by the Grace of God...

God  you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is guiding us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

I've been told that leaving seminary is like leaving the womb.  You're suddenly expelled from a warm, nurturing environment into the scary world that is filled with air and light and terrifying things.  No wonder babies scream so much when they're born.

I'm experiencing that a little bit myself right now, as I prepare to head off to internship at House for All Sinners and Saints in Denver, CO.  Leaving home is never easy, after all, I've made so many memories at LSTC, and formed bonds of friendship that are so woven into the fabric of my own life that they will never be able to be broken.  I won't be constantly fed with theology and philosophy, and chapel...and that's a little scary.

But, on the other hand, I'm so excited to take my first breath as a Vicar, to fill my lungs with the grace and love of God.  To finally be able to do ministry full time, what I've been waiting for two years to do!  And so, as I go, full of emotions that are unsettled, on a path which I can see ends in Denver on the 16th of August, but beyond that have no idea what it will look like.  So I take solace in the words of the above prayer from the ELW Evening Prayer setting, I have to trust that God's hand is indeed guiding my path and I am fully confident that God's love is supporting me (and all my fellow interns) on this untrodden path of internship.

And honestly, I couldn't have asked for a better place to try this whole pastor thing out than a congregation that knows the power of Grace in such a way as HFASS.  So, here goes nothing, but first I have to pack!