Connections Through a Shoe Lace

Last night Gideon and I headed out to procure a new set of shoes.  The ones he was wearing had fallen apart and didn't fit him anymore.  So after supper we went to Kohl's to get him a new pair.  After telling him that the bright orange pair was a no-go, and the other pair that looked like someone had hurled on them, we, and by that I mean, decided to buy him a pair of black tennis shoes with white bottoms.  He was less than pleased.  Though he did a great job of not whining about it, he told me over and over again how much he didn't like them, didn't want to wear them, and that they were too boring.  

So I came up with an idea.  What if we bought a pair o white shoe laces to brighten them up a bit.  Although still not pleased with his life at the moment, he decided that having white laces was better than the shoes in their current state.  Yet Kohl's doesn't sell shoe laces, so we would have to run to another store to but laces.  

We bought the shoes and headed out.  Still being new, I turned the wrong direction out of Kohl's to get to the Famous Footwear store I remembered seeing months ago.  So as I found a place to turn around, I saw that there was a New Balance shoe store in the strip mall we were turning around in.  Assuming they'd have laces, we parked and went in.  

The guy running the store is a Covenant student.  We have Covenant Theology, Greek, Apologetics, and Spiritual and Ministry Formation together.  He also lives on campus.  He had the laces and gave them them to us.  We talked about some of our finals and how we thought they had gone.  As we were leaving he asked if my family was headed home for Christmas (I had shared during a class presentation how I'd messed up loving my neighbors and that in God's providence my father-in-law still lived in the neighborhood and so I'd be able to show them love during times we were back in Moline).  So I told him our itinerary (Moline, Dubuque, Twin Cities, then back for J-term and Greek 2).  

Here's where the story gets fun.  So I asked him what he was doing for Christmas.  He said he was headed back to California.  I asked where he was from and he shared he was from Sacramento.  On a hunch, I asked if he knew about Valley Springs Presbyterian Church.  He said that's the church he grew up in.  I asked if he knew Brad and Olivia Carpenter and his face lit up.  He shared that his older brother had had them as youth pastors, but that he hadn't because he was too young (he's now 21 years old and that when he was old enough to be in youth group, their church had sent the Carpenter's to Trinity Evangelical Divinity School for Brad's MDiv, so that they could return to Valley Springs and for Brad to get ordained in the PCA).  He had all kinds of great things to say about them, how much they are loved at the church, and how Brad is planting a church in Sacramento but is still a teaching elder at Gulf Springs.  I told him that Brad was the most gifted youth ministry major that I graduated with from Bethel and how much I respect both he and Olivia!    

The reason this is a fun story is that Brad, Olivia, and I were youth ministry majors together at Bethel.  Brad and I were RA's the same year (different dorms), and Brad roomed with my best friend Andy Schurman.  Kathee and Olivia were roommates the year we were engaged.  Actually, Brad and Olivia got married the week after we did in the Keeweenaw Peninsula of Michigan (in the U.P.) and Kathee and I attended their wedding at Camp Kitchegoomie (I had to change into a suit in an outhouse across the road from the camp minutes before their wedding).  After we were all married (the Schurmans, Carpenters (Brad and Olivia), the Kuipers (other good friends of ours), and the Terwilleger's) used to meet for couples Bible study each week.  I remember that they were the first couple to leave town after college, moving to Sacramento to serve as co-youth directors at a Presbyterian church (Valley Springs) out there.  So it was awesome to meet someone who's family had been so greatly impacted by friends of mine.

Who knew that the need of a pair of shoe laces could make a great connection like that?  Such a good happenstance!  

A Video I'm Fond Of Lately

I wanted to post this video as I have a lot of connections in this video.  First, Professors Barrs and Ryan were my Apologetics and Outreach profs this semester.  The classroom video that they show was taken during one of my class periods.  Wade, one of the gentlemen that's interviewed in the video was in three of my classes this semester.  Professor Perry will be my Greek 2 professor in January and my Covenant Theology 2 prof in the spring.  Some of the church video was taken at New City Fellowship- South City.  Although we are currently at NCF- University City, one of my professors has encouraged us to check out South City to see about getting involved there (we did check it out and think we'll find another church to be involved in).

