It has been nearly three weeks since I graduated from Course of Study, and the one question that has been asked of me, even yesterday in a meeting with my District Superintendent, is "what have I taken from this experience?"
My answer has usually been "there are a lot of German theologian that have caused my brain to fry".
In all honesty, the process has been fulfilling, raising much interested in a couple of specialized fields of ministry. That's not to say that I want to step away from Pastoral ministry, but that I want to work more in a certain field (sort of like your doctor having a specialty in Internal Medicine or something).
So this means that I have to go through a discernment process... praying, asking questions of myself, praying, asking other colleagues questions, praying, studying the particular fields in depth, praying, discussing my thoughts with people such as my Mentor, District Superintendent, Ministry Boards, and Staff-Parish Committee, praying. Then, after I've gone through all of that, I'll spend a lot of time in prayer and study.
I bet I will pray a lot too.
So what's my next 'immediate' step?
Charge Conference... The time of the year when the church celebrates it's ministry over the past year and sets it's sights on a mission and vision for the next year.
Tongue-in-cheek translation... Yearly paperwork headache time (although it really is much simpler than it has been).
And then a much need vacation... it's time to go see my granddaughter - much overdue.
And then I start the Advent Season, and planning to officiate another wedding (I have one this weekend, one right after Christmas, and two in the Spring).
But yes, in between all of that, the discernment will begin... or shall I say it already has - starting with the prayer.
With God's help...
