A couple weeks ago I interviewed for an interfaith internship working with labor unions for worker justice, called Seminary Summer. It’s a joint project of the National Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice and the AFL-CIO. It’s a ten week paid internship including one week of training in Chicago. I felt the phone interview went well, and found out just the other day that I have been approved for the program by both organizations. There are still two major hurdles before this is a done deal. On their end, they are working to find a supervisor and placement for me in the Columbus area. Currently the closest they have is in Cleveland or Cincinnati. On my end, since this will be a full-time, flexible hours job, I’d have to quit my part-time tech-support work. I won’t qualify for a leave of absence so there’s no assurance I’d have my job back at the end of the summer. That said, the coordinator of the program called earlier this week to say she’d be in Columbus next Tuesday and maybe I’d like to meet her in person. I told her that would be great, but that I could do her one better: Tuesday is Consortium Day, the day when students, faculty, and staff from all three Central Ohio seminaries get together, and this year Methesco is hosting it. I’ve announced her visit to Trinity Lutheran Seminary and the Pontifical College Josephinum. She’ll be available after the Consortium Day events to speak about this program to other students and staff. We would like to start up a permanent NICWJ group here.
My son’s dedication is Sunday, and we’re excited making preparations for that. The UU minister who’s doing the ceremony has been very helpful in my own preparation for ministry, and she and I have spoken in the past about the possibilities for me doing a congregational internship in her church. I am scheduled to have lunch with her on Monday to discuss funding options. Meanwhile, the school’s Field Education office sent a flyer out yesterday saying they have several grants available for new and creative ministry positions. The $4K amount (for a full school year) is tiny, but it’s a start, and I’m sure she and I can put our heads together to make it fit into something bigger. I’m hoping to be able to start some kind of ministry position soon…
A fellow UU student friend was marveling at how ministry opportunities just fall into your lap. (I sure didn’t share that sentiment my first year and a half at seminary.) She had expressed this after I told her about the Seminary Summer interview. She wasn’t aware of the other bees in my bonnet, but it’s too soon to share much about the third one. I’m very excited about all three of these opportunities. It does seem that they have just been falling into my lap. I’m hoping and praying that I can finally say goodbye to SARCOM and be more fully on the path to ministry.
The writing home of David Soliday