glimpses into my summer

This summer, I have been serving as the Hispanic Ministry Intern for Maumee Watershed District. As part of my internship, I have written several articles about the different Hispanic ministries that I have been working with this summer. These articles have appeared in the district E-Newsletter, but I thought I would post some of them here for those of you who are curious about what I have been up to this summer!

Today I’d like to share an article that appeared in the daily newsletter of the West Ohio School of Christian Mission. It gives some background about how I got involved in Hispanic ministry and what I am doing as I serve as Maumee Watershed’s Hispanic Ministry Intern this summer:

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Growing up in rural Northwest Ohio, Katie began building relationships with the Hispanic community early in life. Her first experience in Hispanic ministry came at age 12, when she volunteered for six weeks during the summer at a school for the children of migrant workers. As Katie spent the next four summers volunteering at the school, God planted the seeds of her calling to Hispanic ministry and the ministry of teaching. In high school, she began taking Spanish classes at her high school during the week and at a nearby college on the weekends.

With a growing love for the Spanish language and the Mexican culture, Katie traveled to Piedras Negras, Mexico on her first mission trip at age 17. She served at the Casa de Misericordia United Methodist Orphanage, a ministry of the Oriental Conference, a partner conference of West Ohio. Katie has returned to Piedras Negras twice since her initial trip, and these experiences have fueled her passion for Hispanic ministry in Mexico, the United States, and beyond.

Now a junior Biblical Studies major at Bluffton University, Katie is serving this summer as the Hispanic Ministry Intern for the Maumee Watershed District. The internship is an opportunity for her to immerse herself in the diverse and exciting Hispanic ministries of the Maumee Watershed District. Katie travels across the district, visiting and supporting the six Hispanic ministry sites in Maumee Watershed. In any given week, her travels take her to ESL (English as a Second Language) classes, mobile health clinics at migrant camps, bilingual prayer and worship services, and various churches to discuss Hispanic ministry.

Katie is grateful for the opportunity to continue her journey of discernment this summer as she serves alongside the people of Maumee Watershed and West Ohio, meeting the needs of the Hispanic community and sharing the love of Christ. And Katie hopes to serve alongside the people of West Ohio Conference far beyond this summer, as she follows God’s call and begins candidacy for ordination as a deacon.

vocational discernment: the journey continues

Last semester, I had the opportunity to take a course called Peacemaking Seminar as a directed study. One of the objectives of the course was vocational discernment, particularly around my call and identity as a peacebuilder. Not only did I get to spend the semester deeply engaged in questions of discernment and identity, I got to do so alongside one of my professors whose life has been an example for me of what it means to live peace. I was required to keep a journal for the semester, part of which included weekly vocational reflections (my journal from Peacemaking Seminar can be found here). This little journaling project taught me two important lessons about vocational discernment (and about life, but I will stick with the topic at hand):

1. Intentionality is everything.
To look back on my vocational reflections from spring semester is to look back on a collection of experiences of which I could have easily missed the significance. For me, the requirement to reflect weekly on identity and vocation was an invitation to live life ever open to God’s leading. Last semester was an incredible time of discernment precisely because it was an intentional time of discernment.

2. Significance lies in the small things.
Reflecting every week on vocational discernment forced me to find the significance in everyday experiences. Some weeks, there were obvious times of discernment, such as my spring break spent visiting seminaries. However, some weeks were filled with classes and not much else. Such is the life of a college student, but I learned to find significance in the small things. I reflected on lectures, on readings from various classes, and from conversations with friends and professors. Looking back, those experiences are the ones that add texture to the broad strokes of discernment that paint the picture of my life.

Moving forward, I am no longer required to reflect on identity, vocation, or anything else for that matter! However, Peacemaking Seminar was never about a grade or an assignment; it was about who I am and who I am becoming. That work is not over, nor will it ever be. I hope to use this blog to continue the journey of discernment, a journey I believe cannot be walked alone. I hope you will join me!

trailers, new friends, and a seminary i swore i’d never love: reflections on my time in Columbus

I had plans to spend a couple weeks on a mission trip this summer, but at the last minute some complex circumstances forced me to stay home. The circumstances surrounding this decision have profoundly impacted my faith and forced me to struggle with what it means to live that faith in broken places and situations. Broken is really an understatement. These circumstances have consumed my mind, my heart, my tears, and my prayers. I have so many unanswered questions.

