Singing Along the Journey

beliefs

I hear music in the air…

Today we have continued our journey with the most amazing places:  first, the Western Wall tunnels, then a walk down the Palm Sunday Road from the Mount of Olives to the Church at Gethsemane, followed by a visit with our colleagues in faith at the Bethlehem Bible College, and then a visit to the Church of the Nativity and the Shepherd's Cave.  And all day long, at each and every place, there was music -- in my head. As we walked through the tunnels dug by Rabbis seeking access to the Western Wall when none was available, as we stared at the gigantic stones that are the foundation of that wall…
Read More

What I’ve Learned So Far…Part 3 — The Movie

I had the opportunity to pursue some independent study this semester along with my more conventional classes.  And as my chosen project to explore the use of new technologies in faith development and congregational life, I decided to make a movie.    Susan, a movie?  You decided to make a movie?  Yes, indeed. Why, you might ask?  Well, for a lot of reasons.  First, I like to stay current with technology and I live in world now where every time I turn around someone is taking a video of something and posting it somewhere for the world to see.  Second, of all the technologies that are "current", video was the…
Read More

Let your light shine…

The opportunity to commemorate the day of Pentecost in Israel was an opportunity beyond my imagining.  Why?  Well, because I am one of those people who, if I could only attend church one day a year, would choose Pentecost over Easter and Christmas or almost any other day in the liturgical calendar.  So the chance to stand on the land of the peoples who gave birth to my faith, a faith that in many ways was really born this day -- well, that was a great gift.  And if you want to read about the events of the day, no one can tell you that story better than my friend…
Read More

It all happens at the gate…

Having spent these last weeks deeply immersed in learning to translate Biblical Hebrew by translating the entire book of Ruth, the word sha'ar or gate has become a regular part of my Hebrew vocabulary and my thinking about community life. You see, in the ancient world, the gate of the town was the most important place (that is, in Near Eastern culture -- once the Romans came along that would switch to the marketplace or forum).  Everything happened at the gate -- that was where important contractual business happened, where news was shared (or gossip, depending on your point of view), that was where you went if you needed help,…
Read More

We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves…

It is the rare moment for me when I am uncertain about sharing my thoughts (those who know me well know that I live to have an opinion about things).  But I have struggled over these last twenty-four hours about whether or not to write what follows.  At first, I started to add it only to my private journal.  And then I decided to write it where at least a few stout souls might see it.  I do not intend what follows as a political commentary; for me, it is a simple answer to a question of faith that I was asked yesterday.  I only write these words because over…
Read More

Holy, holy, holy…

One of the great joys of this time of formation and learning known as "going to seminary" is the opportunity to pull together pieces of learning and devotion that I thought were long ago lost and abandoned.  Right now, I am especially enjoying a class called "Introduction to Judaism," for just that reason.  A very wise friend asked me if I thought that I might be bored in this class, given that my Masters in history focused on the Middle East and Judaica.  But this class has not only given me the opportunity to remember much of what I learned, but the chance to experience as a living, breathing faith…
Read More

Shalom…the greatest love of all

Let me begin by saying this:  one of the first rules of responsible blogging is that you never, ever write about other people and their private lives without their permission.  I don't know if the things that I am about to say are what my dear friends had in mind last night when they encouraged me to write about our joint experience.  But what I am about to write is what truly remains with me from the hours we spent together. Sadly, last night, I visited with a dear friend who was saying that most difficult goodbye to someone that she loved.  It was the end of a long period…
Read More

Something I noticed…

Last night we had our first meeting of a class I have been anticipating for months -- The Teaching Church.  It is, for me, the beginning of my real education.   It was the work that I have begun to do as a teacher and the awareness of my call to teaching that has been slowly developing in me for the past couple of years that brought me to the doors of this seminary, and it was the one chance meeting with the particular educator who teaches this class that made VTS my school of choice over Andover Newton. And last night did not disappoint -- there is nothing more invigorating than…
Read More

A first semester report card…

Not that kind of report card.    Well, a little bit that-kind-of-report-card. I've had the chance to learn a lot about what it means to be part of a liturgically-based denomination in my first months at seminary and I must admit that I'm intrigued by some of the traditions,how they developed over the years and how they manifest themselves in the 21st century.  One of these practices refers to something called  Ember days.  Mostly, I hear people talking about Ember days because those are the days that, by tradition, the students are expected to communicate in some way (the format often depends on the technology-savvy nature of their individual bishops)…
Read More

Other people’s theology…

Reading and commenting on someone else's writing is not always the easiest thing.  But as eternal students of faith, we often face the task of picking up a book or an article, reading it quickly,  analyzing its usefulness, and incorporating the pieces of that message we need for a project or that we need simply to stimulate our own thinking and theological pondering.  And so, in this next writing reflection, I have chosen to read and comment on Chapter Three of our text, We Are Theologians:  Strengthening the People of God, by Frederica Harris Thompsett. I picked this chapter, titled "All Can Be Theologians", because the idea resonated strongly with my…
Read More

I hear music in the air…

Today we have continued our journey with the most amazing places:  first, the Western Wall tunnels, then a walk down the Palm Sunday Road from the Mount of Olives to the Church at Gethsemane, followed by a visit with our colleagues in faith at the Bethlehem Bible College, and then a visit to the Church of the Nativity and the Shepherd's Cave.  And all day long, at each and every place, there was music -- in my head. As we walked through the tunnels dug by Rabbis seeking access to the Western Wall when none was available, as we stared at the gigantic stones that are the foundation of that wall…
Read More

What I’ve Learned So Far…Part 3 — The Movie

I had the opportunity to pursue some independent study this semester along with my more conventional classes.  And as my chosen project to explore the use of new technologies in faith development and congregational life, I decided to make a movie.    Susan, a movie?  You decided to make a movie?  Yes, indeed. Why, you might ask?  Well, for a lot of reasons.  First, I like to stay current with technology and I live in world now where every time I turn around someone is taking a video of something and posting it somewhere for the world to see.  Second, of all the technologies that are "current", video was the…
Read More

