Update

We are now heading into the last two weeks of the term which promises to be a crazy, crazy time. In the meantime, I’m getting sick again. I don’t know if I caught the cold that’s been going around or whatever, but it is reminiscent of what I had in December as it has already moved into my chest. I’m also starting to get very physically tired which is not good... I’ve been pretty good all day. I’ve had some coughing and some minor congestion, but for the most part my energy level has been pretty good. I’m taking Mucinex now in hopes that it works and I am able to get rid of this before it gets much worse. Anyway, we’ll see where this goes.

Otherwise, things are pretty good right now. I’ll let you know how the next two weeks turn out though.

Kate

Some thoughts...

Some thoughts now, probably more later.

We are at the end of the second day here in Ft. Worth. We have the evening off an totally on our own. I’m very tired and about to take a nap before my friends and I venture out for dinner. However, I thought I would write some quick reflections now with the intent of writing some more later.

At the end of today I’m still interested in community-based organizing and probably more so on one level due to some connections I’ve made, yet at the same time less excited about it on another level. I think it sounds like a very interesting way of doing leadership in the church and the more I learn about it, the more I think I would like to try it in a congregation setting to see what happens. However, I also realize that it is not the only way to do mission and therefore am becoming less excited about it simply based on the fact that I know it is only one way. Nevertheless, there were some connections I made today during a workshop that has interested me. It seems to me that community-based organizing and pastoral care share a lot of the same principles. I actually wonder if that’s why community-based organizing works in many cases because it shares these same principles and may be seen as pastoral care on a larger level. That gets me excited... partially because I love pastoral care and partially because a big component of pastoral care is relationships which I love. It is all about relationships. =)

On another note, it is also very cool being here because when we gather as a large group, we are probably one of the most ethnically diverse groups in the ELCA. It is awesome to see the range of people who are Lutheran and how we all live out our faith lives. The diversity is definitely something I’ve been missing lately.

Ok, enough for now. Time for a nap.

Kate

Ft. Worth...

I’m in Ft. Worth... very tired and probably heading to bed. I will say that the stuff we’re engaged in is pretty cool so far. Tomorrow promises to be a very full and interesting day. I’ll be sure to reflect more tomorrow night or possibly even Sunday or Monday after I return. But for now it is time for bed!! It was a very, very early morning and now it is past my bed time.

Kate

New Job...

Yesterday, I was offered a new job for the spring term and today I accepted. I’m going to be the Bible Division’s research assistant starting at the beginning of the spring term. The person who was the research assistant has to relinquish the job, so they asked me. It came out of the blue, but I think it’s going to be a pretty cool job. Basically it includes checking references in manuscripts and some bibliographical work for the Bible Division professors. What’s pretty cool about it is that it can include what any of them are working on. So I’ll probably be seeing some of their manuscripts for future books and other writing projects which will be neat. So basically, I’ll be getting paid to do something I would probably do for free. =) I’m somewhat amazed they asked me because usually the division assistants are seniors. But on the other hand, I’m not terribly surprised because almost the entire Bible Division has cornered me at some point about going to grad school and getting a PhD which I am seriously considering. Actually, today when I accepted, Wally (who is the division chair) told me that one reason they asked me other than I’m a good student is because if I do decide to go to grad school, this can be something else to put on my resume. Sounds good to me.

Anyway, I should say that I will be adding another job... I’ll still be working in the computer lab too. The bonus about that job is it is almost guaranteed homework time and I get paid for that too. It’s got to be the sweetest job on campus. Plus, if it is ever slow for me for homework, I could technically work on the stuff for my new job while I’m in the lab... make double the money for the same number of hours - sweet!

The only other hot topic thing right now is Ft. Worth. I leave early Friday morning to head there for a conference. I’m really looking forward to it. I’m excited about the conference itself; plus, I’m excited to get out of here for the weekend. It does mean I’m losing a weekend... but I would probably lose this weekend anyway because it is also Visit Trinity (when prospective students come) and originally I was signed up to help with several of the events. Anyway, I’m looking forward to it and I think it will be awesome. Plus, the hotel we’re at for the conference is the hotel (apparently) that JFK stayed at the night before he was shot. Now it’s a Radisson, I don’t know what it was then, but I thought that was pretty cool.

I’ve probably written enough and it is definitely time to go to bed. I’m pretty wiped. The last several days have been extremely busy.

