SEPTEMBER WHAT A YEAR!
*EVENT 1
Event 1 description.
*EVENT 2
Event 2 description.
OCTOBER
*ATTENDED UUCinCH INTERNATIONAL DINNER
IN OUR NEW HALL!
Attended this annual food fest at UUCinCH. The food was delicious! It was the first time it was held in our new Fellowship Hall, and the room looked great!
*ATTENDED 'TEACHINGS OF LOVE IN ISLAM' FORUM
AT LANCASTER UU CHURCH
Following 9/11, it seems everywhere was having forums like this. People were clammering to simply understand. The forum was extremely well attended. I found it to be informative and enlightening.
NOVEMBER
*PSYCHOLOGICAL AND CAREER TESTING
Part of the UUA requirements, this was a highly intensive, two-day session. A slew of tests, where I answered over 1,000 questions, an interview with a psychologist, and multiple sessions with the center's director (a counselor and former minister himself). I thought it would be an 'everything that is wrong with you' experience. It was not only not that, but also an informative and affirming experience. What started as trepidation turned into affirmation.
*RSCC RETREAT IN RYE, N.Y.
Another UUA requirement as well as of the RSCC. This retreat is the precursor to officially meeting with the RSCC. It was an opportunity to meet with the members of the Committee as well as ask questions and learn about the RSCC process.
DECEMBER
*TOOK PART IN UUCinCH CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES
Had the honor and pleasure to participate in two of the three Christmas Eve services at UUCinCH. It was my first time doing so, and I was thrilled to be a part of them.
JANUARY
*PREACHED IN HARRISBURG
Had the opportunity to preach for the first time at a church other than UUCinCH. It was also the first time I preached since beginning seminary. It was a wonderful experience which included a helpful staff and positive feedback afterward.
*PREACHED AT UUCinCH
Just two weeks after Harrisburg, I was given the opportunity to preach at my home church. It was the first time preaching there since beginning seminary.
*ATTENDED UUCinCH TRANSYLVANIAN DINNER
Was invited to attend this annual event at UUCinCH. The food was delicious! It was here that I got the idea to petition for an alternate site for my required Cross-Cultural Experience...Romania!
FEBRUARY
*MET WITH UUCinCH BOARD OF TRUSTEES
ABOUT CONGREGATIONAL SPONSORSHIP
Traveled to Cherry Hill to meet with the Board of Trustees to explain to them the process involved in being my Sponsoring Congregation. (Yes, another UUA requirement).
MARCH
*PREACHED AT UU CHURCH OF DELAWARE VALLEY (Media, PA)
Yet another opportunity to preach outside UUCinCH and increase my 'in the pulpit' skills. A very postitive experience and wonderful post-service conversations.
*4TH ANNIVERSARY AS MEMBER OF UUCinCH
Seems longer, doesn't it?
APRIL
*MET WITH RSCC AND RECEIVED GREEN LIGHT
This was the offical meeting that followed the retreat in November. To say that it was nerve-wracking would be an understatement. I truly had no idea which way it would go. But, in the end, they liked what they saw in me, affirmed my direction, and gave me the green light. And so, my journey progressed from Applicant to Aspirant to Candidate.
MAY
*TOOK PART IN UUCinCH BUILDING DEDICATION
Had the honor to take part in our Building Dedication service. It was, indeed, exciting and humbling to be in the presence of UUCinCH's past, present, and future. It was great to meet this first UUCinCH minister, Ed Lane, our current minister (then, minister-to-be) Melanie Morel Sullivan, reprentatives from the UUA, and to once again see our Minister Emeritus, Rudy Nemser.
*COMPLETION OF FIRST YEAR OF SEMINARY!
What seemed like a lifetime away arrived. After more than hundreds of hours of classes and over fifty papers, my first year was complete.
JUNE
*COMPLETION OF SUMMER TERM
Took two courses in the early part of the summer. Enjoyed them both and was glad I took them. Now it was on to the Summer Service Coordinator position at the Lancaster UU Church for the remainder of the summer.