Shortly after I made the decision to stay home, I got a phone call about an opportunity to serve on a mission team in Columbus, Ohio. This mission trip happened to start on the same day I had planned to leave. I had a feeling that God was up to something, so I started packing and two days later I headed down to Columbus.

The first few days of my trip were spent working on a mission team with some fabulous people from St. Paul’s and Monroe St. United Methodist churches in Toledo. I never would have imagined that I would make new friends in Toledo on a trip to Columbus, but that’s how God works! Our mission team served in Hispanic ministry at a trailer park. Half of the team put on a VBS for the kids at the trailer park, and half of the team built 12 new porches for families there. I helped with crafts at VBS, and it was lots of fun! Not only was this mission trip an opportunity to serve God & neighbor, it was also an opportunity to build relationships with wonderful people across the connection! Throughout the weekend, I had so many conversations and experiences that pushed me closer to the heart of God. I know God better because I had the opportunity to serve (and live!) alongside these great people for a few days, and that is a beautiful thing!

The second half of my trip to Columbus was spent visiting LOTS of my favorite United Methodists. I have so many wonderful friends and mentors who live in Columbus, and Annual Conference is usually the only time we have a chance to visit. But since I was in the Methodist center of the world (not really, it only feels like that), I planned to see them…ALL of them. I spent three entire days visiting, drinking coffee, sharing meals, worshiping, having great conversation…with too many people to count! It was wonderful. If you were one of the people who shared that time with me, thank you! Thank you for hospitality, for encouragement, for laughter! Thank you for engaging me in my call, for sharing in my journey, and for sharing your journey with me.

On my way home from Columbus, I stopped at Methodist Theological School in Ohio for a campus visit. My mom went to seminary at MTSO, so I’ve always sworn that I wouldn’t go there. (just like I always swore I wouldn’t go into ministry…) But I actually liked MTSO…a lot. Being on campus made me want to spend more time there. I think I would be very happy there, which probably cracks God up as much as it cracks me up. My seminary search is far from over, but for now I’ll just keep laughing and we’ll see what the future holds.

This trip to Columbus turned out to be the highlight of my summer. I wasn't even supposed to be in this country that week, let alone in the state. But from the moment I arrived in Columbus until the moment I left, I knew that I was exactly where God wanted me and exactly where I needed to be. It was perfect. And I guess that’s how God works...only God could transform a complex, painful mess into a perfect, beautiful week.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
   nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
   so are my ways higher than your ways
   and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
-Isaiah 55.8-9

Pray Peace. Make Peace. Live Peace.

Katie :)

worship: it’s a community thing

Nothing compares to singing a victorious hymn ("Lift High the Cross," anyone?) with a pipe organ and 3,000 of my favorite United Methodists. I can still hear the sound of our voices, united in spirit, worshiping our amazing God.

This year at Annual Conference, I went to the Celebration of Life & Ministry service for the first time. A better name for it might be the Memorial, Retirement, Commissioning, and Ordination service…but that would make it sound as long as it is. It really is the service to end all services. And it really is as long as it sounds. But it’s also an incredible opportunity to come together, affirm the ministry of lots of wonderful people, and worship our faithful God. That service ended up being one of my favorite memories of Annual Conference this year!

This year, the Celebration of Life & Ministry service was a significant experience for me for a couple reasons. First, one of my “second moms” was ordained! She actually entered the candidacy process with my mom as her mentor when my mom was pregnant with me. I’m 19. So ordination was a long time coming! It was SO exciting to be there for her ordination! This year, I also had a new perspective on ordination, knowing that God has called me to ordained ministry in the UMC. Even though I am at the very beginning of this long journey, it was so exciting to see the end goal and feel God gently reaffirming my call.

Another worship service that was especially meaningful to me this year was the morning worship service on Thursday, which included the fixing of the appointments. All I could do was praise God as we and many others were given new churches, new homes, new opportunities, and new communities. One of my favorite moments of this year’s Annual Conference was singing “Here I Am, Lord” after the fixing of the appointments. It was a picture perfect moment- celebrating a new season in my family’s life, recommitting to God’s call on my life, and worshiping God surrounded by the people whose love and support has carried me to the place I stand today.

I think that’s what worship is meant to be.

I’m more convinced than ever that the best worship happens in the context of community. As I look back on the memories I just shared from Annual Conference, my most powerful worship experiences of were profoundly impacted by the people with whom they were shared. That’s because worship is a community thing.

