where did march go?!?

i bet that is the question everyone is asking.
i mean, i blipped off the radar for two months?

yep.

primarily cause about two months ago the season of lent started.
and partly because i didn't feel like blogging.

but i'm back now that my thoughts are no longer focused upon several worship services a week.
seriously, the slowest week would have been a total of two services - one sunday, one wednesday.
but that was not the average week.
in march i had a total of 18 worship services to lead.
that's right, that averages to over four a week.
i've had 10 thus far in april (thanks to holy week with two palm sunday services, two maundy thursday services, two good friday services and four easter sunday services).
that's 10 services in 8 days.
it's not even halfway through the month. tomorrow i add two more to the list.

but now it's april and i'm looking forward to more warm days.
it's been warm for weeks. i picked a good year to live in north dakota. not much snow, not excessively cold. early spring.
but earlier this week there was one day where the high was right around the freezing/melting point.
it was so cold that i wore gloves.
it seems that my cold tolerance is gone.
just like the snow is gone.

it rained yesterday, which was nice. helps everything look clean.
the grass is greener, my car is no longer a dusty, chalky tan.
i've been trying to get out and about more, walking my dog and being more active now that i no longer have to traipse through snow banks or on icy pathways.
today it's about 60 degrees and sunny without a cloud in the sky.
gorgeous!

so now i'm trying to think about what to say about doubting/unbelieving thomas (btw, i totally sympathize with his desire to see Jesus for himself).
and cleaning my house and baking brownies in preparation for a jewelry party monday night.
and putting away clothing (i think the really heavy sweaters are going to be stored away somewhere as soon as i figure out where that will be).
and getting ready for a busy weekend next weekend (quick trip to sd to see friends, synod assembly).
and planning for my vacation next month (according to mapquest, i will put at least 4950 miles on my vehicle...and that's without any additional trips to go shopping or visit family and friends in between krissa's and ki's graduations).

but i'm taking it one day at a time, which is all any of us can ask for.
and starting tomorrow, i (and a couple other family members and friends) are going to take on a challenge to set aside an hour a day to promote spiritual well-being.
just for fun

weird...

so it's completely weird to be a pastor, and there are some instances to be on the lookout for:
- being handed your certificate of ordination (it's like getting the signed diploma at graduation)
- entering a community to become one of the most recognizable people (where everyone knows your name but you don't know theirs)
- writing the cover article for the church newsletter (or in my case, parish newsletter) and signing your name with "pastor" or "reverend" before it
- fielding questions about what the differences between pastor and minister and preacher and reverend are (and being unable to really distinguish each one since in your world they all merge together)
- first time you sign a marriage license on the line designated for the official and not the witness and then realize a few days later that the couple is legally married because of your signature
- going to your denomination's rostered leader search and searching for yourself (extra points if you have more than 5 congregations listed behind your name like me)
- learning to savor any opportunity you get to not lead worship or preach (who knew that sitting in the back pew is so enjoyable?)
- feeling guilty for not having npr or christian music playing on the radio as you drive (seriously, i love my rock, pop and folk music)
- trying to think of creative ways to dress where only one piece of the ensemble is something clergy-y, from jewelry with crosses to collared clergy shirt to alb/stole (current favorite way to accessorize: layering necklaces where the cross is almost hidden...it's like Where's Waldo in my fashion)
- making sure that the Bible and communion kit are always in your purse and an appropriate change of clothes in the car (even when out of town on your day off just in case you get called in)

secret life in the parsonage

so, this is a dilemma that i never anticipated: living in the parsonage and yet no one at church knowing who their new pastor is...

i knew i was going to be living in a small town under the microscope where once i'm known as the pastor (have yet to really introduce myself in mcville other than to about 15 people) i'll be recognized going to the post office, grocery store, gas station, etc

but when i got back tonight from leading worship in binford, people were standing around in the church parking lot and talking. i know this cause i went for a short walk around town and there they were.
i said hi but didn't really take time to stop and chat since i have no idea who they were and they might recognize my name (it was on the sign right in front of where they were standing) but to them, i'm just a new person in town who just so happens to have the keys to the parsonage...

