As you've probably noticed, or maybe you haven't, this blog received a facelift. I changed the background as I start a new phase. Just today I began the last piece of formal education in my ordination process with the UCC: Clinical Pastoral Education. CPE, as it is commonly known, is required for most people entering professional Christian ministry. It is most commonly experienced as hospital chaplaincy. Here is how the Association for CPE explains their program:
Clinical Pastoral Education is interfaith professional education for ministry. It brings theological students and ministers of all faiths (pastors, priests, rabbis, imams and others) into supervised encounter with persons in crisis. Out of an intense involvement with persons in need, and the feedback from peers and teachers, students develop new awareness of themselves as persons and of the needs of those to whom they minister. From theological reflection on specific human situations, they gain a new understanding of ministry. Within the interdisciplinary team process of helping persons, they develop skills in interpersonal and interprofessional relationships.
It is a very challenging and enlightening experience, from what I've heard. Today I met my cohort, supervisor(s) and was trained in the hospital computer system. Fortunately, I've had to enter stats on a daily basis before, so I know the routine. (Thank you, MFP.) All the other change that will come soon floats all around my mind. I'm reminded of something Elizabeth Johnson, C.S.J., wrote about medieval map makers. "When [they] came to the limit of their knowledge of the known world, they ofttimes wrote in the empty space, 'Here be dragons.' There is something frightening about moving into the unknown, which might harm or devour us" (Quest for the Living God, p. 5). When we don't know what lies ahead, it is easy to make stuff up or concoct anxieties that might not ever exist in our impending experience. At least I know this to be true for me. And for anyone who has heard me talk about my nerves about CPE, you know this to be true about me as well. We are human-- we tend to be afraid of what we don't know. As I have already learned with CPE, it's important to be able to name what you're feeling. And as my favorite 6 year old tells me, "Feel your fear and act anyway" (Chloe Robberts-Mosser). And so I take a take a breath (or two), I say a prayer (or two), and I jump into the dragon- filled unknown.
As for the name change... it used to be "own the mystery." But with my next post, you'll see why I changed it away from the language of ownership. I have changed it to "hold it up to the light" after one of my favorite songs by David Wilcox. You can listen to it here. It is one of those songs that have helped me in my discernment of... everything. It seems appropriate as I head into the sea of dragons.
"I said ,'God, will you bless this decision, because I'm so scared here with my life at stake. And now I see if you gave me a vision, then I would never have reason to use my faith.'"
1 comment:
thank you for resuming this practice! it will a gift to bear witness to your journey. love the new layout and visual design.
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