Let your light shine…

The opportunity to commemorate the day of Pentecost in Israel was an opportunity beyond my imagining.  Why?  Well, because I am one of those people who, if I could only attend church one day a year, would choose Pentecost over Easter and Christmas or almost any other day in the liturgical calendar.  So the chance to stand on the land of the peoples who gave birth to my faith, a faith that in many ways was really born this day -- well, that was a great gift.  And if you want to read about the events of the day, no one can tell you that story better than my friend…
Read More

It all happens at the gate…

Having spent these last weeks deeply immersed in learning to translate Biblical Hebrew by translating the entire book of Ruth, the word sha'ar or gate has become a regular part of my Hebrew vocabulary and my thinking about community life. You see, in the ancient world, the gate of the town was the most important place (that is, in Near Eastern culture -- once the Romans came along that would switch to the marketplace or forum).  Everything happened at the gate -- that was where important contractual business happened, where news was shared (or gossip, depending on your point of view), that was where you went if you needed help,…
Read More

We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves…

It is the rare moment for me when I am uncertain about sharing my thoughts (those who know me well know that I live to have an opinion about things).  But I have struggled over these last twenty-four hours about whether or not to write what follows.  At first, I started to add it only to my private journal.  And then I decided to write it where at least a few stout souls might see it.  I do not intend what follows as a political commentary; for me, it is a simple answer to a question of faith that I was asked yesterday.  I only write these words because over…
Read More

Holy, holy, holy…

One of the great joys of this time of formation and learning known as "going to seminary" is the opportunity to pull together pieces of learning and devotion that I thought were long ago lost and abandoned.  Right now, I am especially enjoying a class called "Introduction to Judaism," for just that reason.  A very wise friend asked me if I thought that I might be bored in this class, given that my Masters in history focused on the Middle East and Judaica.  But this class has not only given me the opportunity to remember much of what I learned, but the chance to experience as a living, breathing faith…
Read More

Shalom…the greatest love of all

Let me begin by saying this:  one of the first rules of responsible blogging is that you never, ever write about other people and their private lives without their permission.  I don't know if the things that I am about to say are what my dear friends had in mind last night when they encouraged me to write about our joint experience.  But what I am about to write is what truly remains with me from the hours we spent together. Sadly, last night, I visited with a dear friend who was saying that most difficult goodbye to someone that she loved.  It was the end of a long period…
Read More

Something I noticed…

Last night we had our first meeting of a class I have been anticipating for months -- The Teaching Church.  It is, for me, the beginning of my real education.   It was the work that I have begun to do as a teacher and the awareness of my call to teaching that has been slowly developing in me for the past couple of years that brought me to the doors of this seminary, and it was the one chance meeting with the particular educator who teaches this class that made VTS my school of choice over Andover Newton. And last night did not disappoint -- there is nothing more invigorating than…
Read More

A first semester report card…

Not that kind of report card.    Well, a little bit that-kind-of-report-card. I've had the chance to learn a lot about what it means to be part of a liturgically-based denomination in my first months at seminary and I must admit that I'm intrigued by some of the traditions,how they developed over the years and how they manifest themselves in the 21st century.  One of these practices refers to something called  Ember days.  Mostly, I hear people talking about Ember days because those are the days that, by tradition, the students are expected to communicate in some way (the format often depends on the technology-savvy nature of their individual bishops)…
Read More

Other people’s theology…

Reading and commenting on someone else's writing is not always the easiest thing.  But as eternal students of faith, we often face the task of picking up a book or an article, reading it quickly,  analyzing its usefulness, and incorporating the pieces of that message we need for a project or that we need simply to stimulate our own thinking and theological pondering.  And so, in this next writing reflection, I have chosen to read and comment on Chapter Three of our text, We Are Theologians:  Strengthening the People of God, by Frederica Harris Thompsett. I picked this chapter, titled "All Can Be Theologians", because the idea resonated strongly with my…
Read More

I hear music in the air…

Today we have continued our journey with the most amazing places:  first, the Western Wall tunnels, then a walk down the Palm Sunday Road from the Mount of Olives to the Church at Gethsemane, followed by a visit with our colleagues in faith at the Bethlehem Bible College, and then a visit to the Church of the Nativity and the Shepherd's Cave.  And all day long, at each and every place, there was music -- in my head. As we walked through the tunnels dug by Rabbis seeking access to the Western Wall when none was available, as we stared at the gigantic stones that are the foundation of that wall…
Read More

What I’ve Learned So Far…Part 3 — The Movie

I had the opportunity to pursue some independent study this semester along with my more conventional classes.  And as my chosen project to explore the use of new technologies in faith development and congregational life, I decided to make a movie.    Susan, a movie?  You decided to make a movie?  Yes, indeed. Why, you might ask?  Well, for a lot of reasons.  First, I like to stay current with technology and I live in world now where every time I turn around someone is taking a video of something and posting it somewhere for the world to see.  Second, of all the technologies that are "current", video was the…
Read More

Let your light shine…

The opportunity to commemorate the day of Pentecost in Israel was an opportunity beyond my imagining.  Why?  Well, because I am one of those people who, if I could only attend church one day a year, would choose Pentecost over Easter and Christmas or almost any other day in the liturgical calendar.  So the chance to stand on the land of the peoples who gave birth to my faith, a faith that in many ways was really born this day -- well, that was a great gift.  And if you want to read about the events of the day, no one can tell you that story better than my friend…
Read More

It all happens at the gate…

Having spent these last weeks deeply immersed in learning to translate Biblical Hebrew by translating the entire book of Ruth, the word sha'ar or gate has become a regular part of my Hebrew vocabulary and my thinking about community life. You see, in the ancient world, the gate of the town was the most important place (that is, in Near Eastern culture -- once the Romans came along that would switch to the marketplace or forum).  Everything happened at the gate -- that was where important contractual business happened, where news was shared (or gossip, depending on your point of view), that was where you went if you needed help,…
Read More

We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves…

It is the rare moment for me when I am uncertain about sharing my thoughts (those who know me well know that I live to have an opinion about things).  But I have struggled over these last twenty-four hours about whether or not to write what follows.  At first, I started to add it only to my private journal.  And then I decided to write it where at least a few stout souls might see it.  I do not intend what follows as a political commentary; for me, it is a simple answer to a question of faith that I was asked yesterday.  I only write these words because over…
Read More

