After a week in Omaha...
I'm still not used to driving in the city. This city is too big.
Later this evening if I don't go to the Greek festival I'll drive down to the drugstore for some vitamins and cold medications. I caught something shortly after getting here- my throat tried to die, then my sinuses, then my brain and lungs.
It's been an interesting week of orientation. Like I posted on the Puppies listserv, Wednesday was a tour of the diocesan offices and a house blessing by the bishop of Nebraska. I think he hit my rainbow flag with holy water. Yesterday was a tour of the North Omaha district with a state senator. The history of this area is pretty interesting- the race riots in the 60's and the more recent immigration raids. North Omaha (which is where I live) is an economically disadvantaged section of town. I've already been told not to jog around the nearby park. Isn't that kind of scary? But I'll be fine (by the grace of God).
Today was a tour of the local Episcopal parishes (all except one which is mostly dead-set on leaving the communion). There's an amazing variety in the churches here. St. Martha's is very, very contemporary (and that makes me a little sad, but not too much). There's no altar rail, the altar itself is kind of small, and no stained glass. On the plus side, the holy water font/ baptismal font is running water. Baptism is what brings us into the body of Christ, and then we participate in the Great Thanksgiving and consume the body and blood of Jesus. Beatiful. St. Andrew's is pretty big and has lots of stained glass. I actually think their chapel was prettier. It felt smaller and more traditional. Apparently it's getting to be more and more commonplace to push the altar away into the middle of the sanctuary instead of toward the back. I don't care for it.
All Saints' is the megachurch of the diocese. Five services right now. Five. They have a beautiful sanctuary with a mosaic of the Anglican Communion Compass Rose on the floor. Stained glass everywhere. A chapel that combines the best of the old and new. Part of me would love to be assigned here, but I want to be placed where they think I would be the best fit.
St. Augustine of Canterbury's was converted out of an old barn. The altar was taken from an old Episcopal school in town which moved, and one longtime parishioner carved most of the rest of the woodwork there. Absolutely gorgeous. I wish Idaho had stuff like this. I'm worried about her.
All of that said , I still worry about why I'm here and whether I'm good enough. I need serious schooling on all sorts of church things (like all the parts of the sanctuary and nave and such). I need to memorize the frickin' Eucharist service more. Thank God the dean didn't force me to serve at the altar on Wednesday. I would've probably forgotten to say the simple words, "the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, the cup of salvation." And I had to intinct (dip the bread into the chalice) because I've come down ill. We all know how much I love drinking from the common cup.
And I still worry about whether I'm fit for ministry. I'm waaaay too quiet. I get really talkative with people I know, but it takes a long time to warm up. God forbid that I get assigned to the cathedral. Dean Medina wants to get a parish started in the Old Market district, so if an intern's assigned there he will be responsible for talking to random people, getting a bible study and prayer group started. I'm afraid.
I also think maybe monastic life might be an option. Really. Next week we'll be on retreat, so I won't be emailing or answering the telephone. I think that I might be better suited to a life of contemplation. Who the hell knows. God, what am I supposed to be doing? Are you there, God? I thought the Pearly Phone went straight to heaven.
Later this evening if I don't go to the Greek festival I'll drive down to the drugstore for some vitamins and cold medications. I caught something shortly after getting here- my throat tried to die, then my sinuses, then my brain and lungs.
It's been an interesting week of orientation. Like I posted on the Puppies listserv, Wednesday was a tour of the diocesan offices and a house blessing by the bishop of Nebraska. I think he hit my rainbow flag with holy water. Yesterday was a tour of the North Omaha district with a state senator. The history of this area is pretty interesting- the race riots in the 60's and the more recent immigration raids. North Omaha (which is where I live) is an economically disadvantaged section of town. I've already been told not to jog around the nearby park. Isn't that kind of scary? But I'll be fine (by the grace of God).
Today was a tour of the local Episcopal parishes (all except one which is mostly dead-set on leaving the communion). There's an amazing variety in the churches here. St. Martha's is very, very contemporary (and that makes me a little sad, but not too much). There's no altar rail, the altar itself is kind of small, and no stained glass. On the plus side, the holy water font/ baptismal font is running water. Baptism is what brings us into the body of Christ, and then we participate in the Great Thanksgiving and consume the body and blood of Jesus. Beatiful. St. Andrew's is pretty big and has lots of stained glass. I actually think their chapel was prettier. It felt smaller and more traditional. Apparently it's getting to be more and more commonplace to push the altar away into the middle of the sanctuary instead of toward the back. I don't care for it.
All Saints' is the megachurch of the diocese. Five services right now. Five. They have a beautiful sanctuary with a mosaic of the Anglican Communion Compass Rose on the floor. Stained glass everywhere. A chapel that combines the best of the old and new. Part of me would love to be assigned here, but I want to be placed where they think I would be the best fit.
St. Augustine of Canterbury's was converted out of an old barn. The altar was taken from an old Episcopal school in town which moved, and one longtime parishioner carved most of the rest of the woodwork there. Absolutely gorgeous. I wish Idaho had stuff like this. I'm worried about her.
All of that said , I still worry about why I'm here and whether I'm good enough. I need serious schooling on all sorts of church things (like all the parts of the sanctuary and nave and such). I need to memorize the frickin' Eucharist service more. Thank God the dean didn't force me to serve at the altar on Wednesday. I would've probably forgotten to say the simple words, "the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, the cup of salvation." And I had to intinct (dip the bread into the chalice) because I've come down ill. We all know how much I love drinking from the common cup.
And I still worry about whether I'm fit for ministry. I'm waaaay too quiet. I get really talkative with people I know, but it takes a long time to warm up. God forbid that I get assigned to the cathedral. Dean Medina wants to get a parish started in the Old Market district, so if an intern's assigned there he will be responsible for talking to random people, getting a bible study and prayer group started. I'm afraid.
I also think maybe monastic life might be an option. Really. Next week we'll be on retreat, so I won't be emailing or answering the telephone. I think that I might be better suited to a life of contemplation. Who the hell knows. God, what am I supposed to be doing? Are you there, God? I thought the Pearly Phone went straight to heaven.