Archive | ministry. RSS feed for this section

excitement.

13 Apr
Okay. Last night’s post regarding the cruelty of internship was a little depressing? too much? vulnerable? That was apparently my emotional limit of the evening. The post is still absolutely and completely true – the thought of the end of internship is still saddening to me. BUT –
Today’s weekly staff meeting cheered me. Staff meetings are enjoyable to me but they can go one of two ways. They can either completely overwhelm me as my to-do list grows OR they can make me utterly excited for what is on the horizon. My limit of time has not increased – it’s still just four months – but I’m excited for what is to come in those four months. And I needed something to be excited about. I had been looking forward to Adam’s wedding for so long and it was wonderful but. then. it. was. over. As my favorite resident at my summer CPE site would say repeatedly, “Now what? Now what?”
– Taffy! I’ve had this dream (or self-inflicted nightmare?) of making taffy with my third grade release time kids. Since tomorrow is the last day of release time, it’s taffy day! (I got the idea from this site.)
– TWO church lock-ins (fourth graders at one and fifth/sixth graders the next weekend)
– A ninth grade confirmation overnight trip to Gustavus College.
– Planning and leading a day camp in August – woot!
– Going to camp! Apparently, as a pastor, I can just take off for camp and visit our kids while they’re attending programming there. Pastor perk!
– Planning and leading a confirmation retreat this summer.
(Let us note together that each and every one of these upcoming events that excites me has to do with children/youth. Hmm.)

Holy Week.

5 Apr
It was holy week from a new vantage point. Just as the season of Lent opened for me with the bizarre but strangely wonderful experience of the Ash Wednesday worship service, the season closed with a fruitful and exciting series of services of which I was a part in a new and different way than before. And in the midst of a week in which I felt weighed down by the uncertainty of how to preach a funeral sermon, I found great joy and excitement in the planning of Easter services and the writing of my Easter sermon.
Our holy week worship schedule began with a seder meal on Thursday followed by a service of Holy Communion. Thursday was also April Fool’s so I may have been given a raw egg to peel amongst the boiled eggs for the meal. We may have also included a new reading, blessing, and the finding of hidden Easter egg cookies at the end of the seder. (An addition that perhaps would be seen as slightly heretical to the tradition of our Jewish ancestors? Perhaps. We did it most tastefully in the spirit of April 1.)
Friday evening was a Tenebrae service, highlighted with choir anthems, readings from John, and the seven last words of Christ. The service ended in darkness and in silence, the cross and alter having been veiled in black. I had never before been to a Tenebrae service; it was a meaningful first experience. I had little role in the leading of the service – most was done by song/choir and narrators. I read prayers, guided the acolytes in the extinguishing of the candles, and then also played flute with the choir on a piece.
Sunday. Easter. Three services – 7am, 8:30, and 10:30 – all wonderful. The “Sonrise” service was mine to plan and preach with the following two services being identical. Let me sing “Jesus Christ is Risen Today” and “Thine is the Glory” with the organ and I’m a happy camper. Add special music, a beautifully decorated sanctuary and pews full of people and it was a perfect Sunday to find the tomb empty. (Though I realize and am glad that even without those things, the tomb is still empty!)
Might I also add to the list – a rocking children’s sermon. PK and I had a lot of fun with hundreds of slips of colored paper, the sounds of an earthquake, and making the whole congregation participate in sharing the message of the gospel — Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

