Hello 2019 and hello old blogging space!
New year, new routines, new disciplines.
When I was a pastoral intern many years ago, I tagged along with my mentor pastor to her lectionary study group. It was so helpful. A group of Methodist preachers had been gathering for lectionary study for a few years. One pastor would host each month, providing coffee and a parlor or Sunday school classroom or fellowship hall. The group met on Monday mornings at 10am. Volunteers would study one of the lectionary passages, and then lead off the discussion on that passage. The group closed with prayer and then went off for lunch somewhere nearby. This study group was helpful on many levels - to hear experienced preachers studying the text and discussing their ministry contexts, to have the friendship of other clergy who freely shared their wisdom and their mistakes, and the advanced planning for preaching. This lectionary study group worked two weeks in advance, so the study gave us time to think and pray about worship planning.
When I moved out of interning and into a role as clergywoman, I was *just* too far from the city to join in that lectionary group on a regular basis. I missed the routine and the fellowship. So I turned to online resources like RevGalBlogPals. This was 2004, and as a newly minted clergy who wasn't yet blogging, I didn't join the RevGalBlogPals party, other than to answer a few of the Friday questions. To be honest, I think those initial blogging efforts were on MySpace (hey, it was 2004!) and they didn't migrate over to this blog when I ditched MySpace. I still read on RevGalBlogPals and am always blessed by the community there. Support, encouragement, questioning, always seeking to be faithful.
Two other resources I used during those early years of preaching were blogs by South African pastors Dion Forster and Arnau VanWyngard. They are still active in ministry and online, but in different ways. I see Arnau's work on Facebook with the Shiselweni Homebased Care Ministry, and Dion is on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. I also can connect with Dion via American Academy of Religion meetings, and have met Arnau's son Cobus at American Society of Missology, thanks to his work teaching theology at UNISA.
I dove deep into further academic study for a few years and got out of the routine of lectionary study and preaching. This last July, I picked up a two-point charge (that's two churches for folks not familiar with Methodist lingo) and am back into the swing of regular preaching - and quickly realized I needed a lectionary study again!
I'm currently in a lectionary lectio divina group. It's clergywomen from several denominations who gather for a bit of conversation, prayer, and study. But it's not advance planning. We meet on Wednesday afternoons and hear the lectionary reading for the upcoming Sunday. Too late to work as a study, and I prefer not to blend lectio divina and study. Lectio divina is a time for me to still my mind and heart and allow the Spirit to speak.
So one of my resolutions for 2019 is to pick up a lectionary study via blog. I'll be using this space each week to write out my study notes on the lectionary readings two weeks in advance. A first glance at the readings coming up in Year C, and I think I'll focus on the epistle and gospel readings at least through Easter, probably through Pentecost.
My goal is to be better prepared for preaching and worship planning, and hopefully to interact with other lectionary bloggers. I have been so blessed by many faithful pastors and scholars, and I hope to pay it forward.
Showing posts with label discernment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label discernment. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
Thursday, January 18, 2018
New Venture
It has been a long time since I posted on this blog. So much has changed since my last post!
In April 2017 I moved to Asheville, North Carolina and am in the process of starting up a new venture. I'm using my experience and study in short-term mission to launch a consultation business. One of my very favorite things is meeting with people who are active in short-term mission and learning with them about mission.
In my research, I learned that many United Methodist people who are active in short-term mission are not familiar with anything that is written on short-term mission. It's hymns and scripture that form the foundation of their motivation to be active in the mission of the church. And they are hungry for more reflection on understanding God, the work of the Spirit, and how to be more faithful in their mission practices.
So I've launched Sister of Hope Ministries. I'm currently blogging at sisterofhope.org and my website sisterofhopeministries.org will go live in a few weeks. I'm really excited about this new ministry!
There are so many moving pieces - all at once, and I am not familiar with most of them. I'm learning a lot, very quickly. All the while, I'm staying open to the leading of the Spirit, and giving thanks for the many talented people who are helping me in this venture.
So come on over to sisterofhope.org and check things out! This blog will stay mostly quiet, with a few posts with recipes from my grandmother, as my daughters request them.
