One down, three more to go!

“Consider it a great joy, believers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4

Dear Prayer Partners,

As I write this, all my spring semester work is turned in, I am waiting for grades, sighing with relief. It has been a long nine months since orientation started at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. The old-fashioned term for a second-year student is “middler,” not a beginner anymore, but not finished. Aren’t we all middlers?

Who knew? Who knew every student, every professor would be attending classes via Zoom from their homes all year? Who knew then that the pandemic that was declared in March (but had probably started back in December) still would be with us today? Mike and I are stunned that no one from our rather large families ended up in the hospital – only a few family members even contracted it. We are thankful for those who took this virus seriously. We also are grateful for those who continue to take it seriously now – the pandemic is not over, and even people who were vaccinated have contracted it (remember that 94% efficacy for the vaccines?). Mike and I continue to wear masks and make decisions about the places we go. If Arizona was not a hotbed of anti-maskers, we could put this behind us.

Unfortunately, Covid-19 did touch a few friends’ families. LSTC had a service of prayer for the pandemic in India on May 4 – three days later we learned that our teaching assistant in History and Theology lost his father in India. We continue to pray for Johncy and his family, especially that no more of his family would contract the virus, that the country’s infection rates would drop, and that vaccine would be available there soon. It’s heartbreaking to hear stories about India’s hospitals lacking basic things like oxygen and entire families dying. If you are on Facebook, you can watch that service on the LSTC page here: https://www.facebook.com/58947616764/videos/211018297213148

My current sighs of relief will be short-lived, however, as I will be working and studying this summer. Most seminarians take nine classes during the school year, then take a practical chaplaincy experience called Clinical Pastoral Education their first summer. While I could have done CPE here this summer with an online supervisor, it would not have been the same as working in a hospital with other seminarians and supervisors. Most of you know my interest in working with people with disabilities. A class called “Ministry With/Among People with Disabilities” is offered starting May 25. Since I’m not sure if/when it will be offered again, I’m taking it. I also will be taking a couple of semesters of American Sign Language in the coming year. Not sure how God plans to use my gifts and experiences – just trying to be as prepared as possible. I will take CPE next summer when Mike and I move to Chicago.

Some days, the struggles of the Bible’s faithful people seem especially near. While Abraham and Sarah did not have to replace a water heater or struggle to keep a laptop functional through a semester, they had other challenges. And no doubt, they had days when they felt like quitting. Without going into detail, seminary programs are designed for and favor 22- to 26-year-old single individuals coming directly from undergraduate programs, those the church expects will be pastors for the next 40 years. Unfortunately, many young people are ordained, serve for a few years, hit a rough patch, and leave the ministry. I have no doubt that once I am ordained, this will be my final career.  

One final note … about a note. I received a handwritten note today. Name and address unfamiliar; I don’t know many folks in Texas. Thought it was a fellow seminarian when I opened the note and saw a cross on the front of the card. Nope. A hand-written note from a board member at LSTC. I was SO delighted. What a thoughtful thing to do – even if the board purposely divvies up the students or just the first-year students to write to them. Congratulations and encouraging words – totally made my day. My inbox is full of too many emails (many unopened). But a real note: priceless! Even though my occasional updates will continue to come by email, today’s email convinced me to write each of you once or twice in the coming year. Some of my favorite people still write notes: birthday cards, thank you notes, occasional “thinking of you” notes. Something to file under “important actions by pastors.”

Enough for now. Find time to enjoy your summer. Take care of each other. Know that I am praying for each of you – drop me a line if there is something specific for my prayers. Honestly, we have no list of prayer concerns today – just prayers of gratitude that God has brought us through the trials of year 1 and continues to surround us with everything we need.

God’s peace be with you,

Gail & Mike