Kate

Wrap up

So I met with the last potential supervisor on Thursday - that would be the guy from Portland. I liked him and thought it would be a good site to be at. I think at this point I’d be really happy with Portland, Chagrin Falls, or even Jamestown... but we’ll see where I wind up. I have a couple more months now to wait... so it’s back to normal for now, back to academics, church, and the hospital. =)

As for the rest of the week, it went pretty well. I got some much needed rest on Friday with some work accomplished (although, not too much). I then worked my butt off yesterday preparing some stuff for confirmation today and worship this week. I spent today at church (of course) and then starting a sermon for Transfiguration (two weeks away). This week looks a little crazy (it’s my I-group’s worship week which means I’ve got stuff to get ready for Wednesday along with homework) and then I leave early Friday morning for Ft. Worth and the ELCA CBOSS event. So I basically lose my whole weekend (leave Friday, come back Sunday) and then move into a week when I’ll have to start writing papers in addition to the sermon. Needless to say, these next couple weeks could be interesting.

I’m going to make an effort to write during these upcoming weeks, but if you don’t hear from me in a while... that’s why.

Kate

So Far...

Here’s the update so far.

The guy I met with on Monday night and liked so much was from Chagrin Falls, OH (the Cleveland area).

I then met with one person yesterday. He’s from Johnstown, PA. I thought he was a nice guy, but I don’t think I could work with him very well. He’s my first, “Please don’t send me here” thought.

I then met with three more people today. The first was from St. Clair Shores, MI (the Detroit area) and while I thought there were some neat things happening at the church, I was not impressed with the guy as a supervisor. So he’s a no for me too I think.

The next guy was from Jamestown, NY. I really liked him and thought there were some really good things going on at his congregation. I think Jamestown could be a good match.

The third and final guy I talked to today was from Richland Hills, TX (the Ft. Worth area). I have mixed feelings about him and his site. I thought the congregation sounded kind of neat... definitely a new experience for me (it’s big, and it’s busy). I also thought he was a good guy, could maybe work with him. But I also think his idea of how internship would be is a little too contrived. I’m not sure I’d get a real sense of parish ministry while on internship there. I understand that his model is to try to stay out of the ditch that a lot of interns wind up in, that is to be pigeonholed into doing something to serve a need the congregation has rather than allowing them to experience a variety of things. But, I think, by trying to stay out of that ditch, he has gone too far to the other side of the road and wound up in the other ditch. I don’t know. A lot of people I’ve talked to think it sounds like an excellent model and there are definitely some neat things about it. But I just feel like I would be allowed to be the intern even though that’s very clearly the intent. It’s kind of ironic actually... so there’s the mixed feelings.

Anyway, I have one more meeting left. I meet with the guy from Portland tomorrow. I’ve heard nothing but good things about him... but I also think everybody wants to go there. So we’ll see. I’ll provide another update later in the game.

Kate

At this point...

At this point in the game, I’m starting to think I’m very happy my internship placement is not up to me.

I had my first meeting tonight with a prospective internship supervisor. It went really well. I liked the guy and think he would be a good match as far as being a supervisor. He’s pretty much what I’m looking for in a supervisor, so that’s cool. I’m also excited about his congregation and found the idea of a large suburban congregation that is mission-minded very intriguing. However, in starting to think about the fact this is my first meeting and I have five more to go, I also realize that I am bound to find others I really like. Which leads me to the idea I’m glad I don’t have to decide. Knowing that I am pretty agreeable and work well with many different types of people, I am really glad I don’t have to decide. I think it would be incredibly difficult for me to make a decision.

I am confident the Spirit will match me to the supervisor and congregation I need to be at. For now, I’m excited about talking to more people and seeing what else and who else is out there.

Kate

Update...

It’s been a couple of days since my last post... so here’s an update.

In recent news, the ELCA and Trinity are paying for me and six other students to attend the Congregation-based Organizing Strategic Summit (CBOSS) event in Ft. Worth, TX in two weeks. Congregation-based organizing is about working for justice and the good of all people through congregations and faith communities. I’m pretty excited, I think it will be an awesome conference. I hope to learn a lot during the three days we’ll be there.

