My writing life has taken on a new chapter. As a seminary student, I've returned to the academic writing I thought I left behind when I walked away from graduate school about 20 years ago. And now I'm back and learning ever-new ways to approach words and writing through this strange new task called exegesis. It is, in a way, writing about writing. I've never taken such a close look at words and their meanings in my life. And it's been kind of fun. I'm about to face a large dose of it with New Testament studies this semester starting February 13.
I'm doing my seminary work at United Theological Seminary in Dayton,Ohio. United offers a hybrid M.Div. program that allows me to do most of my work online while spending a week on campus each semester. This allows me to continue working and pursue my studies at the same time. While helpful, it's still not exactly easy. It's a real challenge to fit school into a schedule already packed with a full-time job and a family.
And, as of September 2011, I added work at Midway United Methodist Church to that mix. I'm serving as an intern there and spending about 20 hours a week in church work at all sorts of levels. Pastor in Charge Stacey Hanson keeps me busy as the church keeps him busy. I knew Stacey from Roswell United Methodist Church and when he moved to Midway we stayed in touch with each other and when I need a place to do contextual ministry, I got in touch with Stacey and asked if he could find a place for me at Midway. The fact that I am unpaid probably made the offer even more attractive!
And, again, I face new styles of writing and wrestling with words. There are the weekly pastoral prayers and occasional sermons. All new styles of writing for me. And the idea of delivering my words out loud in front of others is a sometimes daunting task to take on. Preaching. It's what this calling leads to. And it's all about words.
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