When I was in seminary I was required as part of my ordination process in the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. to serve in a church in what the seminary called, “Field Education.” Pastor Ray and Pastor Jan were two of the coolest pastors in the world who loved Jesus and who were by all means the best of the best in making sure that I received what I needed in fulfilling my field education requirement at the seminary and helping me prepare in becoming a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church. I watched these two cats from afar and up close. I watched how they led worship and how they proclaimed God’s Word each and every week. Each had their own style in preaching. One used a manuscript and the other spoke from the heart without notes. One was introverted and the other was more of an extrovert. Both had a heart for the people of the church and were living examples of Christ’s love. Both preached God’s grace and were visionaries. They allowed me to preach and to lead one of their adult education classes during my internship. They allowed me to run their youth ministry alongside some wonderful people.
I recall on one occasion hearing a church member praise Pastor Ray and his ability to remember names. Pastor Jan and his wife were two of the kindest people Debbie and I ever met and made sure that our family was ministered to and cared for while we were living in Princeton during seminary and the entire church surrounded us with love and prayer when I graduated and we moved back to California for my first call as an Associate Pastor at a wonderful church in Sacramento. Pastor Jan was an Army Chaplain as well as one of the Pastors of the church and had a wonderful pastors heart and provided much of the pastoral care for the church. I got to watch Jan and Ray both interact with church members at the best and worst of times in a persons life. Pastor Ray and Pastor Jan blessed me in so many ways and I’m so grateful to have had served alongside them while in seminary. I learned more about pastoral care from these two guys than I did in seminary in my pastoral care class.
Over the last nine months I have had the honor of supervising a very good friend. He’s been a blessing in so many ways and I’ve enjoyed being able to be his supervisor while he’s attended Fuller Seminary and helping him, along with my church, fulfill his Field Education requirement in preparation for ordination as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the PCUSA. When James and I first got acquainted I made sure he knew that if he were to do his “Field Education” at our church, he’d get as much as I got in my field education and even more. James has assisted me in leading worship, he’s preached almost monthly, and has served alongside me and our church leaders. We’ve had the opportunity in watching James grow in his ministry and in his internship. I have know doubt the Lord will continue to use James as he discerns where it is that God is calling him to serve when he is ready to receive a call. I’ve enjoyed also learning from James and what he has to offer the church.
James will continue serving at our church as our pastoral intern until he finishes the ordination process. I look forward in continuing to being able to give to James and others in the future what Pastor Ray and Pastor Jan gave to me as I prepared for becoming a pastor. James has recently entered the blogosphere. If you’d like to catch a glimpse of James heart and his passion for ministry visit his new blog elpisandshalom.com.
Thank you James!!!