Holy, holy, holy…

One of the great joys of this time of formation and learning known as "going to seminary" is the opportunity to pull together pieces of learning and devotion that I thought were long ago lost and abandoned.  Right now, I am especially enjoying a class called "Introduction to Judaism," for just that reason.  A very wise friend asked me if I thought that I might be bored in this class, given that my Masters in history focused on the Middle East and Judaica.  But this class has not only given me the opportunity to remember much of what I learned, but the chance to experience as a living, breathing faith…
Read More

Shalom…the greatest love of all

Let me begin by saying this:  one of the first rules of responsible blogging is that you never, ever write about other people and their private lives without their permission.  I don't know if the things that I am about to say are what my dear friends had in mind last night when they encouraged me to write about our joint experience.  But what I am about to write is what truly remains with me from the hours we spent together. Sadly, last night, I visited with a dear friend who was saying that most difficult goodbye to someone that she loved.  It was the end of a long period…
Read More

Something I noticed…

Last night we had our first meeting of a class I have been anticipating for months -- The Teaching Church.  It is, for me, the beginning of my real education.   It was the work that I have begun to do as a teacher and the awareness of my call to teaching that has been slowly developing in me for the past couple of years that brought me to the doors of this seminary, and it was the one chance meeting with the particular educator who teaches this class that made VTS my school of choice over Andover Newton. And last night did not disappoint -- there is nothing more invigorating than…
Read More

A first semester report card…

Not that kind of report card.    Well, a little bit that-kind-of-report-card. I've had the chance to learn a lot about what it means to be part of a liturgically-based denomination in my first months at seminary and I must admit that I'm intrigued by some of the traditions,how they developed over the years and how they manifest themselves in the 21st century.  One of these practices refers to something called  Ember days.  Mostly, I hear people talking about Ember days because those are the days that, by tradition, the students are expected to communicate in some way (the format often depends on the technology-savvy nature of their individual bishops)…
Read More

Other people’s theology…

Reading and commenting on someone else's writing is not always the easiest thing.  But as eternal students of faith, we often face the task of picking up a book or an article, reading it quickly,  analyzing its usefulness, and incorporating the pieces of that message we need for a project or that we need simply to stimulate our own thinking and theological pondering.  And so, in this next writing reflection, I have chosen to read and comment on Chapter Three of our text, We Are Theologians:  Strengthening the People of God, by Frederica Harris Thompsett. I picked this chapter, titled "All Can Be Theologians", because the idea resonated strongly with my…
Read More

I hear music in the air…

Today we have continued our journey with the most amazing places:  first, the Western Wall tunnels, then a walk down the Palm Sunday Road from the Mount of Olives to the Church at Gethsemane, followed by a visit with our colleagues in faith at the Bethlehem Bible College, and then a visit to the Church of the Nativity and the Shepherd's Cave.  And all day long, at each and every place, there was music -- in my head. As we walked through the tunnels dug by Rabbis seeking access to the Western Wall when none was available, as we stared at the gigantic stones that are the foundation of that wall…
Read More

What I’ve Learned So Far…Part 3 — The Movie

I had the opportunity to pursue some independent study this semester along with my more conventional classes.  And as my chosen project to explore the use of new technologies in faith development and congregational life, I decided to make a movie.    Susan, a movie?  You decided to make a movie?  Yes, indeed. Why, you might ask?  Well, for a lot of reasons.  First, I like to stay current with technology and I live in world now where every time I turn around someone is taking a video of something and posting it somewhere for the world to see.  Second, of all the technologies that are "current", video was the…
Read More

Let your light shine…

The opportunity to commemorate the day of Pentecost in Israel was an opportunity beyond my imagining.  Why?  Well, because I am one of those people who, if I could only attend church one day a year, would choose Pentecost over Easter and Christmas or almost any other day in the liturgical calendar.  So the chance to stand on the land of the peoples who gave birth to my faith, a faith that in many ways was really born this day -- well, that was a great gift.  And if you want to read about the events of the day, no one can tell you that story better than my friend…
Read More

It all happens at the gate…

Having spent these last weeks deeply immersed in learning to translate Biblical Hebrew by translating the entire book of Ruth, the word sha'ar or gate has become a regular part of my Hebrew vocabulary and my thinking about community life. You see, in the ancient world, the gate of the town was the most important place (that is, in Near Eastern culture -- once the Romans came along that would switch to the marketplace or forum).  Everything happened at the gate -- that was where important contractual business happened, where news was shared (or gossip, depending on your point of view), that was where you went if you needed help,…
Read More

We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves…

It is the rare moment for me when I am uncertain about sharing my thoughts (those who know me well know that I live to have an opinion about things).  But I have struggled over these last twenty-four hours about whether or not to write what follows.  At first, I started to add it only to my private journal.  And then I decided to write it where at least a few stout souls might see it.  I do not intend what follows as a political commentary; for me, it is a simple answer to a question of faith that I was asked yesterday.  I only write these words because over…
Read More

Holy, holy, holy…

One of the great joys of this time of formation and learning known as "going to seminary" is the opportunity to pull together pieces of learning and devotion that I thought were long ago lost and abandoned.  Right now, I am especially enjoying a class called "Introduction to Judaism," for just that reason.  A very wise friend asked me if I thought that I might be bored in this class, given that my Masters in history focused on the Middle East and Judaica.  But this class has not only given me the opportunity to remember much of what I learned, but the chance to experience as a living, breathing faith…
Read More

Shalom…the greatest love of all

Let me begin by saying this:  one of the first rules of responsible blogging is that you never, ever write about other people and their private lives without their permission.  I don't know if the things that I am about to say are what my dear friends had in mind last night when they encouraged me to write about our joint experience.  But what I am about to write is what truly remains with me from the hours we spent together. Sadly, last night, I visited with a dear friend who was saying that most difficult goodbye to someone that she loved.  It was the end of a long period…
Read More

Something I noticed…

Last night we had our first meeting of a class I have been anticipating for months -- The Teaching Church.  It is, for me, the beginning of my real education.   It was the work that I have begun to do as a teacher and the awareness of my call to teaching that has been slowly developing in me for the past couple of years that brought me to the doors of this seminary, and it was the one chance meeting with the particular educator who teaches this class that made VTS my school of choice over Andover Newton. And last night did not disappoint -- there is nothing more invigorating than…
Read More

