Weekly post

Sept. 5, 2005
Dear friends,
Although problems with the Web site prevented me from posting my weekly note on Monday, it is now working --finally -- and here I am! It has been an exciting two weeks. The workload is about what I expected, and I am finding it manageable. I think I am earning points with my History of Christianity professor (also the div school dean) -- already I have turned in two papers before their due dates. I am reasonably confident about the quality of the work, although I will know more when I get something back. But he seemed pleased that I was turning them in early.
I will be out of town Friday after class until late Sunday night, working at a show helping sell bread. The business is paying for my hotel stay, and I am bringing my books, although I'm pretty well caught up.
Our Conflict Resolution and Negotiation class, which is a 1-credit course and meets only six times, met for the first time yesterday. It's wonderful. Only four students, a good size for this sort of class, and the leader is a Methodist minister who consults with congregations as a professional conflict negotiator.
The Art of Ministry class requires a term-long big project to be presented, and I have begun to nurse an idea for what I might do that I think is in keeping with the requirements. That is "The formation of ritual." I thought I might look at what ritual is, why we seem to need ritual, and the role ritual might play in worship services. I don't know how to translate that into an art presentation, but the instructor is very good and will surely have some ideas.
Three weeks until midterms.
Grace and peace,
Beth