would you rather –

5 Apr
Last week was a bit on a crazy side. Holy week brought a weekend of five worship services and with the addition of two funerals, time was short and stress was high. But now, as I write this on the Monday of a new week, it’s evident that I survived! woot! I’ll speak more of holy week services in a later post but first, some new “firsts” which led to the following question from my supervisor :
Would you rather eat a hamball or preach a funeral sermon?
My first hamball: In this region of Minnesota, if there is a visitation preceding a funeral the night before, it ends with a prayer service. As the intern, the prayer services are my gig. I led a prayer service this past Tuesday night and then the husband – the same man who has taken to calling me “Pastor Sweet Pea” – invited me over to his house to join his family for lunch. (It was 8pm … “lunch” could mean anything except the noon-day meal.) Unable to say no to pretty much anything, I accepted the offer.
I arrived at his house and immediately was shooed into the lunch line. I grabbed myself a sandwich and a cookie. My host gave up his chair at the dinner table for me, I sat down and then someone behind me grabbed my plate and returned it to the table with an addition – a hamball swimming in chunks of pineapple and a mysterious sauce.
Now, I’m not blaming the cook but rather am simply questioning the ethics of it all. Ground ham in ball form? I ate it but will admit – as I texted my supervisor following the incident – I was “mildly disgusted.” This was something new to me and I’m not so certain I was a fan. Apparently, upon further investigation, I understand that the meat market in town sells the ground ham. As more people find out my general distaste towards the ball of pig, I grow worried that it will show up on my plate more often. Sarcastic threats of hamballs have been many from coworkers since the hamballing episode …
My first funeral sermon: With the planning of holy week services and writing of Easter sermons in addition to two funerals, I had my first opportunity to write and preach a funeral sermon. My supervisor typically preaches at all funerals but with the schedule of this week, it seemed to be a good chance for me to have the experience.
So here is what Lindsay does – Lindsay accepts such challenges with an optimistic mindset and then freaks out days later when she realizes what she needs to do and feels in no way equipped to do it. I felt very ill-equipped to write a funeral sermon; the words came very difficult for me. I knew very little of the woman or her family and that, for me, made it more of a challenge.

But you know what? I did it. I wrote it. I preached it. I received critique and feedback from my supervisor in the days preceding and after preaching, felt fairly confident about the message. Because the funeral took place on the Saturday before Easter, I spoke of Easter lilies and the symbol of hope in the resurrection that they convey. The sanctuary at Grace was decorated with lilies for the next morning and, it turns out, a lily was the flower that the family gave for the funeral. God was at work.
Which would I rather do? As a facebook friend wrote to me – the best of both worlds – “Convince the family to include hamballs in the funeral lunch to eat after preaching the sermon.” Jackpot.

an EGG-stravaganza.

29 Mar

Eggs were found.
Scavenger hunt completed.
Palm Sunday song sang.
Skit by confirmation boys acted.
It was EGG-cellent as EGG-spected. (Fake laughs EGG-cepted.)
A few highlights :

wooden people.

24 Mar

Pastor Lori was ordained last Saturday – ordained as a legit pastor.  Woot!  She can now “legally” wear a stole and preside over communion.  It was a wonderful service and a great honor that Lori asked me to assist at the service.  Lori’s ordaination called for gifts and we at Grace put much time and much effort into these gifts.  The time and effort included Kendall and I shopping at Dueber’s (classic downtown Dawson everything-you-can-imagine store) for theological and ministry-related gifts.   (An angel puzzle, law enforcement kit, bug spray, nail polish for the liturgical season, you know.  The like.)  The time and effort went to the extreme with the making of a mission: impossible-themed video, telling Lori that she would need to come to Grace to receive her gifts and save the Christian church.  Right.  (But if she or any of her IM forces should be caught or killed, the secretary will disavow knowledge of her existence.  Naturally.)

Lori came for lunch today to claim her gifts.  One of the gifts were these wooden people – colored to be the staff at Grace, so that when Lori needed to practice a sermon or bounce ideas off of someone, we would always be there for her in her ministry (and for another reason that would take too long to explain here).
Here we are with Lori and our wooden look-a-likes.  From left to right: Keith, custodian; Chris, choir director/organist; Lori (holding the wooden Jesus and cow); Emily, membership care; Pastor Kendall; Tammy, youth; Pastor Lindsay; Karen, administrative extraordinaire.

A typical week.

14 Mar
The joke amongst pastors is that many people in the general public are under the impression that we only work one hour per week – leading worship on Sunday mornings.  I’ve had a few people ask me lately what a typical week looks like for me as an intern.  Well, let me tell you —
Sundays: I arrive at church by 7:30 and prepare for my role in the two services we have each Sunday, 8:30 and 10:45.  Between services, either Pastor Kendall or I lead confirmation class.  Typically, the pastor who is not preaching is planning and leading the lesson with the 7th – 9th graders.  Once a month after the second service, I plan mentor meetings, which pair confirmands with an adult other than a parent for guided conversation/activity centered on faith.  Once every so often, I also am in charge of leading an afternoon service at the care center in Dawson.  Monthly SNL (Sunday Night Live) events are reasons to play mini-golf, go to a movie, or hang out with 5 – 12th graders.
Mondays: The first thing I typically do on Monday morning is find my desk.  Due to the previous week and the chaos of Sunday morning, it’s usually in need of much attention.  Every third Monday is Do-Day which translates to Lindsay hanging out with the quilting ladies.  I then plan and prepare for the weekly Monday afternoon women’s Bible study.    