A first semester report card…

Not that kind of report card.    Well, a little bit that-kind-of-report-card. I've had the chance to learn a lot about what it means to be part of a liturgically-based denomination in my first months at seminary and I must admit that I'm intrigued by some of the traditions,how they developed over the years and how they manifest themselves in the 21st century.  One of these practices refers to something called  Ember days.  Mostly, I hear people talking about Ember days because those are the days that, by tradition, the students are expected to communicate in some way (the format often depends on the technology-savvy nature of their individual bishops)…
Read More

Other people’s theology…

Reading and commenting on someone else's writing is not always the easiest thing.  But as eternal students of faith, we often face the task of picking up a book or an article, reading it quickly,  analyzing its usefulness, and incorporating the pieces of that message we need for a project or that we need simply to stimulate our own thinking and theological pondering.  And so, in this next writing reflection, I have chosen to read and comment on Chapter Three of our text, We Are Theologians:  Strengthening the People of God, by Frederica Harris Thompsett. I picked this chapter, titled "All Can Be Theologians", because the idea resonated strongly with my…
Read More

I hear music in the air…

Today we have continued our journey with the most amazing places:  first, the Western Wall tunnels, then a walk down the Palm Sunday Road from the Mount of Olives to the Church at Gethsemane, followed by a visit with our colleagues in faith at the Bethlehem Bible College, and then a visit to the Church of the Nativity and the Shepherd's Cave.  And all day long, at each and every place, there was music -- in my head. As we walked through the tunnels dug by Rabbis seeking access to the Western Wall when none was available, as we stared at the gigantic stones that are the foundation of that wall…
Read More

What I’ve Learned So Far…Part 3 — The Movie

I had the opportunity to pursue some independent study this semester along with my more conventional classes.  And as my chosen project to explore the use of new technologies in faith development and congregational life, I decided to make a movie.    Susan, a movie?  You decided to make a movie?  Yes, indeed. Why, you might ask?  Well, for a lot of reasons.  First, I like to stay current with technology and I live in world now where every time I turn around someone is taking a video of something and posting it somewhere for the world to see.  Second, of all the technologies that are "current", video was the…
Read More

Let your light shine…

The opportunity to commemorate the day of Pentecost in Israel was an opportunity beyond my imagining.  Why?  Well, because I am one of those people who, if I could only attend church one day a year, would choose Pentecost over Easter and Christmas or almost any other day in the liturgical calendar.  So the chance to stand on the land of the peoples who gave birth to my faith, a faith that in many ways was really born this day -- well, that was a great gift.  And if you want to read about the events of the day, no one can tell you that story better than my friend…
Read More

It all happens at the gate…

Having spent these last weeks deeply immersed in learning to translate Biblical Hebrew by translating the entire book of Ruth, the word sha'ar or gate has become a regular part of my Hebrew vocabulary and my thinking about community life. You see, in the ancient world, the gate of the town was the most important place (that is, in Near Eastern culture -- once the Romans came along that would switch to the marketplace or forum).  Everything happened at the gate -- that was where important contractual business happened, where news was shared (or gossip, depending on your point of view), that was where you went if you needed help,…
Read More

We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves…

It is the rare moment for me when I am uncertain about sharing my thoughts (those who know me well know that I live to have an opinion about things).  But I have struggled over these last twenty-four hours about whether or not to write what follows.  At first, I started to add it only to my private journal.  And then I decided to write it where at least a few stout souls might see it.  I do not intend what follows as a political commentary; for me, it is a simple answer to a question of faith that I was asked yesterday.  I only write these words because over…
Read More

Holy, holy, holy…

One of the great joys of this time of formation and learning known as "going to seminary" is the opportunity to pull together pieces of learning and devotion that I thought were long ago lost and abandoned.  Right now, I am especially enjoying a class called "Introduction to Judaism," for just that reason.  A very wise friend asked me if I thought that I might be bored in this class, given that my Masters in history focused on the Middle East and Judaica.  But this class has not only given me the opportunity to remember much of what I learned, but the chance to experience as a living, breathing faith…
Read More

Shalom…the greatest love of all

Let me begin by saying this:  one of the first rules of responsible blogging is that you never, ever write about other people and their private lives without their permission.  I don't know if the things that I am about to say are what my dear friends had in mind last night when they encouraged me to write about our joint experience.  But what I am about to write is what truly remains with me from the hours we spent together. Sadly, last night, I visited with a dear friend who was saying that most difficult goodbye to someone that she loved.  It was the end of a long period…
Read More

Something I noticed…

Last night we had our first meeting of a class I have been anticipating for months -- The Teaching Church.  It is, for me, the beginning of my real education.   It was the work that I have begun to do as a teacher and the awareness of my call to teaching that has been slowly developing in me for the past couple of years that brought me to the doors of this seminary, and it was the one chance meeting with the particular educator who teaches this class that made VTS my school of choice over Andover Newton. And last night did not disappoint -- there is nothing more invigorating than…
Read More

A first semester report card…

Not that kind of report card.    Well, a little bit that-kind-of-report-card. I've had the chance to learn a lot about what it means to be part of a liturgically-based denomination in my first months at seminary and I must admit that I'm intrigued by some of the traditions,how they developed over the years and how they manifest themselves in the 21st century.  One of these practices refers to something called  Ember days.  Mostly, I hear people talking about Ember days because those are the days that, by tradition, the students are expected to communicate in some way (the format often depends on the technology-savvy nature of their individual bishops)…
Read More

Other people’s theology…

Reading and commenting on someone else's writing is not always the easiest thing.  But as eternal students of faith, we often face the task of picking up a book or an article, reading it quickly,  analyzing its usefulness, and incorporating the pieces of that message we need for a project or that we need simply to stimulate our own thinking and theological pondering.  And so, in this next writing reflection, I have chosen to read and comment on Chapter Three of our text, We Are Theologians:  Strengthening the People of God, by Frederica Harris Thompsett. I picked this chapter, titled "All Can Be Theologians", because the idea resonated strongly with my…
Read More