In other news, I’ve been on call at the hospital since last night at 9. Thankfully, last night was mercifully quiet, but I did have an early morning wake up call and wound up going into the hospital at 6 this morning. I then was back in at 10 and then again at noon. I was able to get out of the hospital at around 2:00 this afternoon and stay out until about 7:30 this evening. I had seven pages for four patients, all of whom died. Four deaths and I still have about nine more hours on call. I’m not really sure where I’m at with all of this... January was a very quiet month for me. I was on call six times and only had to go into the hospital once during those six times. I had a whole Friday night/Saturday where I didn’t have to go in at all. It was really weird. Today is sort of a little more normal for me... I usually get paged and wind up at the hospital a couple of times at least. This is, however, probably close to the greatest number of people I’ve had die in such a short period of time... and I’ve had nothing else. Usually I get somebody who makes it... at least for the time being. There also seems to be something about having such a quiet month and then the first time I’m on call in February, boom, I get hit with four deaths. Yet, in many ways, I’m detached enough and ok enough with death that it doesn’t bother me as much as I think it would have eight or ten months ago. I don’t know... really, I’m doing ok. Even in the midst of the deaths, I have had a couple of really cool experiences today. Two families were really big on telling stories, so it was neat to hear about the person each time. The last one though was very sad - 29 year old diagnosed with lung cancer in September coded tonight and didn’t make it. He was married six months ago... was diagnosed two weeks after their honeymoon. His wife, her mom, and his mom were very emotional (I definitely would be) and I don’t think the staff quite knew what to do about it. The other was very low key and all the family wanted was a prayer. Anyway, that’s probably more than any of you wanted to know... but I felt I needed to process some of it. Let’s just hope that tonight is quiet still because I’ve got to teach Sunday school in the morning. =)

I believe that’s it for now... at least all of what is on my mind. Things are going pretty well here... busy as usual though. I’ll be reflecting on some of the internship stuff in the next couple of days I’m sure. One of my meetings got moved up to Monday night... so maybe then I’ll start.

Kate

Internship

Most of you know that I will be going on internship next year. Our class, right now, is in the middle of the assignment process. Basically, the way it works at Trinity, is the contextual ed director assigns you to an internship site. Now, there is a lot of stuff that actually goes into this process so it is a good match. Back in October, each of us had to turn in internship applications that had all sorts of information about us on there. It encompassed everything from what geographic locations we’d like to where we had grown up to previous work experience to a one page autobiographical statement. Almost anything you would want to know about me, fact wise, was contained in those seven pages or so (ok, not really, but it sure seemed like it). Then, after we turned that in, we sat down for a one-on-one interview with our advisor and Jane Jenkins (the contextual ed director). The purpose of this interview was the flush out what was in the paperwork and for Jane to get to know each of us a little better.

That was pretty much what has happened up until now. Next week is a meet and greet event during which several potential supervisors come to campus. As part of this, Jane gives us a list of people she wants us to talk to (at least three people). These meetings are one-on-one with the potential supervisor and 45 minutes is allocated for each meeting. They occur over a three day period. Anyway, last week, we got our list from Jane of people to talk to. I have six people on my list! We are encouraged to sign up for more meetings, but I think six is plenty. My schedule is pretty full next week.

The thing about this is that not all the supervisors will be there. But there are reasons Jane has us talking to the people she has us talking to. Either they are potential people she is considering for us or they match characteristics of people she is considering, people who can’t be there. I actually think some of them might just be Jane seeing how we do with somebody who will be totally wrong for us. =) Having six people makes me think that she either doesn’t know what to do with me or I have the potential to work with any of them and she wants to see how I’ll do. I believe it might be a combination of the two. There are probably some of my classmates that will be very obvious who they will work with best and who they won’t... but as my advisor said in my one-on-one with Jane in October, I will be easy to place because he believes I could do well with a variety of people. And so a variety of people I get: Portland, OR; Ft. Worth, TX; St. Clair Shores (Detroit), MI; Chagrin Falls (Cleveland), OH; Johnstown, PA; and Jamestown, NY.

Up until last week, I’ve been pretty ambivalent about the whole internship process. I’m excited to go, but at the same time, I knew it was way off in the future and I have other things to worry about now. I think, honestly, my advisor has been more excited about the whole thing for me than I have been. But last Wednesday my mind temporarily left this place and was out on internship for the day. Thankfully, things went back to normal on Thursday. I am my old ambivalent self again. I don’t know that I would mind going to any of those places geographically. It will certainly be interesting to see what the supervisors are like next week. I will certainly let you know what I think.

Kate