And Thus Begins The Final Year.

Some of LSTC's seniors bringing in the new year with style.

It's official.  I'm finally in my last year of seminary.

Internship finished up really well.  It was an absolutely wonderful experience, and I grew immensely in many ways.  It got busy at the end there, but I truly loved every minute.

My internship experience was different from most of my classmates because, while most of them moved away for the year, I continued living at LSTC.  It was strange not having them around, and now that they're all back, we're having a ton of fun.  We grill together, hang out a lot, and share stories of what happened while we were separated this past year.  We're also getting to know all the other classes, too.  With Internship being in the third year of a four-year program, we always have plenty of students to meet every fall.

To show the juniors and middlers how a group of classmates can really get along for some fun, we decided to dress up in our fanciest finery for a community meal during orientation week.  As we waltzed into the Refectory, one of my classmates acted as Herald and introduced us, one-by-one, to the room.  It was absolutely absurd, slightly awkward, and fairly hilarious moment that reminded me of just how close I am to all my peers at LSTC.

I have a feeling that this year is going to be amazing.  As we reflect seriously on our internship experiences, await candidacy matters, and look forward to graduation and first call, I'm glad that we'll be able to bond in a way that will take us from classmates to co-workers in the church.  We may end up states away from one another, but the bonds we're making in seminary will continue in some way throughout our entire careers, as we lead God's people in love and joy.