I'm so glad Spring Break is finally here!

[beatrice_otter]

Well, the first half of this semester was a killer. I knew it was going to be, but ... yow. I am so glad it is Spring Break now.

The way my schedule ended up, I could fit in the classes I needed and pretty much all the classes I wanted ... but only by taking 16.5 credit hours. 16 is the limit you can take without the Dean's approval for a course overload. I figured, okay, 1.5 credits of that is my last preaching elective (which I needed to get in before internship), it's a half course, it'll be over half-way through the semester, and then I'll be down to 15 credit hours, which is manageable. I can take a slight overload for half a semester.

Then I had a problem with my J-term "class"--I was doing my (required) Multicultural Project at a Catholic church near my home so I could stay home for the month of January. Then my grandfather went into the hospital at around the same time as the schedule changed at the church and I wasn't going to get enough contact-hours in and no time to arrange something elsewhere and I had to get an extension and get the contact hours in back here in Gettysburg. So I had that to finish up in the first month of school, as well.

Then come preparations for Internship. There's a whole long process involved in matching interns and intern sites, and I am so grateful Gettysburg does it the way it does, but it takes time. We're the only Lutheran seminary in the US that allows interns to meet with potential supervisors and have an input as to where they go--everywhere else the Field Ed director takes the applications and puts people where he/she thinks they should go. Not Gettysburg--at Gettysburg you submit your application 1st semester, and by second semester they've got big folders in the Field Ed office for each site and you can check them out and figure out where you think would be a good match. This requires time and concentration because you can't possibly interview everywhere (or even at half the sites available) and you want to make every interview count which means you've got to look at each site in advance and narrow things down a bit. Then in mid-February there's a workshop where all the interns and supervisors meet and interview--I did ten interviews in less than 24 hours, it's pretty grueling, but it's so helpful to meet the people, see if you think you can work with them for a year, that sort of thing. Then you divide the places you interviewed into three categories: places you want to go (there have to be at least three in this category or you go to the bottom of the list), places you might go but you'd have to talk it over with the Field Ed supervisor first and possibly the supervisor, and places you are not going no way no how no sir. The supervisors do the same. The Field Ed committee then matches them up and figures out how to make things work out best for all concerned. It's stressful, and it takes time, but I'll take having input over not having input any day of the week.

We got notified where we're going on Monday--I'm going to First Lutheran Church in Greensburg, PA, which I'm very happy about. They worship about 200 on a Sunday, they have two pastors (one female, which will make my candidacy commitee happy), they've got a lot of different programs going on so I'll have a lot to do. They're very active in the community, which I like. When they came for the workshop, they brought a whole group--both pastors plus three lay people, and I got on well with everyone they brought. They also very definitely wanted me, which didn't hurt. I'm just so excited to get out into the real world and start doing something with all the things I've learned. And the idea of having my own apartment for the first time in my life doesn't hurt either.

So the internship stuff is good, but tiring and time-intensive. Added to my course overload first half of the semester, and having to finish up my J-term stuff, and I don't think I've ever been so happy to see Spring Break in my life. But considering I'll have fewer credit-hours and nothing else hanging over my head, second semester should be much easier.

The one thing that's annoying about break is that my friend and fellow seminarian S went out and got himself a girlfriend. It was very inconsiderate of him--last year we made day trips down to DC together to go to museums, which was a lot of fun, but this year he's gone to visit his girlfriend. (I'm being sarcasic, here--she's a great girl and they make a cute couple and I'm happy for him.) Seriously, though, it's no fun to go to museums alone, and most people here at seminary are gone, so it looks like I'm staying here all week. I'm less bummed by that than I thought I would be, though, because having the time to recuperate and de-stress is good, and I've certainly got enough stuff to be doing here. Besides fun stuff like reading non-homework and writing stories instead of papers, there's all the stuff I've been neglecting so far while I was concentrating on surviving until Spring Break.

