Balancing Act

Posted on September 25, 2010 by thepowerandthelaurie

Online courses began September 7… that would be only 18 days ago and in one course alone there have been 593 post to date and the term does not end until about mid December. That is an average of 33 posts day so by mid December we should be up to, more or less, 3,266 posts. I will have to read them in order to be able to post my own. I should also mention that there are 26 of us in the course.

Is this really realistic! I don’t believe so… there must be a better way to manage this.

Another thing is …. are we supposed to be doing class work 24/7? What about our church work and congregations? What about our family? friends? WHAT ABOUT US???

This reminds me of a course that I took last year (I think), The Theology of Work. If I remember correctly what is important, if we are not to implode or break down is BALANCE, giving ourselves permission to give it a break to take care of ourselves! Give yourself permission to be something other than an obsessed student… it really is okay and it will work out just fine! No one is going to ask after we are ordained if we read each and every post online, put in crazy hours reading it all and trying to make sense of it to respond. I think that after ordination everyone will be thrilled that we are in leadership and ministry because we have our hearts in the right place.

For me, right now, I have pretty much detached from it because it was making me crazy and grumpy and unhappy… I refuse to have anything hang onto me that tight anymore. I can’t believe that is what my God has in mind for me! I believe that I am to live the wonderful life I have been given not waste it completely on obsessions created by online class work.

I did try to get my classmates to give it a break, at least for the weekend… to have Sabbath! We talk about how important that is, so lets walk the talk!

So ends the lesson for today…. really that should be read as ‘RANT’.

Love and blessings to all! I pray for God’s wisdom and grace!

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Passing through

Posted on September 22, 2010 by thepowerandthelaurie

The online course workload at the moment is intense…. reading posts, following the rules about posts… no more than 100 words, post at least twice on a thread but no more than four, engaging reading with posting and reading more posts and getting buried in the minutiae. assignments, projects and it goes on. And I know that I am certainly not alone! Don’t forget to prepare the bulletin, decide on scripture and hymns, maybe find a theme and what shall the children learn this week? Family, we all have those… they are thrown into the mix also and sometimes (most times?) get the short shrift when we are overwhelmed and overloaded but they are our biggest fans and supporters. Thank you God for them!

Well, I got that out… on to another coffee, a few errands and since it is raining today a trip to the church office later to see how much water may be there today! Nothing compared to my friends in Newfoundland but still a big annoyance. Praying that the ‘excavating guy’ comes soon to dig up, try a fix and hope it works… it is a slow process.

P.S. I did not want you to think that I had forgotten you out there in the cyber world!

Another day in the neighbourhood!

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Spiritual Direction

Posted on September 17, 2010 by thepowerandthelaurie

I am thinking about getting a Spiritual Director. My learning goals this year are going to be about personal spirituality and self-care and I feel this is the direction I am being pointed in.

Anyone have any comments or suggestions? What is your experience of spiritual direction or spiritual direction? Any shared wisdom or guidance would be appreciated.

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Affirmation

Posted on September 15, 2010 by thepowerandthelaurie

On every journey we take, it is always important to have those encouraging moments or words that make it worthwhile or further affirm for us that we are on the right track.

I would just like to share such an affirmation that I received last Sunday:

” You have a warm, confident, and informal presence as you lead worship and clearly a great future in ministry. How fortunate for the United Church.”

I am truly blessed and fortunate to have found the place where I am supposed to be! Thanks be to God!

Now, I must go back to the work that is involved in getting to that ‘future in ministry’!!

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Paul’s Social Network

Posted on September 15, 2010 by thepowerandthelaurie

Question: In light of this week’s reading and the maternal references in Paul’s letters, how would you describe Pauline leadership? Is it egalitarian, hierarchical, or, as Gaventa argues, might Pauline leadership be shaped by apocalyptic theology?

Response:
Paul and those who saw him as leader were living in a time during which they understood that they would see the return of Jesus in their lifetime. Leadership in light of this would most certainly be influenced by apocalyptic theology. Paul was striving to create and maintain a group of churches separated by distance and custom because each group would have formed, to a certain degree, their own style and understanding of the message as it pertained to their local context. The goal was to create a unified body of believers that would be prepared and ready when the Day of Judgment came (i.e. the second coming of Christ).

