Well, tomorrow's the big day. I will travel to YPC one last time, turn in my key, clean out my office, and spend one last evening with the youth. And then my time at Yorkminster will come to a close. It's very bittersweet. I will miss the people tremendously. The leaning experience was a great one. And my call to has been affirmed in many different ways.
Over the past few months, people have asked me "What do you like best and least about this job?" And depending on the day, my answer changes. I love the people that I have gotten to know and love over the past year. I have learned so much from them (much more than they have learned from me) and I will take every memory and conversation with me. I love the fact that this job has given me experiences outside of children and youth ministries. Who knew that at the end of this job I would be able to track a CE budget, administer various first aid assistance, and be able to back up a 15-passenger bus filled with youth perfectly into a parking spot. And on top of that, I can coordinate a trip to summer camp, complete with an amusement park visit and rental vans.
I don't know that there is any part of my job that I dislike. Committee meetings aren't on the top of my list of things I enjoyed, but when they are productive, I don't mind going to them. I guess that's my least favorite. There were times when I had so much going on that I couldn't think straight. But that's bound to happen wherever I end up.
The past 15 months have been priceless. I will always think of this job with great memories, and will take so much with me. Now it's off on a new adventure. Seminary is waiting for me and I can't wait to start. It's going to be challenging, but it'll be worth it. So stay tuned. I'm sure there will be many more blog posts in the future.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
The jury is in...
Well, I've decided. And it wasn't easy, but I am SO excited about this decision. It will be hard to go, but I know in the end I am making the right decision.
On Tuesday, I turned in my letter of resignation at the church, effective at the end of the year. At that point, I will move to Richmond to become a full-time student at BTSR. I have a place to live, I have friends waiting for me, and (hopefully) will have some job opportunities by January. I can't wait to jump back into school and to get my Master's degree (yes, I'm a nerd. And I'm okay with that).
So, stay tuned for some more posts (hopefully with some deep, challenging theological thoughts.
Thanks for reading!
On Tuesday, I turned in my letter of resignation at the church, effective at the end of the year. At that point, I will move to Richmond to become a full-time student at BTSR. I have a place to live, I have friends waiting for me, and (hopefully) will have some job opportunities by January. I can't wait to jump back into school and to get my Master's degree (yes, I'm a nerd. And I'm okay with that).
So, stay tuned for some more posts (hopefully with some deep, challenging theological thoughts.
Thanks for reading!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Major life update
I just got home from a crazy night at church, and can't wait to get to sleep. But I am still jazzed up from church tonight, so I have decided to harness that energy and make a blog update. I hope you enjoy.
As most of you have probably read in other social outlets of my life, I started seminary back in September at the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. And I LOVE it. My plan for this semester was to go up for orientation and tell my advisor, "I am still working a full time job, and the best option for me right now is to take one online class, just to get my feet wet. Maybe in the spring I can think about taking more than one online class, but we'll have to wait and see how this semester turns out." Well, that didn't happen. My advisor turned out to be someone that has been a part of my ministry journey for several years. She was one of the leaders at "Echo" which was the camp I attended while in high school that helped students explore the possibility of ministry. So T. knows me very well. She preaches at my dad's church from time to time, and we always find a way to have lunch or dinner together when she's in town.
So, I show up for my advising appointment, speech prepared. But no sooner do I sit down with T. that she says "Kristen, is it at all possible that you could drive up to Richmond one day a week for a 2 hour class?" Ummmm....what? "Well, that depends on the day and time of the class, T. I'm not sure." Well, as fate would have it, the class meets on Tuesdays from 11-1. Tuesday is my day off at the church, and the one Tuesday I do have to be at church for a meeting, it's not until 5:30 in the evening. "Sure. I can do that."
And so my commute to Richmond began. I drive up every Tuesday in time for chapel, attend class, and then (when I can) stick around for a couple hours and hang out with some new friends. And I LOVE it. I am taking a class called "Exploring your Ministerial Identity" known among BTSR students as "Seminary 101."We are looking at what our "call" has been, what to expect while in seminary, and various things we will encounter while in ministry that don't already have whole classes dedicated to them. It's a great way to begin my seminary journey. It's very introspective, which is something that I don't spend a lot of time doing in my everyday life.
So, now the question that needs to be answered is "When am I moving to Richmond?" My gut is telling me one thing, my head another; my parents say one thing and my church wishes something different. Where the heck do I go from here?
I have talked with the school about housing on campus and am waiting to hear back from them. If I can or cannot find a place to live, that will make my decision a lot easier. So, we'll see what happens.
I hope to have a more introspective post in the next couple of days. But I first wanted to update any of you who check this (mainly Anna) on what my life is like right now.
May the grace and love of God surround you. Until next time.
As most of you have probably read in other social outlets of my life, I started seminary back in September at the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. And I LOVE it. My plan for this semester was to go up for orientation and tell my advisor, "I am still working a full time job, and the best option for me right now is to take one online class, just to get my feet wet. Maybe in the spring I can think about taking more than one online class, but we'll have to wait and see how this semester turns out." Well, that didn't happen. My advisor turned out to be someone that has been a part of my ministry journey for several years. She was one of the leaders at "Echo" which was the camp I attended while in high school that helped students explore the possibility of ministry. So T. knows me very well. She preaches at my dad's church from time to time, and we always find a way to have lunch or dinner together when she's in town.
