I apologize for writing my first blog about field ed when I'm already three weeks into the process, but this semester is just, well, excuse my French--bat-shit crazy. Between taking five classes at three different schools, two of which are online and one of which is Hebrew, field ed, work, homework, trying to have a life and, oh yeah, getting ready to have a BABY, I feel like I'm going insane. I've been juggling everything pretty well, but I hope no one decides to toss an extra ball at me, because things are going to fall apart if that happens.
Anywho, for those of you who have been impatiently awaiting blogs from me or blogs from Wes and me, you'll just have to learn patience. It is a virtue. And also a fruit of the Spirit. Hopefully we'll get everything sorted out and get into a rhythm again pretty soon. I think that's always the hardest part of the beginning of a new school year or job or whatever--finding your equilibrium. I feel like I'm almost there, but please be patient with us. I'm sure that in 10-14 weeks when baby arrives, everything will be all topsy-turvy again and we'll just adjust like we always do!
Field ed has been going pretty well so far. This year, I am working at St. Bartholomew, which is literally about 10 minutes away from St. Mark, and almost the exact same distance from my house. The greatest part going in was knowing that activities don't start until 9:30 at St. B's, vs. having the first service at 8:15 at St. Mark last year. I definitely miss being there, but I'm having a ton of fun so far.
St. B's is in Trenton, which, as you may know, is the capital of New Jersey. It's an inner-city area, and the church has maybe half of the attendance that St. Mark does. It is also a lot more diverse in terms of race, which is pretty cool for me. There is a Spanish congregation that uses the buildings on Sunday afternoons, and I hope I get to hang out with them at some point, before every last bit of my Spanish knowledge escapes me. Basically, it's a very different place from St. Mark, except for one thing: the people have been really welcoming and wonderful to me. Thank goodness for that.
The pastor I'm working with this year is Aaron, who is entering his fourth year of ministry at St. B's. This is his first call, and also his first career, so it is a new setting for me. He and his wife, Sarah, have an 18-month-old, Charlotte, who is adorable, so that's fun. This year, my plan is to learn some new things, and build on some of my learning from last year. When I preach, I'm going to ask some of the congregation members as well as Aaron to evaluate my sermons so I can get a feel for what people besides the pastor think. I'll still be doing a lot of work with the junior/senior high kids, although I feel much more comfortable after last year. One of my big goals is going to be figuring out how to be a mom and a pastor, something I'll be dealing with for the rest of my life.
I'm very excited for how this year will go, and I'll do my best to write more often from now on. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment