigh heavy on my shoulders and my heart. It’s not even January yet and the political storm of campaigns are raging and I can’t believe that it will get more intense. Nations are posturing with each other and themselves, holding threats of martial law and nuclear capabilities over our heads. In Philadelphia, police officers have been the targets of gun violence in the last month. It’s really easy miss the point of Luke’s message and get weighed down in the doom and to stay there. It’s easy to not look closely at those glimpses of hope and to stay stuck in the woe and madness.
Think back to the events leading up to and in today’s Gospel…Jesus has been mocked, spat on, whipped, and mutilated; his clothes are being auctioned off in a game of chance; his followers couldn’t handle it and ran; and one of the criminals hanging with him is even taunting him. He rises above it all and still brings hope to the one that believed…it’s a message that I think is hard for us to swallow because it smacks our culture right between its eyes.
Really…what’s so hopeful about war and genocide? What’s so hopeful when your grandmother is waiting for test results about cancer, your dad is suffering from PTSD and is in the hospital, your new niece is suffering from chronic ear infections, you can’t pay your bills on time… TV and internet and radio advertisements are filled with images of pain and then in the next moment, it seems as if the way to get over that pain is to buy things or to medicate them away. We get so caught up in these things that we are overwhelmed with despair and hopelessness.
Today, we are reminded with pageantry and with promise that these are earthly things, and though while important today, are just that…earthly things. When we place all that we are in these earthly things, we lose what is most important…that fact that Jesus, our rock, our redeemer, took the despair, the hopelessness, and the pain upon himself and freed us to live in hope and love. This promise comes through in our psalm of the day as well. I remember holding on to the sentence…be still and know that I am God… in the days after September 11. It’s been a sentence that I play over and over again lately as I pray for peace for the world, for the nation, for my family, for me. I recently bought Peder Eide’s new CD and he wrote a song based on this. And somehow, it is cued to play when I am angry, frustrated, and ready to rant at the cars in front of me. It calms me down and helps me to look at what’s really important.
And this is the turning point…from despair and suffering to hope. This is when and how we can marvel in his amazing love and sacrifice. In the midst of pain and persecution, he recognizes the criminal and promises him eternal life. If you think about it, we are like that criminal, guilty of crimes and sentenced to die. He’s with us there and takes away the sin and reigns over all things…seen and unseen, where the sun shines, and where there is darkness and hurt. We celebrate today because those dark things have been lifted away and we are able to glorify, praise, honor, shout, dance, jump for joy. We have hope…and peace. A myriad of songs come to mind when I think about praising God…and we are singing many of them today.
But don’t forget to pass this on…we are to share this amazing message with others. We are to be like Jesus – working for peace, justice, hope, love. We are mandated to take the good news to those still rebuilding from hurricanes, cyclones, and wildfires. We are to find the hopeless, the poor, the disenfranchised and work with them to bring equality, freedom and hope. It would be easy to forget that Jesus came to serve – and sets us to serve as well. This is not any easy thing to do when things look bleak…but we have that message of hope waiting for us…
I’d like to leave you with a poem from Madeleine L’Engle. You may recognize her name as she wrote “A Wrinkle in Time”. Her literature and poetry combine fiction and faith. I came across this book of poetry at a previous job and I think poem embodies this day…it is titled First Born. While it is about Christmas, it also embodies what this day of Christ the King is all about.
He did not wait till the world was ready,
Till men and women were at peace.
He came when the Heavens were unsteady,
And prisoners cried for release.
He did not wait for the perfect time.
He came when the need was deep and great.
He dined with sinners with all their grime.
He turned water into wine. He did not wait
Till their hearts were pure. In joy he came
into a tarnished world of sin and doubt.
To a world like ours of anguished shame
He came, and is Light would not go out.
He came to a world that did not mesh,
To heal its tangles, shield its scorn.
In the mystery of the Word made Flesh
The maker of the stars was born.
We cannot wait till the world is sane
To raise our songs with joyful voice
For to share our grief, to touch our pain,
He came with love: Rejoice! Rejoice!
Amen
So when I read today’s Gospel lesson with my colleagues, we were left a little stumped. Why include a part of the Good Friday Drama on a day when we celebrate Christ triumphant? Very curious indeed.
But look closely…if you take away the drama and the suffering that we intrinsically feel when we read this passage, we see Christ radiating glory, power and peace in the midst that horrifying day.
The last few weeks have had Luke leading us to this moment. Amid the doom and gloom of the readings, there has been a thread of hope leading us to this promise and this time. Last week, nations were fighting and the earth was in tumult. The week before, Jesus shared that the life of the resurrection would be greater and more amazing that the things we worry about here will not matter.
