Approved for Ordination to Word and Sacrament Ministry.

On Thursday, December 16th I met with a sub-committee (4 members) of the Northwestern Minnesota Synod Candidacy Committee for my Approval Interview. This is the important final interview with the committee. In this interview they could have decided to approve me for ordination, postpone my ordination (usually until certain conditions have been met by the candidate), or deny my application for ordination. In our meeting we had excellent conversation about my Seminary experience, CPE, Internship and my Approval Essay for about an hour and a half. When we were finished they let me know that they were planning to recommend that I be Approved by the larger committee. On Thursday night I received a phone call that I have been approved for ordination to Word and Sacrament ministry.

This has been a long journey, but a blessed one. I appreciate so much all the prayers and support I have received from family and friends along the way. These four years have been a time of growth and affirmation of my call to serve God and God's church.

NEXT STEP: Regional Assignments on February 23rd! REGIONS OF THE ELCA

Senior year... so far

It was recently brought to my attention that I haven't written anything new recently and this is true. My good friend Trish recently said, "Susan, update your blog. Lots is happening!" She's right, lots is happening. First of all Mike and I have moved back to Dubuque, IA for my senior year at Wartburg Theological Seminary in late July. In August my nephew Ethan stayed with us for a week and we learned how fun and exhausting talking care of an 8-year-old is. I took Ethan back home to Spokane and visited my sister. Now senior is under way and all the important final steps toward ordination that go with it.

Before school started I wrote my Approval Essay. This essay was reviewed by members of the faculty, who then interviewed me. On October 27th the entire faculty met and approved our entire class for ordination and composed language that will be a part of my file. In December I will meet with my Candidacy Committee in Moorhead, MN and they will make a decision whether to approve me for ordination or not (the other options are postponement or denial - see "Seminary Tutorial" post, recently updated).

On December 1 my first call paperwork is due. This paperwork goes to the church leadership (bishops, regional coordinators, etc.) who will make regional assignments . The regional assignments will be made in February. In March the bishops from each region will meet and make Synodical assignments. After I find out which synod I've been assigned to the process for finding a first call will begin. Ordination will happen once I have a call.

Stay tuned for lots of new and exciting developments as Senior year continues!

The Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant in De Smet, SD

A couple of people have asked me about the annual pageant here in De Smet. The dates for the 2010 show are;

July 9, 10, 11
July 16, 17, 18
July 23, 24, 25

For even more information check out

http://www.desmetpageant.org

Maybe you'll even know one of the actresses...