Busy Busy Week

As the title clearly states, this is an extremely busy week. Now that classes have been in session a few weeks, all the clubs and organizations are starting back up. I really don't have time to write a full-blown entry, but here's a list of all the things I've gotten myself in to, in addition to classes, working in the Theo. Admissions office, and serving the United Methodist Church in Madison.

Introduction to the New Testament Bible Study- participant and facilitator (held at the church)
Choir- at the church
Spectrum- the LGBTQ (and allies) group within the Theo School
TSA- representative on the University Program Board
Beatitudes Society- www.beatitudessociety.org
reader's theatre performance of a play by a professor in the Theo School

phew!

AND, once TERRA (Transforming Ecological and Religious Resources into Action) begins, I will probably become involved in that.

Alrighty, now off to school for a day full of classes and meetings.

Peace!

Oh Monday...

Good morning, one and all.
Today finds me chilly, tired, and a bit frustrated.
Chilly is easily explained- it is almost autumn, and it is getting much cooler up here, although they are predicting a high of 80 today, so hopefully I will warm up soon. I don't like being cold.
I am tired because I'm a seminary student! I have a lot of work to do today, and hopefully I will get it all done. I did not sleep well all last week, so I pray that this week will be different.
Now, as to why I am frustrated...
There are several reasons. One is that I still do not have hot water. It has been over a week (this is day 9)and while it could be MUCH worse, it is still beginning to get old. However, they are supposed to come and replace the hot water heater and boiler tomorrow, so soon I will be a very happy camper.
Secondly, I am frustrated with men. What else is new, lol. Just, simple things like, make your intentions/desires clear. If you just want to be friends, make that obvious. If you're going to walk a girl home, walk her home. If you say you're going to call tomorrow, make sure you call. Little things like that.
Thirdly...last night was supposed to be the first youth meeting at my new church in my new position. I got icecream and toppings, planned good welcome activities, got my house all cleaned...guess how many showed up.
ZERO
Now, I understand that school just started, and I understand that they have homework and projects (projects? already?) and I understand that fall sports have started...but I am still disappointed. I am trying to remain positive, and to just cheerfully say, "We'll try again next week," but the tired, chilly, frustrated part of me is trying to take it personally. *sigh*

I need to get started on my To-Do list...Biblical Lit. paper, here I come.

First Week Recap

I did it- I survived my first week of theological studies. Yippee!!! It has been a really awesome week. I like all of my classes, and am looking forward to what I will learn from them. Choir is going to be a lot of fun, and Ultimate on Friday was a blast. We had a birthday party for a fellow student Thursday night, attended a gathering on Friday, then I had a few people over Saturday. This morning I wore several hats in church- everyone was on vacation! I was the organist, led the service, and preached. Everything went very well, and it was so nice to look out in the congregation and see the first few pews full of my new Drew friends, there to support me. Thank you guys so much! I am blessed to know them, and it's only been one week! Well, two if you count orientation...
This upcoming week should be good. Labor Day is tomorrow, and we are having a small BBQ over at the theo. dorms. Thursday is my first day working in the theo. admissions office, and then Friday through Saturday is a fall retreat at Ocean Grove. Sunday is the first youth group meeting, so I'll be gearing up for that. Yup, it's going to be a good week.

Peace and blessings to all.

PS: I don't have hot water...thankfully, everyone has been very generous and offered me the use of their showers. Hopefully this won't last long.

New Beginnings

IT'S THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, if you can't already tell, I am excited. I love new beginnings, and especially the first day of just about any class. Yesterday I organized my binder and re-read my syllabus (not sure of the plural form), and got some reading assignments done for later this week. I had a meeting with the pastor of the church I am working in, and then baby-sat a new friend's son while she was in class. My house is clean, the rest of my books are currently being shipped, and life really couldn't be better. : )
I have Church History at 9:55 with some of my new friends (yay) and then the precept for that course (a precept is a small study/discussion group you are required to be a part of) later this afternoon. Pray for me, as I begin this new adventure. : )

"This is a day of new beginnings,
time to remember and move on,
time to believe what love is bringing,
laying to rest the pain that's gone.

Then let us, with the Spirit's daring,
step from the past and leave behind
our disappointment, guilt, and grieving,
seeking new paths, and sure to find.

In faith we'll gather round the table
to taste and share what love can do.
This is a day of new beginnings;
our God is making all things new."

