My apologies

I started that blog on October 16th. Look where the time went! I'll have two consecutive blogs by the end of the week coming soon! Thanks for putting up with my procrastination!

Peace,
MK

"It's a small, little, Lutheran World"

Salutations all~~~

It's been a long while since my last post, and I apologize for that! Life has been happening at a quick pace here, and the past weekends have been devoted to homework and other activities, such as Visit Trinity, the admissions weekend we had on Saturday and Sunday. Know that I am well, and will try to be better about regular posting!

I was unsure of what to expect when I went to Chicago for the ELCA Fund for Leaders in Mission celebration! However, I was more than surprised. I was elated to get to know 15 other Seminarians. We were able to share call stories, life experiences, and more! I now have more colleagues and friends whom I plan to keep in touch with. As one man, Carlton, said, "I am definitely going to have all of you come and preach at my church some day, and I'll hope you'll do the same!"

Perhaps one of the greatest things was discovering the ways in which the small, little Lutheran world is connected. Among the 16 of us, one was a Slovakian colleage of my friend Necia Homan through the ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) program; another was in Slovakia with my friend Rebecca Lund and is now her roommate at LTSC. Another of the men from Southern is married to a woman I worked with as a counselor at Green Lake Bible Camp. And this is the weirdest of all! I saw a young woman from the seminary at Philadelphia. She looked oddly familiar, but I couldn't necessarily place her. Anyhow, I figured it out! We were at Holden Village during the same week in March 2005. I was there for Easter and Holy Week. That was the last of her three months there! Indeed, it is a small, Lutheran world.

In regards to Chicago, it was neat to tour the headquarters of the ELCA and see the way the church works. I was able to enjoy dinner with my bishop, Jon Anderson, and meet other bishops from around the country. It was a truly emotional and spirit-filled experience to see how each of us were called to ministry and an invigorating experience to share in the Holy Spirit, whose presence was all around us. Hearing our own brief autobiographies read, I couldn't help but realize the way in which God's Spirit has named, redeemed, and called each of us to ministry!

I hope we'll be able to get together again as the Fund For Leaders' 2007 Scholars! As I returned to Columbus, I felt renewed by my journey, transformed by the people around me, and most of all, affirmed in my sense of call in Christ's church.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

Simul Justus Et Peccator

What's this...a midweek update? I had a part II of my last message that I had to wait to post. Now that my "secret" birthday gift to my Grandma has been received, I can share my update and know that it won't surprise her before the glory that is the U.S. Mail system came through for me! Way to Go USPS!




The title of this post, of course, comes from the Latin phrase of the Reformation, meaning simultaneously saint and sinner! This also inspired a new book which I encourage you all to check out! Simul: A Collection of Lutheran Poetry, was edited by Augie and Luther Sem alum Mark Patrick Odland, and was recently published by Xulon Press. On page 51 of the book, a poem I wrote during the summer of 2005 entitled "The Feeling of Silence" was selected and is published in said book. I'm officially a published poet, and continue to hope and pray that Rich Bowman and my proposal to Baker Academic for our book comes through soon! You can feel free to order a copy if you wish, and otherwise, you can browse as well.

I am also excited to head to Chicago on Friday to receive my scholarship award as part of the ELCA Fund for Leaders in Misison program. I get to meet the Presiding Bishop, Mark Hanson, and will also get to see some friends in the Chicagoland area (ie Rebecca Lund!) as well as (I hope) have some Chicagostyle Pizza! Mmmm! It will be a quick trip, and my first weekend away from the seminary community, which should be a good change, but also a different change. Sadly, I'll miss the Augsburg Fortress Book Sale Clearance, where stuff is on sale at ungodly cheap prices!

While these things make me seem saintly, I also have a little sinner in me this week as well.

This week has seemed an awful lot like what I have deemed "Chintzy hymn week." Now, I don't mean to offend anyone for whom the following hymns have meaning, but in my own experiences, the hymns I am about to discuss have been repeated so often that they no longer hold significant spiritual meaning for me. They, unfortunately, have become more of a chore to sing than a joy in praise of God's blessings (Maybe I need to be more patient). Anyhow.

On Sunday, at the church where I worshipped, we sang "Borning Cry." I have nothing against the music or meaning of this song, nor our Monday singing of "On Eagle's Wings." I'm waiting for us to sing "I The Lord of Sea and Sky" or "Shine Jesus Shine!" I just looked online at the list of semester hymns (Yes, they have a list of all the hymns we'll use in worship all semester!) and neither are scheduled for this week!

Anyway, a few weeks ago, an e-mail passed through my inbox that re-works the words of Borning Cry into a new, less-bibiical, playful form. Enjoy!

I was at your birth, you whiny brat,
I’ll be there the day you croak.
I’ll be there to watch you muddle through,
You poor, sick cosmic joke!

I was there when you were but a child,
Sticky fingers, snotty nose,
Saw you steal that cookie, break that lamp
And spray Grandma with the hose!

When in Sunday school you nodded off,
I supplied a righteous frown.
You care less about the liturgy
Than the Vikings’ next first down! (Insert your own team here)
If you find someone to share your life,
And you join your hearts as one,
I’ll be there when it all goes to hell,
She takes the kids and runs!

In the middle ages of your life
Fat and bored, and tired and grey,
I will watch you buy that new red Porsche
that depletes your IRA!
When you kick the bucket all alone,
Watching old re-runs of M*A*S*H,
I’ll see Cousin Fred, whom you despise,
Get your house and all your cash!

I was at your birth, you whiny brat,
I’ll be there until you croak,
I’ll be there to watch you muddle through
You poor, sick cosmic joke!

I think this is a fun "mocking" of the hymn, and while it does seem somewhat sacreligious, does reflect the imperfections of our own lives. God's presence is with us, even when our life situations may make us feel as if we were dead in the midst of our own lives.


In closing, I'd like to share this lovely state of the world we live in nugget!

On Facebook, there's a new profile feature that is called "Super Poke" This means that you can "virtually poke, hug, kick, and do other things to your online friends." Not so bad, right. I was perusing (stalking) the world of facebook searching for a high school MASLC friend and came across someone's profile. They had super-poke engaged, and the girl's boyfriend had used the super-poke feature. In the matter of a day, he hadov kissed him (okay, this is sort of weird), he had sucker punched her (a little vague), he had worshipped, headbutted, hugged, and tripped her (all of this virtually!)

What made me stop and ponder in sheer befuddlement was that he had "Licked" her on Facebook. Does it not speak of our need for God's love when we are now so in love with people that we show affection by "licking" our significant other in a virtual community where I, for example, can witness to their licking-love! Give me a break!

God's peace...More updates after Chicago, if not before!