being all pastor-y

i'm winding up my first week as a pastor.
shocking, right?
i mean, i got to wear a stole and everything while preaching...

this past week has been interesting. it's amazing at how easy i can slide into some parts of my job and role, while other parts are not a comfortable fit.

for example
- easy to call up and visit a complete stranger who is now "my" parishioner
- not so easy to sit in the office at the church i live next to (but i already knew that i hate sitting at desks since the desk in my house is in the "office" but my computer and printer are set up in the kitchen/dining room area with a view of the tv).
- easy to write a sermon
- not so easy to figure out the differences between Presbyterian and Lutheran services (future reference: Apostles' Creed and Lord's Prayer are most noticeable)
- easy to meet and greet people
- not easy to wear a clerical (seriously, i had one on this morning and decided to wear the alb and stole despite it being warm)
- easy to preside over communion
- not easy to stay awake right now since it's naptime...silly exhaustion that always happens after sunday mornings...

ordination pics

this one is my fave:

although this is a close second:

crazy pic with two sisters (i never noticed, but we are the odd ones in the family as we are #1, #3 and #5)

or the one standing with pastor nick and my angelic little niece (who is seldom looking so angelic and tends to look more like her mom does in the other pic)

opinions?

it's official!

i'm a soon-to-be graduate and pastor!

i turned in all my finals (the final final was turned in about half an hour ago), which means that i'm done with coursework and just have to wait for the grades to be posted (grades for 3 of 5 for my current classes are already posted) so that i can get a signed diploma.

next step: set up ordination and start date.
the people at my new parish (tri-county ministry in north dakota) kept asking when i would be started.
i think they were excited or something...
but i had to always respond that i was in the midst of finals and had been focusing on schoolwork and hadn't looked that far in advance, and that i had literally just signed the letter of call that day/the day before and had yet to set up ordination, after which i would pick a start date...
so they just have to wait about for me to get a few things lined up...

i went to synod assembly this past weekend and it was fun to be with my fellow first call candidates (technically i already knew a few of them so only 3 were new to me).
it was nice to put faces to names i had heard and who i will be colleagues with in the near future.

oddly enough, i was sitting and eating pizza on pizza friday (cause luther sem's cafeteria always serves pizza on fridays for lunch) with a few fellow students, when one (beau) pointed out that according to luther, ordination is a moot point since a pastor is a pastor as soon as a congregation calls them...
which kinda freaked me out
i mean, a congregation extended a call so i am already a pastor?
i had not even officially said yes (at that point, even though i knew that i was going to), and i was already a pastor?

the i realized that i didn't care about how nerve-wracking it sounds since i'm excited to be a pastor.

wow.
i apologize for jumping around and not having a clear train of thought.
but my thoughts are jumbled, and i guess my writing reflects that...

ministry in media video

for my ministry in media class, we were assigned to put together a video to give to a minnesota without poverty. it could be anything we wanted, but we had to have it related to the coalition or poverty...
i chose to use the experience of leading the discussion guide at a local congregation as my source of inspiration.
if you want to know more about my reflections and experience while talking about "enough for all", check this post from my other blog (the serious one i started for this class).
i'm so proud of my video that i'm choosing to post it here and on my other blog.

here is my project:


Enough for All from Kara Wiechmann on Vimeo.

if you don't see a video, here is another link

Music copyright link:

untitled track (James Blackshaw) / CC BY-NC-SA 3.0

family pastor

a congregation will be voting this coming sunday on whether or not to call me as their pastor.
i'm super excited (and if you happen to see me and ask me, i'll be wearing a giddy grin and be ready to start bouncing around).
but also nervous. nervous because nothing is set in stone and the vote hasn't taken place yet and i haven't signed papers and we haven't negotiated a start date...

and i keep getting ahead of myself.

about 3 weeks ago i was freaking out about never receiving a call, when all of a sudden a voice popped into my head and told me,
"Be still and know that I am God."
i love it when i get those moments of clarity. they don't happen often, so i really listen up when they do. that day i listened and immediately let go of the concerns and worries and felt my clenched shoulders relax. i was reminded that there was nothing i could do but be still and know that God is God.

