Little of this and that

So how was my conference?

Well it was fine, although much of it was retread from other classes and talks I've attended. The people not from Fuller seemed to enjoy it a great deal. There was a little more mime-ing than I care to see - I simply don't think it's something that many churches can present well, nor is it particularly relevant or very entertaining for people my age, and therefore it should not be so much of a focus. It seems like we'd benefit more from artistic suggestions that could actually be implemented at a majority of churches in an effective way. But of course that will always largely depend upon the particular ways the HS has gifted any given congregation. Perhaps what is needed is less showing-off of certain types of art (dance, mime, music by the guy who used to backup Elton John--like yeah, we all have musicians of that caliber!) that only an institution like Fuller can really access. Perhaps we should be instead educating pastors to a) find the gifts of their congregation's artists and then b) empower the use of those gifts. There are some curricula out there, but more could be written. Maybe I should get on that.

I'm supposed to guest write on another blog starting next week. I don't even have time to write on here! What have I gotten myself into? Well I will at least post a link to it when I write there.

I'm really loving my Writings class. It's all happening really fast (5 weeks total), and it's kind of swirling around me at the moment. But I love these stories! And I love the emotion in the Psalms and Ecclesiastes and Job. So much humanity. Lately I've been thinking maybe I should just become an OT scholar! But I have to see how Hebrew agrees with me first. It's what killed my Dad - he had to leave DTS and go to another sem that didn't require it!

So for writings I can write a paper about a couple of novels and/or movies and/or songs, about how they present what it means to be human, and how the Writings can enrich and inform them (not the other way 'round). Any ideas, guys? I just finished Reading Lolita in Tehran, which is great, by the way. I wonder if that could be used. I'm sure if I thought about it 5 minutes things would come to mind, but I'm just bouncing around in so many things at the moment that it's hard to focus.

I did have a talk with my professor about whether I belong at Fuller. He affirmed my suspicions that my Epis polity class was actually more conservative than the majority of Fuller students and particularly Epis Fuller students. That was a relief. I have to remember that I chose this denomination because
OH....Bob Dylan is playing..."like a rol-ling stone"...love that...excuse me while I jam for a moment.
right because they are so diverse! I love the broadness of God's mercy that is affirmed by the Anglican Communion. And I also have to trust, as Dr. G reminded me, that my faith has evolved to this place because God's led me here. I don't think I've been misled, and I certainly having been trying to drive this train. Things happen around me and I pay attention. Opportunities come up and I grab them. Disappointments happen. The future is uncertain. It's all life. It's all part of this journey, and I really am just enjoying the ride. Like a complete unknown. Like a rolling stone.

Oh, hell I can't write when Bob's singing to me.