I hear music in the air…

Today we have continued our journey with the most amazing places:  first, the Western Wall tunnels, then a walk down the Palm Sunday Road from the Mount of Olives to the Church at Gethsemane, followed by a visit with our colleagues in faith at the Bethlehem Bible College, and then a visit to the Church of the Nativity and the Shepherd's Cave.  And all day long, at each and every place, there was music -- in my head. As we walked through the tunnels dug by Rabbis seeking access to the Western Wall when none was available, as we stared at the gigantic stones that are the foundation of that wall…
Read More

What I’ve Learned So Far…Part 3 — The Movie

I had the opportunity to pursue some independent study this semester along with my more conventional classes.  And as my chosen project to explore the use of new technologies in faith development and congregational life, I decided to make a movie.    Susan, a movie?  You decided to make a movie?  Yes, indeed. Why, you might ask?  Well, for a lot of reasons.  First, I like to stay current with technology and I live in world now where every time I turn around someone is taking a video of something and posting it somewhere for the world to see.  Second, of all the technologies that are "current", video was the…
Read More

Let your light shine…

The opportunity to commemorate the day of Pentecost in Israel was an opportunity beyond my imagining.  Why?  Well, because I am one of those people who, if I could only attend church one day a year, would choose Pentecost over Easter and Christmas or almost any other day in the liturgical calendar.  So the chance to stand on the land of the peoples who gave birth to my faith, a faith that in many ways was really born this day -- well, that was a great gift.  And if you want to read about the events of the day, no one can tell you that story better than my friend…
Read More

It all happens at the gate…

Having spent these last weeks deeply immersed in learning to translate Biblical Hebrew by translating the entire book of Ruth, the word sha'ar or gate has become a regular part of my Hebrew vocabulary and my thinking about community life. You see, in the ancient world, the gate of the town was the most important place (that is, in Near Eastern culture -- once the Romans came along that would switch to the marketplace or forum).  Everything happened at the gate -- that was where important contractual business happened, where news was shared (or gossip, depending on your point of view), that was where you went if you needed help,…
Read More

We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves…

It is the rare moment for me when I am uncertain about sharing my thoughts (those who know me well know that I live to have an opinion about things).  But I have struggled over these last twenty-four hours about whether or not to write what follows.  At first, I started to add it only to my private journal.  And then I decided to write it where at least a few stout souls might see it.  I do not intend what follows as a political commentary; for me, it is a simple answer to a question of faith that I was asked yesterday.  I only write these words because over…
Read More

Holy, holy, holy…

One of the great joys of this time of formation and learning known as "going to seminary" is the opportunity to pull together pieces of learning and devotion that I thought were long ago lost and abandoned.  Right now, I am especially enjoying a class called "Introduction to Judaism," for just that reason.  A very wise friend asked me if I thought that I might be bored in this class, given that my Masters in history focused on the Middle East and Judaica.  But this class has not only given me the opportunity to remember much of what I learned, but the chance to experience as a living, breathing faith…
Read More

Shalom…the greatest love of all

Let me begin by saying this:  one of the first rules of responsible blogging is that you never, ever write about other people and their private lives without their permission.  I don't know if the things that I am about to say are what my dear friends had in mind last night when they encouraged me to write about our joint experience.  But what I am about to write is what truly remains with me from the hours we spent together. Sadly, last night, I visited with a dear friend who was saying that most difficult goodbye to someone that she loved.  It was the end of a long period…
Read More

Something I noticed…

Last night we had our first meeting of a class I have been anticipating for months -- The Teaching Church.  It is, for me, the beginning of my real education.   It was the work that I have begun to do as a teacher and the awareness of my call to teaching that has been slowly developing in me for the past couple of years that brought me to the doors of this seminary, and it was the one chance meeting with the particular educator who teaches this class that made VTS my school of choice over Andover Newton. And last night did not disappoint -- there is nothing more invigorating than…
Read More

A first semester report card…

Not that kind of report card.    Well, a little bit that-kind-of-report-card. I've had the chance to learn a lot about what it means to be part of a liturgically-based denomination in my first months at seminary and I must admit that I'm intrigued by some of the traditions,how they developed over the years and how they manifest themselves in the 21st century.  One of these practices refers to something called  Ember days.  Mostly, I hear people talking about Ember days because those are the days that, by tradition, the students are expected to communicate in some way (the format often depends on the technology-savvy nature of their individual bishops)…
Read More

Other people’s theology…

Reading and commenting on someone else's writing is not always the easiest thing.  But as eternal students of faith, we often face the task of picking up a book or an article, reading it quickly,  analyzing its usefulness, and incorporating the pieces of that message we need for a project or that we need simply to stimulate our own thinking and theological pondering.  And so, in this next writing reflection, I have chosen to read and comment on Chapter Three of our text, We Are Theologians:  Strengthening the People of God, by Frederica Harris Thompsett. I picked this chapter, titled "All Can Be Theologians", because the idea resonated strongly with my…
Read More

I hear music in the air…

Today we have continued our journey with the most amazing places:  first, the Western Wall tunnels, then a walk down the Palm Sunday Road from the Mount of Olives to the Church at Gethsemane, followed by a visit with our colleagues in faith at the Bethlehem Bible College, and then a visit to the Church of the Nativity and the Shepherd's Cave.  And all day long, at each and every place, there was music -- in my head. As we walked through the tunnels dug by Rabbis seeking access to the Western Wall when none was available, as we stared at the gigantic stones that are the foundation of that wall…
Read More

What I’ve Learned So Far…Part 3 — The Movie

I had the opportunity to pursue some independent study this semester along with my more conventional classes.  And as my chosen project to explore the use of new technologies in faith development and congregational life, I decided to make a movie.    Susan, a movie?  You decided to make a movie?  Yes, indeed. Why, you might ask?  Well, for a lot of reasons.  First, I like to stay current with technology and I live in world now where every time I turn around someone is taking a video of something and posting it somewhere for the world to see.  Second, of all the technologies that are "current", video was the…
Read More