Hope is something that has been missing in my life lately. It’s really hard to get past the illnesses plaguing my family, the really long hours that church work brings, the confusing readings of systematic theology, and the other things that weigh heavy on my shoulders and my heart. It’s not even January yet and the political storm of campaigns are raging and I can’t believe that it will get more intense. Nations are posturing with each other and themselves, holding threats of martial law and nuclear capabilities over our heads. In Philadelphia, police officers have been the targets of gun violence in the last month. It’s really easy miss the point of Luke’s message and get weighed down in the doom and to stay there. It’s easy to not look closely at those glimpses of hope and to stay stuck in the woe and madness.
Think back to the events leading up to and in today’s Gospel…Jesus has been mocked, spat on, whipped, and mutilated; his clothes are being auctioned off in a game of chance; his followers couldn’t handle it and ran; and one of the criminals hanging with him is even taunting him. He rises above it all and still brings hope to the one that believed…it’s a message that I think is hard for us to swallow because it smacks our culture right between its eyes.
Really…what’s so hopeful about war and genocide? What’s so hopeful when your grandmother is waiting for test results about cancer, your dad is suffering from PTSD and is in the hospital, your new niece is suffering from chronic ear infections, you can’t pay your bills on time… TV and internet and radio advertisements are filled with images of pain and then in the next moment, it seems as if the way to get over that pain is to buy things or to medicate them away. We get so caught up in these things that we are overwhelmed with despair and hopelessness.
Today, we are reminded with pageantry and with promise that these are earthly things, and though while important today, are just that…earthly things. When we place all that we are in these earthly things, we lose what is most important…that fact that Jesus, our rock, our redeemer, took the despair, the hopelessness, and the pain upon himself and freed us to live in hope and love. This promise comes through in our psalm of the day as well. I remember holding on to the sentence…be still and know that I am God… in the days after September 11. It’s been a sentence that I play over and over again lately as I pray for peace for the world, for the nation, for my family, for me. I recently bought Peder Eide’s new CD and he wrote a song based on this. And somehow, it is cued to play when I am angry, frustrated, and ready to rant at the cars in front of me. It calms me down and helps me to look at what’s really important.
And this is the turning point…from despair and suffering to hope. This is when and how we can marvel in his amazing love and sacrifice. In the midst of pain and persecution, he recognizes the criminal and promises him eternal life. If you think about it, we are like that criminal, guilty of crimes and sentenced to die. He’s with us there and takes away the sin and reigns over all things…seen and unseen, where the sun shines, and where there is darkness and hurt. We celebrate today because those dark things have been lifted away and we are able to glorify, praise, honor, shout, dance, jump for joy. We have hope…and peace. A myriad of songs come to mind when I think about praising God…and we are singing many of them today.
But don’t forget to pass this on…we are to share this amazing message with others. We are to be like Jesus – working for peace, justice, hope, love. We are mandated to take the good news to those still rebuilding from hurricanes, cyclones, and wildfires. We are to find the hopeless, the poor, the disenfranchised and work with them to bring equality, freedom and hope. It would be easy to forget that Jesus came to serve – and sets us to serve as well. This is not any easy thing to do when things look bleak…but we have that message of hope waiting for us…
I’d like to leave you with a poem from Madeleine L’Engle. You may recognize her name as she wrote “A Wrinkle in Time”. Her literature and poetry combine fiction and faith. I came across this book of poetry at a previous job and I think poem embodies this day…it is titled First Born. While it is about Christmas, it also embodies what this day of Christ the King is all about.
He did not wait till the world was ready,
Till men and women were at peace.
He came when the Heavens were unsteady,
And prisoners cried for release.
He did not wait for the perfect time.
He came when the need was deep and great.
He dined with sinners with all their grime.
He turned water into wine. He did not wait
Till their hearts were pure. In joy he came
into a tarnished world of sin and doubt.
To a world like ours of anguished shame
He came, and is Light would not go out.
He came to a world that did not mesh,
To heal its tangles, shield its scorn.
In the mystery of the Word made Flesh
The maker of the stars was born.
We cannot wait till the world is sane
To raise our songs with joyful voice
For to share our grief, to touch our pain,
He came with love: Rejoice! Rejoice!
Amen
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Why do we serve?
This is my devotion for our summer servant trip info night...but I think it provides some food for thought...
I’ve been thinking a lot about all the great things that I get to watch students do in the summer months. I also get to watch the Trinity and Lansdale communities come together in support of causes that mean a great deal to them. But as I began preparing for next summer and the meeting tonight, I couldn’t help but wonder if we’ve missed out on something. Don’t get me wrong…I’ve witnessed amazing things but I felt something was missing.
So what was that niggling feeling? I guess I’ve sung my friend Pastor Lou’s favorite song too many times. It’s on the table in front of you: “Beauty for Brokenness.” The image of those words is what servant trips are about. And it is through the amazing love of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit that these words come alive when we talk about serving God or use our time, talent, and treasures. Service is about listening to a story of hope or pounding nails into a stud to build a roof or a wall.
