Skip to main content

Kate's Epiphany Epistle

I can’t believe 2009 is over. It has truly been a busy year for me. I started it off by attending an immersion experience class that spent 15 days touring Kentucky’s Appalachia looking at the issues of faith, health and economics. Headed up by Pacific School of Religion this was a truly beautiful experience. I learned so much about an area that was only 2 hours away from where I was residing. I also meet many new people and am blessed to have been touched by the PSR community and faculty.

In May I completed my last on site classes for Lexington Theological Seminary and in June started my Clinical Pastoral Education course at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Lexington. It was a busy and challenging 11 weeks, but the 5 other classmates and I became a family. Although we may have wanted to kill each other at times, we pushed each other and I believe we’re all better people now because of the experience. I know that my ministry will be forever shaped by the people I meet and ministered with.

After 9 great years I left Lexington and returned to Des Moines, IA. I was ordained September 26 at my home congregation, Capitol Hill Christian Church (DOC). This was a milestone that at times I thought I would never reach. The journey to that moment was one that has made me a stronger person. And although I may not have enjoyed every moment in the process I can see how much I have learned and am thankful to know God in new ways.

I now work for Mosaic, a non-for-profit agency that works with adults with various levels of mental retardation. I have roughly 10 clients I work with in 3 different homes. I help teach my clients how to live independently and to gain skills so they can eventually go to hourly assistance and maybe live independently. I’ve been fortunate to work on my bowling, although I still bowl around 120 with bumpers, and my karaoke skills with my clients.

I’ve also moved back home with my parents. This has been quite the experience learning to live with other people again and in particular my parents. My brother Robert has also moved back home. The house has been remodeled so it better fits the needs of both my parents and I am glad that the banging and pounding of work has finished. I’m also learning what cold is again with 3 snowfalls already.

As I look to 2010 I can’t wait to return to Lexington in May to officially receive my diploma. I’m also hoping to finish my search and call process and to be called to a church. I plan on search nationwide and am excited at the possibility of seeing a new part of the country.

As you prepare for 2010, I wish you all of the best and thank you for your continued love and support.

Peace and Blessings in the new year,
Kate

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

So I Don't Fit - Litterally

Last night I had dinner at a restaurant I eat at at least twice a month. Usually I'm in a group but I was by myself. It's not often that I have time by myself right now so I welcomed the time to sit and eat food someone else cooked. I sat in the booth by myself and kept to myself. I had a book with me and my palm labyrinth so I was entertained and felt like it would be a productive time to self and with my self. But the comments from the trio of ladies across from me was anything less then pleasant. Now if you don't know me let me be clear, I am a big lady. I believe the clinical definition of my size would be morbidly obese. I am aware that I take up more physical space then I should. I don't fit into every booth in a restaurant. Believe it or not I do own a mirror and do use it even though I don't enjoy it. I am also aware that I am my size by my own doing  and no one else's. I do not expect the world to accommodate me for being this way. If you want me to p...

Why the Minister has Fees

  As a minister I have the honor of performing rites and ceremonies for people at a variety of stages of life: baptisms, blessings, marriages, funerals, etc. I usually enjoy planning and leading these events. But lately I've had a rash of folks shocked that as a minister, I would have a fee to do some of these services. So lets talk about why I have fees.   To start with, if you are a member of my congregation you do get my services as a part of my contract with the congregation as long as they are spelled out in the contract. Generally if you're a member of the congregation I serve, it is expected that I will preform baptisms, blessings, funerals, weddings, etc for you because I want to remind you of God's continuous blessing in your life and especially at important moments in your life.   However some folks are shocked that there would be an honorarium suggested for the minister. The reality is that these blessings, weddings, funerals, etc. are extra work in our wee...

"And I Scream I'm Not Angry"

There's a Matchbox 20 song called "Angry." Part of the lyrics to the chorus are "and I scream that I'm not angry." It's a good song for when you're angry. But right now there is a burning furnace churning in my core and this song lyric does not fully capture my feelings. Maybe if I was going to sing/scream this in the privacy of my car it would be more along the lines of "and I scream that I'm not angry, I'm pissed as hell!!!" It has been a trying weekend. It is no longer good or healthy for me to be numb. It's time to fight is what comes out over and over again from my core. At the more "nicer" end of my spectrum of anger is just having a good old fashion temper tantrum - kicking, screaming and throwing myself in the floor. At the other end of my spectrum is me wanting to have my own "temple tantrum" similar to the one recorded in the Gospels - Jesus over turning the tables in the temple to make his point. ...