and about a week later i was called and informed that a call committee intended on extending a call. i was pleased and shocked and unsure what to feel since the emotions were so intense as the call process was becoming real in a very different way.

i'm going to be a pastor.

what is really startling is how my entire life is working towards full-time ministry. i'm finally beginning to accept the title of pastor. somehow in the past few months, i've become comfortable with being a pastor.

i know, i know. i've been preparing for this for how many years and it's only now that i'm comfortable?
yep, it is.
cause until now i was always a student, but things are changing.
two weeks from today is my last day of classes. i'm nostalgic for the loss of the school setting that i've known and loved for the last 20 years.
but i'm ready to be a professional.
i'm ready to trade in the hoodies for sweaters and cardigans (oh wait, i've already done that...).
i'm giving up t-shirts for clergy shirts (i'm heading to north dakota where pastors can wear clergy shirts with jeans...i plan on wearing jeans at least once a week, just because i err on the informal side).

a year ago, i was still overwhelmed with the idea that my family would see me as a pastor.
a year ago, i needed them to keep me grounded and remember who i was (which was not a pastor).
but now, i'm a pastor.
and i'm still their daughter/sister/cousin/niece/granddaughter/friend.
i'm excited to be both.

last month strangers at a cousin's wedding saw me as the pastor and i'm pretty sure had no idea what my real name was, which i take is a sign that i've ceased to be the student and have stepped into the world of the pastor.

my family has started to shift how they see me and my role.
when i decided to go to seminary, i began being drafted to pray at meals. i still resist every once in a while, but i find it easier to say yes and am flattered to be asked.
when i told people i was going to be a pastor, they started telling me where the openings were.
when they realized that i would be able to preside over weddings and baptize children, they began asking me to enter their lives in new ways as the family pastor.

i talked to two of my four sisters today.
one sought some pastoral advice from me (which oddly enough looks exactly like asking her big sister for advice).
and the other, when she called, joked with me that she was calling to talk to her sister and not the future pastor.

the tension is there between pastor and sister.
but not for them.
because i'm both sister and pastor.
i'm the sister who will be a pastor.

as both pastor and relative, i can bring a special, personal connection to key moments in life transitions.
moments i would be part of anyway as family, but as pastor and family i get to bring a more intimate bond into the moments blessed by God.

and i'm excited

my weekend

expected travel: 5 days, 23 hrs of time in the vehicle, 1224 miles

actual travel: over 1400 miles and lots more time in the car than mapquest told me as i had to drive around or backtrack to find roads not covered by water or churches not stored in my gps...

planned events: 4 interviews with four congregations/parishes, visit with supervisor from internship, visit with family

unplanned events: trip to grand forks since i had so much free time, last minute decision to go to the circus with my aunt and uncle and little cousin, buying the chronicles of naria: voyage of the dawn treader

i'm exhausted

but also excited to see which of the 4 interviews may or may not turn into my first call...

crazy day

here is a more detailed and interesting elaboration of what's going on in my life than my previous post from this afternoon.

having said that, i want to take time to reflect upon the past 24 hrs

last night, while being all "oh i don't want my day to end because i'd much rather watch my four-hour-long movie about angels," i received a chat message from a dear friend reminding me to notify her tomorrow about synod assignment. and a few things rumbled through my head

first off, i had forgotten about this major event in the life of senior mdiv students taking place the next day
second, i began to panic because the ignorance and subsequent bliss ended
third, i began to realize that i had absolutely no idea of what synod i hoped for or would be disappointed if i got. well, there was one synod i didn't really want...but that's another story

i still watched my movie until my eyes closed

then went to class

then chapel

then back to my apartment to eat lunch and take a nap (and finish the movie)

during all of these events i managed to not recall that i could receive a phone call any moment

and then, just as i was about ready to nap, i got a phone call from the bishop of the eastern north dakota synod

so now a few other thoughts rumble through my head:

yes, i'm excited. (sorry, mom, that i'm not going back home to south dakota. lil sisters, this is a good thing so don't make fun.)