Unfortunately, sometimes we get so caught up in the “going on a trip” or the “I want to use a power tool” that our purpose gets lost in translation. Instead of being privileged to help others, we can go into a situation feeling like saviors. We can forget the cultural differences and alienate the people that we are there to help. We close our eyes to the simple pleasures and look for the best way to play a prank on our team.
This song…Beauty for Brokenness…it runs through my head and reminds me that I am blessed beyond measure. As I sing the words, I see the images from TV and magazines of weather ravaged countried and war-torn places. I see the strength of people as they cling to what they have and know that I have the wherewithal to help them out. And while the verses speak to many things wrong in the world, they also cause us to cry out to God that we may be the hands that help to change just a bit of the world. We pray for compassion and spark and hope.
That’s why we serve…to lighten the darkness and to bring justice to those without. To make homes safer, to share sunshine and love with those in need, to provide sanctuary for all children, no matter where they are.
Summer 2008 is full of these opportunities. We are headed to Appalachia, New York, New Orleans, and Tanzania. Before we get there, we have the opportunity to help here in Lansdale and in Philadelphia. We serve because He(or she) first loved us.
Pray with me:
God of the poor and friend of the week, we come to you today as we begin preparations for our service trips this summer. Open our hearts to your presence and your purpose. We pray for compassion for those we serve and those we serve with. We pray for understanding and guidance. Let all that we do be for your glory and not ours. We ask these things through the one that showed compassion, love, and mercy to all. Amen.
The song "Beauty for Brokenness" is in the Worship and Praise supplement from Augsburg Fortress (or Purple #17 for those of you familiar). It is also known as "God of the Poor". It was written by Graham Kendrick. You can read the lyrics here at his site: http://www.grahamkendrick.co.uk/songs/lyrics/god_of_the_poor.htm
Thanks for reading,
Tina
I’ve been thinking a lot about all the great things that I get to watch students do in the summer months. I also get to watch the Trinity and Lansdale communities come together in support of causes that mean a great deal to them. But as I began preparing for next summer and the meeting tonight, I couldn’t help but wonder if we’ve missed out on something. Don’t get me wrong…I’ve witnessed amazing things but I felt something was missing.
So what was that niggling feeling? I guess I’ve sung my friend Pastor Lou’s favorite song too many times. It’s on the table in front of you: “Beauty for Brokenness.” The image of those words is what servant trips are about. And it is through the amazing love of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit that these words come alive when we talk about serving God or use our time, talent, and treasures. Service is about listening to a story of hope or pounding nails into a stud to build a roof or a wall.
Unfortunately, sometimes we get so caught up in the “going on a trip” or the “I want to use a power tool” that our purpose gets lost in translation. Instead of being privileged to help others, we can go into a situation feeling like saviors. We can forget the cultural differences and alienate the people that we are there to help. We close our eyes to the simple pleasures and look for the best way to play a prank on our team.
This song…Beauty for Brokenness…it runs through my head and reminds me that I am blessed beyond measure. As I sing the words, I see the images from TV and magazines of weather ravaged countried and war-torn places. I see the strength of people as they cling to what they have and know that I have the wherewithal to help them out. And while the verses speak to many things wrong in the world, they also cause us to cry out to God that we may be the hands that help to change just a bit of the world. We pray for compassion and spark and hope.
That’s why we serve…to lighten the darkness and to bring justice to those without. To make homes safer, to share sunshine and love with those in need, to provide sanctuary for all children, no matter where they are.
Summer 2008 is full of these opportunities. We are headed to Appalachia, New York, New Orleans, and Tanzania. Before we get there, we have the opportunity to help here in Lansdale and in Philadelphia. We serve because He(or she) first loved us.
Pray with me:
God of the poor and friend of the week, we come to you today as we begin preparations for our service trips this summer. Open our hearts to your presence and your purpose. We pray for compassion for those we serve and those we serve with. We pray for understanding and guidance. Let all that we do be for your glory and not ours. We ask these things through the one that showed compassion, love, and mercy to all. Amen.
The song "Beauty for Brokenness" is in the Worship and Praise supplement from Augsburg Fortress (or Purple #17 for those of you familiar). It is also known as "God of the Poor". It was written by Graham Kendrick. You can read the lyrics here at his site: http://www.grahamkendrick.co.uk/songs/lyrics/god_of_the_poor.htm
Thanks for reading,
Tina
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Thinking about God
So...I promised theological discourse and here it is...
We're talking about the ideas and concepts of God: who, what, how? You know, the easy questions about God. We've (my classmates and I) been pushed from our comfort zones and now we're trying to construct what this is really all about.
