"Here I am..."

It's great to go to seminary! I find that it's even better to come home again. My seminary training is assigned to my distant past. It's so distant that I can conjour up from my imagination about any memory I want and few are left to question my recollections (except Doug Green and Allen Lang).

No, I didn't go back to "my" seminary (Andover Newton) this week. I was able to attend the annual Convocation on Ministry event held at Lancaster Theological Seminary, however. The theme of the event this year was "Excellence in Ministry."

The planners even asked me to take part in the panel discussion on how conferences and the seminary could work together to promote such excellence.

I was very happy and proud to speak of the ways in which we have sought to support pastors and churches through creative and supportive call agreements (as in the Teaching Church Covenant between 1st Congregational UCC, Newark Valley, David Heckman, mentors Sprite and Steve Johnson, and the Susquehanna Association Committee on Authorized Ministry).

I was glad to tell folks about Casting Your Nets on the Other Side and NYSOM that go a long way in strengthening the ministry of our churches (both pastors and parishioners).

I was happy to share these attempts to connect UCC folks across this region of the New York Conference through UCCNY Crossroads.

Most importantly, I was also happy to have lunch with some UCCNY seminarians when the convocation was done.

Cathi Cline (Emmanuel/Friedens, Schenectady), David Heckman (1st Congregational UCC, Newark Valley) and I had a box lunch under a nice shade tree in the dormitory quad at the Seminary. It was lovely. We were also joined by another seminarian, Dawn, who has a connection with Ebenezer UCC, East Seneca.

We spoke of their seminary experience. David and Cathi Commute from their homes in New York State. David serves as the 3/4 time pastor in Newark Valley and serves as chairperson of the Susquehanna Association Life Committee. Cathi is the ministry coordinator for the UCCNY Justice & Witness Ministries, is moderator of her local church and is licensed by the Hudson Mohawk Association to do supply preaching in the association. Dawn lives at the Seminary after selling her house in Ohio.

Going to seminary is a major commitment. The Seminary has kept up with the changing situations of their prospective students in scheduling classes to run between Monday afternoon and Thursday noon each week. This gives David Heckman, for instance, time to get to Newark Valley by Thursday night so that he can spend Friday through Sunday night fulfilling his pastoral duties there. He leaves first thing Monday morning in order to get back to his Monday classes that go until 9:30 that night.

Of course, this is the "real world" situation for many folks. The point is that clergy also have "real world" obligations. Add to this, the very real obligation of paying off the average debt from student loans of $48,000 upon completion. (Thus the need for generosity when local church search committees and boards of trustees at compensation guidelines!) Dawn sold her house in order to try to begin to afford seminary!

Going to seminary is a major commitment. But, more that the commitment of time, energy and money, this commitment begins with, is sustained by and is lived out through the very deep and real sense that God is calling these individuals to the ministry of the Gospel of Jesus the Christ.

Indeed, each of these fine, hopeful, committed, persons has heard the voice of the Holy One saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" And they have answered, "Here I am...send me!"

Blessings to them and to you,

Rick Cowles