May 12, 2008...12:00 pm
Call Waiting
One of the things that we learn in seminary is that waiting is a good thing. While we wait, we wander in the wilderness of our lives and faithfully discern those things which God would have us do, and the places where God would have us go. Sometimes those places and things are not always what we want, and they don’t always happen according to our preferred timing. So we wait. We wait and we listen for the still small voice that calls us out of the wilderness and into ministry.
During the final year of seminary instruction, candidates for ordained ministry have the added burden of anticipation of their first call. To imagine being pastor for a congregation is a vision that seems both far off, and immanent. Far off in the sense that we began filling out paperwork as far back as last autumn in hopes of connecting with the right congregation. Immanent in the sense that, now that many of us have interviewed with congregations, we are waiting for the phone call that could come at any time.
During the month or two since our synod assignments, we have attended seminars, workshops and lectures all geared to making our transition from seminarian to pastor as seamless as possible. We have learned the basics of filling out parochial reports, keeping parish records, church administration and many of the other nuts and bolts of day to day parish life. All of these things have made the waiting just a little easier. But now here we are, here I am, a week removed from the classroom and not used to being idle.
There is much to do in and around the house. There are things that I have let go for four years and others that have been otherwise neglected. I have begun making a dent in the honey-do list and I have already read two books from the “want to read” list. I don’t have much trouble filling up time, but I also know that there is something else on the horizon.
Now that I have completed seminary, I am looking forward with even greater anticipation to the completion of the call process and beginning my first call as pastor. Lately, not much has happened on that front. I am still awaiting word from the congregation I interviewed with as to how we are to proceed. A few weeks ago the call committee came to my home congregation where I led worship and gave the sermon, and by all indications on that day, things seemed to go well. Now it has been a little while without much news and of course the questions begin to pop into my mind.
I am excited about the opportunity and the possibilities of ministry with these folks, and so is my family. There is plenty to build on and the people whom I met seem eager to rekindle their ministries in and around the community. Their’s is a small but lively congregation, committed to welcoming all people, caring for the oppressed and marginalized, and working to spread the gospel. God willing, this will be a good fit for us and for them, as we journey together through this call process.
Yet, in the meantime I will wait, wander and pray. I wonder if God has “call” waiting?
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