So, I show up for my advising appointment, speech prepared. But no sooner do I sit down with T. that she says "Kristen, is it at all possible that you could drive up to Richmond one day a week for a 2 hour class?" Ummmm....what? "Well, that depends on the day and time of the class, T. I'm not sure." Well, as fate would have it, the class meets on Tuesdays from 11-1. Tuesday is my day off at the church, and the one Tuesday I do have to be at church for a meeting, it's not until 5:30 in the evening. "Sure. I can do that."
And so my commute to Richmond began. I drive up every Tuesday in time for chapel, attend class, and then (when I can) stick around for a couple hours and hang out with some new friends. And I LOVE it. I am taking a class called "Exploring your Ministerial Identity" known among BTSR students as "Seminary 101."We are looking at what our "call" has been, what to expect while in seminary, and various things we will encounter while in ministry that don't already have whole classes dedicated to them. It's a great way to begin my seminary journey. It's very introspective, which is something that I don't spend a lot of time doing in my everyday life.
So, now the question that needs to be answered is "When am I moving to Richmond?" My gut is telling me one thing, my head another; my parents say one thing and my church wishes something different. Where the heck do I go from here?
I have talked with the school about housing on campus and am waiting to hear back from them. If I can or cannot find a place to live, that will make my decision a lot easier. So, we'll see what happens.
I hope to have a more introspective post in the next couple of days. But I first wanted to update any of you who check this (mainly Anna) on what my life is like right now.
May the grace and love of God surround you. Until next time.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Day 30- Your highs and lows of this month
Highs and lows of the month. Ok, so between August 17 and September 17 since I didn't follow the rules of these updates.
Highs:
~Getting along with a particularly challenging person in my personal life. I have struggled with this for the past few months, but I have worked on it and I think we are in a much better place now than we were 3 months ago.
~ College friends getting engaged and married
~ Getting to see my best friend work at a sometimes challenging job, but finally getting to meet some of the people I have heard about all summer.
~ Meeting Annie and Chris, friends of Anna's that I fell in love with instantly and hope to see again.
~ Successfully finding Sunday School teachers for all our classes
~ Everything related to BTSR
~ Seeing a former camp coordinator and having her tell me she was proud of me
~ Writing my first seminary paper
Lows:
~Having to wait until the week before Sunday School started to finally have people volunteer
~ Not getting to spend more time with Jacob and Anna while on vacation
~ Seeing families at our church leave because of new ordination rules in the PC(USA) denomination
~ Only having 14 children at our first night of TeamKID, when last year we had 32
~ Because of transitions in the church, seeing things fall through the cracks that shouldn't, but not being able to take on the new responsibilities
~ Questioning what I should do with my job, starting school full-time, and making some major changes in my professional life
Highs:
~Getting along with a particularly challenging person in my personal life. I have struggled with this for the past few months, but I have worked on it and I think we are in a much better place now than we were 3 months ago.
~ College friends getting engaged and married
~ Getting to see my best friend work at a sometimes challenging job, but finally getting to meet some of the people I have heard about all summer.
~ Meeting Annie and Chris, friends of Anna's that I fell in love with instantly and hope to see again.
~ Successfully finding Sunday School teachers for all our classes
~ Everything related to BTSR
~ Seeing a former camp coordinator and having her tell me she was proud of me
~ Writing my first seminary paper
Lows:
~Having to wait until the week before Sunday School started to finally have people volunteer
~ Not getting to spend more time with Jacob and Anna while on vacation
~ Seeing families at our church leave because of new ordination rules in the PC(USA) denomination
~ Only having 14 children at our first night of TeamKID, when last year we had 32
~ Because of transitions in the church, seeing things fall through the cracks that shouldn't, but not being able to take on the new responsibilities
~ Questioning what I should do with my job, starting school full-time, and making some major changes in my professional life
Day 29- Goals for the next 30 days
This is a great place to start...and then I'll update my blog with what has been happening in my life.
Goals for the next 30 days:
1. Update my blog at least once a week.
2. Stay ahead in my class work, completing all homework for the upcoming class by Sunday evening.
3. Change my work schedule, so I'm in the office by 8:30 every morning.
4. Talk to my grandmother on the phone once every 2 weeks.
5. Finish my "reading for fun book" for my book club in whatever way necessary.
6. Take the time to process what's going on in seminary.
7. Have open and honest conversations with myself and others about what I think God wants me to do with my life and moving to Richmond.
8. Be always waiting for how God is working in my life.
9. Find ways to support and grow with the youth in outlets outside of Sundays.
10. Write 3 encouraging notes to church members I don't interact with on a regular basis each week.
OK. Here we go!
Goals for the next 30 days:
1. Update my blog at least once a week.
2. Stay ahead in my class work, completing all homework for the upcoming class by Sunday evening.
3. Change my work schedule, so I'm in the office by 8:30 every morning.
4. Talk to my grandmother on the phone once every 2 weeks.
5. Finish my "reading for fun book" for my book club in whatever way necessary.
6. Take the time to process what's going on in seminary.
7. Have open and honest conversations with myself and others about what I think God wants me to do with my life and moving to Richmond.
8. Be always waiting for how God is working in my life.
9. Find ways to support and grow with the youth in outlets outside of Sundays.
10. Write 3 encouraging notes to church members I don't interact with on a regular basis each week.
OK. Here we go!
Monday, January 3, 2011
Day 28- Something that you miss
I miss college.
Day 27- A problem that you have had
I have had various problems over the years, but I think the one that frustrates me the most is the fact that I can't stop biting my nails. This may seem petty and insignificant, but the fact that no matter how hard I try, I can't have the self-control to not bite my nails. And for those of you who know me and know how much I like to control things know how hard this is. So, any suggestions? I've tried everything except hypnosis.
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