tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29373297.post3129148074039793573..comments2024-03-23T18:50:32.902-04:00Comments on Telling Secrets: GOEs Part Tres: Back to School!Elizabeth Kaetonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06787552280232329081noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29373297.post-10271226218016403112009-01-07T23:43:00.000-05:002009-01-07T23:43:00.000-05:00After much deliberation, I came up with a few more...After much deliberation, I came up with a few more topics:<BR/><BR/>Bat Dispatching 101:<BR/>Part I: If your church is old enough, you will have them. One hour of laboratory credit is also included in this course.<BR/>Part II: How to identify a member of your parish who enjoys chasing and dispatching the bats; learn to use this to your advantage.<BR/><BR/>Weird Vestry Member 101:<BR/>Every vestry will have at least one member who is difficult, not just for the rector, but for everyone else on the vestry. This course teaches strategies for minimalizing the collateral inertia that can crop up in the meeting b/c the diffcult member is tying up the meeting.<BR/><BR/>"But that's not how we've always done it" 101: This course teaches skills for maneuvering the hidden land mines that will emerge as a result of changing the most insignificant things during worship and other church activites.Kirkepiscatoidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02651684515435040529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29373297.post-44305052589310046972009-01-07T10:09:00.000-05:002009-01-07T10:09:00.000-05:00In with the angst about the torture tests, is anot...In with the angst about the torture tests, is another subject. What we now have is a system designed to clone clerics in the model of existing clerics. In the case of some clergy, present company included, this may be a good thing, but consider some of the schools in places like Pennsylvania.<BR/><BR/>I wonder if we require / teach the right stuff at all. We can produce new priests who know a great deal of theology and such. No one much cares. It is my hunch that any first year seminarian has enough theology to do the job they will actually find out there. Bringing the competing interests in a parish together, care and feeding of vestries, there might be some issues there.<BR/><BR/>FWIW<BR/>jimBJimBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17312606954135884910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29373297.post-16694623032015857532009-01-07T09:14:00.000-05:002009-01-07T09:14:00.000-05:00With apologies to Muthah. I hit the wrong key and...With apologies to Muthah. I hit the wrong key and banished her note into the outer darkness. Here it is:<BR/><BR/>Not only do our seminaries not know much about interfaith/interdenominational stuff--I question if ANYONE knows anything about our interdenominational realities. And our Pension Fund hasn't the foggiest about how to dealwith those of us who work in another denomination.Elizabeth Kaetonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06787552280232329081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29373297.post-10916982983690433322009-01-07T00:12:00.000-05:002009-01-07T00:12:00.000-05:00Hmmm...maybe we need to start an alternative semin...Hmmm...maybe we need to start an alternative seminary...hmmm....Jeffri Harrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06461994557670902616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29373297.post-26594834327551137792009-01-06T21:22:00.000-05:002009-01-06T21:22:00.000-05:00Hey, Kirke, these just flew off the top of my head...Hey, Kirke, these just flew off the top of my head. I have no doubt they can be adapted for particular parochial settings - clergy and laity alike. In fact, I'd love to see a seminary curriculum that laity might write for clergy. Give that one a try, somebody!<BR/><BR/>Jane R - You are absolutely right in terms of dealing with interfaith issues. I certainly could have used a course or two when we had the Jewish congregation renting our space a few years ago. <BR/><BR/>And Jane R, you can rant here any time you want. You are one of the most articulate ranters EVER.Elizabeth Kaetonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06787552280232329081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29373297.post-28233356335052393452009-01-06T20:30:00.000-05:002009-01-06T20:30:00.000-05:00Y'know, they really should teach these. Seminarie...Y'know, they really <I>should</I> teach these. Seminaries could have seasoned clergy come in and teach little modules. I know, that's what field education is allegedly for, but it's not really, not in a systematic way.<BR/><BR/>Of course the seminary should make allowances for those called to ordained ministry whose calling may not be to parish ministry but to chaplaincies et al. I can think of a whole bunch of examples from campus ministry, for instance. (Also military chaplaincy and hospital chaplaincy. The latter does get covered in CPE, if you're lucky.) And all of these, by the way, have ecumenical and interreligious dimensions and seminaries don't do have the work they should to prepare folks for the real work out there in the interfaith world in which we all live.<BR/><BR/>Oops. I almost ranted. Thanks again for a very serious and very funny post.Jane Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13814517077774999407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29373297.post-28027835242930062142009-01-06T13:54:00.000-05:002009-01-06T13:54:00.000-05:00You left off one on the hysteria management--the a...You left off one on the hysteria management--the annual congregational meeting. I have to tell our vicar, "Stop with the annual meeting PTSD already! This is not your "parish from hell" many years ago!<BR/><BR/>I think I am going to have to take this one and think about it tonight and "personalize" it....Kirkepiscatoidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02651684515435040529noreply@blogger.com