Thanks everyone, for keeping me in your prayers while I was away on my interview weekend. It went well, though no final decisions have yet been made. I won't blog a whole lot about it right now because I am REALLY tired and also playing catch-up on errands, chores, mail, etc.
I will share one particularly memorable moment: I'm sitting up front at the neutral pulpit church where I am preaching. (Neutral pulpit= church that's not your church or the one for which you are a candidate that lets you preach at their service so the Paston Nominating Committee can see you in action--that's how we Presbys do this.) Anyway, I'm listening to their lector read the gospel text while I stare somewhat vacantly out into the congregation. It dawns on me that the older gentleman about ten rows back looks familiar. Do I know him from somewhere? Is he a transplanted Portlander? A member of one of my old churches? Suddenly my brain clicks into gear and I realize that in about 20 seconds I will be preaching in front of A RECENT FORMER MODERATOR OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, USA. Holy. Shit. I'm just glad I didn't I didn't notice him earlier and have the time to really work myself into a lather of anxiety . . .
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12 comments:
I bet you did fine. A few years ago I was standing at the front of a very large adult Sunday school class about to teach (which terrifies me every time I do it but for some strange reason I keep doing it anyway), and casually invited one of our members to introduce the gentleman who was with him. Our guest turned out to be the moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria. OMG. I don't remember much about that class (except that it had to do with women in the OT), but he was complementary afterward and even asked for a copy of my notes. So don't worry.
I really enjoy your blog, by the way.
Your post made me laugh! I interned at a church right across the street from my seminary, so I often preached with my homiletics, church history, OT, NT, and CE professors in attendance, with an occasional retired seminary president and former Moderator thrown in for good measure!
I'm sure you knocked 'em out!
Ah, those moments are great and I'm sure you did fine.
(The Episcopal Church version is when a wandering bishop happens into your congregation without notice).
If it's the one I'm thinking of... I have so much respect for him.
But yeah, that wouldn't been a little jarring.
Yup. What RM said.
Assuming it's who I'm thinking of. (He's the reason I passed my Theology Ord on the first try!)
Well, I once interviewed the current President and General Minister of the UCC for a job, so I hope I wouldn't freak out if I noticed him in a congregation...but I probably would.
As long as you didn't HOLLER "Holy Shit!" when you figured it out, you are in clover!
I'm glad it went well!
LOL Mary Beth!
This post was grand the comments had me in stiches
praying Rebel that God will open and close doors in a way you can easily recognise.
oh and what did you preach on ? (grin)
Good luck. This sounds like a much better way of chosing a pastor than what we Southern Baptists do. Basically we have a beauty contest and the preacher comes and preaches a sermon and we all vote on whether or not we like him. But, it works out. A God thing I guess.
In my home presbytery, the "trial for ordination" includes writing an exegesis paper and then preaching a sermon based on that exegesis paper for the entire presbytery. Oh and there's a statement of faith that's written and handed out, as well. It's all very dramatic. We preach, then answer questions on the exegesis paper and statement of faith (and sermon if they're feeling bold), then leave and they vote and we return via the walk of shame or the doxology.
During my trial, after I slunk out to the hallway to await my fate a dude followed me out there, said he liked my sermon and told me that if there was anything he could do for me to let him know. He handed me his card and then left. After the vote, I looked at the card. Yup. Current Moderator of the GA. I hadn't been at the first part of the meeting when he did his thing and I wouldn't ahve been able to pick him out of a lineup. I'm SO glad I didn't know beforehand.
I'm sure you did totally awesome, and now you have a brush with Reformed Fame!
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