The last few weeks I have been busy working on my Draft application for Seminary. The Seminary Application is not just an info inquest about your name, education, background, and your reason for your calling. It also is for providing the Admissions Committee with examples of your understanding of a variety of topics and how you integrate your own thoughts into the questions asked. Questions include topics such as: 1) Your Philosophy of life; 2) Your understanding of Eucharist, Baptism, RCIA, Maryology, Martyrology, etc.; etc. It attempts to delve into your personal theology, how you integrate your beliefs into your life and how well you incorporate your own thoughts into Scripture.
In many respects, the Seminary Application for John XXIII Theological Institute is not only for information gathering about the candidate, but a "mini-thesis" on a variety of topics so the Admissions Committee can see how your faith is turned into action from the Candidates perspective.
I recently completed a draft of 1/2 or so of the questions and sent them for review and comments to my Spiritual Director, Rev. Maggie McNaught. Maggie is a friend of 30 some years that I met many years ago during my Student Pastor days at Lawrence United Methodist Church. Maggie at the time served Broadway United Methodist Church in Irvington and also served the local church's youth ministry as well as youth ministry for the entire Southern Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church.
I have been meeting with Maggie on a weekly basis via telephone to have her serve as my spiritual director. In this role, Maggie assists me in developing my personal faith to a level that continues to ensure my faith is put into action and challenges me weekly on how I came to be called and where God seems to be calling me. As a benefit, she serves on the Admissions board for the United Methodist Church in Northern California, so she has first hand experience at evaluating Candidates for Ministry. Though my faith has called me to serve in the independent Catholic Church of the American Catholic Church in the United States (ACCUS), the process of evaluating Candidates for ministry is a constant across many denominations. She has been a true God-send and helpful in developing my faith on a deeper level, and providing advice on my application.
As I mentioned, I recently sent Maggie a draft of about 1/2 of my answers to questions on my application. I was concerned that being out of school for so many years that I might have lost my ability to articulate my faith on a concrete level. Fortunately, Maggie last week provided feedback to my draft answers and gave me confidence that the answers I was providing are on target for what Admissions Committees might look for in potential candidates.
Whether you are considering full-time ministry, or serving as a lay person in your church, I would highly recommend you find someone whom you trust, have a working relationship with within the Church and a person to whom you look up. I have found that having such a person (what I call my spiritual director) has been a wonderful experience that I wondered why I had not considered having one many years ago even as a lay person. Maggie is a person who knows me in and out, knows the type of ministry I have provided in the past, and helps me confirm the direction that I am feeling led to serve in ministry full time.
As you get ready for Christmas, consider this year finding a "spiritual director" of your own who can challenge you on your personal faith and spiritual development. You will find a wonderful experience in having such a person assisting you with your faith.
p.s. As Christmas fast approaches, if you have ever been the recipient of kindness from a stranger, a friend or a loved one just at the time you needed it, consider "paying it forward" by doing something unexpected for a stranger. Even if you haven't been the recipient of a random act of kindness, by paying it forward you will give that kindness to others. You will find in your anonymity of giving to others, God will Bless you in ways you never imagined.
Peace,
Jeff