-select verses from "This Is a Day of New Beginnings" UMH 383
Text: Brian Wren

Day of New Beginnings...

Orientation starts tomorrow!!!!!

can you tell I'm excited?

I had a wonderful weekend at home in Baltimore where I got to spend a little more time with my family and friends before leaving. I won't be home until mid-October, and only for a weekend. This is a big transition for all of us, but I know with God's help we will all make it through just fine.

I really like Madison, and I am so thankful that I will get to call it "home" for the next three years.

First Seminary Assignment complete!

SO, I just finished my first assignment. YIPPEE!
I am being a church music geek and taking a wonderful class about hymnology. I am so excited!!! : )
Our first assignment was to describe our first experience with hymns, what are our favorite hymns are, and what our denominational background is.
Since it's info about me, I thought I would duplicate it here. (Plus, I haven't posted in a while, and I thought, hey, why not kill two birds with one stone. You might learn something about me).

I was born and raised in a United Methodist Church in Parkville, MD. I always loved singing hymns, and admit I would often flip through the hymnal reading the hymn texts rather than listen to the sermon. Music is one of my stronger talents, so I was very active in the choirs at church since I was young.
During my sophomore year of undergrad I became the organist and choir director at a small rural church, where I once again fell in love with hymns and the rich theology they offer. I also came to greatly dislike most praise and worship music, for both the tunes and text. At first, I considered The Faith We Sing to be the bane of my existence (I did not like the way the hymns were used or selected in worship) but after delving deeper into it I have come to love it. I especially like the hymns that tell stories, such as Two Fishermen and Swiftly Pass the Clouds of Glory. I always enjoy finding a familiar tune set with new text.
Some of my favorite hymns are "Be Thou My Vision" (there are some wonderful choral arrangements out there, or, I have found you can get a very different feel if you simply change a few chords or where the stress of the beat is placed). I once heard this hymn described as a love song to God, and that has always stuck with me.
"Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" is a new favorite, after I learned the difference of white and black Gospel. I find it to be much more uplifting and joyful when stress is placed on the upbeat.
My all time favorite hymn is "When in Our Music God is Glorified" (UMH 68). The text is rich, and the tune beautiful. I always find myself tearing up on the last phrase, "And may God give us faith to sing always Alleluia!"
I am so glad to have found this class. Having majored in church music in undergraduate, I hope this will offer a sense of familiarity that I may not find in other classes.

Summer Recap

Once again, I have failed to blog in a timely manner. On the one hand, I have been extremely busy. But on the other hand, I seem to have spent plenty of time doing nothing. Oh well; musing about my time management skills is not the focus of this entry.
As I mentioned in my last entry, I went on a mission trip with the youth of Hiss United Methodist Church to West Virginia, where we participated in CAMP JOY. We camped at Baltimore-Washington Conference's Camp Harmison, a "rustic" camping facility in Berkeley Springs, WV. When I arrived on Sunday afternoon (after driving for roughly five and half hours from New Jersey) I found twenty youth and adults pitching tents in a meadow at the bottom of a steep, gravel paved road. The meadow brimmed with excitement, as boys tossed footballs, girls hugged and squealed, and family members said good-bye for the week. Two of the youth are boyscouts, and they helped to set up the "girl's tent".



They boys called it, "the Monstrosity". We referred to it as "the hotel".
Each morning we awoke at 5am...well, that's when we were supposed to wake up. Some days it was a bit later. Breakfast was prepared for all the work teams by members of local churches and served between 6 and 7am. We then stopped at Sheetz for coffee on our way out to our work sites.
There were enough workers from Hiss to split into three different work crews, and we worked on a total of five different sites. My crew worked on a home in Berkeley Springs, where an elderly gentleman lived with his daughter who was ill. His great-granddaughters visited the whole week, with their beagle Dallas. While we were there, we tore down a ceiling, re-installed insulation in that ceiling and the walls and ceiling of the adjoining room, then put up sheet-rock for the ceilings and paneling for walls. Two of the adult men on our crew, the two Georges, fixed two rotten floors in the house. We fixed the roof, cleaned the gutters, and in our spare time painted the back wall of the house. The granddaughters helped us, although the youngest one got more paint on herself and Dallas than the wall the first day. : )
Each evening we had dinner at a local church, followed by a vespers service at what the camp called "God's Open Window". There were games and campfires, and everyone felt a great sense of fulfillment at the end of each day.
On Saturday, we loaded up the cars and trekked home, exhausted, but eager to return next year.