Let your light shine…

The opportunity to commemorate the day of Pentecost in Israel was an opportunity beyond my imagining.  Why?  Well, because I am one of those people who, if I could only attend church one day a year, would choose Pentecost over Easter and Christmas or almost any other day in the liturgical calendar.  So the chance to stand on the land of the peoples who gave birth to my faith, a faith that in many ways was really born this day -- well, that was a great gift.  And if you want to read about the events of the day, no one can tell you that story better than my friend…
Read More

It all happens at the gate…

Having spent these last weeks deeply immersed in learning to translate Biblical Hebrew by translating the entire book of Ruth, the word sha'ar or gate has become a regular part of my Hebrew vocabulary and my thinking about community life. You see, in the ancient world, the gate of the town was the most important place (that is, in Near Eastern culture -- once the Romans came along that would switch to the marketplace or forum).  Everything happened at the gate -- that was where important contractual business happened, where news was shared (or gossip, depending on your point of view), that was where you went if you needed help,…
Read More

We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves…

It is the rare moment for me when I am uncertain about sharing my thoughts (those who know me well know that I live to have an opinion about things).  But I have struggled over these last twenty-four hours about whether or not to write what follows.  At first, I started to add it only to my private journal.  And then I decided to write it where at least a few stout souls might see it.  I do not intend what follows as a political commentary; for me, it is a simple answer to a question of faith that I was asked yesterday.  I only write these words because over…
Read More

Holy, holy, holy…

One of the great joys of this time of formation and learning known as "going to seminary" is the opportunity to pull together pieces of learning and devotion that I thought were long ago lost and abandoned.  Right now, I am especially enjoying a class called "Introduction to Judaism," for just that reason.  A very wise friend asked me if I thought that I might be bored in this class, given that my Masters in history focused on the Middle East and Judaica.  But this class has not only given me the opportunity to remember much of what I learned, but the chance to experience as a living, breathing faith…
Read More

Shalom…the greatest love of all

Let me begin by saying this:  one of the first rules of responsible blogging is that you never, ever write about other people and their private lives without their permission.  I don't know if the things that I am about to say are what my dear friends had in mind last night when they encouraged me to write about our joint experience.  But what I am about to write is what truly remains with me from the hours we spent together. Sadly, last night, I visited with a dear friend who was saying that most difficult goodbye to someone that she loved.  It was the end of a long period…
Read More

Something I noticed…

Last night we had our first meeting of a class I have been anticipating for months -- The Teaching Church.  It is, for me, the beginning of my real education.   It was the work that I have begun to do as a teacher and the awareness of my call to teaching that has been slowly developing in me for the past couple of years that brought me to the doors of this seminary, and it was the one chance meeting with the particular educator who teaches this class that made VTS my school of choice over Andover Newton. And last night did not disappoint -- there is nothing more invigorating than…
Read More

A first semester report card…

Not that kind of report card.    Well, a little bit that-kind-of-report-card. I've had the chance to learn a lot about what it means to be part of a liturgically-based denomination in my first months at seminary and I must admit that I'm intrigued by some of the traditions,how they developed over the years and how they manifest themselves in the 21st century.  One of these practices refers to something called  Ember days.  Mostly, I hear people talking about Ember days because those are the days that, by tradition, the students are expected to communicate in some way (the format often depends on the technology-savvy nature of their individual bishops)…
Read More

Other people’s theology…

Reading and commenting on someone else's writing is not always the easiest thing.  But as eternal students of faith, we often face the task of picking up a book or an article, reading it quickly,  analyzing its usefulness, and incorporating the pieces of that message we need for a project or that we need simply to stimulate our own thinking and theological pondering.  And so, in this next writing reflection, I have chosen to read and comment on Chapter Three of our text, We Are Theologians:  Strengthening the People of God, by Frederica Harris Thompsett. I picked this chapter, titled "All Can Be Theologians", because the idea resonated strongly with my…
Read More

I hear music in the air…

Today we have continued our journey with the most amazing places:  first, the Western Wall tunnels, then a walk down the Palm Sunday Road from the Mount of Olives to the Church at Gethsemane, followed by a visit with our colleagues in faith at the Bethlehem Bible College, and then a visit to the Church of the Nativity and the Shepherd's Cave.  And all day long, at each and every place, there was music -- in my head. As we walked through the tunnels dug by Rabbis seeking access to the Western Wall when none was available, as we stared at the gigantic stones that are the foundation of that wall…
Read More

What I’ve Learned So Far…Part 3 — The Movie

I had the opportunity to pursue some independent study this semester along with my more conventional classes.  And as my chosen project to explore the use of new technologies in faith development and congregational life, I decided to make a movie.    Susan, a movie?  You decided to make a movie?  Yes, indeed. Why, you might ask?  Well, for a lot of reasons.  First, I like to stay current with technology and I live in world now where every time I turn around someone is taking a video of something and posting it somewhere for the world to see.  Second, of all the technologies that are "current", video was the…
Read More

Let your light shine…

The opportunity to commemorate the day of Pentecost in Israel was an opportunity beyond my imagining.  Why?  Well, because I am one of those people who, if I could only attend church one day a year, would choose Pentecost over Easter and Christmas or almost any other day in the liturgical calendar.  So the chance to stand on the land of the peoples who gave birth to my faith, a faith that in many ways was really born this day -- well, that was a great gift.  And if you want to read about the events of the day, no one can tell you that story better than my friend…
Read More

It all happens at the gate…

Having spent these last weeks deeply immersed in learning to translate Biblical Hebrew by translating the entire book of Ruth, the word sha'ar or gate has become a regular part of my Hebrew vocabulary and my thinking about community life. You see, in the ancient world, the gate of the town was the most important place (that is, in Near Eastern culture -- once the Romans came along that would switch to the marketplace or forum).  Everything happened at the gate -- that was where important contractual business happened, where news was shared (or gossip, depending on your point of view), that was where you went if you needed help,…
Read More

We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves…

It is the rare moment for me when I am uncertain about sharing my thoughts (those who know me well know that I live to have an opinion about things).  But I have struggled over these last twenty-four hours about whether or not to write what follows.  At first, I started to add it only to my private journal.  And then I decided to write it where at least a few stout souls might see it.  I do not intend what follows as a political commentary; for me, it is a simple answer to a question of faith that I was asked yesterday.  I only write these words because over…
Read More

