Weekly post

Aug. 22, 2005

Dear friends,

It feels as though one long journey has ended and another one has begun. My earlier blog postings have the story of the five years that have brought me to this time and place, and now I am just happy to be here, and eager for what will come next.
Divinity school orientation began Friday morning and took place all day Friday, half of Saturday and a little bit of Sunday night.
On Friday, we were talked to about class schedules, parking, multicultural immersion, diversity, student services, student counseling services, student health, the chaplain's office, plagiarism, security, financial aid, and development. On Saturday we were talked to about parking, student counseling services, student health, the chaplain's office, multicultural immersion, class schedules, and development. On tap for this morning is the counseling center, the learning center, student health, and the chaplain's office. This will be the third time around for most of these topics. After that, however, the fun begins.
"Advising begins" at 10:00, and my adviser is a Benedictine monk who (rats!) does not dress in his robes but wears T-shirts and shorts. Father Sam Weber, OSB, is soft-spoken, friendly, humorous and a bit distracted. I suspect being advised by him will be like being advised by my college adviser, also named Sam, who would practice Zen advising: "Sam, what if I do a, b, c with my schedule. Or do you think I should do it this way instead? Do I need to take xyz this semester?" Sam: "I don't know; what do you think you should do?"
I have a tentative idea of what I think might be a good first-semester course load. "They" recommend 12 to 15 hours; if I take New Testament I, Art of Ministry I, History of Christianity, and Congregational Healing Through the Art of Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, that will be 13 hours. The last is a 1-credit course, one of a dozen or so congregational administration courses the school offers. The classes are at such times that offer a sane schedule and allow for some on-campus study time. They also have the advantage of providing one course from each of the four sections into which coursework is divided: Bible, History and Theology, Ministerial Studies, and Electives.
I am tremendously excited! Classes begin on Wednesday. More information next week.
Grace and peace to you,
Beth