One of the ways I de-stressed this semester was going to the seminary bookstore. (Yes, I know, I have no income. Yes, I know, bookstores in general are dangerous places for me because I spend far too much money there, particularly if they're geared to my tastes and interests, which the seminary bookstore surely is. I have an excuse.) You see, my wonderful, wonderful, home church, St. Mark Lutheran, gave me $500 this semester for textbooks and general pastoral library-building. I had so much fun choosing books--it was great. In case you're interested, here are the books I got:

Fox, Everett. The Five Books of Moses

Fretheim, Terence E. Exodus: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching

Hall, Douglas John. The Cross in Our Context: Jesus and the Suffering World

Hedahl, Susan K. Preaching 1 Corinthians 13

Hughes, Robert G. A Trumpet In Darkness - Preaching To Mourners

Koester, Craig. Hebrews : A New Translation With Introduction and Commentary (Anchor Bible.)

Limburg, James. Hosea-Micah (Interpretation, a Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching)

Luther, Martin. A Contemporary Translation of Luther's Small Catechism Study Edition

Mannermaa, Tuomo. Christ Present In Faith: Luther's View Of Justification

Martyn, James Louis. Galatians (Anchor Bible)

Matera, Frank J. New Testament Christology

Matera, Frank J. II Corinthians: A Commentary (New Testament Library)

Mays, James Luther. Psalms (Interpretation, a Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching)

Mitchell, Kenneth R. All Our Losses, All Our Griefs: Resources for Pastoral Care

Nielsen, Kirsten. Ruth (Old Testament Library)

Nissinen, Martti. Homoeroticism in the Biblical World

Pannenberg, Wolfhart. The Apostles Creed in Light of Today's Questions

Powell, Mark Allan. Giving to God: The Bible's Good News about Living a Generous Life

Sanneh, Lamin. Whose Religion Is Christianity? The Gospel beyond the West

Stevens, Marty E. Temples, Tithes, And Taxes: The Temple And the Economic Life of Ancient Israel

Stuempfle, Herman G., Jr. Preaching Law and Gospel

Tillich, Paul. The New Being

Volf, Miroslav. Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace

Wengert, Timothy J. A Formula for Parish Practice: Using the Formula of Concord in Congregations

Williamson, Charles C. Acts (Interpretation Bible Studies)

Welcome to Christ: Lutheran Rites for the Catechumenate



And if you are curious about what other books I've got, you can always check out my LibraryThing account: http://www.librarything.com/catalog/beatrice_otter

Comments

[laney-1974.livejournal.com]

I have long since fallen out of the Christian faith due to a incident when I was young, but I'll confess to being absolutely fascinated with reading about your studies with the seminary.

It's quite interesting to hear how it all works. Due to my experience with the church, I had formed sort of a villianeous type view about it and reading about your studies is slowly ridding me of that. I admire your faith and dedication.

[beatrice_otter]

I'm sorry to hear you've had bad experiences. The world is broken by sin, and much as the church is part of the new creation and the world to come, in which sin will be/has been destroyed ... it's also just as much a part of the current, sinful world. The same can be said for every Christian. We are caught between the already (Christ's death has destroyed sin and death) and not yet (the destruction will not be complete until he comes again). Which is a long, theological way of saying bad things happen sometimes, and much as we might like to be we can't claim to be perfect. And we can't learn to do better if we don't acknowledge that up front.

[laney-1974.livejournal.com]

I really appreciate what you've written and, whether it was your intention or not, it gave me a bit to think about. Mainly because I agree, no one (including the church) is perfect and seeing someone who is part of the future of the church acknowledge this so openly just leaves me with a less negative feeling towards everything. So, thank you.

[beatrice_otter]

You're welcome.

[jedibuttercup]

> I'm going to First Lutheran Church in Greensburg, PA, which I'm very happy about.

*cheers for you* Good to hear that things are going well. And a couple of those titles look very interesting. I might have to venture outside the SciFi room at Powell's when we go up there next weekend.

[beatrice_otter]

Oh, Powells--I am jealous. Haven't been able to get up there myself in years. Speaking of dangerous places that tempt one to spend money one doesn't have ...