Holy, holy, holy…

One of the great joys of this time of formation and learning known as "going to seminary" is the opportunity to pull together pieces of learning and devotion that I thought were long ago lost and abandoned.  Right now, I am especially enjoying a class called "Introduction to Judaism," for just that reason.  A very wise friend asked me if I thought that I might be bored in this class, given that my Masters in history focused on the Middle East and Judaica.  But this class has not only given me the opportunity to remember much of what I learned, but the chance to experience as a living, breathing faith…
Read More

Shalom…the greatest love of all

Let me begin by saying this:  one of the first rules of responsible blogging is that you never, ever write about other people and their private lives without their permission.  I don't know if the things that I am about to say are what my dear friends had in mind last night when they encouraged me to write about our joint experience.  But what I am about to write is what truly remains with me from the hours we spent together. Sadly, last night, I visited with a dear friend who was saying that most difficult goodbye to someone that she loved.  It was the end of a long period…
Read More

Something I noticed…

Last night we had our first meeting of a class I have been anticipating for months -- The Teaching Church.  It is, for me, the beginning of my real education.   It was the work that I have begun to do as a teacher and the awareness of my call to teaching that has been slowly developing in me for the past couple of years that brought me to the doors of this seminary, and it was the one chance meeting with the particular educator who teaches this class that made VTS my school of choice over Andover Newton. And last night did not disappoint -- there is nothing more invigorating than…
Read More

A first semester report card…

Not that kind of report card.    Well, a little bit that-kind-of-report-card. I've had the chance to learn a lot about what it means to be part of a liturgically-based denomination in my first months at seminary and I must admit that I'm intrigued by some of the traditions,how they developed over the years and how they manifest themselves in the 21st century.  One of these practices refers to something called  Ember days.  Mostly, I hear people talking about Ember days because those are the days that, by tradition, the students are expected to communicate in some way (the format often depends on the technology-savvy nature of their individual bishops)…
Read More

Other people’s theology…

Reading and commenting on someone else's writing is not always the easiest thing.  But as eternal students of faith, we often face the task of picking up a book or an article, reading it quickly,  analyzing its usefulness, and incorporating the pieces of that message we need for a project or that we need simply to stimulate our own thinking and theological pondering.  And so, in this next writing reflection, I have chosen to read and comment on Chapter Three of our text, We Are Theologians:  Strengthening the People of God, by Frederica Harris Thompsett. I picked this chapter, titled "All Can Be Theologians", because the idea resonated strongly with my…
Read More

I hear music in the air…

Today we have continued our journey with the most amazing places:  first, the Western Wall tunnels, then a walk down the Palm Sunday Road from the Mount of Olives to the Church at Gethsemane, followed by a visit with our colleagues in faith at the Bethlehem Bible College, and then a visit to the Church of the Nativity and the Shepherd's Cave.  And all day long, at each and every place, there was music -- in my head. As we walked through the tunnels dug by Rabbis seeking access to the Western Wall when none was available, as we stared at the gigantic stones that are the foundation of that wall…
Read More

What I’ve Learned So Far…Part 3 — The Movie

I had the opportunity to pursue some independent study this semester along with my more conventional classes.  And as my chosen project to explore the use of new technologies in faith development and congregational life, I decided to make a movie.    Susan, a movie?  You decided to make a movie?  Yes, indeed. Why, you might ask?  Well, for a lot of reasons.  First, I like to stay current with technology and I live in world now where every time I turn around someone is taking a video of something and posting it somewhere for the world to see.  Second, of all the technologies that are "current", video was the…
Read More

Let your light shine…

The opportunity to commemorate the day of Pentecost in Israel was an opportunity beyond my imagining.  Why?  Well, because I am one of those people who, if I could only attend church one day a year, would choose Pentecost over Easter and Christmas or almost any other day in the liturgical calendar.  So the chance to stand on the land of the peoples who gave birth to my faith, a faith that in many ways was really born this day -- well, that was a great gift.  And if you want to read about the events of the day, no one can tell you that story better than my friend…
Read More

It all happens at the gate…

Having spent these last weeks deeply immersed in learning to translate Biblical Hebrew by translating the entire book of Ruth, the word sha'ar or gate has become a regular part of my Hebrew vocabulary and my thinking about community life. You see, in the ancient world, the gate of the town was the most important place (that is, in Near Eastern culture -- once the Romans came along that would switch to the marketplace or forum).  Everything happened at the gate -- that was where important contractual business happened, where news was shared (or gossip, depending on your point of view), that was where you went if you needed help,…
Read More

We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves…

It is the rare moment for me when I am uncertain about sharing my thoughts (those who know me well know that I live to have an opinion about things).  But I have struggled over these last twenty-four hours about whether or not to write what follows.  At first, I started to add it only to my private journal.  And then I decided to write it where at least a few stout souls might see it.  I do not intend what follows as a political commentary; for me, it is a simple answer to a question of faith that I was asked yesterday.  I only write these words because over…
Read More

Holy, holy, holy…

One of the great joys of this time of formation and learning known as "going to seminary" is the opportunity to pull together pieces of learning and devotion that I thought were long ago lost and abandoned.  Right now, I am especially enjoying a class called "Introduction to Judaism," for just that reason.  A very wise friend asked me if I thought that I might be bored in this class, given that my Masters in history focused on the Middle East and Judaica.  But this class has not only given me the opportunity to remember much of what I learned, but the chance to experience as a living, breathing faith…
Read More

Shalom…the greatest love of all

Let me begin by saying this:  one of the first rules of responsible blogging is that you never, ever write about other people and their private lives without their permission.  I don't know if the things that I am about to say are what my dear friends had in mind last night when they encouraged me to write about our joint experience.  But what I am about to write is what truly remains with me from the hours we spent together. Sadly, last night, I visited with a dear friend who was saying that most difficult goodbye to someone that she loved.  It was the end of a long period…
Read More

Something I noticed…

Last night we had our first meeting of a class I have been anticipating for months -- The Teaching Church.  It is, for me, the beginning of my real education.   It was the work that I have begun to do as a teacher and the awareness of my call to teaching that has been slowly developing in me for the past couple of years that brought me to the doors of this seminary, and it was the one chance meeting with the particular educator who teaches this class that made VTS my school of choice over Andover Newton. And last night did not disappoint -- there is nothing more invigorating than…
Read More

