Church Visits

Whew! The TSE (transforming seminary education) class is over! It was great, but a very intense 18 days. Today has been a breath of fresh air! I'll write more about the TSE class in another blog, but right now I want to share the churches I've visited while here.

An earlier blog post mentioned the Baptist African American church we visited 2 weeks ago. While that was a great service and didn't seem like 3 hours, I chose an urban Presbyterian church to visit last week. It is Central Presbyterian downtown. As a "More Light" congregation, their focus is on being completely inclusive, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. The service was great and I was especially impressed witht the time they took for evert aspect of the service. For example, they commissioned a high school graduate as she is moving away for college. She was asked to speak, as was her mother and then they brought her to the center of the sanctuary and invited everyone to stand and move in so everyone in the sanctuary was touching someone and thus, laying their hands on this young woman as in unison, everyone prayed this prayer for her: "God, whose love for all is everlasting, we thank you for the time we have shared with Leslie. Guide her as she moves in new directions. May she go from this place, secure in the knowledge of your love and care, trusting that wherever she may go, you are there, and because of that, she is home. Leslie, you are surrounded by our love. May you always be led by the promkises of God, the presence of Jesus Chrisst, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Amen." Also, during the prayers of the people, they took the time to pass a microphone throughout the congregation and gave everyone the opportunity to share a prayer concern or joy. I really appreciated this as it gave me the opportunity to pray for my congregation and pastors at Westover Hills Presbyterian in Little Rock. And, because of my mentioned WHPC, I got to see an old friend! Michael Harper (former youth minister at 2nd Presbyterian in LR) was on the back pew with his daughter Clara and his ears perked up when he heard me. He then waited on me and we got to visit. What a nice surprise!



Deb and I had planned to worship at another new church today, but I have been sick again since Friday and haven't been sleeping much due to my stopped up head, so when I got up this morning, I really wanted to worship someplace somewhat familiar. Deb didn't mind - she is a good sport and very happy to have me take her wherever. I have worshiped at Crescent Hilll Presbyterian twice before and chose to go there this morning. It is small (probably seats 200) and old (original building dates 1890 and current buildding dates 1920 or so and in a neighborhood close to the seminary that reminds me of Hillcrest. It is built of stone with a rosette stained glass window over the door. Upon entering, the first sense awakened is smell ...it has a wonderful old church smell. Today it dawned on me what is so familiar about it ... it reminds me very much of 1st Pres/Conway's original sanctuary ... the one I grew up in as a child ... before the remodel on that sanctuary and certainly before the "out west" move. The pastor is Jane Larsen-Wigger (how about that?). They are very focused on inclusiviness and have a multi-cultrual congregation, which I love. Everyone is very friendly (when they share the peace of Christ with one another, they travel throughout the entire sanctuary!), and after worship, a couple of women invited us to join them for lunch, which we did. Anyway, it turned out to be quite a blessing for her because there is a blind man on their staff and the "elder for today" offered to print a Braile bulletin for her next week. She is having a lot of difficulties with the reading material - long story - but we learned that this man is a LPTS graduate, so he has already figured out how to do what she needs to do with regard to scanning the material, printing in Braile, etc. She loved this church, saying it reminded her of the one she grew up in too and she really wants to go where I go - so that is another reason we are considering Crescent Hill as our "church home away from home." Several of our TSE classmates were there, too, and I understand many LPTS professors worship there as well.

No church can replace WHPC for me, but I do need to find a congregation here to plug into, worship and fellowship with. Please keep this in your prayers and I will keep you posted. Much love to all ... Susie

Deb and Rita

I want to introduce you to my new friend Deb. She is blind and has been here since March trying to learn her way around, but still struggles. She has an amazing Golden Retriever guide dog named Rita who is very sweet and loving. I have taken Deb shopping and to worship several times and Rita now knows my voice really well and will follow me wherever we need to go - it's pretty funny when I walk into class and Rita sees and hears me ... Deb knows I'm there just by Rita's reaction! When I take them places, Rita just climbs in right at Deb's feet in the front floorboard - isn't that a visual? A big dog curled up there? Her head usually is in the way of the gear shift, but we manage somehow. I haven't tried taking Choppy in the car at the same time as Rita as I'm thinking that probably wouldn't work very well ... as time goes on, it may happen though. Choppy is meeting lots of new friends, too ... Of course his girlfriend Hope, then there's Guiya, Turk, Moses, and Murphy. There are also 3 collies that belong to President Thompson and his wife. They are in a large fenced yard, but eagerly greet Choppy when we are walking that way. They seem to have been de-barked though as they have a very tiny little bark. I guess that is so they are a disturbance and it doesn't seem to bother them ... they don't seem to know they aren't loud! Blessings ... Susie

