Ministry in Context

My wife, Nancy, and I are in China as I write this. We were on a tour of the China highlights with a group and are now visiting with my sister and brother-in-law, who have lived in China for the past five years. Along the way we visited with a friend who has taught for a few years at a university in Shanghai. All in all, we are having a delightful experience. We are constantly trying to figure out local patterns, customs, histories, purposes and appropriate behaviors. It's not simple, but it's interesting …

The Internship Committee should be meeting regularly by now. You may be wondering what role you play in the internship besides meeting once a month. The text below comes from the online Committee Handbook :

What roles do committee members play?

1. Supporter
   You provide counsel and encouragement for the intern and his/her spouse. You provide support and honest feedback—something that everyone needs.
2. Sponsor
   You are able to acquaint the intern with the members of the congregation and …

As October becomes November, certain documents pertaining to internship are either due for completion or soon will be.

Learning Goals are due by the end of the second month of internship which, for most interns, means the end of October. Learning Goals are broad summary statements which are inclusive, far-reaching, and visionary. These goals (ideally 3-5) are then fleshed out with objectives, which focus upon specific aspects of the overall goal. Those objectives should be:       …

More intelligent people than yours truly might pick out a little Heidegger for leisure reading, but I go for things like the thrillers penned by John Sandford . I’ve read them all.

One of the pleasures of Sandford is that he is Minnesota-centric, with most of the crimes he deals with taking place in the Twin Cities or “Greater Minnesota.” In one of his books some of the action took place about a block from where I really live.

Of course another of the pleasures is in thinking along …

Oregon/Vancouver Cluster

Row 1: Pr. Mike O’Berg, Ray McKechnie-Wartburg, Pr. Tom Dodd, Pr. Chris Kramer, Elizabeth Damico-Luther, Stacey Siebrasse-PLTS
Row 2: Youghshim Mason-Wartburg, Rebecca Ajer-LSTC, Matthew Anderson-LSTC, Pr. Chris Nolte
Back row: Laura Stephenson-PLTS, Pr. Dorthy Nielsen, Pr. Jon Strasman, Pr. Jim Stender

Southwestern MN and South Dakota Cluster

Interns Jason Darty (Southern Seminary), Bailey Landa, Anthony Christoffels, Stephanie Christoffels, and Lisa Konzen …