Well we are here and we are settled in! Maggie, Liam and Finn and I have made many friends we are having a blast. I have just finished up three weeks of intensive Hebrew and it was challenging to say the least!
Liam and Finn have been enjoying all that Washington DC has to offer and Maggie has been a wonderful tour guide for the guys. They especially enjoyed the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum and all of the Dinosaur fossils.
I have been enjoying VTS more than I can actually put into words. I have enjoyed my Hebrew class very much. You must imagine my surprise, when the professor, Judy Fentress Williams walked in and I recognized her as a Biblical Scholar I actually have seen on the Discovery Channel. WOW.
The faculty and the students are great here, there is a feeling of family here that is wonderful. There is a warmth among the students and faculty that I have not seen before at an educational institution. It truly feels like training and mentoring, instead of the normal academic gotcha games that some institutions play.
I have also signed up for my new classes, I will be taking New Testament, Old Testament, Systematic Theology, a theology class called the Finality of Christ, A Spirituality/ Social Justice Class and the finish of the Hebrew requirements this first semester................so I should be busy.
I have been visiting parishes in search for a field education site and it has been enlightening.
I was very impressed with the Church of the Epiphany in DC. It is a parish that focuses on urban ministry to the homeless. It was wonderful to see worship happen with homeless and rich folks walking side by side to God's supper table. It was an invigorating and moving experience.
My close friend, Spiro Pavalantos, will hopefully be very impressed that I went to the Greek Orthodox Cathedral for Matins and the Divine Liturgy. It was an experience that was out of this world! The beautiful music was haunting and ethereal, and the liturgy was foreign- but somehow familiar- ancient yet apt for our times.
We have also attended our own National Cathedral. It was, of course, awe inspiring.
Well, we will have more information for all of you soon!
