Transitioning Online and In-Person
Blogging while job searching is very difficult for me. In this age of google reference checks, I end up second-guessing every word I write, thinking about how a would-be employer might take it the wrong way. But, on the other hand, my blog, tech-savvy, and knowledge of social-networking would be a real benefit to most employers. It shows my ingenuity, ability to communicate my thoughts, and my penchant for affecting positive change. This is all to say, I’ve had plenty of bloggy thoughts recently, but my posts have become less frequent as I think it’s better to play it safe.
That said, I will share very generally what’s up with Megan and me these days. In a word: transition.
In a few weeks we’ll be packing up our apartment and heading off to Montreat, North Carolina. I have summer employment as the Director for Recreation and Community Life at Montreat Conference Center in western North Carolina. I’ll be supervising plenty of summer staff, making sure folks are having fun (but not too much non-safe fun), and overseeing the recreation program of the conference center including the pool, lake/boats, tennis, youth center, and Clubs environmental and music education programs. I’m sure other tasks will become more clear once I begin, but basically I’ll be doing a lot of supervising, support, and enjoying the beauty of Montreat.
Megan will be leaving mid-summer to begin medical school at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. I’ll join her ASAP — ahhh, the crazy places one follows for love, even to North Dakota! Truthfully, I’m really looking forward to living and working in North Dakota. Megan (and so me too, right?) is related to practically half the state –which actually isn’t that many people with a population of around 650,000 — and it’s been named the Friendliest State multiple times.
So for your trivia buffs, here’s some fun North Dakota facts:
- ND boasts the lowest mean travel time to work of any state (15.5 mins)
- ND has the highest population claiming religion of any state (over 90%)
- ND enjoys the second highest drive-in movie theater per capita (111.5)
- ND claims the second lowest incarceration rate
- ND sips the second highest binge drinking rate (not sure what I think about this)
- ND braves the second lowest mean monthly temperature
- ND grows more sunflowers than any other state
- ND, in the town of Rugby, celebrates the geographical center of the US
- ND’s official state beverage is none other than the wholesome and delicious milk!
In a Word: The Presbyterian Writers Conference
I popped in and out of the Presbyterian Writers Conference the past few days at Columbia Seminary. I still have a few weeks of class left, so I didn’t get to take in as much of the conference as I would have liked were I not having to write term papers and final projects. Even so, I’m very glad to have gleaned what I did.
I love communication of all sorts, writing especially. It was helpful to see what sort of folks show up for a Presby Writers Conference — over 80, in fact! — and what sorts of questions they were asking. From what I could tell, the group seemed a good mix of pastors, teacher types, retirees, and folks considering writing as a profession.
A few things that struck me and you might care to read:
- writing is a tough, usually solitary, business
- it takes a good amount of time, and a bit of luck to make it big
- write what you like
- what you like may not sell
- what you have written is probably not marketable as is
- academic writing and more popular writing are two totally different animals
- it sure helps to have a PhD, connections connections, and a nice title after your name
I’ll stop there, but I will also say that I hadn’t realized how fortunate I’ve been to have a few things published and have something else in the pipeline. Sure, this work isn’t anything too fancy, but it turns out that an article here and an essay there ain’t nothing for a 26 year-old. Oh, and presenters kept telling folks to get a blog audience and all that. Well, you’re mine already 
Now off to decide whether I should pay the $25 and become a member of the Presbyterian Writers Guild — like I have the money, or the time…
image by typofi
New Presbyterian Hymnal/Congregational Song Resource Update
A few weeks ago I attended the second meeting of (what then was called) The Presbyterian Hymnal Committee. It was a grand meeting during which the committee got much accomplished and prepped for receiving new materials for new hymn and song resources.
I commend our press release to you, which may be found at the committee’s website.
To whet your appetite, though, here’s a few highlights from the meeting
- We changed our name! Yep, from The Presbyterian Hymnal Committee to the Presbyterian Committee on Congregational Song (which, thank goodness, can be pronounced acronymally as “peacocks”). We thought that “Hymnal Committee” was not sufficiently broad, as we’re considering more than just a printed “hymnal,” and more than just “hymns” in the final product.
