Green space and parking!

I apologize for the separate posts today...I can't seem to get multiple pictures to post in one blog without looking stupid. So.....one picture per post!

This is the area behind and within LSTC. The building is actually built in a square with this green space in the middle. Off to the right is another wing and behind me in this picture is McCormick Presbyterian Seminary, that is attached to LSTC by two skyways. Underneath this green space is my car, which is kept nice and safe (and warm!) in the underground parking garage.

School

Front of school

My apartment

To the left, you will see a picture of my apartment building. It's about a block and a half walk to get to school.

Lake Michigan and the skyline

Classes are still going...I am still reading virtually nonstop. But I do try to make sure and take some breaks every day. On the weekend, those breaks typically involve riding my bike to the lake. This picture was taken at one of my favorite spots to stop and read. Lake behind me, skyline in front of me....and books on my lap, of course!!

Class, Class, Class!

Class, class, class! That feels like all I'm doing from Monday - Thursday. And in a sense, it's true. I am taking five classes and two Growth In Faith activities. Growth in Faith are not classes, per se. They are more like workshops or book clubs or community-building activities. We have to do five of them throughout our seminary career. Just going to my required classes and events takes almost 20 hours of my week (4 of those are GIF). Then, the 'rule of thumb' is that we spend 1-2 hours outside of class for each one hour we spend in class. Sometimes it's more than that, sometimes it is less.

Greek: Coming into seminary, I was afraid of Greek. I mean - come on! It's Greek. Who wouldn't be scared of 'αβγδἕ'? I am pleased to say that I got an 87% on my first assignment. Hopefully that trend will continue.

Pentateuch & Wisdom Literature: We're learning about the first five books of the Bible, Job, Ecclesiastes and part of Proverbs.

Intro to Pastoral Care: Pretty self-explanatory what we're going to learn there.

Church History I: This class will cover the history of the Christian Church through the Reformation.

Christian Social Thought: This is the 'extra' class I am taking. Most people take four classes, I'm taking five. Which...there is a reason and a logic to my madness! We who are in the M.Div ELCA ordained track have to do a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). Most people do their CPE full-time during the summer after their first year. Chicago has a great program here called the Urban CPE Consortium. 14 agencies participate and we can do CPE through it. There's a variety of agencies, ranging from church social ministries to retirement homes to ministries dealing with the homeless, poor, or those living with HIV/AIDS and their loved ones. I want to do my CPE through this Consortium, but I do not want to stay in Chicago over the summer. I want to be home during the summer. So there is an option to do CPE during the January term and Spring semester. I'm going to try for that. However, if you do that, you cannot take a full load of classes. Thus, the extra one now to make up for the one I can't take next semester. See....it's logical!! I am also taking all of my classes Pass/Fail instead of a letter grade. That will help reduce the stress!

Some of my classes are graded on a Pass/Fail anyway. One of those is Intro to Pastoral Care. She is grading it on a P/F basis in the hopes that in doing so, we will be more open to 'risks' and sharing with her and our classmates. Today was one of those 'sharing' days. We had to draw pictures of our call story and then get in pairs and tell our story. The exercise was in how it felt to really listen (we were not allowed to ask questions) and how it felt to be the only one speaking. Even though 1) I can't draw and 2) I'm still not entirely comfortable talking about my call story to people outside of the 'need to know' circle (I'm still nervous about reactions), I rather enjoyed the exercise.

By the way...the Greek 'word' isn't a word at all...just the first letters of the Greek alphabet.

Thank You

So....I apparently never blogged about my last Sunday at St. John. August 21 was the Sunday before I left for school. I was Assisting Minister (yes, that was planned) at the early service. At the end of the service, after we prayed with those taking communion to the homebound, Pastor prayed for me and my seminary journey. He also prayed for Rebecca and I, as being apart is definitely not easy. I only teared up a few times. :-)

After second service, there was a Farewell and GodSpeed gathering for me. I had some of the best cheesecake and brownies I think I've ever had! It was so nice to see all of the people who came and chat with everyone. I am so blessed to be part of such a congregation. I was also presented with an oversized check, representing the donations that had been given towards my seminary tuition. I will not ever actually see that money, but I will see it as a payment on my seminary account.

St. John is a very generous congregation. And not just monetarily. I walked into the church in 2005 without a clue. And people talked to me. And asked about me. And cared about me. And let me be their Office Clerk and then their Interim Administrative Assistant. I've been blessed tremendously by the friendships I have made and the things I have learned. Pastor Young has been a great mentor to me, and I will take what he has taught me (and given me - yay books!) with me through my seminary career and beyond.

Thank you, members of St. John.

September 1

So retreat and orientation is officially over. While it was going on, I never thought it would end. Now that it's over, I think the time flew by. This morning (as in 12:01 am), we were able to register online for classes. I stayed up and did so. I think along with everyone else. The server was really slow and it took me until about 12:30 to get registered. Some classmates told me it took them until 2am. I am registered for Greek, Pentateuch & Wisdom Literature, Church History I, Intro to Pastoral Care and for January (J-term) I am taking Building an Inclusive Church. I'm also trying to figure out my CPE unit. Most people take it full-time during the summer. I want to do it here in Chicago, but I want to be in Louisville during the summer. So...there is an option of doing it during the year. But if you do, then you can't take as many classes without special permission. And I have to make sure that what I want to do will count by my Committee. So....lots of info I need to find out fairly quickly. Because if I can only take two or three classes Spring term, I need to take 5 now. So...we'll see......