Tuesdays: Staff meetings normally fill this morning.  It’s not unusual for staff meetings to last until 1pm.  I kinda love staff meetings … which feels like a strange thing to say … but laughter and coffee are always present.  The only thing that kind of frustrates me about staff is that I tend to leave with a longer to-do list than when I came!  
Wednesdays: Wednesdays consist of the preparation and then teaching my third grade release time class at 2pm and confirmation at 3:30.  (Again, Kendall and I switch off teaching.)  In the evening, there are meetings, meetings, meetings.  Some Wednesday nights only have one but there have also been nights of four.  Currently during Lent, we also have Lenten dinner and the Holden service at 7pm.
Thursdays:  Two Thursdays a month are partially reserved for either local ministerium meetings (the gathering of local clergy in Dawson – ELCA and other) and conference meetings (the gathering of all ELCA pastors in the conference).  Thursday is also the day that my supervisor and I have scheduled to check-in and catch-up.  (The seminary requires supervisors/interns to meet for one hour a week to discuss non-calendar/programatic items.  We try to make this happen but sometimes the week runs away from us …) 
That is a typical week … but what week is truly typical?  Whenever there isn’t something on the calendar, as listed above, feel free to add any/all of the following: sermon preparation/writing (at least eight hours, please), hospital visits, shut-in visits, additional worship services, the occasional funeral, more Bible studies, worship planning, dreaming about Easter eggs hunts containing 60 dozen eggs, additional event planning, reading, playing baseball in the hallway, etc.

dust.

17 Feb
Ash Wednesday.
This was the first time I had participated as a minister in an Ash Wednesday service.  I was nervous.  I was preaching and doubted my sermon.  I was using technology.  I wasn’t sure of the service and what parts were mine and where to go.  I was worried that I would forget the words for the imposition of ashes.  I was expecting something to go wrong.
We use Holden Evening Prayer for the Wednesdays in Lent.  My favorite.  With the singing of the Magnificant, I took a deep breath.  The sermon had been preached.  Technology had worked.  Ashes had been impositioned? imposited? imposed?  The majority of the service was over.
I looked out at the congregation and realized it was the first time I had seen Ash Wednesday from this angle.  I had always been one out there, sitting in the pew.  I was always one who came forward and the ashes were put on my forehead.  
This night, I was looking out at a church filled with crossed people.  Literally a community of worshippers with black crosses made of ash on their foreheads.  I suddenly was aware that I was one who spoke the words [remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return].  I was one who crossed the ashes on their foreheads.  It was an intimate action for me and I recognized that as I went from person to person. 
My role has changed.  Tonight I had a clear idea of what the calling to ministry continues to mean to me.
There was something cool.  inspiring.  humbling.  to see the congregation worshiping, singing, and remembering that we are dust together.  To see it from a different place – a different physical place in the sanctuary and a different place vocationally – was a gift for me tonight.  
Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.    

three hundred and thirty four.

10 Feb
Here is an article I wrote for the Dawson Sentinal, the local paper, detailing our health kit drive:
On Sunday, February 7, the Sunday school children, confirmation students, and members of Grace Lutheran Church worked side-by-side to assemble health kits for Lutheran World Relief (LWR).  With all of the helping hands and willing participants, it took only 45 minutes to put together 334 health kits!  For the next step in the journey, the kits will be taken to a warehouse in St. Paul, then to be shipped to the people who need them most.

LWR collects the health kits – a bundle of one hand towel, one washcloth, a toothbrush, comb, metal nail file, bar of soap, and six band-aids – year round but recently, after the devastation of the Haiti earthquake, issued a plea for more kits.  This non-profit organization ships health kits, sewing kits, school kits, and quilts to our neighbors in need across the globe.  The health kits are designed to aid refugees – those people who must leave their homes quickly – or to those people who lose their belongings in tragedy, like our neighbors in Haiti.