no, i have no idea what town or congregation in that synod, so please stop asking me. and i have no idea when i can start interviewing

yes, i found it difficult to pay attention in my classes this afternoon and evening

no, i did not have the cool status of being able to leave class in order to talk to my new bishop

yes, i'm jealous of those who had their phones on vibrate and left in order to learn what comes next

no, i'm not jealous of those who have to wait another week or so to find out

yes, i am now working really hard to not be focused upon planning my ordination and looking for a call instead of doing homework

no, i have not picked out the perfect pair of glasses to compliment the clergy shirt attire (but i will...) so that i will look both chic and pastor-y

yes, i have tomorrow off so i can celebrate with friends

no, my car is still not fixed (but hopefully will be this weekend)

yes, i will probably go wedding dress shopping on saturday

no, i'm not getting married (nor am i close to it)

yes, i should be thinking about preparing for lent at church since it starts next week...

no, i have not killed off my aloe plant or peace lily (although they came really close and are looking shabby right now)

yes, i have a green thumb when it comes to caring for my roomie's plants since they are flourishing like the african violet is about to bloom for the second time since september

end

no, the title of this post does not mean end as in "the end"

it means: eastern north dakota (end)

synod assignments have been completed for region three of the elca (sorry people from other regions who have to wait a week or more to find out...)

i received a phone call from the bishop of end and am super excited cause i get to live in the dakotas!

and as a friend reminded me, this means i need to purchase snowshoes (cause i loved me the snowshoeing attempt this winter). full backstory: post renting snowshoes for a fun excursion in january, i said that i would have to buy snowshoes (superfun!) if i get assigned to a place where there is snow. and i'm pretty sure that end counts...

wind and low temps, here i come!

the draft

fyi: drafts are much more exciting when you are not on the list to be drafted

think about it. there you are, sitting and waiting at the whim of the people who pick you...

but if you're on the outside looking in, you can either ignore everything going on (and ignorance is bliss, after all) or you can be involved via empathy/sympathy

we learned about the draft tonight in between eating pizza and cakepops (yummy) and then worshiping together

me and roughly 200 other elca seminarians from seminaries/divinity schools across the country learned yesterday/today where they were assigned in the draft (officially the draft is known as assignment)

i, like a good chunk of my classmates at luther, will be staying in region 3 (minnesota, north dakota, south dakota)

it was interesting to watch reactions as they varied from joy (including one friend who jumped on her chair she was so excited) to acceptance to disappointment.

i personally fell somewhere between acceptance and disappointment. not that i don't love region 3 (cause i do since it's my dear home that i've lived all but a few years in) but deep down i had been hoping to leave my home and experience what the rest of the country has to offer. i was ready to spread my wings and fly away from the "tri-ota" region.

at the same time, i'm excited cause so many of my friends are in my region.

i also won a yo-yo in a raffle tonight. not that it does me any good whatsoever, but i won something

warning: serious posting ahead

okay, folks, here's the deal:

tomorrow is a big day in the life of numerous future pastors. (with a few exceptions)

tomorrow is the day when i will be handed an envelope.

and in the envelope will be a number of a region (1-9) of the united states that i will be assigned to after graduation. for example, region 3 of the elca is what i think of as "tri-ota" since it is north dakota, south dakota and minnesota while region 9 is the entire southeast corner of the country.

next step after assignment: finding out which synod i will be sent to.

the next step after synod placement: finding a congregation that i feel called to and that wants to call me.

but first, tomorrow must arrive.

and tomorrow, i will be texting, facebooking, emailing and blogging about where in the country kara will be going to soon enough

my final day at bethel

i preached and helped lead worship. then there was a potluck in my honor. it was the "we'll miss you" and "we wish you well" event

i heart people

on sunday i found a location that was balm to my soul.

it was not the first time i had been there

in fact, nor was it the second or third or fourth...

that's right. this was my fifth trip to havenwood care center, a local nursing home

i admit that i often feel uber-uncomfortable in nursing homes. i never know what to talk about.

but today, when i was there to preach and lead worship, i found myself sticking around for over an hour after the service just to talk with people over birthday cake and coffee (or in my case, hot chocolate)

it was a nice time for me to be able to relax and simply enjoy people. i was still a bit awkward, but i loved it. and i enjoyed getting compliments from some of the elderly who attended the worship. afterwards several said they appreciated or enjoyed my sermon. one loved the smile and light in my eyes.