It’s possible alone.

But it’s beautiful together.

“Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” –Acts 2.46-47

Pray Peace. Make Peace. Live Peace.

Katie :)

rock, paper, scissors, call.

Some of you who have been part of my faith journey in the past year know that since last Annual Conference, I answered a call to ordained ministry as a deacon in the UMC. For a few years I had known that I was called to spend my life in this church, but answering a call to ordained ministry was a huge step for me. As you can see, my life this year has been full of United Methodist warm fuzzies. But this year, I also fell in love with some Mennonites whose faith has challenged me deeply and shaped who I am becoming. Some people in my life are worried that I will end up being Mennonite, and others have promised they’ll still be my friend if I do. So what's up with this Mennonite stuff? I’d be lying if I said I’ve never entertained the idea of being a Mennonite. Do I think I’m called to ministry in the Mennonite Church? Not for a second. But does it sound like fun? Heck yes it does!

Going into Annual Conference this year, I was very aware of these dynamics. Before Annual Conference, I prayed that God would use Annual Conference to reignite my fire for the UMC. This doesn’t sound too bad, but if I’m being honest, what I really wanted was for God to make being a Mennonite seem like no fun at all and being a United Methodist seem like all the fun in the world. After all, that would make my life a whole lot easier. So, fast forward to the end of Annual Conference. As I looked back on the week, I felt like something was missing. I had enjoyed myself all week, but somehow I felt disappointed. I spent some time chatting with God about this, and I quickly realized that God didn't give me what I wanted at Annual Conference. Instead, God gave me what I needed.

God did confirm my call to ministry in the United Methodist Church. But instead of confirming my call with my desires, God confirmed my call in spite of my desires. God whispered gently, “You are called. Here. Don’t listen to your experiences or your desires. Only listen to me. Know who I am. Hear who I say you are. Let me teach you to see your church as I do- not as it is, but as it can be.” God didn’t answer my prayer the way I would’ve liked. But God answered my prayer in the way I needed. One might say that I’m stuck in the United Methodist Church, but I prefer to use the word “called” instead of “stuck.” (after all, isn't being called just a more holy, beautiful, fun version of being stuck?)  In one conversation this week, a pastor encouraged me by saying, “You’ll ask yourself for a while if you really want to be United Methodist, but you’ll eventually realize it’s who you are.” In the core of my being, I know that who I am and who I am called to be is United Methodist. Sometimes, I still ask myself if that's who I want to be. But the good news is that when call and want collide, there is always a clear winner.

It’s kind of like rock, paper, scissors.

Call > want.

Always.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” –Isaiah 55.8-9

Pray Peace. Make Peace. Live Peace.

Katie :)

bienvenidos! :)

Hey everyone! :)

Two weeks ago, I was lucky enough to find myself in Dallas, TX at an event called Exploration! Exploration is a national event of the United Methodist Church for young adults who are exploring a call to ordained ministry in the UMC. It was an incredible time of seeking, listening, and discerning my call to ministry alongside more than 500 other young adults who are considering ordained ministry in the UMC. We were also joined by many of the current leaders in the denomination and representatives from all 13 of the United Methodist seminaries! It was an amazing opportunity to make connections and explore opportunities for ministry in the UMC.

Throughout the weekend, there were worship services, small group sessions, workshops, and a seminary fair. There were four words that summed up the goal of the weekend: "Hear. Discern. Respond. Go!" Each worship service focused on one of these words, and following worship we shared our dreams, ideas, concerns, and questions in our small groups. We each selected three workshop sessions to attend, and my workshops were: "How do I know I'm called?", "What does it mean to be a deacon?", and "Cross-Cultural Ministry." One of my favorite parts of the weekend was being able to talk with representatives from all 13 of the United Methodist seminaries. Going from table to table and meeting students & admissions representatives from each of our seminaries painted a whole new picture of what a seminary education can offer me. Exploration was by far the most awesome, informational, overwhelming, hope-filled weekend of my life! I have a million stories I would love to share, but you'll have to wait for those until the next time we meet face to face! :)

So...why am I telling you all this? Because while I was in Dallas, I did more than just explore. I committed. Exploration was the first step in my journey toward ordained ministry as a deacon in the United Methodist Church. Each day is the next step. This blog is your invitation to join me on this journey. Who's in?! :)