day seven: Yale Divinity School

Today I visited Yale Divinity School. To say that YDS is an incredible place would be an understatement—I so enjoyed my time there and look forward to returning for a visit during the academic year. Today I had an abbreviated, summer campus visit that included a meeting with Admissions, an overview of Financial Aid, and a campus tour. Based on my conversation with Admissions, it sounds like YDS would be a great fit for me; its identity is strongly rooted in both the church and the academy, which reflects my own identity and call. YDS is shaped both by faith and scholarship, and that is an exceptional combination! Further, YDS boasts a faculty in biblical studies that is unparalleled— all it takes is a walk into the bookstore to see the contributions of the YDS faculty to the field. And if that is not enough, the campus is gorgeous and the people I met were incredibly warm and welcoming. From what I can tell, Yale Divinity School is a place I would love to live, learn, and grow in knowledge and faith!

Glimpses into YDS:

Marquand ChapelThe front of Marquand ChapelIt has three organs—this is just one of them!On the Divinity Quadrangle

days three, four, and five: Lancaster Theological Seminary

They say time flies when you’re having fun, and that was certainly the case this weekend in Lancaster, PA! We arrived in Lancaster in time to have lunch with my wonderful roommate, Bethany, and her family. After lunch we visited for a while, and then we headed to my Aunt Marianne’s house where we stayed for the weekend. On Saturday night we went out to a great local place where we got to catch up with Bethany and laugh harder and louder than is appropriate in public. But we didn’t stay out too late, because we were up early on Sunday morning to join Bethany for worship at her home church. After that, Megan and I ate some good Amish food for lunch and headed to my cousin’s house to visit and catch up with their family. We ended our weekend with a delicious dinner out with my aunt at a great restaurant in downtown Lancaster called The Pressroom.

Of course, while the weekend was great fun, the real purpose of our trip to Lancaster was to visit Lancaster Theological Seminary (LTS). My campus visit was today, and it could not have been a better experience! My morning started with an interview with the Director of Admissions, followed by a meeting with one of the Hebrew Bible professors and a campus tour. From the moment I walked on campus, I was warmly welcomed into the LTS community and engaged in great conversation about my journey so far and how LTS could be the next step in that journey. I liked the campus and LOVED its location in a great part of downtown Lancaster. Another big plus is that LTS has affordable housing available on campus. I am planning to visit again during the school year so I can sit in on classes, but as of right now LTS seems like a good possibility for me! Across the board, as I spent time in conversations and on campus, it felt like a place I could call home.

Some glimpses into our time in Lancaster:

Megan and I with Bethany at her house!The Brasserie in LancasterThe three amigas together at last!

Out to dinner at The Pressroom downtown

Megan and I with my awesome aunt!
LTS!

Chapel/academic building

Library

Fantastic reading room we found!

Gorgeous chapel!

day two: Eastern Mennonite Seminary

Today’s visit began bright and early with 8:30am breakfast with the Director of Admissions here at Eastern Mennonite Seminary (EMS). We had a great breakfast at A Bowl of Good, the fantastic organic/local restaurant here. After breakfast, we had a tour of the seminary building and I met with one of the homiletics professors at EMS. Then I met with the Assistant Dean to talk about the degree programs here; it was especially interesting to hear about the different tracks available in the MDiv program. After that meeting, we headed to Subway for lunch with one of the current United Methodist MDiv students here. Finally, I met with the admissions counselor from EMU’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding (CJP), where I could pursue a MA in Conflict Transformation along with my MDiv at the seminary. Overall, it was an enjoyable visit. While I had a great deal of information before I visited, nothing replaces the experience of visiting campus and getting a “feel” for the environment of the school. Tomorrow morning we head to Lancaster, PA to spend the weekend with my family and my wonderful roommate before heading to Lancaster Theological Seminary for a visit on Monday!

Job 37.18

Spent the evening at a local migrant camp for a mobile health clinic. It was a beautiful night—it’s amazing the things you see in the middle of nowhere, in the fields of Ohio. To think…I get to take God in, point God out, and call it work!

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.