This Week in Louisville

This past week has gone by so quickly due to the intensity of this TSE (Transforming Seminary Education) class. We started Saturday and have gone full force until a break today. There are 42 in the class and we are all getting to know each other, which is very nice. The class includes a mix of degree programs and this is the only time we will all be together like this while we are here at LPTS. At present, we are working on our personal spiritual narrative papers, as well as learning to think about situations from a practical theological perspective. We are looking at examples of how others have dealt with situations from this perspective, e.g. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have Seen the Promise Land" speech in Memphis just days before he was assassinated, among others. Friday we talked a lot about developing and maintaining a spiritual life while in seminary - remembering to keep life in balance between classes, study, life in general, as well as including time for reading and studying the Bible and prayer.

Last Sunday several of us worshiped at an African-American Baptist church that belongs to the National Progressive Baptist Convention. It was an excellent worship experience, albeit 3 hours in length! We were welcomed with open arms into their worship as well as their communion and were richly blessed to be a part of their community of faith. I have worshiped in many Baptist churches over the years, but this was the first time I have been invited to participate in communion in a Baptist church, which definitely made an impression on me.

Thursday, we toured downtown Louisville and learned a lot of history about the city, its riverfront, the Ohio River Falls, the "metro" government (the city and county merged a few years ago into the "metro"), etc. Our tour guide was a man that has been very involved in the redevelopment of downtown and the riverfront area and very passionate about his city. I don't know if we have anyone in LR that does this for new residents, but it would certainly be an asset to newcomers if we did. Maybe someone from my LGLR Class XXI (the best class) reading this can check into that with the Chamber.

The weather here has been very, very hot this week with highs over 100 degrees. Today we have a one-day reprieve with low humidity and only 88 for a high - hallelujah! For my KATV buddies, the ABC station here is Belo-owned and they do a pretty good job (can't hold a candle to KATV, however!). I noticed this morning that their live shots from the fairgrounds (Kentucky State Fair) were done by a B.J. Sams look/sound-a-like! I haven't watched the others stations yet, as I naturally want to see Robin and Diane in the morning. Plus, the late news doesn't come on until 11pm and I'm already in bed reading for the next day by then. I'm always on the lookout for story ideas and will send those your way whenever I come upon a good one.

Choppy has been better behaved this week - could be that I haven't been letting him have the full run of the apartment when I'm not here! A couple of times I've sequestered him to what they deem to be the "dressing area" of this tiny apartment by laying a step ladder in the doorway and that has worked. He really enjoys getting to run and run and run when we go out for a walk and I try to do that every evening when it gets a wee bit cooler.

Tonight there is a community-wide potluck and resident meeting and tomorrow night a cook out at the President's home. Thanks for reading my blog, for leaving your comments, and for emailing me. It is great to hear from you! Blessings ... Susie

Orientation

Orientation occured Thursday and Friday this week. There are 42 in the our new class and 34 of us participated in orientation. Some of the 42 live locally and have been taking classes last semester, but are now full time students and a couple of folks were ill or had illnesses in their families and were unable to be with us. We learned all the ins and outs of each building on campus from the business office to the library to the chapel and beyond. You can look at the campus on their website at www.lpts.edu. It really is a beautiful campus and backs up to Cherokee Park, which is lovely park designed for walkers, runners, bikers, dogs, etc. It was designed by Mr. Olmstead, who also designed Central Park in NYC. Louisville is a city of parks and Cherokee is just one of them. The campus has a lot of green space and also has a labyrinth, which I love. Garden Court is built outside the mansion on campus that is now used for special events (lots and lots of weddings) and there are classrooms on the second floor. There is also a very nice lodge on campus (just for you) called Laws Lodge so when you come to see me, you won't have to sleep on the air mattress!

Choppy didn't behave himself very well yesterday while I was in class ... he got into a box of family pictures and chewed a couple of them until either didn't taste good anymore, or he got bored with them and moved onto something else.

