I was thinking about certain song lyrics that have stayed with me over the years. Here are a few that came to mind, including some recent favorites:
"There in the midst of it so alive and alone words support like bone."
-Peter Gabriel, "Mercy Street" (from So)
"He used to do surgery for girls in the 80's, but gravity always wins."
-Radiohead, "Fake Plastic Tree" (from The Bends)
"In a sky full of people only some want to fly, isn't that crazy?"
-Seal, "Crazy" (from Seal)
“I thought I was by myself, but I cannot kill the angel in the house”
-The Story, “The Angel in the House”
“Maybe redemption has stories to tell.
Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell
Where can you run to escape from yourself?
Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna go?
Salvation is here”
-Switchfoot, “Dare You to Move”
“Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall, but you go on.”
-U2, “October”
“Oh well whatever nevermind”
-Nirvana, “Smell Like Teen Spirit”
Well my review—assessing my work at Seabury over the past six years—is done. It was a very helpful and affirming conversation. The student and faculty reports were favorable. The review session helped to give me some clarity on what my tenure process will look like. Gale Yee, who was my external evaluator, and AKMA encouraged me in my professional development. Their comments and suggestions were very helpful. I walked away from the process feeling supported and excited about my future work. Would that all review processes were so humane.
This past couple of years, indeed this past couple of months, has been full of reviews and examinations. It has also been full of accomplishments and new stages. Hopefully one of these days I will be able to wake up and not feel like my life and work is under review. No wonder I have been twitching whenever an NFL ref says, “this play is under review.” Welcome to my life! In all seriousness, it is nice to see much hard work and plenty of student loans paying off.
Congratulations to Siobhan, who was ordained to the transitional deaconate this past weekend. Siobhan, Heather, and I had a fun road trip out to West Virginia. I definitely have a cold after the trip—the first virus that I have had in a number of years. I hope that Siobhan and Heather didn’t catch it.
Whew!
The CPM has deemed me prepared for ministry of the Word and Sacrament. They asked me to revise my statement of faith so that it states something more explicit about sin, scripture, and sacraments. They were satisfied with my answers to their questions on these matters, but they wanted something more explicit in the statement itself (my statement of faith was trinitarian in structure, and so the language on the three "S"s was present but not explicit enough for examination purposes). Other than that, however, the whole session went great. I did a bible study (rather than a sermon) on Judges 11, the story of Jephthah's daughter. That was fun. They seemed to find the study stimulating. They asked me a few questions, asked me to leave, and then invited me back in with applause.
The next step is an examination and vote from Presbytery (the governing body) in Feb. Before that, however, I have to meet with the ministry committee to iron out details of my call.
Looks like I am on schedule for an early Spring ordination.
Today, I go before the Committee for the Preparation of Ministry. This is my official preparedness review. I’ll let all of you know later how it went.
I just woke up from a catnap in my overly warm office. I was waiting for my 1:00 appointment, when I decided to kick my feet up and close my eyes for a second. Twenty-five minutes later, I awoke with numb legs. I think that U.S. culture should adopt a noonday siesta as part of its work ritual. All in favor, say, “Aye.”