and i enjoyed talking with the staff and volunteers. one even volunteered to take me around to the local small towns. and i'm going to take her up on it. cause she was fun as she said that when she shook hands with me, she felt that she just wanted to hug me. just like some of the others did. i got more hugs today at the nursing home than i did in the last week.

and i loved it.

so i might just have to show up sometime during the week or on sundays to have coffee with them.

because five days later i still smile and am happy.

isn't it amazing how some friendly people and good conversations can keep you going all week with a positive attitude?

long days continued

and i write again after another long day (i hope you got the idea that i've had a lot of long days this week)

and today was a fantastic day!

began with quilting. i love the ladies who quilt thursday mornings. so enjoyable to chat and do good work.

then i left halfway through quilting to report to the seniors center that is the hub for delivering meals on wheels. and i had a blast driving around with roy and bringing food to people in the community.

after that i ate at the seniors center with some of the others who delivered meals. and no, i was not the youngest there. someone brought their grandson (or perhaps great-grandson).

then i had a brief meeting to get a schedule for next week when i will be acting as a "soccer mom" for four kids. and found out that i would be getting kids up no later than 6:30 am each day. uff da

and i ran home to finish cleaning my house. everything organized except my bedroom.

bell choir practice went well. two songs for this sunday. and one really challenging piece that is likely to be played for easter. and definitely for the concert this summer

then drove home and got ready for the women's circle that met at my house from 8-10 pm.

which was an awesome time. i loved getting to talk with the five women who showed up. sharing life stories and reflections upon how the Holy Spirit is active

so after a 13-hour (technically turned out to be a little more than 13 hours) workday, i sat down on my couch to relax.

and checked my messages to hear that i won a raffle (proceeds to help habitat for humanity). which is awesome. so i guess i need to head over to the habitat for humanity office to claim my prize.

i can't remember the last time i won a raffle, so i'm pretty stoked about this!

such a great day. and tomorrow is my day off. awesome!

long days cont

wednesdays are always long days at church. start with staff meeting. move on to a bible study. theoretically have a few hours in the afternoon. then the real fun begins with kids club, confirmation, youth group.

today's bible study looked at wisdom. the wise solomon. wisdom in proverbs. you get the picture.

then ate lunch.

then ran a couple errands. bank and target. deposit checks and pick up a few necessities. like ice melt. and a few non-necessities. like a new wii game.

then reported back to the church to finalize some things for the evening.

then met with some parents.

then ate some spaghetti.

then talked about baptism with my 5th and 6th graders.

then sang some songs.

then helped to lead confirmation.

then did some yoga with a few women from church.

then came home to clean up my house a bit.

final checklist:
- front room? presentable
- dining table? presentable
- kitchen? close to clean
- bathroom? tomorrow will have make sure to wipe all surfaces

well, technically today since it's already thursday

this wednesday was a good day. long but good

long days

today was a long day with constant running.

and i loved it!

the day began with me waking early. ridiculously early, in fact. 7:30 to be precise. usually i would struggle to wake up when my alarms start going off after 8 am. but for some reason, i was wide awake this morning and unable to go back to sleep.

so i bummed around, putting some clothes away, opening up one of my fake presents that contained my non-christmas decorations, checking email (something i only ever do after i either get to work or get back from the day's activities).

then around 9 i left for blackduck and the pastor's conference there. had a good time.

i've begun to really appreciate the worship services that start the monthly conference meetings. only time each month i get to worship as opposed to working. cause leading worship every week is my job.

the guest speaker talked about the significance of sharing stories since her current ministry is getting to know youth who do not usually darken (or perhaps lighten) the doors of churches.

then we had french dip sandwiches. and delicious potato salad.

then a few remained to talk about douglas john hall's "the cross in our context" as a pre-lenten discussion. theology of the cross is such a good topic. i am beginning more and more to fully appreciate the wonder that God is able to suffer with us. and i love being reminded of the mystery of God.