Today starts the 16-day intense Transforming Seminary Education class. We kicked it off with a reception at the home of David & Gale Hester last evening. It was nice to relax and sip a glass of wine with all these new friends. My mind (and conversation) was never far from Marley, though. She is still in the hospital at St. Vincent/Doctor's hospital, and they haven't yet gotten a handle on our throwing up everything she eats. Ginger is, of course, with her and said the worst was when they took blood yesterday. Marley was tramatized by the procedure as they forgot to numb her hand before trying to find a vein. Bless her little heart. Tessa has been to visit her sister and is glad she is the visitor and not the patient this go around. Bless Ginger's heart, too!

Thanks for all your support and encouragement and especially your prayers. Please keep Marley in your prayers, too, for God's healing to be within her and surround her ... today! My love to all ... Susie

Worship and Pizza

When I was at LPTS for an Inquirer's Weekend in February 2006, I worshiped at Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church and wanted to worship there again this Sunday. Not wanting to try to find my way Sunday morning, I went to Mapquest and then did a test drive Saturday just to be sure I wouldn't be late on Sunday, which worked like a charm! Crescent Hill is a small neighborhood church with local and international mission work. The neighborhood reminds me very much of Hillcrest in Little Rock, and there is even a Hillcrest Street just a block away! The pastor is Jane Larsen-Wigger and she delivered a good sermon based on Luke 12:13-21, and more specifically on the 15th verse in which Jesus said, "Take care, be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions." Too often we think we are who we are because of what we have, our possessions. This is not so. We are who we are because of God's grace, and thus, we are called to live thankful, obidient lives in service to our God who made us.

I very much enjoyed their multi-cultural congregation, and while I will visit others, I'm sure I'll revisit Crescent Hill again soon. We lifted up the congregation and pastors of Westover Hills Presbyterian during the Prayers of the People, which drew me closer to my own congregation.

Late Sunday afternoon, there was a pizza party for the new students and it was nice to meet my fellow classmates. The intense Transforming Seminary Education class begins Thursday, and goes for 16 straight days without any breaks. Should be fun! Love to all, Susie

Good Eats in Louisville

Well, it only took me a few days to find all the natural food stores in the surrounding area ... the one road that I've become extremely familiar is Shelbyville Road because I can get to all the home supply/organization/space-saving type stores off of it. But, yesterday I discovered a Fresh Market store, making it a total of 4 such stores I've discovered along Shelbyville ... Wild Oats, Whole Foods, Rainbow Blossom, and now Fresh Market ... a little slice of heaven right here in Louisville! I won't rank them yet, because I haven't been in Rainbow Blossom, but Fran, over in the Field Education office, told me yesterday that they have the best smoothies in town! Next outing, I'll make a beeline for Rainbow Blossom and check it out. At Fresh Market, I picked up some great trail mix, some roasted soynuts, and a seaweed salad, among other delectable goodies, and was quite pleased that I as finally able to spend my $25 gift card from Christmas.

It's now Saturday morning and we've been here 1 week. Lots more settling in to do, but Choppy and I are well on our way to making this our home away from home. You are all in my prayers, and I truly apprecaite yours. All my best ...

Bumps, Bruises, and Choppy's First Date

I must admit the physical detours, if you will, never crossed my mind as something to deal with ... e.g. sore bump on my left temple from the tension pole for the bathroom falling on me, the headache yesterday and sore muscles in my neck today from Choppy jerking me to the ground and landing on the back of my head, the plethora of bruises and sore muscles everywhere from carrying the boxes, furniture, etc., up 5 flights, etc., etc!

Nonetheless, I can tell already I will settle in and I will love it here! Last night I got locked out of my apartment and had to wait 30 minutes for the facilities man to come, but rather than wait outside alone, people began to gather and by the time he came, there were 6 of us and 3 dogs hanging out ... and Choppy may have met his girlfriend ... she is a terrier/chihuahua mix named Hope and they were so cute getting to know each other! While they were visiting, we grown-ups talked about different classes and, leave it to me, I got excited hearing about a worship class and even Hebrew! Stay tuned ... my love to all ... Susie

Prayers for Health Insurance

I learned on the day before I left LR that effective 7/31, I no longer have health insurance, so I ask your prayers that I will find health insurance either through the seminary or through the PC(USA) ... and find the money to pay for it since it will be out of my pocket. Thanks very much in advance for your prayers. Susie

First Experiences

I decided to create a blog to record all the "firsts" I'm experiencing in this adventure. Firsts, such as completely understatemating the number of hours required to prepare for the "1-day moving sale" and the number of hours required to prepare for loading the U-Haul. The last 15 days or so have been extremely stressful and I've had very little sleep. But, thanks to my good friends Alison, Eileen, and Stefany, everything did get sold, given away, and/or packed. Then, thanks to my dear daughter Ginger and her friend Chase, we did get me moved to Louisville in only 10 hours last Friday.

