A Last Post for 2007

Oh my goodness -- I haven’t blogged since June 2!. Well, I have to make an entry now to complete the year!

I have been very busy since June 2. Clinical Pastoral Education was a very busy time, like I expected. I had some nice surprises, like the two honorable, generous gentlemen from the gay community in Boise who lent me their extra car for the summer. Ken, Wendy and Alex Eklund hosted me for the summer. I had a cool, quite basement bedroom, which helped a lot during the long, hot summer.

Class started ten days after I got back. I preached my senior sermon 7 days later on 9/11. Thus the semester started with a crunch that didn’t let up until the last week. Now that I’m someway recovered, I have the dreaded GOEs – General Ordination Exams coming up in less than two days. GOEs are a four day test – with two 3.5 hour test periods each day from 9 to 5 (except Friday when we get the morning off). We get the test question from the GOE website , have 3.5 hours to write a 3 page, single space essay, and submit it before the webpage goes away at the deadline. We are tested on:

1. The Holy Scriptures

2. Church History, including the Ecumenical Movement

3. Christian Theology

4. Christian Ethics and Moral Theology

5. Studies in Contemporary Society, including Racial and Minority Groups

6. Liturgics and Church Music

7. Theory and Practice of Ministry

Fun, uh?! Prayers are much appreciated! There 18 of us seminarians taking it here at CDSP, 250 for the whole Episcopal Church.

Then on January 10^th, I’m off to Quito, Ecuador to study Spanish and learn about el Iglesia Episcopal del Ecuador Comunidad Anglicana – the Episcopal Church of Equador. Visit their home page and test your Spanish, English translation here.

I wish you all un Feliz Año Nuevo -Happy New Year! Blessings!

Oh, one last thing. I'm on Facebook.