St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church

Happy Easter! I had a great Holy Week and Easter. I went home on Wednesday even though it was "suggested" - hmm, I think strongly was in there as well - to stay at GTS for Holy Week. But I wanted to be home. Coupla' reasons. It was our first Easter in the new parish. And I was going to be master of ceremonies for the liturgies. Here's how that happened. About a month or so ago we were driving home on a Thursday afternoon and husband priest said "I have everything ready for Holy Week." "Great," said I. "Mmm, just wish I had someone to MC so I wouldn't have to worry about the details." Momentary pause while my brain went through one of those fast forward things we do when we seem to be able to think at warp speeds. "I could do that, and it would be good experience," I tentatively offered. "Oh, would you?" he asked. "That would be great. Are you sure? I hate to impose on you." I assured him I would really like to do it. So I was hired. Few miles and minutes pass before he finally confesses that it was a set-up. He was hoping I would volunteer, but didn't want to ask since he was afraid I would say yes even if I didn't wanna' do it. Well, I did it, and a good experience it was. I felt like I am indeed on my way to priesthood after all. And now I am also "setting the table" at mass. More good experience. Then maybe I won't feel totally useless when I start field placement in the fall.

The end is in sight for our junior year. Hardly seems possible, but there it is a little over a month away. We have four papers due and I am wading in the midst of them. The New Testament second draft is with the professor; the Old Testament is in the information gathering stage; the philosophy paper is in my brain swirling around and looking for something to work on; and the church history paper is giving me fits. Did the reading but cannot figure out where the reading fits in with the questions posed by the professor...none other than J. Robert Wright! Oh my aching head! If I can just get through this paper and his final with B's I will have a B for the course and consider that one of the accomplishments of my life! And anyone who has taken church history at GTS knows exactly what I am talking about.

the seminarian