They like me, they really like me...

I just returned from my candidacy interview in front of Presbytery back home in Iowa and it went really well. My own nervousness aside, the floor exam went really rather well. People wanted to know where I heard the voice of God in life, why I wanted to continue in the ordination process, what am I doing these days. Not bad questions at all, except for the fact I was in front of a large crowd and was probably over-thinking the questions. In the small-group committee meeting, they were actually very receptive of my plans for civil disobedience at SOA, for my plans to delay graduation by a semester; for the trip to Iran; and for the continued work with the Center for Faith and Peacemaking. I was pretty blown away that they were that enthusiastic. I didn't realize how lucky I am.

I am thinking this week on how to create partnerships without getting involved in things I might regret. I am trying to balance the organization sponsoring our non-profit status, with the monastic order, with the organization helping us to acquire the monastery. I'm not so sure they like each other, so for me it is sort of a matter of playing peacemaker. I hope it all holds together.


This past week, I also met with the Hyde Park Interfaith Council to give them a presentation on my work and the monastery project. Perhaps timing and energy worked in my favor, because it was received very well. The earlier part of the meeting had been devoted to a perhaps not-too-hopeful strategic planning process, and the hour was now also late. I mustered up all the pep I could and spoke to a vision of Hyde Park and the near neighborhoods as an incubator for interfaith peacemaking throughout the world, by virtue of us welcoming in and graduating out students over and over again. There were a few congregations who asked for materials to be able to support us. That’s a big breakthrough!