In April 2017 I moved to Asheville, North Carolina and am in the process of starting up a new venture. I'm using my experience and study in short-term mission to launch a consultation business. One of my very favorite things is meeting with people who are active in short-term mission and learning with them about mission.
In my research, I learned that many United Methodist people who are active in short-term mission are not familiar with anything that is written on short-term mission. It's hymns and scripture that form the foundation of their motivation to be active in the mission of the church. And they are hungry for more reflection on understanding God, the work of the Spirit, and how to be more faithful in their mission practices.
So I've launched Sister of Hope Ministries. I'm currently blogging at sisterofhope.org and my website sisterofhopeministries.org will go live in a few weeks. I'm really excited about this new ministry!
There are so many moving pieces - all at once, and I am not familiar with most of them. I'm learning a lot, very quickly. All the while, I'm staying open to the leading of the Spirit, and giving thanks for the many talented people who are helping me in this venture.
So come on over to sisterofhope.org and check things out! This blog will stay mostly quiet, with a few posts with recipes from my grandmother, as my daughters request them.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Budget Woes
Today I had to work on a proposed budget for a programming area at the church. I don't like math. I avoid anything to do with math. Creating a proposed budget requires doing math.
Despite my resistance to all things math, I persevered and turned in my proposal today. I hope that it makes it through.
Today was rather challenging on several levels. First the budget proposal. Then an afternoon spent working on some paperwork, and rethinking vocational options. Several of the doctoral student support groups that I've joined or considered joining have discussions on alternative career paths. For many years it has been assumed that if you get a Masters of Divinity, you must be seeking ordination. And I did both - the M.Div. and ordination. But I didn't stay on the expected career path in my region. For many years as well, it has been assumed that if you get a Ph.D. you will become a professor.
I chose Ph.D. study after a lot of discernment, conversations with my advisor, and realizing that I truly enjoy academic work. Sustained theological reflection is something that I want to do. However, budget woes - the reality of my financial situation - have made it difficult to simply focus on the traditional Ph.D. track.
Some of my colleagues have sped through their programs, applied for faculty positions and are now employed. Others have taken positions in full time ministry. Others are publishing in traditional (conference papers, journal articles) and non-traditional (blogs, web news columns) ways.
My path isn't quite clear yet. One report indicates that jobs in the humanities in academia have reduced by 50% in recent years. I'm overeducated for many positions and older than average for both the church and the academy. And yet, I'm drawn to both church and academy, in no small part because both options provide the possibility of stable income and benefits. Budget woes are a powerful motivation.
However, they aren't the most important consideration. And so today I pondered. No conclusions as yet. Pondering will continue. I feel certain that some interesting options will come open in time. Hopefully they will come with people who love math and are great at budgets!
Despite my resistance to all things math, I persevered and turned in my proposal today. I hope that it makes it through.
Today was rather challenging on several levels. First the budget proposal. Then an afternoon spent working on some paperwork, and rethinking vocational options. Several of the doctoral student support groups that I've joined or considered joining have discussions on alternative career paths. For many years it has been assumed that if you get a Masters of Divinity, you must be seeking ordination. And I did both - the M.Div. and ordination. But I didn't stay on the expected career path in my region. For many years as well, it has been assumed that if you get a Ph.D. you will become a professor.
I chose Ph.D. study after a lot of discernment, conversations with my advisor, and realizing that I truly enjoy academic work. Sustained theological reflection is something that I want to do. However, budget woes - the reality of my financial situation - have made it difficult to simply focus on the traditional Ph.D. track.
Some of my colleagues have sped through their programs, applied for faculty positions and are now employed. Others have taken positions in full time ministry. Others are publishing in traditional (conference papers, journal articles) and non-traditional (blogs, web news columns) ways.
My path isn't quite clear yet. One report indicates that jobs in the humanities in academia have reduced by 50% in recent years. I'm overeducated for many positions and older than average for both the church and the academy. And yet, I'm drawn to both church and academy, in no small part because both options provide the possibility of stable income and benefits. Budget woes are a powerful motivation.
However, they aren't the most important consideration. And so today I pondered. No conclusions as yet. Pondering will continue. I feel certain that some interesting options will come open in time. Hopefully they will come with people who love math and are great at budgets!
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