Let the Journey Begin ...

Time has flown by this summer. It feels likes just a couple weeks ago that we were relaxing in the ray of the sun at a quaint boutique cafe on Bainbridge Island west of downtown Seattle enjoying a crisp Pinot Grigo accompanied by bacon wrapped figs ... Sigh! I remember imagining this day and it is actually here. I am so grateful and humbled returning to the halls of Iliff and hearing "You did it, you really did it. You made it back. You said you would. Awesome!" Thank you Vince Tango.

This week marks my first of nine quarters of study at Iliff School of Theology. By the end of May 2016 I will be 1/3 of my way through this journey for a Master of Divinity and ordination with the UCC (United Church of Christ) http://www.ucc.org/. The time will go fast so hang on for the ride with me. This blog is intended to share my journey as well as my challenges as Iliff will certainly deconstruct my past and present faith beliefs and prompt me to re-frame them over the course of the next few years. I pledge to be open and ever present through this process and I invite you to ask questions, leave comments or simply evaluate your own positions as we dealve into some complicated and vulnerable material.

Fall Quarter Courses:

Professional Formation Phase 1 - The exploration of personality, vocation and leadership through a battery of personality and apptitude tests and guided in depth exploration of vocational interests.

Vocation & Orientation - The course allows students to explore the ongoing process of vocational discernment, with particular attention to how vocational journeys intersect with the experience of formal theological education.

Imagining Christian Practice - This course explores Christian practices across times and places, examining Christian lives in bodily practices, and the ways in which Christian identity is created in art, architecture, and other media. Examining both ancient and contemporary contexts through lenses both visual and lived, this course also intends to introduce the graduate study of religion and scholarly practices. Students will be invited to explore Christian practice with the study of art, architecture, worship spaces, reading, and written and shared reflection.

Pastoral Care - An introduction to theories of care, counseling, and psychotherapy in relation to theories of humanity and personhood. Special attention will be given to theological, psychological and ethical perspectives.

 Implementing Institutional Social Change - How does one facilitate social change in large organizations? Based on the professor’s personal experiences as a writer of the 2010 Pentagon Study that preceded the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in 2011, this seminar encourages participants to examine their personal roles in fostering social change at the institutional level. Participants will analyze the pros and cons of being a radical versus a more tempered agent for change and will reflect on how they can be an effective agent for change in their respective organizations.

This will prove to be a challenging quarter as I learn to balance school, family life, volunteer obligations, denominational requirements, financial responsibilities and self care. Your prayers and thoughts would be so helpful for me along the way. Thank you, in advance for those, and I look forward to sharing and exploring with you in the future.

Peace.