Thank you to the community of Dawson, the congregations of Baxter/Saron, and the congregation of Grace Lutheran for the donations received in order to fill 334 health kits!  A big thank you as well to those businesses that donated toothbrushes, combs, and nail clippers!  It has been wonderful to see what a community can do to reach out to others that we know need our help and our love.

If any of you are still interested in donating, Grace Lutheran has enough soap, toothbrushes, band-aids, washcloths, and combs to make at least 50 more kits!  We just need 50 new hand towels (dark colors preferred) and 50 metal nail files/nail clippers with files to make that possible!  If you are able to donate either of these items, please drop them off at Grace Lutheran.  Thank you!

Health kit chaos

7 Feb

We sat around the table at our staff meeting.  We were about to begin a campaign to collect the needed items for LWR health kits and decided we needed a goal.  We all thought silently for a minute.  One person said 50.  Another said 500.  I was thinking 100.  Someone else suggested 200.  We were all over the board and finally decided 250 would be our goal.  Perhaps a little high but that’s where we would aim.
That meant 250 hand towels, 250 nail files, 250 washcloths, 250 combs … you get the point.  Lots of donations, boxes, and bags were dropped off throughout the next few weeks.  It was announced on the radio.  Pastor Lori collected at her country parishes.  We were determined to meet our goal. This is what our collection looked like when I left for home at the end of January:
Upon my return a week later, I was completely and wonderfully overwhelmed with all of the donations that had come in.  We decided we should probably have a count or at least a rough estimate of what we had and what we still needed.  Perfect job for my third graders – they were excellent counters.  Look at those bars of soap in piles of ten!
Even after we counted, donations continued to be put outside the office door and dropped off at Grace.  We set up fellowship hall for optimum assembly line production and prepared for the chaos of sunday school kids, confirmands, and coffee drinkers in the midst of health kit packing frenzy.  It pretty much was pure chaos with a small bit of organization mixed in but the result was utterly impressive.  We have boxes and boxes of health kits, wrapped together with rubber bands, ready to be dedicated and taken to the St.Paul warehouse.  

Total count: I’ll let you know once I’ve counted.  (Estimating 281.)

thurs. and fri.

9 Jan

Thursday: January marks my fifth month at Grace so naturally, the three month evaluation should probably be done, eh? Yes, it should have been done early last month but with Christmas planning, it just wasn’t in the cards. For the evaluations required by the seminary, both my supervisor and I fill out the same forms which ask for reflection/comments on different areas of my internship. Preaching, worship, pastoral care, interaction with the staff, etc. Kendall and I sat down with our laptops and discussed our answers with each other for over two hours on Thursday. Turns out he has confidence that I will be a competent pastor. Phew. After a summer internship that told me the exact opposite, I needed to hear that.

Friday: My day off … except … every other month it is my duty to lead the communion services at the care center and assisted living facilities in Dawson. January is my month so on my day off, I spent my afternoon with old people. (Old people is said affectionately – I like them.)

I was bitter about it at first. I wanted to spend the day in my sweats, watching movies, doing nothing productive. Alas, I put on the appropriate professional clothing, reluctantly did my makeup, and headed out the door. The first service is at the care center and then I walk next door to do the same exact service again at the assisted living facility. (A balancing act as I attempt to carry wine, wafers, and my worship materials outside in the wind. One windy Friday, a bit of Jesus flew off the plate. Opps.) The care center service went well; the bitterness beginning to wash away. The assisted living service takes place in one of their common rooms with a fireplace. I felt myself just melt away in the warmth and the conversation with the old ladies about quilting. Less and less bitter.

When I finish both services, I return to the care center to then deliver communion to anyone who was not at the service, to those residents who mainly keep to their rooms. As I walked down the halls, knocking on doors, delivering communion, I was suddenly glad to be there. (Not that I was totally unhappy before … just a little grief accompanied my duties.) I’m beginning to know the residents at the care center and am struck by how happy they are to have me stop by.

There is one woman, M–, whom I LOVE visiting. Our personalities just work together and she always makes me feel one hundred times better about myself. As Millie and I chatted, prayed together, and held hands, I was surprised at the care she offered me, probably without even knowing it. It might be how she wants to hold my hand or how she speaks so softly and often with a smirk on her face. I could have sat with her all afternoon.

After all was said and done, it was a most excellent day off.

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →