Graduation and membership

At the end of this week, I realize I have yet to ponder the many happenings over the past few days. So much 'input' for an introvert like myself to process, now that I have some quiet moments. Usually, I would have had that on Saturday or early today, but this weekend has been filled with attending a spiritual formation seminar at a friend's church.

On Friday, I 'graduated' from the CPE (Clinical pastoral education) program I took part in earlier this year. This ceremony combined three groups together, with the theme "Knowing ourselves, knowing others". It was not attended by that many people - the hall was only a third full. Yet there was much to celebrate and be thankful for. I was reminded again of the amazing Christian witness the Franciscan nuns have left and continue to leave in their hospital ministry at Assunta. They have touched many lives with the love of Christ, sowing the seeds for people to come to a real knowledge of God's love for them, as his creatures. There is no proselytizing and yet there is so much that is spiritually nurturing in the CPE ministry. My supervisor emphasized the thought that as we become more aware of our humanity, God has a better chance of reaching us - in the sense I guess, that we grow more open to God. It was good getting together with others who had gone through the program - and encouraging one another. Some have gone on to be regular pastoral carers and volunteer their time at the hospital.

Today marked a milestone on my spiritual journey. I was accepted into membership at Trinity Methodist Church PJ. During the service there were baptisms, confirmations and prayer for transfer members (of which I am one). After service, there was another ceremony where we had 'introductions' of the church leaders to us and we to the church leaders, ending with lunch. My 'sponsor' mentioned the several coincidences (God's providential touches!) that she discovered on meeting up with me. I used to work at her cousin's clinic and would have treated her a couple of times and secondly she was a co-teacher with my mother a a Convent school for many years.

I have yet to give thanks and recall all the many people I've met the past few days. A marker on my spiritual journey is this new spiritual 'home', a temporary shelter along the larger journey to our true Home. I no longer feel as if I have been 'disloyal' to the Baptist tradition where I have found shelter for many years. In fact, by another of God's providential touches, the speaker at the spiritual formation seminar shared that her journey has taken her through a number of church traditions, from a conservative Southern Baptist to a Pentecostal setting to a liturgical 'high' church and so on. She felt grateful for each place, for the different forms of nurture received. That helped me embrace my own decision in a deeper way, and reminded me to focus on how the Baptist tradition nurtured me in the Lord, for a particular season, rather than just on the reasons for 'moving on'. Church 'tags' is only a 'here and now' necessity.....for one day, we shall all.......whatever the Christian tradition, be worshipping together in the heavenly choir. I guess we won't have any more problems with the order and form of worship!!