after the discussion ended around 3, i headed back to my house for a short layover before heading to the habitat for humanity's spaghetti dinner. where i ate way too much spaghetti. but found the desserts for those who were unable to have the extra sense to always know where the sweets are located. perhaps the fact that that the orange drink was located next to the deserts. and i had the orange drink since i'm a little kid.

but the exciting thing during the trip while chatting with my sister is that i began pushing buttons in my car. the other day, friday to be precise, the dashboard lights for some reason stopped working. which was the second time since moving to bemidji that i've been driving a car where i cannot see the speedometer at night. first was dad's sable back in september. and now mom's forester. and of course, it happens the exact week i have no time to get to an auto mechanic. and next week is not any better.

but the lights turned on! for some reason turning the fog light on worked. who would have guessed that a fog light would be the solution to all my problems?

then i went to the church where i sat in on part of a meeting. worship and music committee to be precise. and ended up chatting with a few people afterwards. then i retreated back home.

and now i need to finish up my awesome bible studies. cause tomorrow is wednesday and a very long day complete with an adult bible study, meeting with parents whose kid will be getting baptized in a couple weeks, 5th/6th grade activity/bible study, and confirmation.

and i might end the night with a wee bit o yoga/pilates with ladies at the church who decided to start up some new activities. two times a week for yoga. and every other thursday there will be a new circle.

first meeting is at my house. which reminds me...i need to clean...

slacker betty (note: that is not my name nor am i talking about any betty in particular)

i like to do as little as possible.

except when i like to keep busy.

i am a contradiction, aren't i?

and of course, now that i'm starting my third month as the intern pastor, i suppose i should be working on that.

update: i have to do an internship project and i'm super excited about getting approval from my intern committee and supervisor for this project.

as many know, i have worked many a year at libraries. i love books (unlike capital letters) and i like having them organized and looking pretty on shelves.

so my project is to organize the church library and to hopefully add in some good resources that people will actually use. like devotions, book club suggestions, bible study guides, youth activity books, etc.

and did i mention that i'm super excited to find a software program, pick out new books, and make the library look pretty and useful?

Quilts and music

I have begun to join various groups to get to know people better. So now, in addition to really long Wednesdays that start with staff meetings and Bible studies in the morning to end with youth activities at night. Then to rise early for a really long Thursday that begins with the quilting and ends with music. I am part of two choirs (bell choir and the run-of-the-mill singing choir) as well as helping out the quilters. Of course, I am on the young end of the age scale among the quilters. But they seem really excited to have me there and helping out since many of their members are no longer around, whether due to the fact they have passed away or moved to another state.

The quilters are fun. They make quilts based on quantity (and the ability to keep people warm) and not so much the quality (since they were asked to not make works of art as a means to prevent the quilts from ending up on the black market or something...). And the last 20 quilts have been all the same colors. I like them, but I can understand how it can become tiresome to always look at the same patterns day after day. Anyway, I am learning different abilities. Like how to cut ridiculously large pieces of fabric or quilting batting. Or to pin together tops, batting and bottoms. Or to tie. Oh wait, I already knew how to tie quilts. But they keep asking if I can sew. As in, use a sewing machine. Which I have not done in about 10 years or so. Not my forte, but perhaps I shall relearn since they are low on sewers.

Bell choir shall be interesting. I have never had to look through music just so I can find one single note to play instead of following a line. In band I always had just my part on the sheet in front of me. In choir, I always looked for the soprano (or alto, depending on what part I would be told to sing since I am so flexible) line to follow. But for bell choir I get assigned to play a specific note or notes. Like being told to play A and A flat (dealing with key changes or accidentals). Which means that I have to look through the music in order to find each instance where an A or an Ab will be played. It is definitely a different way to read music, but I think I can get the hang of it quickly.

Choir will be interesting. I was asked to sing alto since each choir always has an abundance of women who want to sing the soprano part. I don't really mind, but I am noticing that I find the alto part to be far easier. The note range is easy on my voice, which means that I am not feeling pushed or strained to get better with my range. And I find singing the harmony ridiculously easy as well. I guess I am just so good at being able to always sing the part I have been taught time and again with little to know problem. Once I get the notes down, I can sing them. Now the challenge will be to keep my energy and interest in the songs since I have a tendency to get bored once I know the music.