A first semester report card…

Not that kind of report card.    Well, a little bit that-kind-of-report-card. I've had the chance to learn a lot about what it means to be part of a liturgically-based denomination in my first months at seminary and I must admit that I'm intrigued by some of the traditions,how they developed over the years and how they manifest themselves in the 21st century.  One of these practices refers to something called  Ember days.  Mostly, I hear people talking about Ember days because those are the days that, by tradition, the students are expected to communicate in some way (the format often depends on the technology-savvy nature of their individual bishops)…
Read More

Other people’s theology…

Reading and commenting on someone else's writing is not always the easiest thing.  But as eternal students of faith, we often face the task of picking up a book or an article, reading it quickly,  analyzing its usefulness, and incorporating the pieces of that message we need for a project or that we need simply to stimulate our own thinking and theological pondering.  And so, in this next writing reflection, I have chosen to read and comment on Chapter Three of our text, We Are Theologians:  Strengthening the People of God, by Frederica Harris Thompsett. I picked this chapter, titled "All Can Be Theologians", because the idea resonated strongly with my…
Read More

I hear music in the air…

Today we have continued our journey with the most amazing places:  first, the Western Wall tunnels, then a walk down the Palm Sunday Road from the Mount of Olives to the Church at Gethsemane, followed by a visit with our colleagues in faith at the Bethlehem Bible College, and then a visit to the Church of the Nativity and the Shepherd's Cave.  And all day long, at each and every place, there was music -- in my head. As we walked through the tunnels dug by Rabbis seeking access to the Western Wall when none was available, as we stared at the gigantic stones that are the foundation of that wall…
Read More

What I’ve Learned So Far…Part 3 — The Movie

I had the opportunity to pursue some independent study this semester along with my more conventional classes.  And as my chosen project to explore the use of new technologies in faith development and congregational life, I decided to make a movie.    Susan, a movie?  You decided to make a movie?  Yes, indeed. Why, you might ask?  Well, for a lot of reasons.  First, I like to stay current with technology and I live in world now where every time I turn around someone is taking a video of something and posting it somewhere for the world to see.  Second, of all the technologies that are "current", video was the…
Read More

Let your light shine…

The opportunity to commemorate the day of Pentecost in Israel was an opportunity beyond my imagining.  Why?  Well, because I am one of those people who, if I could only attend church one day a year, would choose Pentecost over Easter and Christmas or almost any other day in the liturgical calendar.  So the chance to stand on the land of the peoples who gave birth to my faith, a faith that in many ways was really born this day -- well, that was a great gift.  And if you want to read about the events of the day, no one can tell you that story better than my friend…
Read More

It all happens at the gate…

Having spent these last weeks deeply immersed in learning to translate Biblical Hebrew by translating the entire book of Ruth, the word sha'ar or gate has become a regular part of my Hebrew vocabulary and my thinking about community life. You see, in the ancient world, the gate of the town was the most important place (that is, in Near Eastern culture -- once the Romans came along that would switch to the marketplace or forum).  Everything happened at the gate -- that was where important contractual business happened, where news was shared (or gossip, depending on your point of view), that was where you went if you needed help,…
Read More

We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves…

It is the rare moment for me when I am uncertain about sharing my thoughts (those who know me well know that I live to have an opinion about things).  But I have struggled over these last twenty-four hours about whether or not to write what follows.  At first, I started to add it only to my private journal.  And then I decided to write it where at least a few stout souls might see it.  I do not intend what follows as a political commentary; for me, it is a simple answer to a question of faith that I was asked yesterday.  I only write these words because over…
Read More

Holy, holy, holy…

One of the great joys of this time of formation and learning known as "going to seminary" is the opportunity to pull together pieces of learning and devotion that I thought were long ago lost and abandoned.  Right now, I am especially enjoying a class called "Introduction to Judaism," for just that reason.  A very wise friend asked me if I thought that I might be bored in this class, given that my Masters in history focused on the Middle East and Judaica.  But this class has not only given me the opportunity to remember much of what I learned, but the chance to experience as a living, breathing faith…
Read More

Shalom…the greatest love of all

Let me begin by saying this:  one of the first rules of responsible blogging is that you never, ever write about other people and their private lives without their permission.  I don't know if the things that I am about to say are what my dear friends had in mind last night when they encouraged me to write about our joint experience.  But what I am about to write is what truly remains with me from the hours we spent together. Sadly, last night, I visited with a dear friend who was saying that most difficult goodbye to someone that she loved.  It was the end of a long period…
Read More

Something I noticed…

Last night we had our first meeting of a class I have been anticipating for months -- The Teaching Church.  It is, for me, the beginning of my real education.   It was the work that I have begun to do as a teacher and the awareness of my call to teaching that has been slowly developing in me for the past couple of years that brought me to the doors of this seminary, and it was the one chance meeting with the particular educator who teaches this class that made VTS my school of choice over Andover Newton. And last night did not disappoint -- there is nothing more invigorating than…
Read More

A first semester report card…

Not that kind of report card.    Well, a little bit that-kind-of-report-card. I've had the chance to learn a lot about what it means to be part of a liturgically-based denomination in my first months at seminary and I must admit that I'm intrigued by some of the traditions,how they developed over the years and how they manifest themselves in the 21st century.  One of these practices refers to something called  Ember days.  Mostly, I hear people talking about Ember days because those are the days that, by tradition, the students are expected to communicate in some way (the format often depends on the technology-savvy nature of their individual bishops)…
Read More

Other people’s theology…

Reading and commenting on someone else's writing is not always the easiest thing.  But as eternal students of faith, we often face the task of picking up a book or an article, reading it quickly,  analyzing its usefulness, and incorporating the pieces of that message we need for a project or that we need simply to stimulate our own thinking and theological pondering.  And so, in this next writing reflection, I have chosen to read and comment on Chapter Three of our text, We Are Theologians:  Strengthening the People of God, by Frederica Harris Thompsett. I picked this chapter, titled "All Can Be Theologians", because the idea resonated strongly with my…
Read More