Good News!

Hey everyone,
I just found out yesterday that I have been accepted to North Park Theological Seminary!! This is really exciting news! Thanks to all who had prayed about it, and were references, and who generally gave moral support. Today I am working on the dreaded FAFSA, which is the most tedious part about higher education, I think (but totally necessary if you need financial aid).

The next school year will be so busy, and I will have a lot on my plate...but I am so thrilled for this opportunity. I will be a SemConnect student, so will be able to study while in Lithuania!

There is still lots to figure out (I just found out yesterday, after all), but wanted to share the good news!

Here is some information about the Master of Arts in Christian Formation (as copied from the website):

Master of Arts in Christian Formation

The Master of Arts in Christian Formation is designed to equip persons for effective leadership and engagement in Christian formation through a variety of ministries including education ministries, and youth ministry. Christian formation is facilitating the transformation of the Holy Spirit of groups and persons by the Holy Spirit into ones characterized by the values and virtues of Christ. Learning goals for the Master of Arts in Christian Formation include:

• Living and working under Scripture's authority by knowing the Bible in English and engaging responsibly in the interpretation and application of its teaching
• Having a survey knowledge of the Christian tradition and knowing one's own place within it
• Understanding the global character of the church
• Appreciating the values of the pietistic heritage with the conviction that the task of The Evangelical Covenant Church includes being good stewards of that heritage within the life of the church
• Becoming spiritually formed through growing faith, personal character, self-care, and the various competencies required for effective ministry in Christian formation
• Having a survey knowledge of Christian theology
• Understanding of cultures in order to live and present the Gospel effectively
• Having the ability to communicate effectively through spoken and written media
• Developing a clear ministerial identity as a member of a pastoral staff or church-related institution
• The ability to maintain appropriate relationships
• The ability to identify, recruit, and equip laity for the formational ministries of the church
• Understanding educational and organizational theories and means and models of formation
• Demonstrating particular expertise in one or more areas of specialized ministry
• Demonstration of skills in the ministry of Christian formation through field education

Doesn't it sound exciting? :)

Pictures part 2

Laura finished posting the second round of pictures from our time with Mom and Dad. Here there are, enjoy. Click here for the pictures part 2.

As promised

Here is the link to one photo album from when Steve's parents visited. Hopefully I will be able to get the rest of the pictures up soon.

We're here!

We made it home safely and have been going going going ever since! We have been living out of suitcases and have stayed a couple of nights in Upsala, a couple of nights in Long Prairie, and a couple of nights in the cities (at Steve's brother's). We've already been to a college graduation party, a high school grad party, grilled, seen A LOT of family, and are enjoying our time back.

Over the course of this week, we will set up our general itinerary as to what we will do this summer...but basically, we are home to visit people. We would like to catch up with all of you who we haven't seen in a while, and we want to talk about our adventures in Lithuania. We're also hoping to continue to raise support for the up-coming school year.

We aren't able to use our Lithuanian phones here, so we have invested in one of those "pay-as-you-go" phones. It's through verizon, so if you have a verizon cell phone, we can talk to you for an unlimited amount of time! Otherwise we'll be using it sparingly...plus we want to see everyone face-to-face...we can talk on the phone any day of the year (skype and otherwise).

So.

Here is our number:
320
874
0492

Even if you don't have verizon, you can still call if you want. :) Another way to get a hold of us would be to call any of our parents' home phones (they're in the book. I think).

I've been trying to get photos up of our time with Steve's parents in Lithuania, but it is slow going. I haven't forgotten though, and will try to get it to work soon.

It's so good to be home!

Heading State-side.

We are packed and ready to go (in about 20 minutes). Pray for safe travels and making all of our connections.

Here is our abriviated itinerary:

• 6:24am train from Kliapeda to Vilnius
• 11:30am bus, train, or taxi from Vilnius railway station to airport
• 2:00pm plane from Vilnius to Frankfurt
• 5:30pm plane from Frankfurt to Chicago
• 9:45pm plane from Chicago to Minneapolis
• 10:55pm car from Minneapolis to Central MN

Laura's sister, Emma, is picking us up at the airport in Minneaoplis and she (Emma) already has our whole day planned for Thursday to spend time with them...something about playing board games and eating grilled food. I can't wait.

We hope to see you all soon. Love from Lithuania...for a few more minutes.

Steve's parents are here!

They made it here safely yesterday evening. So far today we've walked to school and had a tour.
More to come!

Graduation Weekend

This weekend was graduation weekend. 93 Seniors graduated from LCC, and it was a gorgeous day for it. We went over to school early on Saturday morning to help get flowers ready, and then went to Baccalaureate at 10:30am. There was a short break for lunch (and time to run a little errand, more about that in a bit), and then we had to be on the sidewalk out front to greet the graduates as they walked into the building. And then as staff and faculty, we also processioned in. It was a really nice ceremony, and the speaker was a member of Lithuanian parliament and also an accomplished jazz musician. After his speech he broke out the trumpet and played a song. Very memorable.




Here we are on the sidewalk waiting for the graduates. It is a tradition to give graduates you know well or have worked with a flower for graduation. Since we primarily have worked with first and second year students this year, we had only 2 to give away. After the ceremony, it was fun to watch people with bouquets trying to find all the people they wanted to give flowers to. (That was the errand that we ran during our little break. We had to go buy some flowers.)



Next year I think I will try to get another picture of them throwing their caps in the air, this time from behind. I hope I don't forget.


__________

Yesterday, Steve and his RA's worked very hard to get everyone moved out of the dorm, and then walked through each room to make sure they were cleaned out (and also took note of any dameage/repairs needed, etc). It was certainly a long day, and even moreso because of how nice it was outside. I have been working on honing my cinnamon roll making skills, so I made them some cinnamon rolls for their efforts. They were gone in about 5 minutes, so I think they turned out ok.


The ironic thing about all the hard work to get everyone out of the dorm is the fact that most all of the students (all the international ones, anyway...and most of them live in dorms) had to move back into the dorm as guests because of residency reasons. Most everyone (including us) has to go down to the migration office in Klaipeda before they leave. A lot of the appointments are today and tomorrow, so the dorm will be emptying again slowly. Although some students will need to stay through until next week! Pray for us and for students, as they still have to live according to dorm policies, but they happen to have a whole lot more time on their hands, and no homework.

Today Steve and the rest of the residence life team are sorting through clothes and other donated items to be given to charity. Over the past couple of weeks, as students, staff, and faculty were packing up, they were encouraged to put all of their unwanted (but still usable) items in various boxes available around campus. So many things were given! Now it just needs to be sorted and given away.

As for my job, the leadership part of it is mostly done! I still need to finish up the manual for the next person (who still needs to be hired, pray for that), and some general getting ready for setting up whoever the next person will be. And then I can devote my time to planning for orientation in the fall, and learning everything there is to know about housing (which is a lot, apparently).

Hope everyone is well. See you soon!

(P.S...as much as I like the blue, I might change it to something a little more easy on the eyes. A lighter blue, perhaps.)