How do we use language to describe God? Is our language capable of explaining something that is unexplainable? How does our language make our conceptualization of God biased? (I'm just starting with some of the thoughts that I have been trying to make sense of ideas and discussions from the last week or two...)
In using a constructive theology textbook, we are examining a lot of the worries (an easy word) that people have with the "common" ideas of God that we have. Is God a man? Is he vengeful or merciful or both? How do we picture this unexplanable thing to those that have not encountered him/her/it? Can we adequately do it with people whose life experience is different from ours?
No answers today...just thought I'd share my questions...
And if I had answers, they might change tomorrow.
What do you think?
Peace,
Tina
We're talking about the ideas and concepts of God: who, what, how? You know, the easy questions about God. We've (my classmates and I) been pushed from our comfort zones and now we're trying to construct what this is really all about.
How do we use language to describe God? Is our language capable of explaining something that is unexplainable? How does our language make our conceptualization of God biased? (I'm just starting with some of the thoughts that I have been trying to make sense of ideas and discussions from the last week or two...)
In using a constructive theology textbook, we are examining a lot of the worries (an easy word) that people have with the "common" ideas of God that we have. Is God a man? Is he vengeful or merciful or both? How do we picture this unexplanable thing to those that have not encountered him/her/it? Can we adequately do it with people whose life experience is different from ours?
No answers today...just thought I'd share my questions...
And if I had answers, they might change tomorrow.
What do you think?
Peace,
Tina
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Remiss
Okay...so it's been two weeks since my last post. Here's why:
Paper to finish
Junior High Youth Retreat
D2D first night (confirmation program at TLC)
Day to day administrative stuff
School
Worship
Weekend fairs at church
Now, I could have squeezed time in but well, I like to sleep as well.
It's this wrestling with life thing. I can' t seem to get into a groove. I am fairly flexible but I am having some issues making everything balance out...
I took today for myself. I may outline my lesson for next week later but right now I am enjoying being a slug. I wish that my coworkers had some time to do that as well. We've been busy and we just want some time to renew ourselves to be able to do God's work.
Tomorrow - we'll see about that then.
May the Lord grant you all peace and quiet and understanding in the face of amazing craziness and stress.
Tina
The new template reflects my desire for a few days on the beach...sand and surf and seascapes...
Paper to finish
Junior High Youth Retreat
D2D first night (confirmation program at TLC)
Day to day administrative stuff
School
Worship
Weekend fairs at church
Now, I could have squeezed time in but well, I like to sleep as well.
It's this wrestling with life thing. I can' t seem to get into a groove. I am fairly flexible but I am having some issues making everything balance out...
I took today for myself. I may outline my lesson for next week later but right now I am enjoying being a slug. I wish that my coworkers had some time to do that as well. We've been busy and we just want some time to renew ourselves to be able to do God's work.
Tomorrow - we'll see about that then.
May the Lord grant you all peace and quiet and understanding in the face of amazing craziness and stress.
Tina
The new template reflects my desire for a few days on the beach...sand and surf and seascapes...
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Parts 2-6
In case you were wondering what other questions I've been percolating, here they are...no particular order, just as they were given for our assignment:
1. What is the subject matter, and who is the subject, of theological matter?
2. What are your basic assumptions about theology?
3. What are your sources for theological reflection?
4. What experiences inform your theological practice?
5. What is its place in the life of the individual, the church, and the community at large?
I've been in class for a few weeks and I have some basic answers for these questions. If I start writing, I think that it'll fall into place like the previous entry (which needs editing, but there are good bones there).
It's one of these things...we are taught to believe certain things but until you are able to see how those beliefs work in your life, they are abstract. We are also taught to have a childlike faith...that's not blind faith necessarily, but if you think about kids, they are always questioning you...so which is it? Hmmm....
So...it'll be crunch time this weekend with church responsibilities...but if you talk to my mom, and really anyone else, it's how I tend to roll...
Off to watch Grey's Anatomy(I do need some down time)
And to keep writing ideas about this paper.
Peace,
Tina
1. What is the subject matter, and who is the subject, of theological matter?
2. What are your basic assumptions about theology?
3. What are your sources for theological reflection?
4. What experiences inform your theological practice?
5. What is its place in the life of the individual, the church, and the community at large?
I've been in class for a few weeks and I have some basic answers for these questions. If I start writing, I think that it'll fall into place like the previous entry (which needs editing, but there are good bones there).
It's one of these things...we are taught to believe certain things but until you are able to see how those beliefs work in your life, they are abstract. We are also taught to have a childlike faith...that's not blind faith necessarily, but if you think about kids, they are always questioning you...so which is it? Hmmm....
So...it'll be crunch time this weekend with church responsibilities...but if you talk to my mom, and really anyone else, it's how I tend to roll...
Off to watch Grey's Anatomy(I do need some down time)
And to keep writing ideas about this paper.
Peace,
Tina
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