- We made clear the guidelines for submissions old and new (go here)
- We adopted a theological vision to guide our work. Check it out on the website. As the release says, “the Theological Vision Statement focuses on a framework of salvation history-God’s powerful acts of creation, redemption, and final transformation-and on the human responses made possible by such gracious acts. In the words of the document, placing priority on God’s empowering and transformative actions “offers hope to those whose faith in human efforts has been undermined.” It also invites a broadly inclusive scope as a means of most faithfully giving voice to “the breadth and length and height and depth of the love of Christ” (Eph 3:18).”
I’m grateful to the committee for the good work, collegial spirit, and prayerful friendships that continue to support me in the process. Two meetings down… ?? to go!
Another Life Goal Acheived, Laser Printer Review
I’ve made the switch to a laser printer. The verdict, in short: it’s great (much better than an inkjet). 
After our Cannon inkjet/deskjet printer nearly made us broke from the cost of replacement cartridges, we began purchasing off-brand cartridges. But the quality of printing went downhill fast — blurry ink, cartridges running dry all the time, we never bought color cartridges due to cost, and the printer itself going a little wonky.
After a good deal of research, I purchased the Brother HL-2170w on sale for $100 with free shipping from Amazon (sorry, the price went back up and is now $139.99). Overall, the printer has been pretty great and I recommend it.
Positives:
- fast crisp clear printing
- energy saver mode uses practically no power
- easy to print envelopes
- small size, looks good, minimal desk footprint
Negatives:
- by “duplex capable” it doesn’t mean it can print double-sided except if you select “print odd pages,” print, then flip them over and select “print even pages”
- when it’s actually printing it uses a ton of power — our lights flicker
- it makes a good bit of noise when printing (when it goes to sleep, it’s silent)
Unsure:
- a big bonus of the printer is its wireless capability, but as we’re sharing wireless with some friends, I haven’t tried to set this up
- not sure how long the toner will last, but even the initial drum is supposed to print over 1,000 pages (my idea is that it’ll save us money from the inkjet)
- there is some paper curl association with laser printing; it doesn’t bother me but might you
Overall, though I’ve only used it for a few weeks, I’ve been really pleased with this affordable laser printer. I’ve definitely not missed the inkjet. Laser printing is crisper and clearer, the printing just more professional.
Jogging my memory: I may have lost it!
This is a post I never thought I’d write. For someone as boring as me, it’s rather exciting then. Ok, here’s the news: I’ve registered to run a marathon. Yes, a whopping 26.2 miles. Yes I am crazy. Yes I hated running… oh, for the first 24 or so years of my life. But I’m hooked now — the same phrase used for dangerous drug addictions. Hmmmmm.
I signed up for the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon held October 4, 2009. This has consistently been voted the most beautiful urban marathon in America. The course looks absolutely awesome — you start in downtown Minneapolis, head around four lakes, run beside the Mississippi for a while, then finish in St. Paul. Apparently the crowds are great (and I’ve got a deal with God that the weather will be also).
click on the map below to enlarge
The nutshell story re my running/jogging history is this: I ran my first 10k with some friends about 3 years ago — didn’t love it, but survived. I ran another a few months later than petered off to study for ordination exams. I went to Scotland ate lots of fish and chips and tea and biscuits and fried fill-in-the-blank and put on several pounds and just started feeling unhealthy. So after one particularly unhealthy night when I realized I just wasn’t happy with how I was taking care of my body, I decided the next day I’d begin jogging. That was about a year ago, and I haven’t stopped since. I ran a half marathon at Thanksgiving and another in March and I almost like it. I’m by no means fast, but I feel a ton healthier, crave healthy foods when I crave at all, and am much more in tune with my body and the world around me. A few years ago I’d have thought stories like this were ridiculous. Well, maybe it is. Ask me again the afternoon of October 4th.
