Below is an article I wrote for our weekly seminary newsletter, “The Door” :
J-Term is a unique experience, a break in the routine of the semester system. It offers the chance to study a particular topic very intensively, without the distraction that a full course load sometimes offers during the semester. Some students take the opportunity to travel, or perhaps take a course at one of the ACTS schools. LSTC offers many options, including courses from visiting instructors. Here are some students’ reflections on their experiences so far during this J-term.
Leadership and Public Life
Rebecca Lund
MDiv Junior
Power. Self-interest. Agitation. Tension. In Leadership and Public Life this J-term, we have been reclaiming these words for ourselves as leaders and examining how we can use these concepts in positive ways to transform our congregations and communities. I feel like I just found out Santa Claus isn’t real. Within five days many ideas I previously had about what it means to be a pastor and leader of a congregation have been transformed, and it wasn’t an easy week. Our professors, Rev. Terry Boggs and Rev. Susan Engh, both of whom have years of experience with community organizing, model what they teach. People have gotten so upset they’ve left the class. People have gotten so upset they’ve come back. While I haven’t taken CPE yet, my esteemed elders of the middler and senior classes inform me that the kind of self-examination we have been forced to do in this class is not unlike a CPE experience. It hurts so good, as John Mellencamp puts it so perfectly. Each class I entered pretty scared of what might happen and left exhausted but feeling pretty good about what I learned.
While our class is large and diverse in terms of experience, we’ve all been challenged to learn more about each other, our community, and ourselves. The best part about this class for me is the way that our professors have dismissed our complaints and excuses about hierarchical structures and bureaucracy and have forced us to examine what it is about ourselves that keeps us from acting on our vision. The intensity of the class as well as the long hours make it perfect for J-term – I don’t think I could endure much more than two weeks, and the subject matter would get repetitive. However, if you want to be challenged and learn more about how you can lead your congregation into engaging the larger community, I would recommend the class.
PS – My ministry project for the class is to write an outline for a community engagement workshop which could possibly be implemented at Lord of Love.