Professor Barrs did an absolute number on my soul this semester.  Spending time with him in class was an absolute privilege.  I've never met a Christian like him in my life.  Absolutely amazing man.  When a former student of mine committed suicide this semester and I needed help in knowing how best to minister and be involved, I went and met with him.  Unbelievable man of God.  I hope you'll enjoy the video, and for those who haven't been to campus yet to visit us, you'll get a glimpse of campus and the fair city of St Louis!

https://vimeo.com/112710056

By the way, I'm not in the program they are promoting (I'm in the MDiv program).

Christmas Card Photo?

Full House!

I meant to take pictures but the pandamonium was just too great.  On Sunday's I have taken to inviting the Cecil's over to watch football.  They are our next door neighbors.  They also don't have a tv.  They also love the Seattle Seahawks.  So whenever the Seahawks are on tv I invite them over to watch.  Today Ken (the dad), Malachi (the 15 year old), Baxter (13), and Jackson (6 months) came over the watch the game.  Liz (the mother) stopped over every so often, but she had their two girls to keep an eye on, so she didn't stay long.  Then Robert (a teenager who lives in the basement in our building wth his family) and Noah (a teenager who lives just below us) came up to watch the game.  These are guys I talk to A LOT when I see them (I play catch football with them in the parking lot and give them garbage when I see them).  Then Kathee's friend Emily brought some food dishes back to us.  She brought her 4 boys with her (all Gideon's age or younger).  Since Charlie (the boy who is Gideon's age) brought his Nerf gun with him, I opened the cupboard over the fridge that houses my Nerf arsenal and it was on!  There were Nerf darts EVERYWHERE.  We all had so much fun (except for Ken, he wanted to sit and watch the game).  Our house was booming!  

And it felt like old times.  When our house would be full of teenagers and adults and people just hanging out.  When the house would be full of noise and laughter.  When things felt normal.  So it was fun having everyone over.  

We ended up feeding everyone but Emily and her kids pizza.  We went through 4 frozen pizzas and a pitcher of Raspberry Ice in no time.  

After everyone was gone Kathee and I remarked at how much fun we had hosting so many people.  It's like we were made for ministry.  How fun!  

What does Homer Simpson have to do with the Westminster Confession of Faith?

This past week in Spiritual and MInistry Formation, Doctor Douglas had a slide with Homer's picture and a quote from the WCF.  I about lost it.  I even asked out loud, "is that even okay to do something like that?"  So though I'm not sure what they have in common, it was a bit unsettling (or disequalibrating- one of our semester's key words in Education Foundations).   

Church Culture Shock

We have been attending New City Fellowship in University City since the week we moved to town.  This church is in the PCA and broke the mold for us in terms of PCA expectations.  It maintains solid theology and has great preaching.  And it's focus is on racial reconciliation.  The church is made up of quite the eclectic mix of people.  Each week we sing in English and various other languages (French, Spanish, Lingala, and a couple other African tribal languages).  Each week, it seems, we sing at least one Negro spiritual (along with many call-and-response songs).  The music is kind of jazz-rock to boot.  The service is well-orchestrated (its the only church I've ever been to where a bulletin isn't needed and you won't get lost in the service).  The preaching is good-to-great.  

Although it is very far outside of our comfort zone and personal preference, we were settling in.  Kathee and I serve in the Firm Foundation Tutoring program.  Kathee serves in the nursery once in a while and attends women's Bible study there weekly.  