So I’ll keep jogging for fun for a few weeks and then begin a training program. I’d love to hear any suggestions for marathon training programs from folks out there. I’ll probably go down the library and check out a few books. Advice is appreciated — as is interventions from friends who really think I’ve gone of the deep end. Peace out … I’ve gotta run.
The Reverend Esquire
Maybe I’ve just been around a peculiar group of people recently, but in more than a handful of conversations the same curious consideration has popped up: pastors becoming lawyers — or at least, going to law school.
Among friends and acquaintances several are considering or already transitioned from ordained ministry to law. Now I know the fields, historically speaking, are related. Homeboy John Calvin was a lawyer to begin with after all. But perhaps the fields have changed so much today there are fewer overlaps? So an off-the-top-of-my-head comparison follows.
Attorneys and Pastors have in common:
- they work, in large part, with people
- they work in complex systems of thought (law and theology)
- their work is based in an important text (constitution/case law and the Bible)
- verbal persons thrive
- both professions seek justice for individuals and in society
- the hours are long and hard
Ways Attorneys and Pastors differ:
- well, the pay is a few commas different
- pastors spend much time in one-on-one pastoral care and hands-on administration (holistic), attorneys work more to accomplish specific tasks and do so hierarchically
- the society values humble pastors but highfalutin attorneys
- perhaps pastors work more in the gray and attorneys in determining black and white
- pastors work in constant ever-grinding cycles but attorneys can close a case and move on to something very different
- pastors are seen as holy or other, attorneys are seen as anything but
Now that I’ve done that, I’m no more clear on why all these pastor types are considering law school. What do you think?
An Easter Sermon: St. John of Chrysostom
An Easter sermon for the ages:
St. John of Chrysostom, archbishop of Constantinople in the 5th century, was nick-named the “golden-tongued” for his eloquent preaching. On Easter mornings from his day until now, this Easter message has celebrated the resurrection. It is only right, then, for us to celebrate with words of St. John, celebrating the savior of the world, of Christians in every time and place.
A portion of St. John of Chyrsostom’s Easter message:
Are you God’s friend and lover?
rejoice in this glorious feast of feasts!
Are you God’s servant, knowing God’s wishes?
be glad with your Master, share his rejoicing!
Are you worn down with the labor of fasting?
now is your payday!Have you been working since early morning?
you will be paid fair and square.
Have you been here since the third hour?
you can be thankful, you will be pleased.
If you came at the sixth hour,
come up without fear, you will lose nothing.
Did you linger till the ninth hour?
come forward without hesitation.
Even if you came at the eleventh hour?
have no fear; it is not too late.God is a generous employer,
treating the last to come as he treats the first arrival.
God gives to the one and gives to the other:
honours the deed and praises the intention.Join, then, all of you, join in our Master’s rejoicing.
You who were the first to come, you who came after,
come now and collect your wages.
Rich and poor, sing and dance together.
You that are hard on yourselves, you that are easy,
celebrate this day.
You that have fasted and you that have not,
make merry today.The meal is ready: come and enjoy it.
The calf is a fat one: you will not go away hungry.
There’s hospitality for all, and to spare.
No more apologizing for your poverty:
the kingdom belongs to us all.
No more bewailing your failings:
forgiveness has come from the grave.
No more fears of your dying:
the death of our Saviour has freed us from fear.
Death played the Master: but he has mastered death.Isaiah knew this would happen, and he cried:
“Death was angered when it met you in the pit.”
It was angered, for it was defeated.
It was angered, for it was mocked.
It was angered, for it was abolished.
It was angered, for it was overthrown.
It was angered, for it was bound in chains.Death swallowed a body, and met God face to face.
It took earth and encountered heaven.
It took what is seen and fell upon the unseen.O Death, where is your sting?
O Grave, where is your victory?
Christ is risen and you are overthrown.
Christ is risen and evil has fallen.
Christ is risen and the angels rejoice.
Christ is risen and life reigns.
Christ is risen and not one dead remains in the tomb.Christ is risen indeed from the dead,
the first of all who had fallen asleep.Glory and power to him for ever and ever!”
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