I think that Paul’s leadership transcends what normal leadership in that day would have entailed. Firstly, Paul was leading a new religious movement for which norms were not yet established. With the main focus on ‘spreading the Gospel’, it would have been normal and expected of Paul to be hierarchical in his leadership style. Otherwise, he would not have maintained his status as leader in the general group. Notwithstanding that the majority of those in the house churches would have been women; there would have been men to deal with and from that honour to hold onto so that his hierarchical style again would have fit in quite well with that segment of the population. There would also have been instances in forming the church, the ‘body of Christ’, that would demand a more egalitarian approach, one that would have been more inclusive and inviting than the hierarchical style that would have been used with men and women in their own authority positions.

Regarding the maternal images and references, it is clear from our readings in ‘A Woman’s Place’, that women and children and all of their related interactions throughout the life cycle would have been present and somewhat predominant in the culture of the house church. It aids Paul’s mission to speak in terms that would have been understood and appreciated by these women. This was also the time when Paul could further educate these women and foster a positive relationship with the group so that the lessons could be passed on to the children and other members of the household. In this way, I think Paul becomes ‘part of the family’ and leads from this perspective too. The use of maternal images by Paul could indicate a keen understanding, observation or intuition of the way in which the women in the church showed leadership that, for Paul, would seem transformational. Identifying with the audience with whom you wish to engage is a key element in being a successful leader.

In summary, Paul’s leadership style met the needs of the particular moment and audience in order to accomplish the goal of establishing the church.

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Quantum Touch – Energy Healing

Posted on September 11, 2010 by thepowerandthelaurie

I have suffered from Plantar fasciitis for two years or so now and over the summer pain management and mobility were constant struggles especially since seven weeks of that time was in Halifax and everywhere you go there is a hill to climb or stairs to climb.

Anyway, in conversation with one of my congregation members/friends who is a Quantum Touch practitioner, she offered to do an initial session with me.

I had that session on Friday morning and I have to say that yesterday was the first day in a very very long time that I could walk without pain in my foot and I was actually able to keep up with my husband. Day two, today, and I am still fine… my body feels likes it has been through a marathon but I think that is because it is re-adjusting to being back to ‘normal’. I hope that I can retain this healing for a bit and will not hesitate to see her again… a much better alternative for me to remain mobile and not taking medication! A real big win for me!!

Thank you Carol!

P.S. If you want to find out more or find a practitioner, here is the website:
http://www.quantumtouch.com/
Blessings on this wonderful journey!

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Paul’s Social Network

Posted on September 8, 2010 by thepowerandthelaurie

This semester I am taking the New Testament course ‘Paul’s Social Network’ with Sister Joan Campbell. A main component of the course will be looking at the women in Paul’s ministry and the roles they played.

This being week one… here is the question of the week and my response:

QUESTION: Share your present view of Paul’s teaching on women. In your opinion, was Paul positive, negative or otherwise with respect to women and their involvement in the Jesus movement? On what do you base your present opinion?

MY RESPONSE:

I am of two minds regarding Paul and his teaching on women. Paul’s statements that “…the husband is the head of his wife“ (1 Cor 11:3) or “Wives, be subject to your husbands” (Eph 5:22) are quite inflammatory to feminists if read literally. One of the important things to keep in mind is that the cultural norms of the society at the time are not those that we have today as was discussed in “Rediscovering Paul” (Capes, Reeves and Richards). Equality was set in a different way; perceptions of equality were set within a class structure that was not based upon balanced gender-based roles. The references that we see today as being negative towards women are based upon our current Western society.

On the other hand, I can see Paul in a positive light with respect to women and their involvement in the Jesus movement. Paul believed his role to be missionary and evangelist after his conversion/call on the road to Damascus. In this role of missionary and evangelist he was aware of his leadership responsibility and the need for networking in order to build the church as the ‘body of Christ’. Networking required people committed to the same mission. Women such as Lydia (Acts 16:11 – 15) and Phoebe (Romans 16:1 – 16) who became patrons of Paul and leaders in the Jesus movement were committed and able to be financially supportive because of their status in the culture. They were not bound by any male family member who had authority over them to control decision-making. Further, the Jesus movement gatherings were first held in homes. These women of substance would have households large enough to hold these gatherings quietly. It would have been anticipated that there would be people coming and going in this type of household making gatherings of new Christians invisible to the authorities. These women would also have their own networks that could assist in church growth. The fact that Paul is associated with women in spreading the Gospel and their leadership roles speaks louder than those few words above taken in a modern literal sense.