As part of my Spiritual and Ministry Formation class, I did a bunch of page paper on my "divine design."  Basically I took like 10 assessments (Myers-Briggs, spiritual gifts inventory, DISC, etc, etc, etc).  Upon completing that and turning it in, I then set up a meeting with Doctor Douglass for Kathee and I to go and get my palm read.  Due to being in ministry for almost 15 years, he didn't need to help me discern my calling to ministry.  But he did say a few things that were a bit unsettling (not bad, just unsettling).  Bear in mind that he's not God and we are not taking everything he said as gospel.  But he is the longest-serving professor at Covenant (28 years) and has meet with first year students, helping them discern what it is they are to be doing in God's flock.    

To start he said that I am uniquely gifted for ministry (something I don't think I've ever heard someone in authority over me say to me/about me before).  

Second, he said he thinks my days in youth ministry are over.  Due to my personality make-up, he said he was very surprised I was in youth ministry at all, and secondly that I thrived in youth ministry.  And he said due to my personality type, my effectiveness in youth ministry will wain once I'm 18-20 years older than the kids I'm serving (he said if I was another personality type it could work).  However, he said he thinks I need to be serving as the pastor at a church of 800-900 people (not because I'm that good, but because a church that size would have the infrastructure--my word-- that will allow me to use my giftings the best).  

His statement about my youth ministry days being over didn't sit all that well with Kathee.  She shared with Doctor Douglas that I have been a fantastic youth pastor and that one of my gifts is that I can be off-the-wall crazy one moment and then the next moment settle the kids down and be talking about deep theology and things of weight.  She said she thinks someone like me is needed in youth ministry as youth pastors (many) are very flighty, immature, not deep, and are too transient.  He listened, was understanding, and held to his guns (so did Kathee).  

But this also led to another unsettling thing.  He suggested we might try a few other churches as the one we attend will not allow me to be an intern there for pastoral ministry (I have already been offered to serve with one of the outreach arms of the church as an intern, but that won't give me church pastoral experience).  So he suggested a couple of churches for us to try.

We attended New City Fellowship in South City a few weeks ago.  This is the other campus than the church we currently attend.  I don't think we'll go back to that location.  The other church he suggested is the church he (and other professors from Covenant) attends.  He even said he'd be willing to call one of the pastors (who oversees interns) and get me in.  I'm a bit gunshy of attending there as many of the profs attend there.  

So today we drove to St Peter, MO, to Grace Presbyterian Church.  A friend of mine at Covenant suggested we try there as it was recommended to him by someone.  And the Polks, who are missionaries in Ethiopia who we support, suggested it, too.  They are home as Liz is due to have their daughter and that's where they attend.  It's also where Jason interned when he was at Covenant.  

There she sits, in farmland, on farm property.  It was comfortable and familiar to us.  But boy was it a shock for me. Today was "Blue Grass Sunday."  Not one song in Lingala or Swahili.  It was much more rural feeling.  Not urban and suburban folks.  The preaching was good Bible storyline, but zero application.  Not a ton a ton a ton of application.  It was much quieter and decently and in order.  

So we'll see what happens.  

This finding a new church thing is very difficult.  And it's hard when we thought we'd be finding a church of our choice but are finding out that finding a church where I can do field education and internships (for school) is needed and determinitive.  

So our being unsettled in St Louis continues.  We continue to hear that it takes a year to feel settled.  This week we were told that it takes two.  So we are right on schedule.  

What I am delighting in is seeing the various ways that worship happens (even within what seems to be to be a very homogeneous denomination).  All are worshipping the Lord, together, as the body of Christ.  All are basing it on solid Bible and theology.  All are contextualizing it those in their midst.  And all is glorious (even the places we go where we don't readily want to return).  Our God is good, He is leading the way, and we are contentedly along for the ride.  

Our adventures continue! 

   

Finals

Well, Monday and Tuesday will be my last day of classes for this first semester at seminary.  Then finals will hit.  And though I'm nervous about them, I am not stressed and freaked (yet).  

The only classic final I have is my Greek final.  It will cover 30 chapters of potential vocabulary (approximately 300+ words), and then 5 pages of filll-in-the-blank paradigms that cover 30 chapters, and then 12 sentences to number (the parts of speech), parse (present, active, imperative, 2 person, plural), and translate.  However, he has already given us the actual test pages for everything but the vocabulary (which I normally do well at).  So though it's A TON to remember, I am excited about the test as I will know the majority of what it on it when I sit down to take it.  

