When we are little adults sometimes ask, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Instead of getting easier this question has gotten harder for me to answer especially since starting my internship at Lakeridge. The following is the final section of a paper I wrote a few months ago which captures a little bit of my struggle with that question. Enjoy! --------------------------- To imagine vocation as that which I love is a profound shift out of the doldrums of expectation. But it also … [Read more...]
Opposite Day
I have lived in Seattle for nearly four years now, and I am still surprised at how the city reacts to snow. Even on Tuesday afternoon, when there wasnʼt even a cloud in the sky, schools were closing early, businesses were locking their doors, and people were running to the grocery store to get stocked up. Like some of you, I grew up in the Midwest and the thought of an entire city shutting down for 8-10 inches of snow seems absolutely ridiculous. The fact that such a forecast could inspire such … [Read more...]
State of the Internship: Part 2 of 3
A few weeks ago I wrote a paper for class that states my understanding about the pastoral vocation and its role in my life. Since I am in the middle of my pastoral internship, I thought it would be a good thing to share. Enjoy part 2. ------------------------------------- I have spent a lot of my life trying to figure out if the pastoral ministry was my love. Over time, I developed a lot of knowledge and quite a few ministry skills as a part of different churches and working for different … [Read more...]
State of the Internship: Part 1 of 3
Governor Gregoire gave her State of the State Address to a joint session of the Washington Legislature this week. I think it may be time for me to offer a State of the Internship address to the blogosphere. To do so I'm going to be using a paper that I wrote for a class last semester which summarizes a lot of the ups and downs I have been through over the last few years with what it means to be called. Enjoy! --------------------------- Recently, I took some much needed time away from my … [Read more...]
Its a Strange Thing
This Tuesday I visited some of our congregants at the Lakeshore Retirement Community in Renton. Up to this point I have been going on these visits with Pastor Scott, with the understanding that I would eventually do it myself once I had gotten a chance to at least meet the congregation. As I stood at the front door waiting for the person inside to let me in, I was struck by how strange this job of pastor is. We knock on people's doors that we have only talked to a few times. We are with … [Read more...]
Hurry Christmas, Hurry Fast
With Christmas Day two days gone, things are starting to get back to normal in people's lives. I got mail again today. Downtown Seattle has sprung back to life. And the buses were jam packed with people heading home from work this afternoon. But I don't want things to be done as a matter of fact I feel like I am just starting. Over the last few weeks, you may have heard the Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas Song, Christmas Time is Here. During part of the song, the Chipmunks urge Christmas … [Read more...]
The Waiting Game
Tonight my girlfriend and I got the first of what I hope to be many future Christmas trees. But before we could get the tree we had to get a stand, so I took a drive over to Fred Meyer. Of course the place was packed with people getting their Christmas shopping done before they had to head back to work tomorrow. I hate busy stores and during this season it is the worst. This December I am trying my hardest to try and follow the church calendar which means that it isn't quite Christmas yet. … [Read more...]
The Wilderness
Stories engage our senses and captivate our thoughts. Come and listen to a story about a time when people were waiting for something and expecting someone who would change everything. The journey was going to take almost the full day, which was why the small group of young priests and temple servers decided to set off from Jerusalem at daybreak. A few months ago the first reports had started to circulate that a strange man who lived in the wilderness had started publicly baptizing people in … [Read more...]
The Deathbed
Stories engage our senses and captivate our thoughts. Come and listen to a story about a time when people were waiting for something and expecting someone who would change everything. John, the last living apostle of Jesus of Nazareth had only been back in Ephesus a few days before he fell ill. At first it was simply a fever for which he was administered cold compresses and local medicinal herbs along healthy doses of prayer offered up by those in the town that he had ministered to over the … [Read more...]
A Bigger Commitment to Belonging
In Jesus' day love wasn't just about a feeling it was about a commitment, and so when Jesus says, "Love your neighbor" he is talking about more than being nice. He is asking us to embrace a definition of neighbor that is a lot bigger than just those who live on our right and on our left, and a bigger definition of love which should lead us to belong to one another. … [Read more...]