I am sure there will be much more revealed as we proceed through the semester so that my thoughts on Paul will be more definite.

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New School Year

Posted on September 6, 2010 by thepowerandthelaurie

For quite a few people, tomorrow is the beginning of a new school year. It will be time to start junior kindergarten, start a new grade, start a new school, start highschool, start college or university or just start a new year.

For myself, I am beginning my third year of online studies for my Masters of Divinity (only two more to go!). This year, I am finding it hard to transition from the short bit of summer vacation to the new year. It has really only been about a month (39 days actually) since the last day of classes at AST in the summer. The ‘break’ has gone much too quickly!!

For one of my friends, the summer was her last summer and this fall and winter online courses will be her last before ordination in May, 2011. She was contemplating what next summer would feel like when she does not have to prepare and travel to Nova Scotia. Instead she will be at home, tending her gardens (that will be completely surprised after 5 years to feel the touch of her care) and preparing to enter life as a ‘Rev.’ with a new pastoral charge.

It is very difficult to imagine what that will be like. With the schedule of classes and work with the pastoral charge most of us don’t think too far ahead of ourselves. Looking too far out can be depressing! But eventually that sixth summer will come and I think it will be a treat!

As for tomorrow and the days to come… they will be filled with reading (not of my choosing) and assignments and posting and reading posts and deciding whether to complete the educational project or the sermon/liturgy project. And, of course, thrown in with all of that education will be my two congregations and the work they generate…. services to prepare, study groups to lead and whether we really know it or not, Advent will be here again in November!

Whoops…. looking to far ahead. I better stick with Sunday’s anniversary service and the meetings for this week and, of course, the readings and postings. That should keep me busy!

To everyone who begins a new adventure tomorrow…. enjoy the ride!!

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What is the world coming to???

Posted on September 6, 2010 by thepowerandthelaurie

On Friday, I participated in a funeral service for one of my congregation members. I arrived at the funeral home early as I usually do to be available for the family and to centre myself for the service. As preparations were happening for the morning, one of the funeral staff came in and announced that someone had tried to ‘lift’ one of the funeral cars and that they had tried to chase the person to no avail and a call to the police ensued. I came to find out from the funeral director that this was not the first time and just last month someone had broken down the steel door to the garage and stolen one of the vehicles.

I must admit that it had never crossed my mind that someone would try to steal something from a funeral home. Just like it never occurred to me that similar thefts would happen from a church office or the cloak room during Sunday service but I do know, from personal experience, that this certainly takes place.

I don’t believe that I am a naive person but I guess I still believe that some things and places are sacred and that you have to be pretty desperate to go there and steal.

What is the world coming to?? And am I of an ever smaller group that holds things and places as sacred. Or is this just where society has led us with respect being a thing of the past and boundaries just being those lines that divide provinces or countries?? Or is it because I have suddenly become aware that I am now part of the ‘older generation’ much like I thought of my parents when they would rant and rave about such things. Funny how things go in circles and, quite possibly, not much changes.

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Names

Posted on September 1, 2010 by thepowerandthelaurie

So, I am going to be a grandparent in March, 2011.

The question has been asked… what do you want to be called?  I had not really given it much thought but now that the question has been asked, I have been trying to decide on the ‘right’ grandparent name for me!

Grandma, Gramma, Nana, Grannie, Oma, Grandmere, Gram, Mimi… you can also use Google to get a long list that includes other languages.  There is even a ‘what kind of grandmother are you’ quiz.  I took that one…. just because I wanted to know and it turns out that I am the ‘traditional’ grandmother type (whatever that means).  I sure don’t feel traditional most of the time.

So, I am going to throw it out there….what is the ‘right’ grandmother name for me?  What do you think?

No matter what I come up with or decide on, I know that our newest addition to our family will decide in their own time what I am to be called.

Isaiah 43:1 … I have called you by name, you are mine.

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