My final for Covenant Theology 1 is an oral final and is with two other students.  The professors have given us the potential questions that will be asked, we just need to be ready to answer all of them individually.  After an individual has been asked the question and answered, then the other two of us can help add things if we are able.  We will each receive the same final grade.  I'm not sure how much time this one will take (either a half an hour or an hour).  

That is the same for my Apologetics and Outreach final.  It's oral, I'm with two other classmates, and this will be the same situation.  This final will only last a half an hour.  

My Education Foundations course didn't have a final as such.  We had to do an end-of-the-semester concept map project that encapsulated the course and would be something that I am supposed to be aable to hand to a minister person as they plan, implement, and evaluate an educational ministry learning event.  I took her up on the option of working with someone on the final project because I think concept maps are dumb (mostly because I think they look unorganized... I think I characterized them in class as "a total mess" and to the guy I was working with as looking like "someone barfed a whole bunch of high-tech words on a whiteboard).  Josh and I worked on it for two and a half hours and I think we should get an A on it.  The best part of working on it with him was that I found out that before he came to seminary he was a corn and soybean farmer, farming north of Champaign, IL.  He's in my Greek class as well.  

Here's our concept map for Education Foundations

My "final" for Spiritual and Ministry Formation was to write a 2500-2700 word paper that culminates my learning from this semester.  It was actually a lot of fun to write the paper.  I wrote on the concept of grace in the believer's life and how the finished work of Christ on the cross brings us into union with Christ and adopts us into God's forever family.  

Finals will begin Thursday of this week and end next Wednesday.  My Covenant Theology final is on Friday at 12:30.  My Apologetics final is on Tuesday at 11:30.  I haven't decided when I'll be taking my Greek final.  I am thinking I'll go in and take it on Wednesday, but I may decide to take it Monday sometime and get it out of the way!  

I am looking forward to being done with finals and having some time to rest a bit before jumping into 2 intensive weeks of Greek 2.  Second semester will begin at the end of January, so that will bring on a whole new level of learning and fun and stress.     

 

Happy Thanksgiving

Tonight was a lot of fun.  We had Han and Soyhee, along with their two daughters (roughly Gideon and Hope's ages, respectively) over for a Thanksgiving meal.  It was kind of cool how the idea came about.  I was sitting in Greek class and for whatever reason, Doctor Yarbrough kind of got off on a tangent about Thanksgiving.  And his point was, if you are around town over Thanksgiving, you should invite an international student or family to join with you for Thanksgiving.  He said that most seminary students, spending a minimum of 3-4 years on campus never celebrate an American holiday in an American home.  I was a bit disappointed that we wouldn't be able to have a family to our place to celebrate (though I was excited to get out of town and celebrate with family).  When I got home from class, Kathee said that she'd spoken with Soyhee and that they'd talked about Thanksgiving and that when we get back from Thanksgiving break that we'd celebrate together.  So tonight was the night!

We had a blast.  Kathee made a turkey (thanks, Karl), mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, deviled eggs, stuffing, and my Grandma T's fruit salad.  For dessert, Kathee made pecan pie!  We ate like kings and queens.  The best part was that Soyhee and the girls had never had any of the food.  Han had had some a few years ago at the pastor of their church's home (though it sounds like it wasn't entirely an American-style and was more Korean-style).

They seemed a bit intrigued watching me cut up the turkey, as in Korea, they said they have no difference between white and dark meat (so I'm not sure how they go about cutting it up...or if they do).

They seemed to enjoy the meal, though I do think the fellowship and discussion was way better.  Han has been taking classes here for 5 years and is also getting his MDiv.  I have nothing but respect for him as he studies (way harder than me due to language issues), having to translate everything he reads.  I wish I could do something for him as he studies languages and all the rest of this thing we call seminary.  But that's for another post.

What a fun evening!