Saturday morning, we were greeted by 7 awesome new friends - Katie, Monica, Josh, Dave, Karen, Joe, and Bree - members of the LPTS "welcome wagon," who helped us moved me into the 3rd floor apartment, which is really 5 flights up from the parking area! Another first - adjusting to walking up 51 steps (but whose counting?!) everytime I go to and from my car! Really makes one think about what they are buying!

Other weekend firsts included following my nose to find a place to worship (Bearcreek Christian Church [Disciples of Christ]) ... I just drove down Lexington until I saw people walking into a church at straight up 11am, which told me their service started at 11! It was a very welcoming congregation and excellent worship experience. Four ministers participated, 2 men and 2 women and I was blessed to be able to share in the Sacrament of Communion, which really helped me that morning after Ginger, Marley and Chase left for Little Rock. For communion, they used tiny, tiny fragments of wafers and I really wanted a handful, but restrained myself and only took one!

Another first - after worship, I found my way to Target - yea! There I bought some "space saving" storage items and then found my way to the Whole Foods store ... which was very exciting for me!

The rest of Sunday and Monday were all about unpacking and more unpacking, plus returning all the items to Target that didn't work (the doors are 2" thick, so none of the standard over-the-door hanging things work!) ... and finding my way to Home Depot for different like items. In Home Depot, I had my first really wierd "Dorothy, you're not in Kansas anymore" experience ... the Home Depot is arranged EXACTLY like the Home Depot in LR, and I found myself looking into people's faces thinking I might know them ... literaly forgetting what city I was in! Oh my gosh ... I'm not in Little Rock ... I'm in Louisville!

I found the laundry room and my very own 4x4 storage area in the basement, which is where my coats may have to reside as I missed out on having a coat closet because I was assigned a corner aparment ... oh well.

Monday evening brought another first ... picking up puppy poop! By this time, I'd learned that I can walk Choppy anywhere as long as I pick up after him! I'm really glad I brought my Mom's little plastic bag holder full of plastic bags! Just another new and unique experience! Where, you might wonder, did he do his business before Monday? Well, I took him down the hill away from the area where the children play and away from where people walk ... in other words, to the only place I knew of that was okay. I was glad to learn that as long as I pick up after him, I can walk him anywhere! That will make those upcoming cold mornings much more bearable when I take him out! On our evening walk, Choppy met Rita the golden retriever and Bear the pickapoo.

By Tuesday I'd unpacked 30+ boxes, but still haven't found my rings or my book for my first class ... they are here somewhere. It looks like things are beginning to fit in this tiny about 450 square feet of space ... kitchen is okay, desk area and books are okay, furtniture is okay ... the only items giving me fits are shoes and coats at this moment ... stay tuned for more!

Wednesday morning brought another first ... my neighbor Larryetta, invited me to go for what I thought she said was a 7:30am "walk around the loop." What she meant was a 4 mile walk around the Cherokee Park loop, which adjoins the seminary property! Therefore, I just put on my Birks and headed out the door - mistake #1 ... a 4-mile walk really requires tennies! There were many, many new friends for Choppy to meet or at least speak to (sniff) along the way and before we even got to the Cherokee loop, he decided to greet a dog behind us and I mistakenly raised my arm overhead with the leash in hand. Well, that angle gave him full leverage to literaly jerk me to the ground, backwards. Before I knew it, I was prone and had landed squarely on the back of my head. My new friends Larryetta and Dave grabbed Choppy's leash and looked down at me, wondering if I was conscious. Thanks be to God, I was okay - just dazed for a few minutes. Afterwards, we resumed our long walk and I vowed to myself never again to raise my arm overhead when Choppy is going full speed ahead in the opposite direction!

Thanks very much to everyone for your continued prayers, affirmations, and words of encouragement and support. You are truly here with me - in my heart, in my prayers, and all around me.

Love, Susie